How to write a clear job description for cleaners, janitors and housekeepers: duties for residential and commercial roles, skills, physical requirements, pay transparency and a sample.
Cleaning roles have high turnover, and one reason is mismatched expectations: night shifts that were not mentioned, travel between sites, heavy lifting or chemicals. A clear, honest job description filters for people who want the job as it really is. It also supports training, performance reviews and, if needed, disability accommodation discussions, because it shows which functions are essential.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
| Title | Typical setting | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Residential cleaner / house cleaner | Private homes | Detailed cleaning of kitchens, bathrooms and living areas |
| Commercial cleaner / janitor | Offices, schools, retail | Floors, restrooms, trash, common areas, often evenings |
| Housekeeper / room attendant | Hotels, care homes | Guest rooms, linens, restocking |
| Environmental services aide | Hospitals and clinics | Infection-control cleaning and disinfection |
| Post-construction cleaner | New builds and renovations | Dust, debris and final detail cleaning |
| Floor technician | Commercial sites | Stripping, waxing, buffing, carpet extraction |
Use the title your target applicants search for. “Cleaner” and “janitor” are both common; add the setting, such as “Office Cleaner (Evenings)”.
Choose the duties that apply to your role. Be specific about the setting and equipment.
Our office cleaning checklist, house cleaning checklist and restroom cleaning checklist can help you describe standards.
| Essential (examples) | Desirable (examples) |
|---|---|
| Attention to detail and pride in quality | Previous professional cleaning experience |
| Reliability and punctuality | Floor care or carpet cleaning experience |
| Ability to follow written or demonstrated procedures | Experience in healthcare or hotel settings |
| Safe handling of cleaning chemicals (training provided) | Valid driver’s license (if travel between sites is required) |
| Ability to work the scheduled hours | Additional languages spoken by your team or clients |
Only list requirements you truly need. Asking for a diploma or years of experience that the job does not require narrows your applicant pool and can raise fairness concerns if it screens out groups without a job-related reason. If a background check or driver’s license is required, say so, and follow federal and state rules, including any fair-chance hiring laws.
Describe physical demands honestly and in terms of the task: for example, “stand and walk for most of the shift”, “lift and carry up to 25 pounds”, “push and operate floor equipment”, “bend, kneel and reach”. Mention exposure to cleaning chemicals, wet floors or outdoor areas. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers must consider reasonable accommodations, so focus on essential functions rather than how a task must be done. Add a statement that reasonable accommodations are available.
State the schedule clearly: days, evenings or nights, weekends, typical start and end times and whether hours vary. If cleaners travel between sites during the day, say whether travel time and mileage are paid; for non-exempt employees, travel between work sites during the workday is generally paid working time. See travel time pay rules and cleaning company time tracking. Being upfront about travel, and paying for it correctly, is one of the simplest ways to build trust with new cleaners.
Include the pay rate or range and how pay works (hourly, per job), plus any differentials for nights or weekends. A growing number of states and cities, including California, Colorado, New York, Washington and Illinois, require pay ranges in job postings for covered employers. Check the rules where you hire. For context on market pay, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data for occupations such as janitors and building cleaners and maids and housekeeping cleaners, by state and metro area.
What you will do: clean and sanitize restrooms and break rooms; vacuum, sweep and mop floors; empty trash and recycling; restock supplies; operate floor equipment after training; complete a nightly checklist in our app and report any damage or hazards.
What you need: reliability and attention to detail; ability to stand and walk for most of the shift and lift up to 25 pounds; willingness to learn safe chemical use (we train you).
Nice to have: floor care experience.
Pay and benefits: [hourly rate or range], paid time off under our policy, uniforms provided.
We are an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations are available during the application process and on the job.
Once you hire, use the job description as the basis for onboarding and training checklists, performance expectations and skills assessments. Review it each year, or whenever duties, sites or equipment change, and update it so it stays accurate and fair. See how to onboard hourly employees and the skills gap entry in our glossary. A description that matches the real job makes every one of those conversations easier.
EZTime helps cleaning businesses schedule cleaners across sites, record clock-ins at each location with the mobile app, share digital checklists and track hours per client with job and client tracking. See our cleaning services page.
Cleans and sanitizes rooms and surfaces, empties trash, restocks supplies, operates cleaning equipment and follows safety and quality procedures.
Job title and setting, schedule, duties, requirements, physical demands, pay and benefits, and an equal opportunity statement.
Usually no formal qualifications. Reliability, attention to detail and willingness to learn safe procedures matter most.
Yes where required by law, and it is good practice everywhere because it attracts suitable applicants.
Describe the essential task (for example, lifting up to 25 pounds) and state that reasonable accommodations are available.
For non-exempt employees, travel between work sites during the workday is generally paid working time.
Field staff clock in from the EZTime app with a GPS stamp, and geofencing can limit clock-ins to approved locations. Pricing starts at $2 per employee each month, with a $20 monthly minimum.