What a janitor does
Janitors, also called custodians, look after the cleanliness and basic upkeep of buildings such as schools, offices, condominiums, plants and institutions. Beyond routine cleaning, they handle floor care with auto scrubbers and burnishers, strip and refinish floors, set up rooms for events, manage waste and recycling, clear snow from entrances and report maintenance issues. In many buildings, a janitor is responsible for an entire area or floor and works with little supervision, often outside regular business hours.
Finch screens janitors for the equipment skills, safety habits and reliability that independent work demands. We ask about the floor care machines candidates have used, how they handle chemicals and what types of buildings they have maintained. We also check references on trustworthiness, since janitors often hold keys and work alone. You receive a shortlist of suitable janitors who can take care of your building as if it were their own.
Typical responsibilities
- Clean and sanitize washrooms, classrooms, offices and common areas
- Operate floor care equipment, including auto scrubbers, buffers and burnishers
- Strip, wax and refinish floors and clean carpets
- Set up and take down rooms for meetings and events
- Remove waste and recycling and clear snow and ice from entrances
- Report repairs, safety hazards and security issues
Qualifications and credentials
- No licence is required; employers typically look for custodial or commercial cleaning experience
- Experience with floor care machines and carpet extraction equipment
- WHMIS training and safe chemical handling
- Ontario's mandatory health and safety awareness training
- A police record check, which schools and care settings often require
Who hires a janitor
- School boards and private schools
- Office buildings and corporate campuses
- Condominium corporations and residential buildings
- Hospitals, long-term care homes and clinics
- Places of worship and community centres
Where we recruit janitor candidates
We fill janitor roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Floor care and cleaning equipment experience
- Chemical safety knowledge and WHMIS training
- Ability to work independently and manage an area
- References on trustworthiness and reliability
- Availability for evenings, early mornings or weekends
Interview questions to ask
- Walk me through how you strip and refinish a floor.
- How do you organize your time when you are responsible for a whole floor on your own?
- What would you do if you discovered a water leak or broken lock during your rounds?