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House and Building Interior Cleaners are responsible for keeping buildings such as hospitals, offices, homes, and factories, in a clean and orderly condition for the occupants who work and live within them.  

Job Duties 

House and Building Interior Cleaners may:

Dust furniture, walls, machines, and equipment  

Sweep, vacuum, mop, and wax floors and stairways  

Polish metalwork  

Clean bed frames and hospital rooms  

Disinfect the areas cleaned  

Make beds and turn mattresses  

Empty wastebaskets and ashtrays  

Clean sinks, mirrors, counters, lighting fixtures, and trim  

Clean bathroom fixtures  

Provide guests and occupants with clean towels and linen  

Replenish other supplies, as needed  

Arrange decorations, equipment, and furniture for banquets and social functions  

Tools, equipment, and work aids used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

House and Building Interior Cleaners may specialize in these areas:

381.687-014 COMMERCIAL OR INSTITUTIONAL CLEANERS maintain cleanliness in hallways, rooms, lobbies, restrooms, and other areas of office buildings, apartment houses, schools, and hospitals.  

381.687-018 INDUSTRIAL CLEANERS, also known as floor cleaners or sweepers, keep working areas in production departments of industrial firms in clean and orderly condition.  

381.687-034 FLOOR WAXERS use cleaning solvents, mops, and brushes to remove dirt from floors, apply floor wax with rags or machines, and polish floors with electric polishing machines.  

389.687-014 WINDOW CLEANERS use soapy water or other cleaning solutions, sponges, squeegees, ladders, and scaffolds to clean windows, glass partitions, mirrors, and other glass surfaces of building interiors or exteriors.  

381.687-026 WALL CLEANERS clean interior walls and ceilings of offices, apartments, and other buildings by hand or with the help of wall washing machines.  

323.687-014 HOUSEKEEPING CLEANERS are responsible for keeping rooms and halls clean in such commercial establishments as hotels and motels, restaurants, clubs, beauty parlors, and dormitories.  

323.687-018 HOUSE CLEANERS keep hotel premises clean and orderly.  

382.664-010 JANITORS keep hotels, office buildings, apartment houses, or similar buildings in a clean and orderly condition. They may also tend the furnace, air conditioner, and boiler to provide heat, cool air, and hot water for tenants.  

323.687-010 HOSPITAL CLEANERS wash and clean rooms, hospital wards, baths, laboratories, offices, and halls.  

389.664-010 HOME RESTORATION SERVICE CLEANERS use commercial cleaning equipment to clean and restore the interiors of homes damaged by fire, smoke, or water.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

House and Building Interior Cleaners may work alone or with other cleaners on a particular assignment. They usually work under the general supervision of a housekeeper or supervisor. However, in many buildings, there may be only one Cleaner who works alone.  

In most buildings, Cleaners work indoors in well lighted, well-ventilated buildings. Some Cleaners may work outdoors sweeping walks, mowing lawns, or shoveling snow. Cleaners working with machines may be exposed to noise and dirty working machines.  

Most Cleaners work a 40-hour, 5-day week. Commercial and Industrial Cleaners often work evening or night shifts because buildings are vacant during those hours. Cleaners may also have to work after business hours and on weekends to clean hotels, motels, and other business places. Many Cleaners are employed on a part-time basis.  

Some Cleaners may have to purchase and launder their own uniforms or work clothes. However, some companies do provide a clothing allowance. Many House and Building Interior Cleaners belong to unions, such as The Service Employees International Union or The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Union members must pay dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Activities dealing with things and objects  

• Activities of a routine, definite, organized nature  

• Working with machines and equipment,  

• Using special processes or methods  

You Should Be Able To:

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often  

• Do repetitive activities according to set procedures  

• Work well with your hands  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If a floor cleaning solution calls for 3/4 of solution to 1 gallon of water, how much solution would you need for 2 gallons of water?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Chemicals and cleaning agents such as, 2-butoxyethanol, ammonia, anionic surfactant, calcium carbonate, hypo-chlorite bleach, sodium hydroxide may be harmful if used incorrectly.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare an order form for cleaning agents and equipment necessary for cleaning tasks.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Organizational skills and be detail oriented in cleaning homes and offices and determining cleaning schedules.  

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: This occupation does not require a High School Diploma. On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

027 BUILDING/HOME MAINTENANCE & SERVICES

Approved vocational education programs in Building & Home Maintenance & Services prepare students to clean and care for buildings and their contents. Instruction is given in using and caring for cleaning equipment and tools, dusting, wet mopping, scrubbing, waxing, and refinishing surfaces; cleaning windows and walls; applying cleaning solutions, protective coatings, and disinfectants; and purchasing custodial supplies.  

Courses in other trade and industrial programs may be required for completion of this program.  

084 BUILDING MAINTENANCE WORKER  

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript    

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript    

E-Learning Courses and Programs   

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Ways to gain experience in this occupation include summer work in hotels or motels and part-time cleaning work in private households. Secondary vocational education programs in building and home maintenance and services may offer co-op opportunities for practical experience.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local House and Building Interior Cleaner employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a House and Building Interior Cleaner employer  

community service work with an agency  

Applying directly to employers is the best way to get a job as a House and Building Interior Cleaner. To work in a government-owned building, apply at a federal, state, or local civil service office.  

Assistance in finding jobs may be obtained from local offices of Michigan Works! or from local unions. Job openings are often listed in newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

Michigan Talent Bank (http://www.michworks.org/mtb/user/MTB_EMPL.EntryMainPage)  

Classifieds Employment (http://www.classifieds2000.com)  

Yahoo! Careers (http://careers.yahoo.com/)  

Michigan Department of Career Development (http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd)  

Michigan Works! (http://www.michiganworks.org)  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of House and Building Interior Cleaners vary widely depending on the size, location, and type of employer. Most nonunion members of cleaning staffs in hotels and motels earn the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to start. In some cases, the fair value of providing meals may be considered in meeting minimum wage requirements. In Michigan, deductions for this cost may not exceed 25% of the minimum wage rate. Unionized Cleaners usually earn more than nonunion workers do.  

Nationally, the median weekly wages earned by House and Building Interior Cleaners were $365 or about $9.13 per hour in 2001.  The median hourly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $14.92 in 2001. Building Interior Cleaners working in public schools earned an average of $11.96 per hour during the 2001-02 school year.  

Some Cleaners working in the manufacturing sector (tooling) in Michigan (mid 2002), had an average hourly wage of $10.15. Most of these cleaners worked in small, non-unionized tool companies.  

Building Interior Cleaners working in Michigan public schools earned between $6.83 and $19.95 during the 2001-02 school year.  

The hourly wage rate for some unionized Cleaners working in hotels and private clubs in the Detroit area ranged between $7.02 (training wage) and $10.64 in mid 2002. Hourly wages in mid 2002 of Cleaners employed by the State of Michigan and several local governmental employers in Michigan were:  

Cleaners who work night and evening shifts may receive shift differential pay. Some may also receive a cost-of-living allowance.  

Fringe benefits received by House and Building Interior Cleaners vary with the employer. Large employers may provide paid vacations and holidays; life, disability, and hospitalization insurance; and retirement plans. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by the employer. Some cleaners may also receive optical and/or dental benefits.  

House and Building Interior Cleaners usually learn to perform the work through on-the-job-training. Advancement for Cleaners is often limited; however, where there is a large cleaning staff, Cleaners may advance to a supervisory position. Some Cleaners also start their own contract cleaning businesses.  

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 2,235,700 House and Building Interior Cleaners were employed in 2000. Employment is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2010. About 3.3% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for House and Building Interior Cleaners looked like this:  

With more leisure time and higher personal incomes, the volume of travel and the use of hotels, motels, and sporting and recreational camps should increase. As a result, more House and Building Interior Cleaners should be needed to clean the rooms, halls, and lobbies of these establishments.  

There are about 102,200 House and Building Interior Cleaners employed in Michigan. They worked for schools, hotels and motels, hospitals, businesses, and factories.    

Employment of House and Building Interior Cleaners in Michigan is expected to increase more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2008. An average of 2,490 openings is expected annually, with 360 due to growth and 2,130 due to replacement of workers who retire, die, or leave the labor force. Additional openings will result as workers transfer to other jobs or occupations.  

Construction of new office and apartment buildings, shopping centers, hospitals, hotels, and industrial plants should lead to more jobs for Cleaners. A favorable supply and demand balance exists between trained individuals and openings. However, since little or no formal training is required to enter this occupation, competition for the available job openings should be keen.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008    

  EMPLOYMENT                  NUMBER        PERCENT    PROJECTED YEARLY  
   REGION                           EMPLOYED   GROWTH     JOB OPENINGS    

  Ann Arbor Area                    6,515                6.5                177  

  Battle Creek Area                 2,135                6.9                 59  

  Benton Harbor Area              2,450               -1.6                52  

  Central Michigan                    2,445               11.3               77  

  Detroit MSA                         43,380               1.7               983  

  East Central Michigan            1,020                4.1                 36  

  Flint Area                              4,940                5.2               130  

  Grand Rapids Area              10,640               9.0                319  

  Jackson Area                         2,545               5.9                 69  

  Kalamazoo Area                    3,285               7.0                 93  

  Lansing MSA                         4,665               8.0               134  

  Muskegon Area                     1,870               4.0                 46  

  Northeast Lower Peninsula    1,735                5.5                45  

  Northwest Lower Peninsula   4,170               11.9              134  

  Saginaw MSA                       4,170                6.9              116  

  Thumb Area                          1,855                5.7                49  

  Upper Peninsula                    3,960                6.4              106  

  West Central Michigan         1,330                 8.2                38    

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area    

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources marked below.  

SUMMARY PROFILE  

The occupation of House and Building Interior Cleaner can be summarized by the following:

Copyright © 2003 Michigan Department of Career Development