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Janitor

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AVG. SALARY

$27,980

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EDUCATION

No standard requirement

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

Interviews

Insider Info

A large man grunts and groans under the weight of a barbell. As he heaves the weight to the ground, sweat sprays off his brow. He grabs a towel, wipes his face clean, gives the mirror in front of him a rub and then throws the towel to the floor.

Just outside the weight room, 50 people are stepping to the beat in an aerobics class. Sweat beads on their foreheads; the carpet is crushed beneath their feet. After the class, some of the participants take a dip in the hot tub, and then track wet stains across the pool room to the showers.

After scrubbing down and changing into clean clothes, they leave the building. The fitness center finally shuts down at midnight. But even then the building isn't quiet. Just after the last customer leaves, a team of janitors steps in to clean the day's mess.

Some of the janitors roll up their sleeves and tackle the dripping and dirty bathrooms. "On a Monday, anywhere from 800 to 1,100 people go through the center," says Art Simmer, a janitor in Florida. "If you start to think about all those people going through 10 or 12 showers, you get an idea of the mess."

While some of the janitors are making the change room showers, toilets, sinks, floors and walls sparkle, others are working in the pool room. "Cleaning up the pool room is physically demanding," says Simmer. "There's just water everywhere to mop up."

Cleaning the bathrooms and the pool area is the wettest and dirtiest work, but all areas of the facility need to be worked on. "Fitness clubs are extremely hard jobs -- every part of them," says Simmer.

Even facing the acres of dirty carpet can be a challenge. The aerobics floor has close to 7,000 square feet of carpeting, and every bit has to be vacuumed. And it can't just be a gentle run across the floor. "The sweat is ground in all day and the nap is crushed. It takes a lot of work to get them clean."

Facing a sea of uninterrupted carpet can be tough on the mind. "If you're vacuuming for six hours straight in an area that doesn't even have furniture, it can be pretty boring." It usually takes four janitors more than two hours to clean all the carpets in the fitness club.

Considering the alternatives, some of the janitors prefer to vacuum. One of the most difficult jobs at the club is cleaning the handball courts. "We have to rub off every single ball mark," says Simmer. "That's a real pain."

Because fitness centers are so difficult to clean, Simmer's company has since moved on to different types of jobs. "Fitness clubs are definitely the hardest to scrub, and you usually have to work late hours," he says.

One of Simmer's favorites is bowling alleys. Janitors aren't required to clean the bowling lanes, but must keep the areas where people sit clean. "It's different and fun," says Simmer. "There's a great variety and more open areas."

Simmer also cleans office buildings. "This can be a bit more repetitive," says Simmer. "The rooms are the same, floor after floor."

Cleaning an office often means much more than just emptying garbage cans. "You'd be surprised," says custodian Rhoda Dunbar. "Some commercial places are real pigpens."

Dunbar goes on initial visits to buildings that need to be cleaned. She inspects the building and then draws up a contract.

"At first I didn't look around too much," she says. But that's changed. She now gets on her hands and knees, peers under desks, runs her fingers over window ledges, and inspects fridges. "You don't want any surprises."

Dunbar has had a few in the past. "Doing this work certainly opens your eyes. Some places are like a smack in the face. You just wouldn't believe the mess."

Janitors notice more dirt than the average person because they've been trained. "Before I got into this business, I'd go into the mall and nothing would catch my eye," says Dunbar. "Now, everywhere I go, I spot dirt."

Even in the midst of the worst grime, she wouldn't trade her job for another. "It isn't easy work, but I get a good feeling from finishing a job."

Janitor Mike Blotnicky agrees. "It's great to get a job done on time and do a good job of it," he says.

Every janitor enjoys different chores. "I find that dusting is difficult for some people, and others find working with heavy-duty machinery hard," Blotnicky says. "It all depends on what's your cup of tea."

No matter what area appeals to a janitor, they must enjoy getting things clean. "I just love to get that good feeling when I look at a place that was a pigsty and see it shining," says Dunbar.

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OCAP believes that financial literacy and understanding the financial aid process are critical aspects of college planning and student success. OCAP staff who work with students, parents, educators and community partners in the areas of personal finance education, state and federal financial aid, and student loan management do not provide financial, investment, legal, and/or tax advice. This website and all information provided is for general educational purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as financial, investment, legal, and/or tax advice.