What does a cleaning and maintenance worker do?

A custodian, also referred to as janitor, is responsible for maintaining cleanliness and helping protect all facilities. Custodians make sure everything is clean, neat, in order, and free from clutter and safe. They perform routine maintenance tasks and heavy cleaning duties. They do everyday things to sweep floors, mop, scrub, vacuum, collect and empty trash, dust furniture, walls, and equipment. They mix solutions and chemicals in containers based on proportions for disinfecting windows, mirrors, and other partitions requiring cleaning. Some also do minor building maintenance and light repairs, while others are exposed to biohazardous materials.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a cleaning and maintenance worker are more likely to require skills like "buff floors," "routine maintenance," "routine inspections," and "commercial buildings." On the other hand, a job as a custodian requires skills like "cleanliness," "work ethic," "minor maintenance," and "ladders." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

A porter is responsible for managing the building's cleanliness and orderliness, together with the cleaning maintenance team. Duties of a porter include ensuring the premises' safety, operating cleaning tools and equipment, and performing basic troubleshooting for defective machines. Other tasks include assisting visitors with their inquiries, leading clients to the appropriate departments, adhering to the highest safety standards and procedures, and answering maintenance calls. A porter must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills to ensure daily smooth operations.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real cleaning and maintenance worker resumes. While cleaning and maintenance worker responsibilities can utilize skills like "plumbing," "bathroom fixtures," "office buildings," and "polish furniture," porters use skills like "excellent guest," "dexterity," "manual dexterity," and "cleanliness."

A floor technician's role is to maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of various areas within an establishment. Their responsibilities include operating cleaning equipment, conducting minimal repairs and inventory checks, arranging furniture and fixtures, organizing supplies, and keeping floors free from obstructions. There are also instances where they must replenish soap or tissue dispensers, use strong chemicals, and even dispose of hazardous waste. Furthermore, a floor technician follows directives from managers or supervisors, reporting to them should there be any issues.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from cleaning and maintenance worker resumes include skills like "plumbing," "bathroom fixtures," "customer service," and "safety hazards," whereas a floor technician is more likely to list skills in "extraction," "patients," "safety guidelines," and "safety precautions. "

Housekeepers are responsible for taking care of their employers' houses. They are usually tasked to do work related to cleaning. Their primary responsibilities include sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping floors, managing recycling, taking out the trash, dusting surfaces, cleaning the bathroom, among others. They are also responsible for doing laundry, folding clothes, and storing clothes in cabinets. They may also be given additional responsibilities such as shopping for groceries, managing and stocking the pantry, cooking, walking pets and watering the plants. Housekeepers should be responsible, trustworthy, and knowledgeable on housework.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between cleaning and maintenance workers and housekeepers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a cleaning and maintenance worker might have more use for skills like "plumbing," "bathroom fixtures," "office buildings," and "general maintenance." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of housekeepers require skills like "cleanliness," "patients," "guest rooms," and "good judgment. "