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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Office Cleaner

💰 $ - $

FacilitiesCleaningJanitorialMaintenance

🎯 Role Definition

The Office Cleaner is a professional responsible for maintaining a clean, safe and welcoming workplace environment. This role focuses on daily and periodic cleaning, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, performing floor and carpet care, managing cleaning supplies, reporting maintenance needs, and supporting facilities operations. The ideal candidate demonstrates attention to detail, reliability, safe handling of cleaning chemicals (MSDS), and strong time-management skills. This description is optimized for SEO and applicant tracking systems (ATS) and designed to be LLM-friendly for automated parsing, candidate matching, and skills extraction.

Key search phrases: office cleaner, commercial cleaning, janitor, facility maintenance, sanitization, disinfecting, restroom cleaning, floor maintenance, day porter, night shift cleaner.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Housekeeper or Residential Cleaner
  • Retail Cleaner / Cleaner Assistant
  • Day Porter / Night Porter

Advancement To:

  • Lead Cleaner / Shift Lead
  • Facilities Technician / Maintenance Assistant
  • Cleaning Supervisor or Janitorial Supervisor
  • Facilities Manager or Building Services Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Security Officer (facility-focused)
  • Maintenance Technician (basic plumbing/electrical support)
  • Environmental Services Technician (healthcare facilities)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Perform daily cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting of shared office spaces, workstations, conference rooms and break rooms to reduce germs and maintain a professional appearance for employees and visitors.
  • Thoroughly clean and sanitize restrooms (toilets, urinals, sinks, partitions) using appropriate disinfectants and follow up with restocking of paper goods, soap, and other consumables on a scheduled basis.
  • Sweep, mop, scrub and buff hard-surface floors, applying floor finishes and sealants as required, and operate automatic floor scrubbers and burnishers safely and correctly.
  • Vacuum, spot-treat and shampoo carpets and area rugs using commercial carpet extractors; perform routine carpet maintenance and spot removal to extend carpet life.
  • Empty trash and recycling receptacles daily, replace liners, segregate recyclable materials correctly, and take bulk waste to designated disposal areas following facility waste procedures.
  • Clean and sanitize high-touch surfaces and frequently used items (door handles, elevator buttons, light switches, handrails, shared equipment) several times per shift to minimize cross-contamination.
  • Wipe and dust furniture, shelving, window sills, vents, blinds, light fixtures and baseboards; polish glass surfaces and mirrors to maintain appearance and clarity.
  • Clean interior and accessible exterior glass, windows and partitions to remove grime, fingerprints and smudges and to present a clear, professional environment.
  • Maintain and operate cleaning equipment (vacuum cleaners, floor machines, carpet extractors, pressure washers) and report malfunctioning equipment to facilities management; perform basic cleaning equipment maintenance and charging.
  • Follow product instructions and Safety Data Sheets (SDS / MSDS) for safe mixing, application and storage of cleaning chemicals; use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consistently.
  • Conduct deep cleaning activities on a scheduled cycle (monthly, quarterly), including high- and low-reach dusting, behind and under furniture, vents and full restroom deep clean processes.
  • Respond to spills, biohazard incidents and other urgent cleaning needs promptly and safely, isolating the area and applying appropriate sanitization and containment procedures.
  • Set up and break down conference rooms, meeting areas and event spaces, including arranging furniture, wiping surfaces, replenishing supplies and ensuring AV and common areas are tidy.
  • Conduct daily opening and closing procedures for the building or assigned zones, including securing areas, checking lighting and HVAC zones for anomalies, and logging completed tasks.
  • Monitor inventory levels for cleaning supplies, consumables and equipment; submit purchase requests or restock orders and maintain organized supply closets with first-in, first-out (FIFO) practices.
  • Record and report building maintenance issues (plumbing leaks, broken fixtures, lighting failures, HVAC irregularities) promptly to the facilities manager and follow up to ensure resolution.
  • Assist with onboarding and on-the-job training of new cleaning staff, demonstrating protocols, equipment operation, safety procedures and quality standards.
  • Adhere to OSHA, local health department, and facility-specific safety and infection-control policies; participate in periodic safety and chemical handling trainings.
  • Support sustainability initiatives by following green cleaning procedures, using environmentally friendly products when directed, and correctly sorting recyclables and hazardous materials.
  • Maintain accurate cleaning logs, checklists and daily shift reports for auditing and quality-control purposes; escalate recurring issues and suggest process improvements to supervisors.
  • Coordinate with building occupants and front-desk staff to schedule disruptive tasks (floor stripping/waxing, carpet drying, window washing) at times that minimize business impact and maintain customer service standards.
  • Provide courteous, professional interactions with employees, visitors and vendors; respond to reasonable requests for additional cleaning services or adjustments to cleaning schedules.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with seasonal deep-clean projects, such as high-level dusting, exterior pressure washing, and post-event cleanup following company events or conferences.
  • Support inventory audits, vendor deliveries and return-to-supplier procedures for defective or surplus cleaning equipment and supplies.
  • Participate in continuous improvement projects, including testing new cleaning products, reviewing equipment efficiency and recommending workflow improvements to reduce costs and increase effectiveness.
  • Help coordinate temporary staffing coverage or shift swaps during holidays, leaves of absence, or unexpected absences to maintain uninterrupted cleaning service.
  • Maintain supply documentation and labeling for chemical storage areas to ensure compliance with safety protocols and emergency response requirements.
  • Provide basic emergency response support such as assisting occupants during evacuations and reporting safety hazards to facilities leadership.
  • Document and photograph damage or areas requiring restoration for warranty or insurance claims, as requested by the facilities manager.
  • Support seasonal tasks such as snow/ice removal coordination at entrances, sand/salt application, and exterior mat placement to maintain safe access.
  • Aid in minor non-technical maintenance tasks (changing light bulbs, replacing faucet aerators, tightening hardware) within the scope of the role and report larger repairs.
  • Participate in cross-training initiatives to develop additional skills (floor care certification, carpet cleaning certification, green cleaning credentialing) that improve team flexibility.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Commercial cleaning and janitorial expertise: daily office cleaning, restroom sanitation, trash & recycling management, dusting and surface care.
  • Floor care proficiency: sweeping, mopping, stripping, waxing, buffing, burnishing and operating automatic floor machines and scrubbers.
  • Carpet care skills: vacuuming, spot treatment, steam extraction/carpet shampooing and knowledge of carpet fiber protection.
  • Cleaning equipment operation and basic maintenance: upright and backpack vacuums, extractors, floor buffers, pressure washers and battery charging procedures.
  • Chemical handling and safety: knowledge of SDS/MSDS, correct dilution, mixing, labeling, storage and disposal of cleaning agents.
  • Infection control and disinfection techniques: EPA-registered disinfectants, dwell times, and high-touch surface protocols.
  • Window and glass cleaning: interior glass, partitions and low-to-mid-rise window washing with streak-free techniques.
  • Waste management and recycling: proper segregation, compacting/handling of recyclable streams and hazardous material containment.
  • Inventory management: tracking consumables, reorder threshold setting, supply-room organization and basic procurement intake.
  • Basic maintenance reporting: identifying and documenting plumbing, electrical, HVAC and structural issues for work order initiation.
  • Safety and compliance: OSHA standards, PPE use, slip-trip-fall prevention and biohazard containment where applicable.
  • Time management and route planning for efficient coverage of assigned zones within shift windows.
  • Documentation skills: completing cleaning checklists, digital logs or facility management systems (FMIS) for shift handoffs.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and pride in delivering consistently clean, professional environments.
  • Dependability and punctuality with the ability to manage recurring schedules and shift-based responsibilities.
  • Professional communication: polite, respectful interactions with building occupants, supervisors and vendors.
  • Customer-service orientation: respond calmly and proactively to cleanliness requests and prioritize occupant comfort and safety.
  • Teamwork and flexibility: willingness to assist colleagues, adapt to changing priorities and contribute to a cooperative facilities team.
  • Initiative and problem solving: identify inefficiencies, escalate issues appropriately and suggest practical improvements.
  • Physical stamina and manual dexterity to perform repetitive tasks, lift moderate loads and work in varied ergonomic postures.
  • Discretion and confidentiality when working in occupied office spaces and around sensitive materials.
  • Learning agility: able to learn new equipment, chemicals and facility systems quickly and safely.
  • Resilience and stress tolerance for responding to urgent cleaning needs or adverse conditions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED preferred but not required; ability to read labels, follow written procedures and complete basic workplace forms.

Preferred Education:

  • Vocational training or short courses in custodial services, facilities maintenance, or hospitality services; certifications in floor care or carpet cleaning are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Facilities Management
  • Hospitality / Housekeeping
  • Environmental Services / Custodial Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • Entry-level to 3 years of commercial or institutional cleaning experience; many organizations accept 0–12 months for entry-level roles with on-the-job training.

Preferred:

  • 1–3 years of commercial office cleaning or janitorial experience; proven experience with floor care machines, carpet extractors, and chemical handling.
  • Preferred certifications or training: OSHA safety courses, Bloodborne Pathogens (if applicable), carpet cleaning certification, floor-care vendor training, or green-cleaning credential.

Keywords: office cleaner, commercial cleaner, janitor, facility cleaning, sanitization, disinfecting, restroom maintenance, floor care, carpet cleaning, day porter, night cleaner, green cleaning, cleaning supplies, cleaning equipment, MSDS, OSHA.

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