Cleaner Resume

To be considered for a cleaner job, you’ll need to put your best foot forward and show off your attention to detail, reliability, and time management skills on your resume.

Not every cleaner job will require the same skills, so tailoring your resume to the job is essential. Here are three tips to help you create a job-winning resume quickly.

1. Organize your resume sections based on your experience

How you organize your resume work experience and resume skills sections, as well as what you include is determined by your level of experience.

Choosing the best resume format to highlight your skills and experience will help attract a hiring manager’s attention and convince them you’re the right person for the job. Additionally, the right resume format can help you minimize any shortcomings or gaps in your resume.

If you’re an experienced professional in the cleaning industry, you’ll want to organize your resume like so:

1. Resume summary
2. Relevant work experience
3. Relevant skills
4. Most recent education and certifications (if applicable)

On the other hand, if you’re just starting out, you’ll want to organize your resume a little differently, with more focus on your transferable skills:

1. Resume objective
2. Relevant skills and certifications
3. Relevant experience
4. Most recent education

Listing cleaning certifications like the PHC or the HCT certifications toward the top of your resume in your resume introduction or skills section is a great way to differentiate yourself from other candidates, even if the job doesn’t specifically require it.

For cleaners with little to no experience, writing a resume objective is ideal because it highlights your skills and your personal qualities, and how they can help you succeed in the job. A resume summary, on the other hand, is best when you have experience because it highlights your experience and most notable accomplishments.

When organizing your cleaner resume, start with your most recent and relevant experience. This should include previous cleaning positions or related work experience like:

• Housekeeping
• Custodial experience
• Specialized cleaning (window washing, carpet cleaning, sanitizing, stain removal)
• Decluttering

2. Show off the right cleaning skills

In your cleaner resume, be sure to highlight the right cleaning skills for each job you apply to. This might include knowledge of different cleaning products and techniques, experience with specific cleaning equipment, and knowledge of health and safety procedures.

A cleaning job in an office building won’t have the same requirements as a cleaning job in a hospital or a residential home. This is why it’s important to identify which of your past experiences and skills can be applied to the job you’re targeting.

Here are some of the top cleaner skills to list on your resume in 2023:

• Safety regulations
• Cleaning (organized by areas, textiles, and surfaces)
• Flexibility
• Reliability
• Physical strength and stamina
• Strong work ethic
• Customer service skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Time management skills
• Organizational skills
• Teamwork skills
• Autonomy

Don’t limit yourself to listing your job-relevant skills in your resume skills section only. Illustrate these skills in detail by showcasing them in your work experience section, like in this example for a cleaning service job:

• Proficient in a wide variety of cleaning techniques, including: dusting, mopping, polishing wooden surfaces and silverware, steam cleaning, shampooing, and vacuuming carpets and rugs
• Excels in following safety regulations and is experienced in using a range of cleaning equipment such as: floor buffers, carpet cleaners, abrasives, and floor scrubbers
• Skilled at quickly identifying and removing stains from a variety of textiles and delicate fabrics while also effectively managing clients’ expectations through timely communication

3. Write a trust-inspiring work experience resume section

When writing about your work experience on a cleaner resume, be sure to emphasize your soft skills like your attention to detail, strong work ethic, and trustworthiness. These qualities are essential for anyone working in a cleaning position.

Here’s an example of a solid work experience section for a commercial cleaner:

• Consistently exceeded client expectations for quality and efficiency by providing a clean and pleasant working environment before office working hours for 3 office floors
• Completed cleaning tasks on time as part of a 3-person team and demonstrated flexibility to perform urgent tasks after-hours such as carpet cleaning and disposal of hazardous materials

Strengthen your work experience section by using active verbs to introduce your work experience bullet points. Additionally, quantify your resume by using hard numbers to illustrate your achievements and responsibilities whenever possible. This gives employers an idea of how much you can accomplish within a given time frame.

For example, you can specify the number of condos you managed and cleaned in a week or the number of repeat clients your cleaning agency secured thanks to your dedication and hard work, as illustrated in the following examples for a house cleaner resume:

• Led a 2-person team to clean 6 2-bedroom apartments for AirBnB guests by: washing and changing linens, cleaning the bathrooms, polishing hardwood floors, wiping the windows, performing regular pool maintenance, spraying insecticides when necessary, and performing basic repairs for light fixtures and appliances
• Created a clean and healthy environment for 5 villas in a gated community by emptying and hauling away trash in a timely manner, mopping floors, sanitizing 15+ bathrooms, performing small repairs quickly, as well as maintaining 4+ recreational areas free of leaves, toys, and hazardous materials

Remember to be specific about your cleaning duties and demonstrate not only your physical strength but also your ability to work independently and as part of a team. Clearly express how you make a positive contribution and what kind of results your future employer can expect from you.