Cleaner

Job overview
Cleaners work in offices, hospitals, schools, hotels and apartment blocks, keeping them clean and tidy for the benefit of the people who work or live there.

What do people do in this job?
Cleaners often work in groups and sometimes do shift work.

They clean floors, windows and walls, vacuum carpets, dust furniture, change the linen in hotels and hospitals, empty dustbins and so forth.

Cleaners' equipment can range from water, mops, buckets and dusters to electric vacuum cleaners, floor polishers and special cleaning liquids.

A group of cleaners usually works under a supervisor who is responsible for a section of a building.

As most offices, hotels etc are cleaned while the staff or guests are not there, cleaners often work evenings or early mornings.

What kinds of people are suitable fo0r this job?
As cleaners are often in contact with the public, they should be discreet, courteous and good-humoured.

They should also be able to follow instructions closely and carry on with their work without supervision.

Cleaners need to have good health, as much of the work is physically tiring.

It can be monotonous, too, and therefore they must be able to tolerate the boredom of the job.

What qualifications are needed?
There are no particular qualifications, apart from the physical and mental characteristics outlined above.