The key to finding the right janitorial service is to paying a company that employs good workers and treats its workers well. A great janitor will ensure that your building is clean and debris-free each night (or weekly), and that supplies are restocked and carpets vacuumed. These are just a few of the many duties that a janitor is responsible for.
Janitors keep buildings clean. They janitors remove trash, vacuum, sweep walkways, and clean and disinfect surfaces. Removing trash and debris is important to maintain a good impression. They also perform heavy cleaning duties, such as removing hazardous waste or disposing of chemicals. They check that alarm systems and sprinkler systems are working. They may rewire systems and change batteries. Janitors also restock depleted cleaning supplies, such as bleach, disinfectant, window cleaner, soap, cloths, and WD-40.
Light landscaping work may also be a part of the job. Janitors mow the yard, trim hedges, and pull out weeds. They may also plant new bulbs or flowers, lay down mulch, and set up decorative objects.
Others complete odd jobs such as fixing faucets, painting, changing lightbulbs, replenishing cleaning inventories, mowing lawns, trimming hedges, light painting, plastering, and fixing heating and air-conditioning equipment. Janitors also mop and scrub floors and disinfect bathrooms.
Janitors need to keep buildings rodent-free. This means removing rodents and insects and setting traps. Rodents in a building can be dangerous because they spread disease.
Good janitors should be discrete while performing their job. They may come across private items, such as paperwork and files. These need to be kept undisturbed. The janitor should never look through paperwork that isn't his. If he or she finds something on the ground, he should return it to its rightful owner.
Janitors don't always work during the day. Sometimes they work at night, often when all the workers are long gone. They switch on the lights and begin their nightly cleaning. They typically pull out the vacuum first and begin running it across the carpet and hard surfaces. They may also buff and polish floors and empty trash cans. That way when the employees arrive in the morning, the building is clean. Often the smell of disinfectant and the squeak of clean floors accompany the first occupants that enter the building.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, janitors held about 4.1 million jobs in 2008. About 299,000 were self-employed. Janitors specifically held about 2.4 million jobs. Around 33 percent of janitors worked for firms supplying services to buildings, about 20 percent were employed in educational services, and 6 percent worked in government. About 132,700 were self employed. Janitors that work in hospitals or schools typically work full-time jobs during the day.
When selecting a janitorial company, the employer should ask to see the company's credentials. Who else do they work with? Do they have any recommendations? What is employee turnover? A company that keeps employees around for awhile is probably a good company that treats its employees well.
