Cleaner
Clean homes, offices, or commercial spaces - keeping places safe and presentable.
This UK cleaner career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £18,000 - £22,000
- Mid-career salary
- £22,000 - £28,000
- Senior salary
- £28,000 - £38,000 (supervisor / own business)
- Work environment
- Homes, offices, or commercial sites
- Time to entry
- 0 - 1 month
- Degree required
- Not required
- Category
- Sales, Retail and Customer Service
What a Cleaner does
Clean homes, offices, or commercial spaces - keeping places safe and presentable.
- Domestic Cleaner - Clean private homes, often regular weekly clients.
- Commercial Cleaner - Clean offices and businesses, often early or late shifts.
- Specialist Deep Cleaner - End-of-tenancy, post-construction, biohazard cleans.
- Housekeeping Operative - Clean and prep rooms in hotels and accommodation.
How to become a Cleaner
- Look up Cleaner roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
- Talk to someone already working as a Cleaner - even a 15-minute call helps
- Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
- Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
- Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month
Key skills
- Reliability
- Attention to detail
- Stamina
- Trustworthiness