General cleaner vs housekeeping cleaner

The differences between general cleaners and housekeeping cleaners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general cleaner has an average salary of $27,205, which is higher than the $25,439 average annual salary of a housekeeping cleaner.

The top three skills for a general cleaner include cleanliness, break rooms and light fixtures. The most important skills for a housekeeping cleaner are light fixtures, guest rooms, and cleanliness.

General cleaner vs housekeeping cleaner overview

	General Cleaner	Housekeeping Cleaner
Yearly salary	$27,205	$25,439
Hourly rate	$13.08	$12.23
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	96,320	101,232
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 55%
Average age	49	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a general cleaner do?

General cleaners are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of all the facilities of the company premises. A general cleaner also monitors the adequacy of cleaning materials in the storage area. They also respond to the visitors' inquiries and concerns, directing them to the appropriate personnel and department for their business needs. A general cleaner must be highly-organized, ensuring the safety of the establishment by following strict sanitary standards and cleaning procedures. They report defective items, inspect office equipment, and request additional supplies.

What does a housekeeping cleaner do?

A housekeeping cleaner is an individual who provides general cleaning services. Your tasks may vary but typically include vacuuming, dusting, mopping floors, and cleaning bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. Other tasks that you will perform include changing towels and sheets, emptying bins and taking waste to disposal areas, and replenishing supplies such as toilet paper and soap. In addition, you will be responsible for cleaning windows, woodwork, and walls and lifting and moving lightweight equipment and objects. You will also be tasked to clean and maintain hallways.

General cleaner vs housekeeping cleaner salary

General cleaners and housekeeping cleaners have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Cleaner	Housekeeping Cleaner
Average salary	$27,205	$25,439
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $34,000	Between $18,000 And $34,000
Highest paying City	Portland, OR	Dedham, MA
Highest paying state	Washington	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Boston Medical Center	McCabe
Best paying industry	Construction	Health Care

Differences between general cleaner and housekeeping cleaner education

There are a few differences between a general cleaner and a housekeeping cleaner in terms of educational background:

	General Cleaner	Housekeeping Cleaner
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 54%	High School Diploma, 55%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

General cleaner vs housekeeping cleaner demographics

Here are the differences between general cleaners' and housekeeping cleaners' demographics:

	General Cleaner	Housekeeping Cleaner
Average age	49	48
Gender ratio	Male, 51.0% Female, 49.0%	Male, 20.7% Female, 79.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between general cleaner and housekeeping cleaner duties and responsibilities

General cleaner example responsibilities.

Operate a forklift for logistic, to manage and relocate BMW's fixture material.
Service, supply and clean restrooms including all fixtures; toilets, urinals, partitions, walls, vents and mirrors.
Disinfect equipment and supplies, using germicides, orStream operate sterilizers.
Utilize a variety floor care tools including vacuums, steamers, buffers etc.
Used hand and power tools such as floor polishers, ladders, vacuum cleaners and mops.
Assign to the Honda plant, cleaning body repair booths, paint booths, sludge pits and paint ovens.

Housekeeping cleaner example responsibilities.

Train and manage several maids and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
Maintain high standards of cleanliness with bakery machinery/equipment to detail outside of machinery as well as deep clean inside machinery/equipment.
Run errands such as taking laundry to the cleaners and buying groceries.

General cleaner vs housekeeping cleaner skills

Common general cleaner skills

Cleanliness, 14%
Break Rooms, 8%
Light Fixtures, 6%
Safety Regulations, 5%
Mop Floors, 5%
Trash Removal, 5%

Common housekeeping cleaner skills

Light Fixtures, 19%
Guest Rooms, 17%
Cleanliness, 10%
Window Sills, 9%
Patient Rooms, 5%
Laundry Room, 5%

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General Cleaner vs Housekeeping Cleaner

Updated January 8, 2025

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