The Duties of a Valet (2025)

The valet (rhymes with pallet) is a personal manservant who tends to his master’s every need, from a clean room to seeing to his clothes to making sure that his entire day goes smoothly from the moment he rises to the time he goes to bed. Also known as a gentleman’s gentleman, the valet is the closest male equivalent to a lady’s maid.

The Duties of a Valet (1)

Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) dresses with the help of his valet, who stands ready to put on his coat. In this scene, Mr. Darcy changes his mind and chooses another coat before visiting Elizabeth at the inn. Image @Pride and Prejudice, 1995

Mrs. Beeton describes a valet’s duties in her excellent 1861 book on household management:

His day commences by seeing that his master’s dressing-room is in order; that the housemaid has swept and dusted it properly; that the fire is lighted and burns cheerfully; and some time before hismasteris expected, he will do well to throw up the sash [open the window] to admit fresh air, closing it, however, in time to recover thetemperaturewhich he knows hismasterprefers. It is now his duty to place the body-linen on thehorsebefore the fire, to be aired properly;

Edwardian clothes horse. Image @Denhams.com

to lay the trousers intended to be worn, carefully brushed and cleaned, on the back of his master’s chair; while the coat andwaistcoat, carefully brushed and folded, and the collar cleaned, are laid in their place ready to be put on when required. All the articles of the toilet should be in their places, the razors properly set and stropped, and hot water ready for use.

The Duties of a Valet (3)

Barry Lyndon (Ryan O’Neal). While the master shaves, his footmen assist him, making sure his implements are at hand. His valet would have overseen the arrangements and will sharpen the razor and clean the shaving brush after Barry has finished shaving. Image @Barry Lyndon

Gentlemen generally prefer performing the operation of shaving themselves, but a valet should be prepared to do it if required; and he should be a good hairdresser. Shaving over, he has to brush the hair,beardand moustache, where that appendage is encouraged, arranging the whole simply and gracefully, according to the age and style of the countenance. Every fortnight, or three weeks at theutmost, the hair should be cut, and the points of the whiskers trimmed as often as required. A good valet will now present the various articles of the toilet as they are wanted; afterwards, the body-linen. Neck-tie, which he will put on, if required, and, afterwards, waist-coat, coat, and boots, in suitable order, and carefully brushed and polished.”

Other valet duties:

Ian Kelly (Brummel) and Ryan Early in Beau Brummel (2006 play)

  • As his master goes out, the valet hands him his gloves and hat, opens the door for him, and receives his orders for the rest of the day.
  • He puts his master’s dressing-room in order, cleaning combs and brushes, folding clothes and putting them in drawers.
  • If his master has no clothes sense, the valet will select suitable clothes, making sure they are clean, particularly the collars, and maintained in good repair.
  • He consults with the tailor, perfumer, and linen-draper.
  • He awaits his master’s return, making sure that his drawing room is picked up by the maids, and dusted and swept by them, and that the room is made ready with a lit fire and candles.

The Duties of a Valet (5)

Bates (Brendan Coyle) assists Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) in Downton Abbey. A valet and his master become close over the years. Image @Downton Chaser

  • The valet stands ready to help his master dress for dinner or any other occasion.
  • He makes sure that the washing table is ready, filling the ewer and carafe with fresh water, and placing the basin towels, brushes, hot water, and shaving apparatus near at hand.
  • In case of wet weather, when his master has returned from riding, the valet lays out a change of dry linen and clothing, and is ready to assist his master out of the damp clothing.
  • He helps his master prepare for journeys, packing enough linen and other clothing for the trip. At the Inns, he takes charge of his master’s comfort as he would at home, and has everything ready to assist his master in dressing and undressing.
  • If no footmen is available during the journey, the valet will also see to these services, even at table.

The Duties of a Valet (6)

Bates at the moment he is informed that he must leave Lord Grantham’s service. Despite their long association, it was imperative that a valet was physically capable of performing all his duties, including standing in as footman when the occasion required. Bates’ reliance on a cane prevented him from carrying a tray. (We all have learned that Lord Grantham is a softie and kept Bates on.) Credit: Courtesy of © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE

The valet keeps his master’s clothes in good repair:

  • Hats are kept well brushed on the outside with a soft brush, and wiped inside with a clean handerchief.
  • Clothes placed in a wardrobe are covered with brown holland or linen wrappers to secure them from dust.
  • He places boots and shoes cleaned by the under footman in the dressing room.
  • Slippers are aired by the fire.
  • As soon as his master finishes shaving, the valet will clean the razor and brushes.
  • Before he hangs damp clothing by the fire, he rubs the cloth with a sponge until the smoothness of the nap is restored. If the clothes are allowed to dry before brushing, then later brushing might not remove the roughness.

The Duties of a Valet (7)

In Downton Abbey, Matthew resists Molesley’s services, causing an undue amount of stress to the butler, who also acts as his valet.Credit: Courtesy of © Nick Wall/Carnival Film & Television Limited 2012 for MASTERPIECE

Valets in humbler households:

The butler in a second or third rate establishment takes on the duties of the house steward, valet, and footman as well. He is likely to pay market bills, assist his master in dressing, serve at table and oversee the wine and silver, and superintend other male servants.

Sources:

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The Duties of a Valet (2025)

FAQs

The Duties of a Valet? ›

Personal characteristics will include: Tact, diplomacy and discretion Etiquette and good manners Politeness and civility Honesty and dedication Willingness to be of genuine service An unbiased and prejudice-free disposition.

What are 5 characteristics of a valet? ›

Personal characteristics will include: Tact, diplomacy and discretion Etiquette and good manners Politeness and civility Honesty and dedication Willingness to be of genuine service An unbiased and prejudice-free disposition.

What is the role of a personal valet? ›

A valet's role is to provide a high level of comfort and service to their employer at all times. Welcoming and caring for the employer's family and guests is also part of the job. Although their responsibilities vary depending on the employer, a valet is often required to take care of the employer's wardrobe.

What is a car valet job description? ›

Day-to-day tasks

clean windows, wheels, door handles and mirrors. vacuum and shampoo upholstery and carpets. wax and polish bodywork. apply gels and other finishes to bumpers and trims.

What are the most important skills for a valet? ›

Most Important Skills Required to Be a Valet as Listed by Employers and Employees
Skills Required by EmployersShare
Customer Service14.52%
Communication Skills8.49%
Outdoor7.23%
Cleaning Experience5.41%
6 more rows

What are the 7 roles of valet? ›

Valet Responsibilities:
  • Greeting guests of the establishment.
  • Assisting with unloading guests' luggage.
  • Parking cars safely.
  • Retrieving cars for guests in a timely manner.
  • Ensuring that parked cars are locked and that keys are stored safely or returned to the owner.
Mar 9, 2022

What is a female valet called? ›

A valet or "gentleman's gentleman" is a gentleman's male servant; the closest female equivalent is a lady's maid. The valet performs personal services such as maintaining his employer's clothes, running his bath and perhaps (especially in the past) shaving his employer.

What duties does a valet have? ›

Valet duties and responsibilities
  • Promptly greeting guests with a welcome message.
  • Opening vehicle doors for guests and aiding in the removal of luggage and personal belongings.
  • Driving vehicles to designated areas and safely parking them.
  • Recording parking spots and placing guests' keys in a safe location.

What is valet etiquette? ›

Always wait for the valet attendant. Never leave your vehicle unattended in the drive lane or valet space. Inform valet of vehicle quirks. This is only necessary if it's something that may be an issue for them, such as a sensitive alarm system, touchy brakes or a broken door latch.

What does a modern valet do? ›

A Valet has many responsibilities, such as greeting guests, helping to unload luggage, parking cars carefully and returning vehicles quickly when guests are ready to leave.

What is done in a full valet? ›

A full car valet includes a full vacuum (including the entire interior, seats, boot and side pockets), cleaning and buffing of all surfaces and materials, full leather clean, full interior shampoo clean (of seats, carpets and mats), window cleaning, tyre shine, the removal of tar spots and a full exterior polish.

Are valet jobs hard? ›

Some jobs may have tricky parking areas or parking lots that are difficult to maneuver through, so after working as a valet for a while, your driving and parking skills should improve quite a bit. A friendly smile and great customer service are often rewarded with tips from customers.

What are the qualifications for valet service? ›

Required qualifications

Valid driver's license with a clean driving record. Previous experience in a customer service role, preferably in a hospitality or service industry. Familiarity with local roads, traffic patterns, and parking regulations.

What are the 5 personal characteristics required by a valet? ›

Personal characteristics will include: Tact, diplomacy and discretion Etiquette and good manners Politeness and civility Honesty and dedication Willingness to be of genuine service An unbiased and prejudice-free disposition.

Do valets make a lot in tips? ›

How much can you expect to earn in tips as a valet. Research finds that the average valet can expect anywhere from $1-5 per car. One rule of thumb is $1 tipped for every $10,000 of car value. However, this is usually not the case.

How to make valet look good on resume? ›

Coordinated an orderly overflow of arriving and departing traffic.
  1. Served as lead valet.
  2. Performed ticket issuance and vehicle inspection tasks.
  3. Maintained sanitation and order of work area.
  4. Ensured continuous supply of tickets.
  5. Managed daily staffing issues.
  6. Created and monitored staff schedules.

What is the full meaning of valet? ›

: a man's male servant who performs personal services (such as taking care of clothing) 2. : a device (such as a rack or tray) for holding clothing or personal effects. valet.

Can a valet be a woman? ›

If she's parking your car at a swanky restaurant or hotel, she's called a valet. “ Ladies Maid" is the title your looking for. A valet. There is no sex attached to the position any longer.

Is a valet higher than a butler? ›

The Valet is responsible only for their Principal and does not oversee any household staff or events that occur in a household. However, a Butler may be tasked with performing Valet duties.

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