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TourismISCO 9111

Domestic cleaner

A domestic cleaner is a person who carries out whatever cleaning work a client's home requires: vacuuming and sweeping floors, washing dishes, doing the laundry, dusting, scrubbing and polishing surfaces, and disinfecting appliances and materials.

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Check yourself in a minute: domestic cleaner

Rate 5 of the 19 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

maintain inventory of cleaning supplies

maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaning

wash the laundry

clean household linens

remove dust

About domestic cleaner

The skills the work actually calls for are easy to underestimate. The cleaner cleans surfaces and removes dust to a standard that holds across different homes, cleans household bed linen, table linen and towels, replenishes the toilet supplies, and keeps the cleaning equipment in proper condition. Personal hygiene standards are observed throughout.

Working in someone's house makes this different from cleaning a building. The cleaner works unsupervised, among other people's possessions, deciding what may be moved and what may not, and is trusted with access to a home. Reliability counts for as much as the cleaning itself.

The physical strain is one of the hardest parts of the job. The cleaner works ergonomically, organising the tasks to limit physical strain. Someone working on their own account also carries the organisation of it: the route between houses, the products and equipment, the invoicing and the clients who cancel.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (19)

cleaning techniquescleaning techniquesVarious techniques and tools used to clean different types of surfaces to achieve a certain degree of cleanliness such as sweeping, vacuuming, degreasing and wet cleaning.maintain inventory of cleaning suppliesmaintain inventory of cleaning suppliesFollow the stock of cleaning materials, order new material when the stock is empty and follow their usage to maintain a constant supply.maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaningmaintain personal hygiene standards when cleaningMake sure to keep yourself clean and tidy and wear protective equipment when performing cleaning activities, as required by the health and safety procedures of the task or the organisation.wash the laundrywash the laundryWash or clean clothes by hand or by use of a washing machine.work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.clean household linensclean household linensWash linens such as sheets, towels and table cloths with water and soap or detergent. Clean linens by hand or by the use of a washing machine.remove dustremove dustRemove dust from furniture, blinds and windowsills using specialised dust cloths or hand-cleaning items.perform cleaning dutiesperform cleaning dutiesPerform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.iron textilesiron textilesPressing and ironing in order to shape or flatten textiles giving them their final finishing appearance. Iron by hand or with steam pressers.clean toilet facilitiesclean toilet facilitiesClean the toilets and wipe the sinks, mirrors and cubicle furniture according to the required standards, providing special attention to details.vacuum surfacesvacuum surfacesUse a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and small particles from floors, drapes, carpets or furniture.clean surfacesclean surfacesDisinfect surfaces in accordance with sanitary standards.maintain cleaning equipmentmaintain cleaning equipmentClean and preserve the equipment and material used for cleaning purposes in a proper state.clean roomsclean roomsClean rooms by cleaning glasswork and windows, polishing furniture, vacuuming carpets, scrubing hard floors, and removing garbage.restock toilet facilities' suppliesrestock toilet facilities' suppliesMake sure that toilet supplies such as soap and toilet paper are always available for customer use.wash the disheswash the dishesWash plates, glasses, silverware and cooking gear used for a meal, by hand or by use of a dish washer. Put everything back in its place afterwards.ensure cleanliness of food preparation areaensure cleanliness of food preparation areaGuarantee the continuous cleanliness of kitchen preparation, production and storage areas according to hygiene, safety and health regulations.clean glass surfacesclean glass surfacesUse cleaning products to clean any surface covered by glass.make the bedsmake the bedsClean sheets, turn mattresses, plump pillows and change cushions.
Optional (14) — show
sort wastesort wasteManually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.feed petsfeed petsMake sure that pets are given appropriate food and water on time.handle linen in stockhandle linen in stockManage laundered items and store them in safe and hygienic conditions.clean vehicle exteriorclean vehicle exteriorWash, clean, polish and wax vehicle's exterior glass and chrome parts.wash costumeswash costumesMake sure that costumes are clean and ready for use when required. Take care to preserve the costumes in good condition as long as possible.carry out pressure washing activitiescarry out pressure washing activitiesUse high pressure equipment in order to clean areas, surfaces and materials.buy groceriesbuy groceriesPurchase ingredients, products and tools that are necessary for daily housekeeping activities.provide dog walking servicesprovide dog walking servicesProvide dog-walking services, including activities such as agreement of services with the customer, selection and use of handling equipment, interaction with the dog, and safe and responsible dog walk...lift heavy weightslift heavy weightsLift heavy weights and apply ergonomic lifting techniques to avoid damaging the body.maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environmentmaintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environmentPreserve health, hygiene, safety and security in the workplace in accordance with relevant regulations.wash vehicleswash vehiclesWash and dry vehicle and ensure that paint is kept intact by waxing and polishing vehicle using the appropriate tools.clean vehicle interiorsclean vehicle interiorsRemove dirt, rubbish or impurities of the interior of vehicles, including consoles and dashboards; vacuum car seats and carpets; clean hinges and door trims.perform outdoor cleaning activitiesperform outdoor cleaning activitiesAdapt the cleaning working methods and procedures to the environmental conditions and adapt to weather conditions such as rain, strong wind or snow, when this affects the performance of the equipment ...supervise childrensupervise childrenKeep the children under supervision for a certain period of time, ensuring their safety at all times.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

domestic housekeeper12 shared essential skillsbuilding cleaner8 shared essential skillstoilet attendant6 shared essential skillscompanion5 shared essential skillsdrapery and carpet cleaner5 shared essential skillstrain cleaner5 shared essential skillshome care aide4 shared essential skillslaundromat attendant4 shared essential skills

Frequently asked questions

What does a domestic cleaner do?

Domestic cleaners perform all necessary cleaning activities in order to clean their clients' houses. They vacuum and sweep floors, wash dishes, launder clothes, dust, scrub and polish surfaces and disinfect equipment and materials.

What skills does a domestic cleaner need?

A domestic cleaner needs 19 essential skills, including cleaning techniques, maintain inventory of cleaning supplies, maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaning, wash the laundry, work ergonomically.

Will AI replace domestic cleaner jobs?

The AI disruption score for domestic cleaner is 31/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: maintain inventory of cleaning supplies, restock toilet facilities' supplies, handle linen in stock. Most resilient: provide dog walking services, clean surfaces, make the beds.

Quick Facts

SectorTourism
ISCO GroupCleaners and helpers
Essential Skills19

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