Custodian duties and responsibilities

A Custodian’s main responsibility is to clean a workspace, warehouse or similar space. This task is broken down into several duties performed throughout the day or at other regular intervals, such as:

Cleaning wood, linoleum, tile and other floors

Shampooing rugs and carpets

Emptying trash cans

Changing air filters and cleaning vents

Dusting all surfaces

Waxing floors

Ordering new cleaning supplies as needed

Washing windows

Maintaining a thorough inventory

Using equipment, commercial vacuums, floor buffers and carpet cleaners

Collecting and taking out trash and recycling

What does a Custodian do?

Custodians are typically employed by office parks, schools and any other facilities that need frequent maintenance and upkeep. They clean up spills caused by food or beverages, wash windows, mop floors, wipe tables, replace air filters and maintain a trash and recycling removal schedule in accordance with local pickup times. Their job is to uphold the health and safety of a building’s occupants by ensuring proper sanitation and completing chores. They may also complete outdoor chores including mowing green spaces, trimming bushes and power-washing walls, windows and sidewalks.

Custodian skills and qualifications

Custodians have wide range of skills and qualifications, including:

Ability to stand and walk for long periods

Ability to lift and move over 50 pounds

Knowledge of different cleaning products and tools

Time-management and multitasking abilities

Physical strength and stamina

Organization skills

Good verbal communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to work with minimal supervision

Frequently asked questions about Custodians

Is there a difference between a Custodian and a Janitor?

Although sometimes used interchangeably, the titles Custodian and Janitor differ in meaning. Typically when someone says Custodian, they are referring to a longtime caretaker of a facility. Further, Custodians are usually employed by the building owner to work for them. In contrast, the title Janitor usually refers to an individual who holds the same types of responsibilities as Custodians, but they are not employed by the building owner. Instead, they work often work for a cleaning company that sends them to specific locations that need cleaning.

What makes a good Custodian?

A good Custodian is someone who is dedicated to maintaining the cleanliness and organization of a building and its grounds. They should find enjoyment in the work that they do as it allows them to be of service to others and find fulfillment in cleaning. A good Custodian should also be a trustworthy, loyal individual because they will most likely be working without direct supervision later in the day or even at night when daytime office workers aren’t present.

They may have access to private offices or rooms that contain important information, so they should be able to be trusted in those environments. Further, a Good Custodian should understand how to operate certain cleaning and maintenance equipment. This may include the use of floor scrubbers or snow blowers.

What are the daily duties of a Custodian?

A Custodian’s job may start early in the morning before people start arriving to the building to work or attend school. If working in a school setting, they may be responsible for reassembling lunch tables after a previous night of mopping the floors. Regardless of their place of work, they may also do a check around the facility to restock the bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and paper towels.

Throughout the workday, they typically stay on-call in a location within the building in case there’s a spill or leak of some kind. As they wait, they may organize their cleaning supply closet, take inventory and order more cleaning products as needed. After daytime operations have ceased for the day, they work with members of their team to perform duties like vacuuming, collecting trash and recycling or tidying hallway spaces.