Top 5 Traits to Look for In Your Cleaning Staff

Key Takeaways:

• The success of your cleaning business depends on more than tools; it’s about your people.
• Hiring cleaners with the right mindset, skills, and character leads to fewer complaints, better client retention, and a stronger brand.
• This blog covers the top qualities of a professional cleaner and how to assess them during hiring or training.

Introduction: Why the Right Cleaner Makes All the Difference

In a competitive cleaning industry, it’s no longer enough to just “do the job.” Clients expect more, cleaners who are efficient, trustworthy, and proactive. But how do you know who’s a good fit for your team?

Whether you’re building a new team or looking to improve performance, understanding the key professional cleaner skills is essential.

This guide explores the top 10 qualities of professional cleaners that lead to consistent service, satisfied clients, and long-term business growth.

However, you have to work like a trojan to get a commercial cleaning business up and about. On top of that, making client lists, creating proposals, marketing the business, and everything else takes a lot of energy, time, and funds.

After all the hard work you do, you wouldn’t want your clients to give your company a one-star rating. All because your staff didn’t deliver satisfactory services.

Now, you see how crucial your cleaning staff is. The reputation of cleaning companies wholly depends on how their staff performs. So, cleaning businesses need to hire qualified and high-performing cleaning staff. To help you find the best cleaning staff, here is a list of the top 5 traits you can look for in the candidates: 

1. Cleaning Experience 

Ask the candidates about their cleaning experience. You can ask what type of cleaning they specialize in (residential or commercial), the equipment they use, and the experience they have. 

The most successful cleaners are those who don’t miss the little things. They check under chairs, behind doors, and around light switches, areas others often skip.

Why it matters:

• Clients notice small things (a missed corner, a dusty window ledge).
• Attention to detail reduces callbacks and complaints.
• It builds trust and shows professionalism.

How to assess it: Include a test during onboarding, ask them to clean a sample room and inspect their work closely. A professional cleaner doesn’t need a second reminder.

You can also ask them if they have received any training before. It is because, for buildings like hospitals and laboratories, the cleaning staff needs special training. They should know about the type of waste they will handle and where or how to dump it. Once you know about the experience of the cleaning staff, you can assign them the right job. It will also help you decide whether they need training or not. Cleaning companies should consider all these factors for the best selection of employees.  

2. Trustworthiness 

As we said, your cleaning staff decides the reputation of your business. The cleaning staff will visit the client’s premises and work there. For this, you need to rely on the cleaners to follow a professional demeanor. 

Cleaners often have keys to buildings, access to sensitive areas, and are expected to work unsupervised. That’s why reliability is non-negotiable.

Why it matters:

• Arriving on time builds client trust.
• Being dependable reduces stress for team leaders and operations managers.
• Consistent presence improves team performance and workflow.

How to assess it: Track attendance for the first 90 days. Reward perfect punctuality. Ask behavioral questions during interviews like, “Tell me about a time you had to show up despite challenges.”

While you will gain trust in the employees after some time, you need to run a background check before getting them on board. You can ask the employees to submit an affidavit, a character certificate, or other similar documents. You should also run a background check to ensure the candidate does not have a criminal record. All these measures will prevent your company’s name from being tainted in the future.  

3. Accountability 

Your cleaning staff must be held responsible for their work. The cleaners must possess the quality of accountability. It means that whatever task you assign to the employee, they should take authority, complete it, and be accountable for everything happening when they perform the cleaning task.

Professional cleaners often work in spaces where privacy and property matter. Whether it’s a home, a law office, or a medical facility, integrity is a top trait.

Why it matters:

• Clients trust your brand to access secure spaces.
• One dishonest cleaner can ruin your reputation.
• It reduces your liability and boosts client retention.

How to assess it:

• Conduct background checks.
• Ask references specifically about reliability and trust.
• Create a culture of ethics with open feedback and accountability.

They should take their job seriously and take responsibility for their actions. Avoid employees who like to shift the blame to others and do not take authority over their actions, mistakes, and errors.  

4. Friendliness 

The cleaners, especially those working for a commercial cleaning business, need to interact with people. For instance, if your staff is cleaning a hotel’s lobby, they will meet many people moving to and from the lobby area. When they interact with these people, they should be courteous, friendly, and humble. 

This may surprise some, but communication is one of the most underrated professional cleaner skills. Cleaners need to understand instructions, log reports, alert managers about issues, and sometimes speak to clients.

Why it matters:

• Avoids task confusion or missed instructions.
• Supports fast response in emergencies or supply issues.
• Improves teamwork and morale.

How to assess it: Ask: Can they clearly explain a problem or ask for what they need? Use role-play scenarios during onboarding.

No one likes a cranky sweeper in their hotel’s lobby, yelling at people for no reason. For a good reputation of your cleaning company, it is essential to have good reviews, and for that, you need some friendly cleaners. 

5. Dedication 

No matter how well-behaved your staff is, the dedication towards their work matters the most. You wouldn’t want to send away a group of shirkers who like to be absent from work. 

Let’s face it: cleaning is physical work. From scrubbing floors to moving furniture and handling large areas, cleaners need physical and mental endurance to perform consistently.

Why it matters:

• It ensures task completion without errors due to fatigue.
• Reduces risk of injury and call-outs.
• Supports quality and speed on big jobs.

How to assess it: During the trial period, observe performance across various tasks and shifts. Do they maintain speed and quality across a full day?

Other Useful Professional Cleaner Skills To Have

Adaptability and Flexibility

Schedules change. Clients request last-minute add-ons. Cleaning environments vary. The best cleaners can adapt without complaining or sacrificing quality.

Why it matters:

• Flexibility helps with shift swaps, emergencies, or site changes.
• Adaptable cleaners learn new tools, chemicals, and procedures faster.
• They’re easier to promote and cross-train.

How to assess it: During training, observe how they respond to a schedule change or an unexpected task. Their attitude speaks volumes.

Knowledge of Cleaning Techniques and Equipment

From handling floor scrubbers to mixing disinfectants safely, every cleaner should understand tools of the trade. These professional cleaner skills are essential for safety, speed, and efficiency.

Why it matters:

• Improper use can damage client property or cause injury.
• Knowledge increases productivity and minimizes mistakes.
• Professional technique sets you apart from amateur operations.

How to assess it: Use quizzes or on-the-job evaluations. Provide updated SOPs (standard operating procedures) and track compliance with tools like Novagems.

Respect for Client Property and Privacy

A truly professional cleaner treats every space with care, whether it’s a multi-million dollar office or a one-bedroom home. They understand that they’re not just cleaning—they’re representing your brand.

Why it matters:

• Respect builds client confidence.
• Reduces risk of complaints or legal disputes.
• Clients notice when staff are courteous and careful.

How to assess it: Observe how they handle equipment, confidential documents, or personal items. Train cleaners to ask before discarding or moving sensitive objects.

Teamwork and Positive Attitude

While many cleaners work solo, teamwork becomes crucial during big jobs, deep cleans, or commercial contracts. A cooperative cleaner lifts the whole team.

Why it matters:

• Positive energy improves team performance.
• Team players support onboarding and reduce manager workload.
• Helps resolve conflicts and reduces turnover.

How to assess it: Get peer feedback. Encourage team debriefs. Reward those who go the extra mile to help others.

Commitment to Quality and Growth

The best cleaners are those who want to improve. They take feedback well, ask questions, and stay committed to the company’s standards.

Why it matters:

• High standards reduce rework and client complaints.
• Lifelong learners adapt faster to new tools or protocols.
• Committed staff are easier to promote and retain.

How to assess it: Offer a growth path, training certifications, bonuses for performance, or mentor programs. See who participates and shows initiative.

Why These Qualities Matter for Long-Term Success

Now that we’ve covered the top qualities of professional cleaners, it’s clear that success in the cleaning business depends just as much on people as it does on products.

When you hire staff with these traits, you’ll see:

• Fewer re-cleans
• Better online reviews
• Longer client contracts
• Lower turnover 

Research conducted by the University of Arizona illuminates the fact that employees operating within clean and organized spaces exhibit up to 15% greater productivity compared to their counterparts in disorderly settings.

Hiring the right people improves operations, reduces headaches, and builds a brand your clients trust.

How to Identify These Traits in Candidates

It’s one thing to know the qualities of a professional cleaner, but how do you spot them in real life?

Use Situational Questions:

• “What would you do if a client asked you to do something outside your task list?”
• “How do you handle repetitive work without getting distracted?”
• “Describe a time you helped a teammate on a tough shift.”

Run Trial Shifts:

Let candidates shadow your team or complete a supervised clean. Look for:

• Punctuality
• Willingness to learn
• Consistency across tasks

Use a Scoring System:

Create a checklist during onboarding to score new hires on:

• Reliability
• Communication
• Task speed and quality
• Respect for rules and equipment

Track progress over 30, 60, and 90 days.

So, make sure you hire dedicated cleaning staff who completes the tasks in time, performs well, and delivers client satisfaction. To ensure all your staff members work efficiently, you can start using a janitorial workforce management system. The software allows cleaning companies to create and share schedules, to-do lists, and assignments with the cleaning staff with just one tap. It also helps the managers keep an eye on the employees through features like GPS tracking, geo-fencing, and more.

To keep the dedication of their cleaning staff in check, cleaning companies should utilize a workforce management system.

So, these were the top five traits that cleaning companies should look for in their cleaning staff. They come in handy to hire qualified, high-performing, and well-behaved staff.