Janitors are primarily responsible for maintaining the sanitation and cleanliness of the workspace. They are in charge of sweeping and mopping floors, wiping surfaces, and ensuring that the area they are assigned to is properly sanitized. They manage the inventory of supplies and ensure that they would never run out of cleaning supplies by properly tracking the usage of each material. Some skilled janitors are also responsible for doing minor repairs to different office equipment and fixtures. They also help in company event setups and cleanups, as well as in liaising tasks that the office might need.

Janitor Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real janitor resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • Clean private residents entire home, floors, windows, using soapy water and other cleaners, sponges, and squeegees.
  • Use of floor extractors machine to strip, scrub, wax, and buff floors.
  • Wash windows and mirrors, tables and counter tops using window cleaner and cloths or paper, sponges, squeegees.
  • Organize supplies such as broom, mop, sponges, cleaning supplies, etc.
  • Used solvent, such as carbon dioxide, rags, brushes, pads, and sponges.
  • Dust and vacuums shred rooms and personal cubicle areas.
  • Replace electrical fixtures including lights, switches, and ballasts.
  • Clean common areas, including hallways, stairwells, and cafeterias and/or break areas.
  • Work in plumbing, electrical, cable, and all day to day maintenance and cleaning.
  • Operate cleaning equipment including but not limit to vacuums, brooms, floor cleaners and mops.
  • Empty trashed and garbage containers.handle all aspects of grounds/landscaping and maintenance including plant care and mowing the lawns
  • Clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks, stalls, walls, mirrors, and vents and other areas.
  • Maintain the general cleanliness of building premises/adhered to cleaning schedules.
  • Utilize sanitary measures to ensure cleanliness of managerial office and restrooms facilities.
  • Operate janitorial equipment including: vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, carpet cleaners, pressure washers, leaf blowers, etc.

Janitor Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 12% of Janitors are proficient in Building Floors, Cleanliness, and Patients. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Physical strength, and Time-management skills.

We break down the percentage of Janitors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Building Floors, 12%

    Carried Out Tasks (sweeping, Mopping, Scrubbing, Or Vacuuming) To Maintain Cleanliness Of Building Floors And Walls.

  • Cleanliness, 12%

    Utilized sanitary measures to ensure cleanliness of managerial office and restrooms facilities.

  • Patients, 9%

    Washed equipment to ensure a safe sanitary environment for upcoming patients.

  • Window Sills, 6%

    Hand dust and wipe clean/disinfect all furniture, files, fixtures, paneling, window sills and all other horizontal surfaces.

  • Commercial Cleaning, 5%

    Performed variety of janitorial duties for family owned, locally based commercial cleaning business.

  • Customer Service, 5%

    Call Center Representative: Provided excellent customer service, and provided and documented customer information concerning various transactions.

Most janitors list "building floors," "cleanliness," and "patients" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important janitor responsibilities here:

  • Arguably the most important personality trait for a janitor to have happens to be interpersonal skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "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." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that janitors can use interpersonal skills to "utilized problem solving skills and excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. "
  • Another commonly found skill for being able to perform janitor duties is the following: physical strength. According to a janitor resume, "janitors and building cleaners often must lift and move cleaning materials and heavy equipment." Check out this example of how janitors use physical strength: "performed general physical activities, handled and moved objects including office furniture and filing cabinets as requested. "
  • Time-management skills is also an important skill for janitors to have. This example of how janitors use this skill comes from a janitor resume, "janitors and building cleaners should be able to plan and complete tasks in a timely manner." Read this excerpt from a resume to understand how vital it is to their everyday roles and responsibilities, "coordinated and lead maintenance assignments to complete the tasks in order to execute proper cleanliness and finish on time. "
  • A thorough review of lots of resumes revealed to us that "mechanical skills" is important to completing janitor responsibilities. This resume example shows just one way janitors use this skill: "janitors and building cleaners should understand general building operations" Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical janitor tasks: "possess excellent customer service skills, as well as the ability to find common solutions to basic mechanical problems. "
  • See the full list of janitor skills.

    The three companies that hire the most prestigious janitors are:

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    What Environmental Services Aides Do

    An environmental services aide is responsible for supporting the community programs and efforts for nature sustainability and assisting the citizens with their needs and concerns. Environmental services aides are also usually employed in health care centers to help patients and maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities. They monitor inventories, inspect tools and equipment, and adhere to safety standards and procedures. An environmental services aide must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in coordinating with other community organizations to provide quality services for the people.

    In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take environmental services aide for example. On average, the environmental services aides annual salary is $6,555 higher than what janitors make on average every year.

    While the salaries between these two careers can be different, they do share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both janitors and environmental services aides positions are skilled in cleanliness, patients, and commercial cleaning.

    There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, a janitor responsibilities require skills like "building floors," "window sills," "work ethic," and "bathroom fixtures." Meanwhile a typical environmental services aide has skills in areas such as "environmental services," "evs," "compassion," and "ladders." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

    Environmental services aides receive the highest salaries in the hospitality industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $34,789. But janitors are paid more in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $30,059.

    The education levels that environmental services aides earn is a bit different than that of janitors. In particular, environmental services aides are 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a janitor. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of a Housekeeping Aide?

    The primary job of a housekeeping aide is to maintain the cleanliness of an assigned area, including hospital rooms, hotel rooms, and corridors. This role will require you to perform various housekeeping chores as requested by the housekeeping manager, such as cleaning the restrooms and kitchens. You will be responsible for keeping the office pantries tidy and ensuring the availability of supplies for beverages such as chocolate and coffee at all times. Other duties include cleaning floors, clearing away garbage, and attending to the needs of guests.

    Now we're going to look at the housekeeping aide profession. On average, housekeeping aides earn a $2,014 higher salary than janitors a year.

    While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both janitors and housekeeping aides are known to have skills such as "building floors," "cleanliness," and "patients. "

    But both careers also use different skills, according to real janitor resumes. While janitor responsibilities can utilize skills like "work ethic," "bathroom fixtures," "office buildings," and "building security," some housekeeping aides use skills like "guest rooms," "home health," "rehabilitation," and "newspapers."

    It's been discovered that housekeeping aides earn higher salaries compared to janitors, but we wanted to find out where housekeeping aides earned the most pay. The answer? The hospitality industry. The average salary in the industry is $30,153. Additionally, janitors earn the highest paychecks in the hospitality with an average salary of $30,059.

    When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, housekeeping aides tend to reach similar levels of education than janitors. In fact, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How a Floor Technician Compares

    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.

    The floor technician profession generally makes a higher amount of money when compared to the average salary of janitors. The difference in salaries is floor technicians making $1,831 higher than janitors.

    Using janitors and floor technicians resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "building floors," "cleanliness," and "patients," but the other skills required are very different.

    As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from janitors resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "window sills," "customer service," "bathroom fixtures," and "office buildings." But a floor technician might have skills like "extraction," "safety guidelines," "safety precautions," and "floor tech."

    Floor technicians make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $31,091. Whereas janitors are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry with the average being $30,059.

    Floor technicians are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to janitors. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of a Housekeeper

    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.

    The fourth career we look at typically earns higher pay than janitors. On average, housekeepers earn a difference of $1,352 higher per year.

    While their salaries may vary, janitors and housekeepers both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "building floors," "cleanliness," and "patients. "

    Each job requires different skills like "work ethic," "bathroom fixtures," "office buildings," and "squeegees," which might show up on a janitor resume. Whereas housekeeper might include skills like "guest rooms," "good judgment," "osha," and "patient rooms."

    Housekeepers earn a higher salary in the telecommunication industry with an average of $29,665. Whereas, janitors earn the highest salary in the hospitality industry.

    In general, housekeepers reach similar levels of education when compared to janitors resumes. Housekeepers are 0.1% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What a Janitor Does FAQs

    Custodian Vs. Janitor

    A custodian is someone who takes care of the cleanliness of the same building or property at any given time of day, while a janitor comes to clean a location at a set time during the day or night.

    What Are Janitorial Services?

    Janitorial services are cleaning services that are provided to organizations. Janitorial services are utilized in many different industries, including:

    • Finance

    • Medical

    • Pharmaceutical

    • Technology

    • Manufacturing

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