Cleaner Interview Questions

How do you maintain confidentiality in your cleaning work?

The interviewer is testing your honesty, your integrity and your efficiency at protecting corporate information. Before answering, review the Corporate Information Act, the Privacy Act and other relevant laws and regulations.

Example answer: "I have received training on confidentiality in my cleaning work. I am aware that the organization's employees, clients and visitors could share trade secrets. I believe it is important to protect this information from being erroneously spread. I always make sure I am not seen near confidential documents and any electronic equipment has been shut down and secured. I will also make sure I am not wearing any accessories or clothing that reveal any corporate secrets."

How would you describe your own cleaning style?

Employers ask this question to find out how much time you are able to devote to cleaning. Explain your cleaning style and how much time you are willing to commit to the job. Make sure that your time commitment is reasonable for a part-time position.

Example answer: "I like to keep things neat and tidy. I dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to keeping things spotless."

What was the last house you cleaned and how did you clean it?

The key to answering this question is to provide specific details. Your response should include the size of the home, the number of rooms you cleaned and the products or cleaning tools you used to clean them. It's also important to detail the steps you took to clean it thoroughly.

Example answer: "I cleaned a small two-bedroom apartment. I vacuumed the floors, dusted furniture and cleaned all the windows. I chose the most effective cleaning tools for each surface to ensure the best clean. I spent 15 minutes cleaning the bathroom, 10 minutes cleaning the kitchen and 30 minutes cleaning each bedroom."

What is your cleaning philosophy?

As a cleaner, you might be conducting deep cleaning sessions or you might be handling regular maintenance duties. Regardless of your role, your employer will want to know if you have a particular process for cleaning. Your answer should include an overview of how you like to clean and how that is effective.

Example answer: "My cleaning philosophy is that routine cleaning is the best way to maintain a clean working environment. I like to go over each room in the house once a week, making sure it's as clean as possible. I start by dusting all the surfaces, making sure to get into all the small crevices. I also put down a dust cover or throw a sheet over the furniture to keep it clean. Once I'm done with that, I move onto the floors. I do an initial sweep to get rid of the dirt, then I mop the floors. Finally, I vacuum the rugs and make sure the furniture is clean and dust-free."

How do you handle a dirty room?

As a cleaner, you will be responsible for cleaning rooms and other areas every day. While it's easy to simply clean up a mess as you go, your employers want to see some initiative to ensure that you consistently meet their standards. When answering this question, demonstrate your creative thinking by suggesting some original and effective ways to deal with a particularly dirty room.

Example answer: "When I find a dirty room, I ask the occupant when they last had the room cleaned. Then I figure out what needs to be done based on that information. I love to leave my work area as clean as it was before I got there. Therefore, if there was a mess left in the room, I will tidy it up before cleaning."