What is a cleaner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
introduction image

A cleaner maintains cleanliness and hygiene in settings including offices, schools, hospitals, and other public places. Cleaners use a variety of cleaning tools and products to disinfect surfaces, floors, and equipment. They remove dust, dirt, and stains from carpets, furniture, and walls. Additionally, they may be responsible for emptying waste bins and recycling containers. Cleaners are essential workers who play a critical role in preventing the spread of disease and infection.

ScoreCleanerUS Average
Salary
2.2

Avg. Salary $28,075

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
5.7

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.32%

Asian 4.98%

Black or African American 11.03%

Hispanic or Latino 18.97%

Unknown 4.12%

White 59.59%

Gender

female 50.26%

male 49.74%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress Level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.0

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
9.1

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Cleaner?

Pros

  • Easy to find work

  • No formal education is required

  • Opportunity to work independently

  • Potential to work with a variety of clients

  • Opportunity for advancement into management

Cons

  • Physically demanding work

  • Can be exposed to harsh chemicals

  • Can be difficult to work around other people's schedules

  • Can be difficult to clean certain spaces or objects

  • Can be monotonous work

Cleaner career paths

Key steps to become a cleaner

  1. Explore cleaner education requirements

    Most common cleaner degrees

    High School Diploma

    51.1 %

    Associate

    15.4 %

    Diploma

    14.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific cleaner skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Commercial Cleaning8.06%
    Building Floors8.02%
    Ventilation7.53%
    Cleanliness6.69%
    Customer Service6.51%
  3. Complete relevant cleaner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cleaners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cleaner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cleaner resumes.
  4. Research cleaner duties and responsibilities

    • Operate a forklift for logistic, to manage and relocate BMW's fixture material.
    • Remove snow from sidewalks, using snow blowers, and/or snow shovels, and spread snow melting chemicals.
    • Use of various equipment used for methods of cleaning areas in the school such sweepers and snow blowers.
    • Maintain church building and grounds by handling general maintenance including electrical and plumbing and providing custodial services
  5. Prepare your cleaner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cleaner resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cleaner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Cleaner Resume templates

    Build a professional Cleaner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Cleaner resume.
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  6. Apply for cleaner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a cleaner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Cleaner Job

Zippi

Are you a Cleaner?

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Average cleaner salary

The average Cleaner salary in the United States is $28,075 per year or $14 per hour. Cleaner salaries range between $21,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average Cleaner Salary
$28,075 Yearly
$13.50 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do cleaners rate their job?

4/5

Out of 1 Cleaner reviews, 100% were positive.

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Based On 1 Ratings

Career Growth
4.0
Pay / Salary
4.0
Work/Life Balance
4.0
Overall Rating
4.0

Cleaner reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023
Pros

You get a job which gets you money

Cons

Cleaning really sucks also not very good pay


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023
Pros

Positive feeling

Cons

Emconsideration in the positive environment in which I've tried to creat.


profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2023
Pros

The finishing product

Cons

Was not much that I didn’t like .Working on my own didn’t bother me,was always interested in cleaning


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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