Summary
A janitor keeps a building clean, safe and ready for the people who use it. Common sites include offices, schools, medical offices, stores and apartment buildings.
Say what kind of building it is and whether the shift is during the day, in the evening or overnight. Those details decide who applies.
Duties and responsibilities
- Empty trash and recycling, and replace liners.
- Sweep, mop, vacuum and polish floors on a set schedule.
- Clean and disinfect restrooms, break rooms, counters and high-touch surfaces.
- Restock paper products, soap and other supplies.
- Use cleaning chemicals safely, read labels and never mix products.
- Report spills, hazards and repairs that are needed.
- Lock doors, set alarms and follow building security steps.
Skills and qualities
- Dependable and able to work on your own.
- Thorough, with a steady pace across a full shift.
- Careful with chemicals and equipment.
- Able to stand, bend, lift and push a cart for long periods.
- Respectful and discreet around the people in the building.
- Follows a checklist and a schedule.
Typical requirements
- Ability to lift the weight you name and be on your feet for a full shift.
- Willingness to complete a background check, if the site requires it. Say so in the posting and follow your state’s rules.
- Chemical safety training, which you provide before the first shift.
- Reliable transportation to the site at the shift’s start time.
Requirements differ by state, city and employer. Check the licensing, age, safety and pay rules that apply to your business before you post. This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Schedule and conditions
Many janitorial jobs are evening or overnight, after the building closes. State the shift, the days and whether weekends are included.
Say whether the work is at one site or several, and how the supervisor checks in.
Nice to have
- Experience with floor machines such as buffers and scrubbers.
- Experience in schools, medical offices or other regulated sites.
- Keys and alarm experience.
- Experience leading a small cleaning team.
Tips for posting this job
- Name the building type and the hours.
- Say whether the job is at one site or travels between sites.
- Explain what training and equipment you provide.
- Mention background checks, if used, in plain words.
- Give the location and how to reach the site.
Put your real pay, schedule and location in the posting. Candidates skip posts that leave them out.
Sample job post
Copy this, then change the words in brackets to match your business.
Janitor: [day / evening / overnight] shift in [city]
[Company name] is hiring a janitor to keep [an office building / a school / a medical office / several sites] clean and safe in [city]. You will follow a cleaning schedule and checklist, and a supervisor will check in [nightly / weekly].
Pay: [pay rate or range]. Schedule: [days and hours], [full time / part time]. Start: [start date].
- Empty trash and recycling, and replace liners.
- Sweep, mop, vacuum and polish floors on a set schedule.
- Clean and disinfect restrooms, break rooms and high-touch surfaces.
- Restock paper products, soap and other supplies.
- Lock doors, set alarms and report spills, hazards and needed repairs.
- Requirements: [experience, or willing to train], [background check, if the site requires it], and the ability to lift [weight] and stand for a full shift.
- We provide: [chemical safety training, equipment, uniform, other benefits].
Interview questions for a janitor
- Walk me through how you clean and restock a restroom.
- Which floor machines have you used, such as buffers or scrubbers?
- How do you keep cleaning chemicals safe to use and store?
- You find a leak or a broken light during your shift. What do you do?
- How do you stay on schedule when you work alone at night?
- Tell me about a time you worked around people in a building while cleaning.
- Which shifts and days can you reliably work?
Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare answers fairly. HRGP keeps your questions, notes and scores with each applicant.
Questions and answers
What are the main janitor duties?
A janitor keeps a building clean, safe and stocked. Janitor duties include emptying trash, cleaning floors, disinfecting restrooms and break rooms, restocking supplies, using chemicals safely, reporting hazards and repairs, and locking up at the end of the shift.
Does a janitor need certification or training?
Most janitor jobs do not require a license or certification. Employers usually train new hires on chemical safety and equipment before the first shift. Some sites, such as schools or medical offices, ask for a background check, and those rules differ by state, so check what applies where you work.
Is a janitor the same as a custodian?
The titles overlap, and employers use them in different ways. Custodian is common in schools and public buildings, and a custodian may also handle light repairs or building upkeep. Use the title your candidates search for, and list the real duties in your janitor job description.
Free job description writer
Make this janitor description yours
Tell the writer about your job, your pay and your schedule, and get a clear description ready to post. It is free and needs no sign-up. When you are ready to run hiring and your employee records in one place, start your free trial of HRGP, the HRIS for small business.
Related job descriptions
House Cleaner job description
House cleaner job description: duties of a house cleaner, skills and requirements, plus a sample job post and interview questions.
Dishwasher job description
Dishwasher job description: dishwasher duties and responsibilities, skills and requirements, plus a sample job post and interview questions.
Office Administrator job description
Responsibilities of an office administrator: duties, skills and requirements, plus a sample job post and interview questions you can copy.
Lawn Care Technician job description
Lawn care technician job description: daily duties, skills and requirements, plus a sample job post and interview questions.