Tell me about working as a cleaner

[Whybirdwhy]

I’m considering a career change. Currently work in the public sector in a high stress role and I’m fed up.

I find working with computers all day to be stressful and the targets we have to meet and the responsibilities I have are starting to make me feel anxious.

I am hardworking and I enjoy physical work. I’m mid-thirties and worked as a cleaner for a business in my teens but was younger and fitter then! I know cleaning is exhausting and can be tedious and I worry that I will get bored in 5 years time and regret it. I just think the work life balance and having a physically active job would benefit my mental health.

Any cleaners who can share the pros and cons of their jobs I’d love to hear them. I’d be considering domestic cleaning (homes) working for a well established company.

Also, I have preschool children and part of the appeal is the flexibility and part time hours.

Anyone else been in this position?

I part timed as a cleaner whilst at college. I found office cleaning honestly humiliating. Maybe I was just unlucky and in a shit office, but people were rude and made it clear I was their inferior.

Hotel cleaning was better. It was quite therapeutic, as most days I wouldn't see anyone all shift, could put headphones in and zone out whilst I cleaned. I lost so much weight as its a massive workout. Most hotel cleaners are ridiculous fit.

I was a cleaner in a care home as a teenager, before I progressed to a different role there but did that whilst training . I loved it , it was so chilled out and you can just forget about it when you get home .

I clean at a park similar to something like Alton towers but abit smaller and we have water rides and pools. We have 5 toilet blocks to look after and we empty the bins. It’s physically demanding, I do anywhere between 15-30,000 steps per shift. Through a season I loss 5-10 kilos .
I love it. We are a small team of 10 and generally keep ourselves to ourselves! This is my 5th season.
However I’ve got a weird sense of toilet humour now! Girls are feral. Used sanitary products left on the floor or stuck to the wall, poo smeared on walls and left on the shower floors. Bin juice is disgusting, vomit calls can be interesting!!!
We also get to do the admin offices , which is where I find so much out !!!
House cleans are easy in comparison ( I started on house cleans!!)

I know my cleaner loves the flexibility around children and she takes longer holidays than she would if she was employed.

I’d say that Seth to consider if your pension, though as they’re excellent in the state sector.

Thanks, this is all useful!