What tasks does a janitor have?

A janitor is the good soul of every building, be it a residential building, a school or an office complex. But what exactly are the tasks of a janitor? In this article, you will find out everything about the typical activities, special tasks for different types of buildings and the requirements to get started in this profession. At the end, find out the best way to find a new job as a janitor. 

All typical janitor activities

A janitor takes care of a variety of tasks to ensure the smooth running of a building. Typical janitorial tasks include

• Building cleaning: Ensuring the cleanliness of the exterior and interior of a building, for example stairwells, corridors and communal areas.
• Maintenance and repairs: Minor repairs such as fixing sanitary facilities, replacing light bulbs, oiling doors and windows or plugging water leaks.
• Inspection of technical systems: Regular inspection of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as smaller electrical systems. Their tasks often overlap with those of an electrician. It therefore makes sense to have a certain level of technical understanding when starting out as a janitor. 
• Garden maintenance: Mowing the lawn, trimming hedges and removing leaves - the janitor ensures that the outdoor areas look neat and tidy.
• Winter service: In the fall, the janitor makes the entire building winter-proof. In snow and icy temperatures, the janitor clears snow and grits sidewalks to ensure the safety of residents.

Special tasks for certain building types

The tasks of a janitor differ depending on the type of building in which the janitor works. You are usually employed as a janitor in apartment buildings, production companies or office complexes and depending on the job, a janitor will take on different tasks. 

Here are some examples of special activities for different types of buildings:

• Residential complexes: In residential buildings, communicating with tenants, carrying out minor renovations and monitoring the house rules are common tasks.
• Schools and educational institutions: Here, the range of tasks of a janitor also includes looking after sports facilities and preparing classrooms and halls for events, as well as minor repairs to the facilities.
• Office buildings: In office complexes, the focus is often on the maintenance of technical systems, access control and coordination with external services such as electricians, cleaners and security services. 
• Production facilities: As a janitor at production facilities, you have an overview of your warehouse, for example of work clothes, printing accessories and 
• the storage location for everything that is not used directly in the production process but is needed on a daily basis. You are the contact person for work clothes, employee laptops and snack vending machines, for example. 

Depending on how old the building is and where it is located, there are various other challenges for a janitor.

Requirements to become a janitor

There are no formal training requirements to become a janitor. However, having certain skills will make it easier for you to find a job as a janitor and how easy the various tasks are for you.

Typical skills are:

• Manual skills: experience in the repair and maintenance of systems and miscellaneous equipment
• Technical understanding: knowledge of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as electrical systems
• Organizational talent: A good janitor keeps track of many different tasks and priorities.
• Communication Skills: The ability to communicate effectively with residents, tenants and service providers

A job as a janitor is a popular option for finding work in Germany without training or as a career changer. You can also enter this profession while you are waiting for your foreign training to be recognized. You can find useful information on this in our article on the recognition of foreign qualifications.

Find janitorial jobs on WorkerHero

Janitors are in high demand in Germany and it is worth looking out for flyers and advertisements in your immediate vicinity or asking your friends. You can also search for job advertisements online.

Workerhero is the perfect platform if you want to find a job as a janitor quickly and easily. We offer a variety of jobs in different cities and regions, such as jobs in Munich. Whether you already have experience or are new to the profession, you'll find the right position on WorkerHero.

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