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Working As A General Cleaner

  • Performing General Physical Activities
  • Handling and Moving Objects
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
  • Getting Information
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

  • Outdoors/walking/standing

  • $23,000

    Average Salary

What Does A General Cleaner Do

Janitors and building cleaners keep many types of buildings clean, orderly, and in good condition.

Duties

Janitors and building cleaners typically do the following:

  • Gather and empty trash
  • Sweep, mop, or vacuum building floors
  • Clean restrooms and stock them with supplies
  • Lock doors to secure buildings
  • Clean spills and other hazards with appropriate equipment
  • Wash windows, walls, and glass
  • Order cleaning supplies
  • Make minor building repairs
  • Notify managers when a building needs major repairs

Janitors and building cleaners keep office buildings, schools, hospitals, retail stores, hotels, and other places clean, sanitary, and in good condition. Some only clean, while others have a wide range of duties.

In addition to keeping the inside of buildings clean and orderly, some janitors and building cleaners work outdoors, mowing lawns, sweeping walkways, and removing snow. Some workers also monitor the building’s heating and cooling system, ensuring that it functions properly.

Janitors and building cleaners use many tools and equipment. Simple cleaning tools may include mops, brooms, rakes, and shovels. Other tools may include snowblowers, floor buffers, and carpet extraction equipment.

Some janitors are responsible for repairing minor electrical or plumbing problems, such as leaky faucets.

The following are examples of types of janitors and building cleaners:

Building superintendents are responsible for maintaining residential buildings, such as apartments and condominiums. Although their duties are similar to those of other janitors, some building superintendents also help collect rent and show vacancies to potential tenants.

Custodians are janitors or cleaning workers who typically maintain institutional facilities, such as public schools and hospitals.

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How To Become A General Cleaner

Most janitors and building cleaners learn on the job. Formal education is not required.

Education

Janitors and building cleaners do not need any formal educational credential. However, high school courses in shop can be helpful for jobs involving repair work.

Training

Most janitors and building cleaners learn on the job. Beginners typically work with a more experienced janitor, learning how to use and maintain equipment such as vacuums, floor buffers, and other tools. On the job, they also learn how to repair minor electrical and plumbing problems.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although not required, certification is available through the Building Service Contractors Association International, the International Executive Housekeepers Association, and ISSA—The International Sanitary Supply Association. Certification can demonstrate competence and may make applicants more appealing to employers.

Important Qualities

Interpersonal skills. Janitors and building cleaners should get along well with their supervisors, other cleaners, and the people who live or work in the buildings they clean.

Mechanical skills. Janitors and building cleaners should understand general building operations. They should be able to make routine repairs, such as repairing leaky faucets. 

Physical stamina. Janitors and building cleaners spend most of their workday on their feet, operating cleaning equipment and lifting and moving supplies or tools. As a result, they should have good physical stamina.

Physical strength. Janitors and building cleaners often must lift and move cleaning materials and heavy equipment. Cases of liquid cleaner and trash receptacles, for example, can be very heavy, so workers should be strong enough to lift them without injuring their back.

Time-management skills. Janitors and building cleaners should be able to plan and complete tasks in a timely manner.

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Average Length of Employment
Custodian 2.9 years
Custodian Worker 2.8 years
Office Cleaner 2.6 years
Janitor/Housekeeper 2.5 years
Janitorial Maintenance Worker 2.5 years
Service Cleaner 2.5 years
Commercial Or Institutional Cleaner 2.4 years
Building Cleaner 2.3 years
Housekeeping Cleaner 2.2 years
Day Porter 2.2 years
Professional Cleaner 2.2 years
Assistant Cleaner 2.1 years
Floor Cleaner 2.1 years
Cleaner 2.1 years
Cleaning And Maintenance Worker 2.0 years
Janitor 2.0 years
General Cleaner 2.0 years
Janitorial Assistant 1.8 years
Industrial Cleaner 1.7 years
Cleaning Crew Member 1.5 years
Top Careers Before General Cleaner
Cashier 22.0%
Housekeeper 10.0%
Customer Service Representative 8.5%
Sales Associate 7.8%
Crew Member 6.8%
Cleaner 5.3%
Janitor 4.2%
Home Health Aid 3.5%
Dietary Aide 3.5%
Certified Nursing Assistant 3.0%
Security Officer 2.9%
Custodian 2.9%
Cook 2.8%
Warehouse Worker 2.8%
Server 2.7%
Machine Operator 2.4%
Sales Associate And Cashier 2.3%
Cook/Server 2.2%
Receptionist 2.2%
Office Assistant 2.2%
Top Careers After General Cleaner
Cashier 16.9%
Housekeeper 11.7%
Customer Service Representative 7.3%
Cleaner 6.5%
Sales Associate 6.4%
Home Health Aid 4.8%
Security Officer 4.6%
Janitor 4.4%
Crew Member 3.9%
Certified Nursing Assistant 3.6%
Warehouse Worker 3.6%
Production Worker 3.5%
Custodian 3.4%
Server 3.3%
Machine Operator 3.1%
Driver 2.9%
Floor Technician 2.7%
Warehouse Associate 2.5%
Picker And Packer 2.5%
Supervisor 2.5%

Do you work as a General Cleaner?

Average Salary For A General Cleaner

Average Yearly Salary
$23,000
Show Salaries
$19,000
Min 10%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$23,000
Median 50%
$26,000
Max 90%
Best Paying Company
Boston Medical Center
Highest Paying City
Minneapolis, MN
Highest Paying State
Washington
Avg Experience Level
1.8 years
How much does a General Cleaner make at top companies?
The national average salary for a General Cleaner in the United States is $23,188 per year or $11 per hour. Those in the bottom 10 percent make under $19,000 a year, and the top 10 percent make over $27,000.

The largest raises come from changing jobs.

See what's out there.

Top Skills for A General Cleaner

  1. Building Floors
  2. Public Restrooms
  3. Mop Floors
You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:
  • Clean building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, vacuuming, strip, seal, finish, and polish floors.
  • Clean and service all public restrooms.
  • Sweep and mop floors, vacuuming, emptying trash receptacles and replace lining, clean windows and mirrors, dust furniture.
  • Cleaned office buildings, office cubicles, dusted, vacuumed, sanitized, and made sure other areas were spotless.
  • Clean and disinfect sinks, countertops, toilets, and mirrors and replenish bathroom supplies.

Best States For A General Cleaner

Rank:

Average Salary:

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Top 10 Best States for General Cleaners

  1. Vermont
  2. Maine
  3. Montana
  4. Nevada
  5. Minnesota
  6. Washington
  7. North Dakota
  8. Wyoming
  9. South Dakota
  10. Alaska
  • (37 jobs)
  • (65 jobs)
  • (87 jobs)
  • (162 jobs)
  • (236 jobs)
  • (246 jobs)
  • (39 jobs)
  • (23 jobs)
  • (27 jobs)
  • (30 jobs)

General Cleaner Resume Examples And Tips

The average resume reviewer spends between 5 to 7 seconds looking at a single resume, which leaves the average job applier with roughly six seconds to make a killer first impression. Thanks to this, a single typo or error on your resume can disqualify you right out of the gate. At Zippia, we went through over 7,246 General Cleaner resumes and compiled some information about how best to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.

Learn How To Create A Top Notch General Cleaner Resume

View Resume Examples

General Cleaner Demographics

Gender

Female

51.3%

Male

44.2%

Unknown

4.5%
Ethnicity

White

69.6%

Black or African American

11.3%

Hispanic or Latino

10.6%

Asian

5.6%

Unknown

2.9%
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Foreign Languages Spoken

Spanish

83.5%

German

3.8%

French

2.5%

Arabic

2.5%

Bosnian

1.3%

Somali

1.3%

Amharic

1.3%

Carrier

1.3%

Hmong

1.3%

Italian

1.3%
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General Cleaner Education

Schools

Milwaukee Area Technical College

12.3%

Everest Institute

8.8%

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

7.7%

Saint Louis Community College

7.4%

University of Missouri - Saint Louis

7.4%

St. Louis College of Health Careers - Metro

6.0%

Kaplan University

5.3%

Atlanta Technical College

4.6%

Columbus State Community College

4.2%

Bryant and Stratton College

3.9%

Atlanta Job Corps Center

3.9%

Missouri College

3.5%

Gateway Technical College

3.5%

Forest Park Hospital

3.5%

Grand Rapids Community College

3.5%

Waukesha County Technical College

3.2%

Illinois Central College

3.2%

Fox Valley Technical College

2.8%

Harris-Stowe State University

2.8%

Sinclair Community College

2.8%
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Majors

Business

18.2%

General Studies

12.5%

Medical Assisting Services

9.5%

Health Care Administration

8.2%

Nursing

8.1%

Criminal Justice

6.4%

Cosmetology

3.7%

Pharmacy

3.3%

Psychology

3.2%

Culinary Arts

3.0%

Accounting

3.0%

Nursing Assistants

2.8%

Graphic Design

2.8%

Computer Science

2.4%

Automotive Technology

2.4%

Early Childhood Education

2.4%

Education

2.2%

Liberal Arts

2.2%

Communication

1.9%

Biology

1.7%
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Degrees

High School Diploma

56.2%

Diploma

14.2%

Associate

12.9%

Certificate

8.3%

Bachelors

7.2%

License

0.7%

Masters

0.5%

Doctorate

0.0%
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What Is It Like To Work As A General Cleaner

3.0

Young Female General Cleaner

November 30, 2019 on Zippia

What was your job title?

General Cleaner.. Show More

What do you like the most about working as General Cleaner?

I like that I'm about to work nights for a few hours every night. Works perfectly for working and going to school. I get paid $15/hr, so I'm satisfied for now. .. Show More

What do you NOT like?

I don't like how I don't get reimbursed for gas mileage driving to the sites. .. Show More

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Updated May 18, 2020