Cleaner

Typical Salary

£13,000 To £19,000

Typical Hours

39 to 41 variable

evenings / weekends on split shifts

How To Become a Cleaner

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

You may be able to take a Level 2 Certificate in cleaning principles.

GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths

Apprenticeship

The following apprenticeship may be relevant to this role:

Level 2 Healthcare cleaning operative

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply for jobs with cleaning companies or any organisation that employs their own cleaners. There are no set entry requirements, but you'll need to show employers that you're reliable and able to do the job.

Experience can help, particularly if you're looking for specialised cleaning work.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to work on your own
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
sensitivity and understanding
customer service skills
a desire to help people
excellent verbal communication skills
knowledge of public safety and security
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your tasks will depend on where you are working. You could:

clean, following food safety and hygiene regulations in food premises
do general cleaning in industrial buildings or offices to keep areas presentable and safe
follow procedures to control infection in hospital wards and operating theatres
clear up houses and squats
clean passenger vehicles
clean at heights, using ladders or mobile access equipment
clear up at crime scenes, or after fires or floods
shampoo or vacuum carpets and upholstery
maintain stock levels of cleaning products
do minor repairs to cleaning equipment
follow Health and Safety (HSE) guidelines on use of chemicals for each task

Working Environment

You could work at a client's home or at a client's business.

Your working environment may be dirty.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career Path & Progression

You could move into specialist cleaning, or a more senior managerial or supervisory role.

You could also start your own business.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in cleaning from The British Institute of Cleaning Science.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks