What does a janitorial 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 janitorial maintenance worker are more likely to require skills like "hvac," "osha," "electrical systems," and "switches." On the other hand, a job as a custodian requires skills like "work ethic," "customer service," "minor maintenance," and "class rooms." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Cleaners ensure that a room, building, or other area is spotless. They clean by mopping floors, dusting cabinets, wiping surfaces, among others. They are in charge of ensuring that all areas are sanitized and always ready for use. They manage the sanitation of the washrooms. They also manage cleaning supplies and update the inventory when needed. They create requests for needed purchases of cleaning materials. They also keep a record of areas with routine cleaning needs to ensure that they will not be missed.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, janitorial maintenance worker responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "hvac," "osha," "plumbing," and "electrical systems." Meanwhile, a cleaner has duties that require skills in areas such as "ventilation," "customer service," "work ethic," and "window sills." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

An Oiler applies or puts lubricants, oil, or fuel on vehicles, motors, or machines. Besides monitoring and recording gage readings, an Oiler also helps professional engineers to start and operate machinery. These professionals service vehicles, motors, or machines from time to time and help skilled engineers maintain, repair, and overhaul them. Other duties performed by oilers include cleaning and maintaining the engine room, repairing and welding the engine part and deck, and recording all the engine department's tasks.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, janitorial maintenance workers are more likely to have skills like "cleanliness," "light fixtures," "plumbing," and "building floors." But a oiler is more likely to have skills like "preventative maintenance," "cdl," "safety standards," and "construction equipment."

A custodian is primarily responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of a particular area, including preparing and setting-up equipment for public or private use. Although their duties depend on their area of assignment or industry of employment, those duties often include conducting routine maintenance checks on facilities, performing basic repairs, cleaning floors and windows, replacing fixtures, monitoring supply inventories, and ordering new supplies as necessary.