Janitor

**Etymology and Historical Significance of ‘Janitor’**:
– The term ‘janitor’ originates from the Latin word ‘ianitor’ meaning doorkeeper or porter, derived from ‘ianua’ meaning door, entrance, or gate.
– The word’s first recorded use in the context of caretaker of a building was in 1708.
– The term is connected to Janus, the Roman god of doors, gates, and portals.
– Janitors played crucial roles in ancient Rome, and the concept of janitors has evolved over time to encompass various roles.

**Janitorial Duties**:
– Cleaning floors, windows, and surfaces.
– Emptying trash and waste disposal.
– Restocking supplies in buildings.
– Monitoring and maintaining cleanliness standards.
– Operating cleaning equipment efficiently.

**Challenges Faced by Janitors**:
– Heavy workload and physical demands.
– Exposure to cleaning chemicals.
– Dealing with various types of waste.
– Working in different weather conditions.
– Often underappreciated for their efforts.

**Career Opportunities and Occupational Tasks**:
– Most janitorial work is done indoors, often in office and school buildings during evening hours.
– Duties include cleaning bathrooms, floors, carpets, windows, and tables, as well as emptying trash bins.
– Some janitors handle outdoor work such as litter pickup, lawn mowing, and snow removal.
– Janitorial roles exist in various settings with potential advancement to supervisory positions.
– Training programs are available for skill enhancement and specialization in cleaning techniques.

**Pay Scale, Office Cleaning, Outsourcing, and Demography**:
– In 2010, the median pay for janitors in the US was $10.68 per hour with a yearly salary growth rate of around 11%.
– Office cleaning staff share similar duties with janitors, including tasks like dusting furniture and cleaning office kitchens.
– Cleaning services are frequently outsourced for standardized tasks and performance specifications.
– Approximately 17% to 23% of undocumented immigrants in the US work in the cleaning industry.
– The cleaning industry in the Netherlands saw significant growth in the number of companies from 5,000 in 2003 to 8,000 in 2008.

Janitor (Wikipedia)

For other uses, see Janitor (disambiguation).

It has been suggested that Cleaner be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2024.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (May 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Janitor" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

A janitor, also known as a custodian, porter, cleanser, cleaner or caretaker, is a person who cleans and maintains buildings. In some cases, they will also carry out maintenance and security duties. A similar position, but usually with more managerial duties and not including cleaning, is occupied by building superintendents in the United States and Canada and by site managers in schools in the United Kingdom. Cleaning is one of the most commonly outsourced services.