Cleaning jobs range from helping someone keep their house tidy to doing a deep clean of a large factory. But the skills you need always remain the same – you must be organised, motivated and honest.
You may have to use industrial cleaning products and hazardous chemicals as part of the role, so it is important to understand what you are handling.
The cleaning sector
Cleaning jobs fall into three categories:
- Household or domestic – cleaning someone’s home or private residence
- Commercial – cleaning a shared space, like an office, shop, school or restaurant
- Industrial – cleaning a factory, warehouse or power station.
What are the different cleaning roles?
Whether you are doing housekeeping in a hotel or working with chemicals in a factory, there are many different cleaning jobs available:
Domestic cleaner
Many domestic cleaners are self-employed, which allows you to manage your own workload. But some may also be employed as part of a domestic housekeeping business.
You will be responsible for cleaning someone’s home, which involves tasks like vacuuming, wiping down surfaces and cleaning carpets.
Housekeeper
Housekeepers often provide cleaning in places like hotels, hospitals or hostels. You will make beds, clean bathrooms or provide general cleaning in communal areas.
Housekeepers usually work as part of a wider team, so you need to communicate well with others.
Window cleaner
You will be responsible for cleaning windows at people’s homes or in public spaces, like shops, offices and schools.
Many window cleaners are self-employed, but there are also window cleaning companies you can join to work as part of a team.
What skills do you need to work in cleaning?
- Be physically fit – you will be on your feet for long periods of time
- Trust – you will have access to businesses, offices and people’s homes, so you need to be honest and professional
- Organisation – you will have multiple tasks to complete each day, and you will need to store cleaning products safely and correctly
- Good communication – you will often be part of a team, and you will need to communicate with customers
- Motivated and committed – cleaning can be tiring and repetitive.
Ready to get started?
If you are interested in cleaning jobs, we can help you develop the skills, knowledge and experience to get started.
We can even match you with local employers once you are ready to find your new role.
Looking to fill a cleaning role or upskill your team?
Get in touch with our recruitment team for access to our job-ready candidates and employee development programmes.
