Profession Highlight: Cleaners – The Unsung Heroes of the Pandemic

When we think of frontline workers who have shaped the pandemic, our minds often wander (and not incorrectly) to our nurses and hospital crew, who have worked themselves into the ground. However, our industrial cleaners were another group of frontline ‘heroes’ that often flew under the radar.

Not only were they relied upon for cleaning in the COVID wards, but many other industrial cleaners were enlisted to help with deep cleans of schools, public transport services, shopping centres and more.

Let’s look at the career of an industrial cleaner and if it would suit you.

What can I anticipate from a career as an industrial cleaner?

An industrial cleaner is responsible for cleaning non-domestic properties such as schools, hospitals, prisons, warehouses, and offices. They work to ensure all hygiene standards are met throughout the business. Often, industrial cleaners work odd hours as they may need to wait for workers to leave for the day. Although they may not work regular hours, cleaners still have many part-time, full-time, and casual opportunities.

Cleaners need to be aware of specific industry standards and the appropriate equipment and substances to be used. They also need to ensure they dispose of all waste correctly and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Being aware of the challenges that might be faced is also a good idea.

What does a typical day look like for an industrial cleaner?

An industrial cleaner's daily roles and responsibilities can vary based on where they are cleaning and for what industry. Some daily tasks may include:

• Emptying containers, bins, and trays
• Removing rubbish and recyclable materials
• Operating industrial vacuum cleaners to clean floors, work areas and machines
• Removing dust and dirt from ceilings, walls, overhead pipes, and fixtures
• Applying acids and solvents to surfaces to remove stains and dirt
• Striping wax from floors, re-waxing and re-polishing floors
• Cleaning and disinfecting wet areas and reporting on defective plumbing fixtures
• Removing residues from machines
• Sand-blasting building exteriors
• Replenishing cleaning supplies

The daily tasks involved will differ depending on what work the cleaner is assigned to. Cleaners working in a hospital, for example, will have different duties than cleaners working in an office, or a fitness centre.

What are some of the challenges involved in this industry?

The physicality of the role – As you might imagine, there’s quite a lot of physical labour involved as a cleaner. You will spend your shift doing various cleaning tasks – some more demanding than others. This can range from sweeping, mopping and vacuuming, right up to disinfecting, waste disposal, and even pressure cleaning.

Stereotypes at play – Like all professions, some stereotypes surround the cleaning industry. One of the main ones is that “women clean, men don’t.” This stems back to a societal issue that perceives women as the ‘cleaners.’ Despite the modern age we live in now, this is still a strong belief in our culture that women should be the ones who clean, therefore, professional cleaners should be women.

Another common stereotype surrounding the cleaning industry is that cleaners are uneducated or unskilled. Cleaners – both domestic and commercial – come from various backgrounds and walks of life, just like any other job. Again, this idea is an old-fashioned concept that has carried over to modern-day beliefs.

Irregular working hours – Working as an industrial cleaner doesn’t guarantee you the stability of a 9-5 job. Working hours can often be irregular, and it’s not uncommon to be on-call – especially during the pandemic. While this lifestyle might appeal to some, for others, it’s not ideal.

High turnover – One of the challenges faced by the cleaning industry is the high turnover of staff. This high turnover is due to the nature of the work, varying hours and disrespect from employers, other employees and clients. Many people also use cleaning as a temporary job until they find one better suited to their lifestyle.

Exposure to chemicals – Cleaners use various chemicals and cleaning products each shift. Prolonged exposure to some of these chemicals can be harmful. For those who work in environments such as hospitals, there is an even higher risk of coming across harmful or toxic chemicals. Wearing the correct PPE will ensure you eliminate the risk of encountering these substances. This may include specially designed garments such as gloves, gowns, more.

What skills do you need to work as an industrial cleaner?

While there are no prerequisite qualifications for those who would like a profession as an industrial cleaner, there are specific skills you should have. These include:

• Cleaning skills
• Knowledge of housekeeping and cleaning methods, equipment, and products
• Understanding of health and safety principles
• Organisational and time management skills
• Communication and collaboration
• Proactive approach to challenges that may arise
• A reasonable level of health and fitness

Cleaning and the pandemic

During the pandemic, the demand for cleaners was through the roof – especially industrial cleaners. By government request, industrial cleaners were hired to complete ‘deep cleans’ of sites where a positive COVID case had been. The pandemic has forced both domestic and commercial occupants to take cleaning more seriously. Where cleaning was often mainly concerned with appearance, the focus shifted to health. While most commercial businesses enlisted the help of regular cleaners, it became a topic that was at the front of more conversations while simultaneously providing an element of comfort to those who may have had doubts about coming into a cluttered workspace.

Once the pandemic starts to phase out of our lives (which can’t come fast enough!), industrial cleaners urge businesses not to become complacent. There are still many, many germs in the air, including the common cold and flu. Seasonal illness will always be present in society, so it’s important to be proactive rather than reactive.

Industrial cleaners have become a commonly discussed profession among households throughout the pandemic. While nurses keep us safe when we get sick, cleaners prevent us from falling ill before it happens. If you think a career in the cleaning industry is for you, our Biz Care range has the uniform ready to go and ready and your team’s branding.