Domestic Help for Expats in Turkey and Istanbul

In Turkey, it is quite normal to employ a housekeeper/ cleaner. It provides jobs for the lower classes and is a great benefit to society. Finding a housekeeper may be a difficult task if you’re not used to this service. Having a stranger in your home, dusting around your items, takes an element of trust. It can be quite an exhaustive process finding someone that you can trust and that will efficiently do the job at hand.

Do you want someone to do some house cleaning or do you require them to do the washing and the ironing? Do you need someone to look after the children and pick them up after school? Do you need a cook? Do you want someone to come for a few hours a week or twice weekly? Do you want someone to live-in? What is your budget? Will you require insurance to cover your housekeeper?

Many decisions need to be made. Finding the right candidate will take interviews and references and your gut feeling. Do you feel comfortable with this person and feel that you can trust them?

There are always housekeepers recommended by your friends and neighbors. Word of mouth is usually an excellent reference. Some agencies can take the difficulty out of finding the right person. If this person will be caring for your children, its essential that they have impeccable references.

Domestic Help Agencies for Expats in Istanbul

  • Ev Temizliği is a home cleaning agency that provides cleaners

  • ISILTI Cleaning is an agency that offers commercial cleaning but also serves private clients in their homes which includes window cleaning and carpet cleaning

  • Great Aupair is an agency that provides trusted and checked careers to look after your children. They also have housekeepers on their books.

  • Mutlubiev is an agency where you can book cleaning professionals for your home. Hiring through this site includes insurance up to 25,000 TL. To book a half-day cleaner will cost about 120 TL on this site. The site displays a database of approved cleaners in your area and their rating. Payment for services is by credit card only.

  • Bakiciburada.com is a website where you can find domestic cleaners, as well as dog walkers, gardeners, baby sitters, tutors and more.

Other ways that you can find the perfect home help is through your local ex-pat community such as Facebook groups and ex-pat forums such as Internations.

As of December 2020, a house cleaner will cost you approximately 35 TL, 3.5 Euro, US$4.20, 3.20GBP an hour. The more years of experience, the higher the rate. A housekeeper with ten years of experience might earn 50 TL an hour.

A cleaner for a small apartment will cost about 200TL for the day, whereas a 3 bedroom apartment will cost up to 400TL. It’s not unusual to pay your housekeeper a bonus at the end of the year.

Top