Different types of cleaning- who does what?
During one of my usual, hour-long Tik Tok scrolls (very productive!), I came across an incredible account… Biggieclean . I loved the TikTok, where he explained how biohazard cleaning can really make a difference to people’s lives. To be honest, before watching the video I never really paid attention to the other types of cleaning that there are. So, I decided to research and share just some of the unique cleaning jobs out there. There are many more to name so look out for future blog posts covering the rest!
Industrial and facilities cleaning:
Your Castle Caretakers Ltd is a business focusing on facilities service and cleaning provision to schools. This means that we work with a range of schools in our area to provide regular and one-off cleaning services such as deep cleans, covid-19 sanitation and day-to-day cleaning tasks. You can see a variety of projects- such as our recent deep clean- on our blog page! Facilities cleaning may be quite different depending on the niche you cater to- for example, supermarket cleaning will be quite different to school cleaning through different working patterns, requirements and standards, as well as the people you work around. Industrial cleaning usually involves larger areas and tends to include more hazardous areas such as power plants, factories and more. The industrial and facilities sector can be hard work but is always rewarding! Seeing happy customers, or having the chance to transform classrooms to be safe, fun environments to work in are some of the best parts of being cleaners in this area.
Cleaners in the medical sector:
Cleaners in hospitals, or any medical environment, are essential. Working tirelessly each day to support nurses, doctors and patients in a variety of settings. With work ranging from regular cleaning and wiping of surfaces, to cleaning bodily fluids, and thoroughly disinfecting a theatre or ensuring no patient gets sick due to poor hygiene, hospital cleaners are incredible! The job can be stressful, but the dynamic environment, kind staff and range in activities can make this the perfect cleaning job for some. Now more than ever it is essential we appreciate all medical staff working during the covid-19 pandemic, including cleaners! Hospital cleaners are critical in reducing the spread of the virus throughout the hospital, all whilst carrying out many other cleaning duties at the same time!
Crime scene/biohazard cleaners:
This is one of my favourite videos on You Tube. It perfectly captures the reason cleaners love their jobs, despite the job sometimes being very difficult! Biggieclean is a biohazard cleaner and influencer who shares insights into his work, his approaches to varying aspects of the job such as mental health, judgement or simply what he is doing that day. Crime scene and biohazard cleaners are highly specialised, with plenty of training to meet regulations, stay safe, and understand good practices with regards to both the cleaning task itself and dealing with clients in an appropriate manner. The job is a very exciting one! You see just how much of a difference you are making to peoples lives, and you have a diverse range of activities/ projects to complete. However, if you are squeamish, or don’t like being around dirt, fluids or germs, and usually A LOT of it, this job may not be for you. It is also important to take good care of your mental health with jobs like these, you may be visiting areas with a lot of history, a lot of damage or both- so it is essential you are prepared for this.
Specialized cleaners
These are cleaners with one, very specific area of specialism. For example, window cleaners, carpet cleaners, pressure washers or more. Specialized cleaners usually complete tasks too difficult or expensive/inaccessible for routine cleaners to perform. They require specific training, delving deep into one cleaning area rather than covering a broad range of topics; have specialist equipment and machinery (which again, requires more specialist training); and are more likely to cover different environments over time rather than having a regular location to work at.
House cleaners
House cleaners are usually routine cleaners, commonly (but not always) self-employed, and have the most interaction with the general public. Hours depend on the service and customers, and you may have a few clients to work for regularly. As well as this, there may be ‘one-off’ jobs where you clean a house before an event. Estate cleaning includes cleaning homes so they can be pristine and ready to be sold, especially if renovations were done beforehand. It can be an exciting job, and you get to interact with all sorts of people, maybe being the only company someone has! It makes a difference beyond the cleaning itself. Your presence can improve someone’s day, your chats can make someone feel less lonely, and your work makes someone’s standard of living so much better!