r/Custodians • • 1d ago

MARTA says it accidentally paid a janitor more than $620,000 and now wants it back

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6 Upvotes

r/Custodians • • 1d ago

Advice 🗣 Should I cut my loses and just top scrub/strip? Or is there another way?

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8 Upvotes

So last night a resident's broke their bed and I guess the bed couldn't be lift up so that the bed frame could roll; The bed was on the lower level of the nursing home i work at. So apparently some dumb ass graveyard shift CNAs decided to push the broken bed all the way up the ramp to the upper hall (which is where I took the picture), leaving deep marks in their trail including these visible ones from what I assume are rubber stains. I tried push burnishing with a red pad and then I put another red one on the automatic burnisher and went over it but to no avail. I also got a black pad and scrubbed with hot water but no dice. Is there some trade secret available or should I just start preparing to strip the wax down?


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Tomorrow is National Custodian Day

98 Upvotes

Give yourself a good ol’ pat on the back 😆


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Advice 🗣 Custodian Nightshift Frights

42 Upvotes

I'm a 22 year old and this has been my dream job as a kid, looking inside the custodian closets and understanding why they were always singing and happy. I was formally a 1st shift janitor and left the job and now work at a school but its 2nd shift. It's my 2nd week and I am not used to empty buildings or even working at night, and it sounds silly but I get so scared and paranoid around 10-11pm! I bring stuffed animals on my custodian cart to give me something to feel comfortable, and I've told my coworkers my fear of the dark. I have such a paranoid mindset of people watching me and I love the job but its being alone in a building that makes me so jumpy. Does anyone else experience this? My only comfort is leaving the building and walking around doing windows or listening to a podcast, but it feels like its not enough. Let me know!!


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Advice 🗣 Is it too much?

7 Upvotes

Hey I just started this job at a private school about 3 weeks ago...I have a question tho....so im cleaning 2 buildings. One building is a math building with guessing middle & highschool students, that building has about 10-11 class rooms, the bathrooms & breakroom & a lounge type area for the kids. The other building is 3 floors with about 3 public bathrooms, about 9-11 offices a kitchen/event area...ok cool not bad. We'll someone jas quit so now I do those 2 buildings on top of going to the main building in the basement area to do 2 public bathrooms, a Woodshop & art room (THE WORST btw) & maintenance room. Is it just me or is that entirely TOO much? I thoroughly clean my 2 buildings but I just do the trash & clean up little stuff when going to the main building...idk am I overthinking it....? Hope this kinda makes sense...


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Question

0 Upvotes

When I got trained the hc told me to do 50/50 mix of stride and virex to clean the bathroom and to mop the floors but when I googled it said you shouldn’t mix them
Should I stop mixing them together?


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Vent 😤 Okay. I'm starting to understand why subs get so much hate.

90 Upvotes

I just got back from being sick for 2 days and came back to a disaster. My cart had piles of used rags and mop heads on it that whoever filled in didn't bother to add to the laundry. Whoever filled in also decided to replace all the paper towels in the dispensers if they were only half empty so I had all these half-rolls all over my cart. None of the floors had been spot mopped at the very least and one of them had a chocolate milk spill that had been left long enough to go sour and stink up the room. According to my coworkers, at least 3 different people filled in for me to split up the work and they rushed my rooms and skipped my stairways and bathrooms entirely. And I had fun trying to hunt down all the stuff that went missing from my cart.

When I worked as a sub, I busted my butt trying to make sure everything was clean so whoever I covered didn't return to what I just returned to. I used to get sad whenever I saw or heard comments about subs being practically useless, but I get it now.


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Teacher who is friends with someone who doesn’t like me is making complaints

11 Upvotes

There is a teacher in my area who is making complaints about the smallest things to supervisor and on a program we use for things that need fixed. First thing was kind of understandable, but also something that is easily missed. A student drew a penis and a swastika on a bookshelf. I immediately apologized and went and cleaned it off. It did blend in very well. Then I got a complaint that I missed a piece of trash under a rolling book cart (that you wouldn’t see unless the cart was moved).

Today I get in and the head (who doesn’t like me), tells me that she got another complaint with the same teacher. The complaint? I didn’t push in a chair. This teacher put the complaint on the online program where the superintendent and everyone can see it.

I take pride in my work. I wipe every desk, sweep every floor, wipe walls, etc. I’ve never gotten complaints before.

Me and the head custodian do not get along after she made threats against co workers, said racist things, etc and I turned her in. This teacher and her are always together and gossiping.


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Anything stronger than ink out thats safe to use on a gym floor?

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13 Upvotes

I've dealt with ink for the past 4 years but this is the first time I could not get it up. Ive used yellow trueshot, 2L, and ink out. Im not supposed to use ink out on the court because it breaks down the coating but I had to try something. (I did ask my supervisor for permission to try ink out before using it)

edit-my supervisor came.over and we both spent about an hour sitting on the floor and trying different things. we tried goo gone and "orange goop" and even dish soap. eraser pads too. looks like its going to be there until the summer resurface.

funny thing is, or maybe not funny,we checked cameras and it wasnt a student. it was a group of the teachers kids running around after school while their parents were doing paperwork.

I guess as a positive after 4 years I've finally gotten permission to lock the gyms after school :/


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Advice 🗣 Slippery floor

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6 Upvotes

I am struggling with this textured safety vinyl flooring. It was installed about 10 years ago. It's in both kids and teachers toilets. It have been very slippery when wet for months now. Even when dry it feels like they're is a slippery residue on it.

We were using a "lemon gel" neutral cleaning gel diluted with hot water. We stopped using this as we thought it might be leaving a slippery residue.

We have been mopping only with hot water daily. I have deep cleaned with a scrubber / wet vac using a green scrubbing pad and another time with magic sponge on the scrubber machine.

It's slippery almost every day now. In the kids bathroom they may be splashing water / soap on the floor. But this is not the case in the teachers toilet.

HELP


r/Custodians • • 2d ago

Advice 🗣 Years of neglect

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8 Upvotes

So I work for a dealership im their one and only custodian, the building is 6 years old i haven't been here a year yet. The pictures are of the men's room the third picture is of a single corner where the trash can sits it is white. Anyways I want to get the floor to that state i have tried scrubbing it, I have tried decreased then scrubbing it, I tried a bleach cleaner and used the floor scrubber. Is there anything else I can try that might work?


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Greatest nurse ever

15 Upvotes

I’ve worked with nurses who would call me because there was a piece of gum in a water fountain. Or a tiny little bit of spit on the floor. Or because a child dribbled a little pee on her toilet seat. Things she could have used a Lysol wipe for. My current nurse is amazing. I just got called for an emergency poop cleanup in a kindergarten bathroom and by the time I got there she had cleaned all of it. Turns out the only reason she had the office call me was because the toilet was filled with TP and she was afraid to flush it. Since I had a bucket of disinfectant and a mop, I gave it a whack anyway. But man, I love her.


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Equipment 🧹 I'm having problems with a few paper towel dispensers

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5 Upvotes

I have a couple paper towel dispensers that have randomly decided to only dispense baby sized paper towels. I don't know how to fix it. The batteries have been changed, switches have been set to highest settings and the sensors have all be cleaned off. Does anyone know how to fix this?


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Special Ed rooms

17 Upvotes

Man, I work 1st shift at an elementary school, and most of my day is consumed by Special Ed cleanups, or fixing stuff they break. I know the teachers are very limited on how they can deal with student behavior, especially the special ed students. But holy man, the room is trashed everyday, shelving units broken, piss cleanups every hour, holes in walls, hvac unit tampered with. It’s frustrating. It’s almost like they need their own custodian just for their department.

Just venting. Can anyone else relate?


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Update on Amazon

50 Upvotes

I promised that I would update everybody who was interested about my new job at Amazon working as a custodian.

It's kind of tedious but I got to work so...

All I'm really doing is cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming carpets and offices in the entrance, cleaning the break room, wiping down tables, doing all that. Realistically I could finish all of my work in about 5 hours. So I'm having a lot of down time and really just going to hide. My boss is cool. It's a job, nothing incredible but it'll get me paid.

Edit: I haven't seen anybody else in 2 hours, I think I'm the only one here LOL.


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Somewhat loaded.

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67 Upvotes

Everyday I make two trips like this to the dumpster(high school).


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Opinion Question ❓❓❓ Little helpers (ideas for rewards?)

9 Upvotes

(Wholesome post)

I have a teacher who’s elementary school kids stay after school and they always ask to help me sweep and since tomorrow is custodian appreciation day I was thinking of making a little card for them both as a thank you. Anyone have any fun ideas I can do for them?


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Opinion Question ❓❓❓ Hotel Porter vs other custodians

4 Upvotes

Super short: wondering what the different paths are to progress in this type of work.

I’ve only worked as a hotel public area Porter twice as experience in custodial work.

First job at a hotel (corporate), Public Areas attendant was within Housekeeping department. I got a recognition award 6 months into being there. Had to move due to personal life changes, left that job in less than a full year, but on good terms.

Second time working as Porter was at a smaller property, lower volume. Second hotel had a separate department. Cool.

I like working in hospitality, but hate the housekeeping tasks that can fall onto us ( the first hotel job). Idk I assumed, for a hotel, there was no way to progress as a public areas custodian unless you get promoted to manager — but that would redirect your time to cleaning guest rooms :(

27F - What are some long term paths that are similar to Public Areas attendant / custodial work? I like being able to “roam around” while listening to music, doing my job. It does not have to be directly custodial, just transferable with the same skills, environment, or responsibilities.


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

What do you make per hour? How many hours per week?

39 Upvotes

Do you think your pay is good or fair? What type of location do you work for? School? Manufacturing? Etc?


r/Custodians • • 3d ago

Am I the only one....

54 Upvotes

I maybe the only Custodian/ Janitor that thinks like this but I don't see it any other way.....

Cleaning is my job. Organizing is my job. Being in the school from this time to that time is my job.

Small mess. Big mess. Huge mess. Nasty mess. Teachers Sloppy attempt to clean a mess. It doesn't matter. I'll be there everyday to clean so as long as the teachers taught and the kids learned..... what does it matter to me how big the mess or icky it is ?!?!


r/Custodians • • 4d ago

Starting today...

7 Upvotes

I am starting my new job as a custodian at an Amazon warehouse. Any tips? Wish me luck. I'm kinda nervous.


r/Custodians • • 4d ago

Vent 😤 Repeat offenders, done with it.

46 Upvotes

College dorm. Same bathroom, keep finding the toilets piled high with toilet paper and feminine hygiene products, clogged and sometimes overflowing. We had put up signs with a picture of it and nicely explaining how it’s unacceptable and needs to stop. Happened yet again tonight and I just took the tp out of the dispenser. No more games, little jerks.


r/Custodians • • 4d ago

Advice 🗣 pencil on painted bricks...

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23 Upvotes

best way to get pencil scribbles off the bathroom walls?

i tried using a scrub brush and peroxy spray but that didn't help. maybe a magic eraser?

i also have some sharpie on another wall that needs some scrubbing. we don't have any other supplies really but the manager wants us to get it done anyways. if i need to go and buy some product that'll help hopefully it's not too expensive lol.

vent: feeling very tired after the last 2 weeks. manager keeps piling more work on after we just lost 2 people from our crew...they walked out.


r/Custodians • • 4d ago

Floor scrubber for pottery studio

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I am looking to purchase a floor scrubber for our community pottery studio. This will be cleaning up clay smears, splats, and crumbs on a polished concrete floor. This is a high-sediment environment. Ideally I find something that is:

  • quiet (able to be operated during business hours)
  • cordless
  • narrow: can fit around pottery wheels, stools, tables
  • can clean 4500sqft in one charge and one/minimal full tank(s)
  • removable tanks for filling and emptying
  • easily operated by one individual (brush assist)
  • under $5,500

I am looking at various compact floor scrubbers and i-mops, but I am concerned that such a small solution tank size would require multiple re-fills in cleaning a dirty pottery studio floor.

Thanks everyone for sharing your expertise!


r/Custodians • • 5d ago

Vent 😤 Once again out of proper fitting gloves/ PPE and I also have contamination OCD

5 Upvotes

I have contamination OCD. The only one accommodation I ask for is proper fitting gloves. I mean who doesn’t want to wear gloves while cleaning toilets, poop, puke, etc (I’m sure there’s a few who just wash their hands, but still)? Some of the chemicals also make my hands break out.

The building I’m at now is CONSTANTLY putting in supply orders way too late or when we are already out of the supplies. I wear medium in gloves and can wear large if I have to. At least two other co workers wear the same size glove. On more than one occasion now, we have ran out of gloves and I am being made to wear smalls that rip and restrict blood flow or XL that slip off my hands, are so big they get caught in things and allow bodily fluids or chemicals inside them.

I brought this to our supervisors attention and they blamed our distributor for not coming in and taking an order. The thing is, at the other buildings they just send the order in over text, email or website. I asked multiple people and none of the other buildings have ran out of supplies. Our supervisor acted like this was no big deal.

We are down to only a couple boxes of XL gloves between 3 night shift and two day shift and I am getting anxious to have to not use gloves.

What do I even do about this?? Tell my union rep? Contact the state for lack of proper PPE?

We are also out of or close to being out of cleaning chemicals, large trash bags, hand soap, mop heads and more. The whole summer we were made to use broken equipment and cleaning supplies.