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What is a general cleaner and how to become one
A general cleaner keeps buildings and facilities clean and organized. They sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, and disinfect surfaces. They also clean bathrooms, restock supplies, and empty trash cans. General cleaners work in a variety of settings such as office buildings, schools, hospitals, and hotels. They work independently or as a team. Strong attention to detail and the ability to follow specific instructions are important qualities for a general cleaner.
Avg. Salary $27,205
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 4%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.30%
Asian 4.04%
Black or African American 10.11%
Hispanic or Latino 16.06%
Unknown 4.10%
White 64.40%
Genderfemale 48.95%
male 51.05%
Age - 51American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 51Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a General Cleaner?
Pros
Opportunities for part-time or full-time work
No formal education or certifications are required
Opportunities for advancement to supervisory positions
Opportunity to work with other people as part of a team
Jobs available in many locations across the country
Cons
Physically demanding work can lead to injury and fatigue
Some cleaning tasks may be unpleasant (e.g. cleaning bathrooms)
Exposure to chemicals and cleaning products may be hazardous to health
May require working nights, weekends, or holidays
May require working in noisy or dirty environments
General Cleaner career paths
Key steps to become a general cleaner
Explore general cleaner education requirements
Start to develop specific general cleaner skills
Skills 
Percentages Cleanliness 13.57% Break Rooms 8.06% Light Fixtures 6.28% Safety Regulations 5.33% Mop Floors 4.67% Complete relevant general cleaner training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New general 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 general cleaner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real general cleaner resumes.Research general cleaner duties and 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.
Prepare your general cleaner resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your general 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 general 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 General Cleaner Resume templates
Build a professional General 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 General Cleaner resume.
Apply for general cleaner jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a general cleaner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First General Cleaner Job
Are you a General Cleaner?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average general cleaner salary
The average General Cleaner salary in the United States is $27,205 per year or $13 per hour. General cleaner salaries range between $21,000 and $34,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do general cleaners rate their job?
General Cleaner reviews
You get a job which gets you money
Cleaning really sucks also not very good pay
Positive feeling
Emconsideration in the positive environment in which I've tried to creat.
The finishing product
Was not much that I didn’t like .Working on my own didn’t bother me,was always interested in cleaning
Updated January 8, 2025
