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Looking for a Cleaning Job? These Positions May Be Easier to Get Than You Think

If you're looking for work and don't have years of experience, cleaning jobs may be worth a closer look. Many cleaning and housekeeping positions do not require a college degree, and many workers learn the job through short-term or on-the-job training. In 2025, about 2.4 million people worked as janitors and building cleaners in the U.S., with roughly 321,800 openings projected each year on average through 2035. The important part is that “cleaning job” doesn't mean just one kind of work. Hotels, hospitals, offices, schools, apartment buildings and other facilities all need cleaners — and the work, schedules and entry requirements can be quite different. So if you're having trouble finding a job, don't assume you need more qualifications. You may simply be looking at the wrong type of cleaning job.

Cleaning Jobs Can Have a Much Lower Entry Barrier Than You Expect

For many entry-level janitorial and cleaning positions, formal education isn't the main requirement.

The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education for janitors and building cleaners, with short-term on-the-job training being typical.

That makes cleaning different from many occupations where you need a degree, professional license or years of experience before you can even apply.

And there are several types of jobs to consider.

Hotel Housekeeping

Hotel housekeeping is one of the most common ways people enter cleaning work.

Typical duties can include:

  • Making beds
  • Replacing towels and linens
  • Cleaning bathrooms
  • Vacuuming and mopping
  • Removing trash
  • Restocking room supplies

The important thing is that most of these tasks follow established procedures.

You don't need to arrive knowing how a particular hotel wants every room cleaned. New workers can learn the hotel's process and standards.

If you can work efficiently, follow instructions and maintain a consistent level of cleanliness, previous professional cleaning experience may not be essential.

Office Cleaning

Office cleaning can be another option, particularly for people who prefer working when a building is less busy.

Typical tasks may include:

  • Vacuuming floors
  • Mopping
  • Emptying trash
  • Cleaning restrooms
  • Wiping common areas
  • Cleaning break rooms

Many office buildings are cleaned outside normal business hours, so evening work is common. BLS notes that cleaning schedules can include evenings, nights and weekends depending on the workplace.

That can make office cleaning worth considering if a traditional daytime schedule doesn't work for you.

Hospital and Healthcare Cleaning

Hospital cleaning sounds more specialized, but the job is still centered around cleaning and sanitation rather than medical work.

Environmental services workers may clean:

  • Patient rooms
  • Hallways
  • Bathrooms
  • Common areas
  • Other facility spaces

The difference is that healthcare facilities can have stricter cleaning and safety procedures.

For someone who is comfortable following a clear process, that structure can actually make the job easier to learn.

Healthcare and social assistance is also one of the major industries employing janitors and building cleaners. BLS reported a 2025 median hourly wage of $18.35 for janitors and cleaners in this industry, compared with $17.71 across the occupation overall.

School and Educational Facility Cleaning

Schools and other educational facilities also need cleaning staff.

Depending on the facility, duties can include:

  • Classrooms
  • Hallways
  • Restrooms
  • Cafeterias
  • Common areas
  • Trash and basic facility cleaning

Educational services is another significant employer of janitors and building cleaners. The 2025 median hourly wage for the industry was $18.63, according to BLS.

Building and Janitorial Jobs

If you don't want to focus on hotels or individual rooms, general janitorial work may offer another route.

The exact duties vary by employer, but can include:

  • Cleaning floors
  • Maintaining restrooms
  • Removing trash
  • Restocking supplies
  • Cleaning common areas
  • Using basic cleaning equipment

Most janitors learn the job on the job, including how to use equipment such as vacuums and floor buffers.

The Real Advantage Is Having More Than One Type of Job to Try

This is where many job seekers make the process harder than it needs to be.

If you search only for:

“cleaning jobs”

you may see a mixture of hotel, office, janitorial, housekeeping and facility positions.

Instead, you can narrow the search according to the type of work you want.

For example:

Want hotel work?

Look at housekeeping positions.

Prefer offices?

Look at office cleaning jobs.

Want a healthcare environment?

Look at hospital or environmental services positions.

Prefer schools or public facilities?

Look at school and institutional cleaning jobs.

Want evening or overnight work?

Look specifically for night cleaning and janitorial positions.

The same basic skill — keeping a facility clean — can lead to very different jobs.

What Qualifications Do You Actually Need?

For many entry-level cleaning positions, the requirements are surprisingly straightforward.

You may see listings asking for:

  • Reliability
  • Ability to follow instructions
  • Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
  • Ability to lift or move cleaning supplies
  • Basic communication skills
  • Availability for particular shifts
  • Previous experience preferred, but not always required

BLS's 2025 Occupational Requirements Survey found that 70% of workers in the broader building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupational group had no minimum education requirement, while 88.8% had on-the-job training requirements.

For housekeeping specifically, BLS found that only 7.7% of workers had a prior-work-experience requirement in 2025, while 97.8% had on-the-job training requirements.

In other words, being new to the job isn't necessarily the same thing as being unqualified.

Find the Type of Cleaning Job That Fits You

There isn't one “best” cleaning job.

If you want a structured routine, hotel or office cleaning may be worth investigating.

If you prefer larger facilities, hospitals, schools or commercial buildings may offer different opportunities.

If your schedule is limited during the day, evening and overnight cleaning can open another group of positions.

And if getting hired quickly is your main priority, focusing on entry-level listings that mention training or no experience requirements can make the search more targeted.

The key is not to assume that every cleaning job has the same requirements.

There are more paths into cleaning work than the generic job title makes it look.

Start With the Type of Job, Then Look at What's Available Near You

If you're ready to look, don't stop at a general search.

Try narrowing it down by job type and location:

  • Hotel housekeeping jobs near me
  • Hospital cleaning jobs near me
  • Office cleaning jobs near me
  • Janitor jobs near me
  • Night cleaning jobs near me
  • Entry-level cleaning jobs
  • Cleaning jobs with no experience
  • Housekeeping jobs near me

You may find that one category has considerably more suitable openings for your schedule and experience than another.

You don't necessarily need to become more qualified before looking for a cleaning job.

You may simply need to find the type of cleaning position that matches what you can offer right now.