Apartment Custodians are also known as building custodians, or janitors. They have janitorial responsibilities. They clean bathrooms, vacuum carpets and wash and wax floors.
They are also responsible for making minor repairs. They can also be found collecting and discarding trash, and killing rodents and insects that infest the building. Some of them mow lawns and during winter, clear accumulated snow from sidewalks. They may also be responsible for collecting rent and enforcing building rules and regulations.
Nature of Work
The work of Apartment Custodians doesn’t require any special skills. Their main job is to ensure that the apartment building is maintained in good working condition and that everything in it is clean and sanitary. They may perform maintenance duties as well as cleaning jobs. They clean the apartment’s fixtures, restrooms, windows, stairs and doors using common cleaning tools such mops, brooms, cleaning cloths and brushes, as well as different machines such as vacuum and carpet cleaners and buffer. They also use cleaning supplies which many contain harsh chemicals that require much care and caution during application. For this reason they have to know the safety procedures that govern the use of these chemicals on areas where they have to be applied. They will have to wear gloves and masks to prevent personal injuries. Apartment custodians are responsible for routine maintenance for the tenants. This may include simple tasks such as repairing leaky faucets or replacing busted light bulbs. They are also in charge of maintaining the apartment’s heating and cooling equipment. Their other duties may include taking out the trash, moving furniture and other odd jobs. They may be required to mow lawns, remove snow from driveways, parking lots and walkways, trim shrubs and flowers, observe premises for strangers. While apartment custodians work on the physical facilities and outer surroundings, they are not expected to clean the interiors of an apartment while it is occupied. They only come in to clean if the tenant has left and the unit is available for a new one and with the permission of the manager. Those who posses high level of trade skills can also do carpentry and electrical functions although generally these functions are done by professionals.
Qualifications
Apartment custodians are not required to have any formal educational background, although those who have shop courses in high school have an advantage over those who do not. They should be able to solve simple mathematical problems. Most apartment custodians learn through on the job training, working under the supervision of a senior custodian with more experience.