All 12 janitor interview questions
Floor care
Chemical safety
Working alone at night
Building security
- 10.Someone knocks on the locked front door at 11 pm and says they work on the third floor and forgot their badge. What do you do?
- 11.You are emptying trash in an office and see a stack of papers marked "confidential" and an open laptop. What do you do?
- 12.At the end of your shift, what do you check before you leave the building?
What a good janitor does on a shift
A janitor, or custodian, keeps offices, schools, stores and other buildings clean and safe. Most commercial cleaning happens after hours, so a typical shift runs from evening into the night. The core work is emptying trash and recycling, cleaning and restocking restrooms, dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, plus floor care like auto-scrubbing, buffing, and stripping and waxing tile in summer or on weekends.
In a school, the custodian also sets up rooms for events, handles spills and messes during the day, and is often the first to notice a broken lock, a leak or a heater that will not start. In an office, they may be the only person in the building after 7 pm, with keys or a badge to every floor. Supervisors check work with a walk-through or a building checklist, and tenants complain fast when a restroom runs out of paper.
Federal OSHA rules require employers to train workers on the chemicals they use and to keep safety data sheets where workers can see them. Good janitors read labels, use the dilution system, wear gloves and goggles when needed, and never mix products. They also lock every door they open and set the alarm when they leave.
| Skill | Why it matters for this job |
|---|---|
| Floor care | Floors are the most visible part of a clean building and the most expensive to ruin. A bad strip job or a wet floor without a sign also leads to slips. |
| Chemical safety | Custodians use strong cleaners every shift. Mixing or misusing them can injure the worker and anyone in the building. |
| Working alone at night | Night custodians often work with no supervisor on site. They need to keep pace, solve small problems and stay safe alone. |
| Building security | Custodians have keys or badges to the whole building. One unlocked door or a stranger let in can cause a break-in. |
Knockout questions to ask first
Ask these before the interview, on the application form or in the first minute of a call. A clear no on any of them means the job will not work, however good the interview is.
| Question | What counts as a pass |
|---|---|
| This job is the night shift, 10 pm to 6:30 am, Sunday through Thursday. Can you work those hours every week? | Yes. Change the hours to match your posting. |
| The work includes lifting full trash bags, moving a floor machine and standing and walking for the whole shift. Can you do that, with or without a reasonable accommodation? | Yes. Keep the question about the tasks, not their health. |
| (Schools and some government buildings) Many states require a fingerprint background check before anyone works in a school. Are you willing to complete one after an offer? | Yes. Check your state’s rules and run the check after a conditional offer, with written consent. |
| Are you legally allowed to work in the United States? | Yes. Documents are checked on the I-9 after an offer. |
Janitor interview questions and answers, by skill
Each question says why to ask it, what a strong answer sounds like, what should worry you and one follow-up question. Ask every applicant the same questions in the same order, and score each skill with the scorecard below.
Floor care
Floors are the most visible part of a clean building and the most expensive to ruin. A bad strip job or a wet floor without a sign also leads to slips.
1. Walk me through how you strip and wax a tile floor in a hallway.
- Why ask it
- This is the hardest floor job most custodians do. A step-by-step answer shows real experience.
- A strong answer
- “I move furniture out, sweep and put up signs at both ends. I put down stripper and let it sit, scrub with the machine using a black pad, then pick it up with a wet vac and rinse twice. Once the floor is fully dry I put down thin coats of finish, usually four, letting each one dry before the next.”
- Red flag
- Skips rinsing or drying, or puts finish on a wet floor.
- Follow-up
- How can you tell the floor is ready for the next coat?
2. It is raining and people keep tracking water into the lobby during the day. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Slips on wet floors are a top cause of injuries in buildings. Tests safety and quick thinking.
- A strong answer
- “I put out wet floor signs right away, lay down extra mats inside the doors and dry mop the area every 15 minutes or so. If the mats get soaked I swap them. I check the area most when people are coming in at lunch.”
- Red flag
- Would mop once and leave it to dry.
- Follow-up
- What if someone slips anyway?
3. How do you clean a carpet stain from coffee compared to a stain from gum?
- Why ask it
- A practical question. Different stains need different methods, and the wrong one spreads the mess.
- A strong answer
- “For coffee I blot it first, never rub, then use the carpet spotter and blot again with clean water. For gum I freeze it with ice or a gum remover spray so it gets hard, then scrape it off and treat what is left with the spotter.”
- Red flag
- "I would scrub it hard with whatever cleaner I have."
- Follow-up
- What do you do if a stain will not come out?
Chemical safety
Custodians use strong cleaners every shift. Mixing or misusing them can injure the worker and anyone in the building.
4. What is a safety data sheet, and when would you look at one?
- Why ask it
- OSHA’s hazard communication rule requires these sheets for the chemicals in a workplace. Custodians should know they exist and why.
- A strong answer
- “It is the sheet that tells you what is in a chemical, what protection to wear and what to do if it gets on your skin or in your eyes. We kept them in a binder in the custodial closet. I would look at one for any new product and right away if someone got splashed.”
- Red flag
- Has never heard of them and does not read labels.
- Follow-up
- What would you do first if a chemical splashed in your eye?
5. Your spray bottle has no label and you are not sure what is in it. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Unlabeled bottles cause mix-ups and injuries. The right answer is to not use it.
- A strong answer
- “I would not use it or guess by the smell. I would set it aside and tell my supervisor, then fill a new bottle from the dilution station and label it. Every bottle I fill gets a label before I leave the closet.”
- Red flag
- Would smell it to figure out what it is, or use it anyway.
- Follow-up
- Why not just pour it out?
6. Tell me about a time you saw someone at work doing something unsafe with chemicals or equipment.
- Why ask it
- Shows whether they speak up about safety, which protects them and the crew.
- A strong answer
- “A coworker at the hospital where I worked was mixing two bathroom cleaners in one bucket to make it stronger. I told him it could make a gas and showed him the label. I also mentioned it to our lead so she could remind the whole crew.”
- Red flag
- Would ignore it because it is not their business.
- Follow-up
- How did he react?
Working alone at night
Night custodians often work with no supervisor on site. They need to keep pace, solve small problems and stay safe alone.
7. You are the only one in an office building at 2 am and the main restroom floods. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Night custodians handle problems alone. Tests calm and knowing who to call.
- A strong answer
- “I shut off the water at the valve behind the toilet, or the main valve if I know where it is. Then I put up signs, start picking up water with the wet vac and call the after-hours building contact. I write down what happened and when for the day crew and the property manager.”
- Red flag
- Would leave it for the morning crew.
- Follow-up
- What if you could not find the shut-off valve?
8. How do you make sure you finish your whole route on a night with no supervisor?
- Why ask it
- Shows whether they plan their work and keep pace without someone checking.
- A strong answer
- “I do the same order every night: trash and restrooms first, then dusting, then floors last when no one is walking on them. I check the time at each floor so I know if I am behind. If something big slows me down, I leave a note and text my supervisor.”
- Red flag
- Has no order and works on whatever they see first.
- Follow-up
- What do you skip if you run out of time?
9. Why do you want to work nights as a janitor?
- Why ask it
- Night work is hard on sleep and family time. People who choose it for a clear reason tend to stay.
- A strong answer
- “I like working on my own and keeping a steady routine. Nights let me be home with my son during the day. I worked nights at a distribution center for two years, so I know how to sleep in the day.”
- Red flag
- Has never worked nights and has not thought about it.
- Follow-up
- How do you stay alert at 4 am?
Building security
Custodians have keys or badges to the whole building. One unlocked door or a stranger let in can cause a break-in.
10. Someone knocks on the locked front door at 11 pm and says they work on the third floor and forgot their badge. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- This is a common way people get into buildings they should not. Tests whether they follow security rules.
- A strong answer
- “I would not open the door. I would tell them through the glass that I cannot let anyone in, and ask them to call building security or their manager. If they keep trying, I call security or the after-hours number myself.”
- Red flag
- Would let them in because they look like an office worker.
- Follow-up
- What if they say their boss will be angry with you?
11. You are emptying trash in an office and see a stack of papers marked "confidential" and an open laptop. What do you do?
- Why ask it
- Custodians see private information every night. They must not read or move it.
- A strong answer
- “I leave them exactly where they are and do not read them. I only empty the trash and recycling bins, not anything on the desk. If something looks like it was thrown out by mistake, like a whole file, I leave it by the bin and tell my supervisor.”
- Red flag
- Would look through the papers or move them to clean.
- Follow-up
- What if the desk has food left on it?
12. At the end of your shift, what do you check before you leave the building?
- Why ask it
- Shows a routine for locking up. A missed door or alarm can mean a break-in.
- A strong answer
- “I walk my route one last time: every room I cleaned is locked, lights off, no water running, closet locked. I check the exterior doors are closed all the way and set the alarm. Then I sign the log with the time.”
- Red flag
- "I just leave when I am done."
- Follow-up
- What do you do if the alarm will not set?
How a Goodfit AI interview asks these
Goodfit can ask these questions for you. It calls each applicant or sends a browser link, asks follow-up questions, and scores each skill out of 10 with the line the score came from. Here is a short scripted example for this role.
Scripted example · Janitor · phone interview
Goodfit AI interviewerSomeone knocks on the locked front door at 11 pm and says they forgot their badge. What do you do?
AndreI do not open it. I tell them through the glass to call security or their boss, and I call the after-hours number if they keep knocking.
Goodfit AI interviewerWhat if they say their boss will be angry with you?
AndreThat is okay. I would rather explain why I did not open the door than why somebody got in.
AAndre
Janitor · AI phone interview, 6:20
7.8 /10
- Floor care7/10
“I put down thin coats of finish and let each one dry.”
- Chemical safety8/10
“I would not use it or guess by the smell.”
- Working alone at night7/10
“I check the time at each floor so I know if I am behind.”
- Building security9/10
“I would rather explain why I did not open the door than why somebody got in.”
Janitor interview scorecard
Score each skill from 1 to 5 right after the interview, before you talk to anyone else about the candidate. A 2 or a 4 means the answer sat between the two descriptions next to it.
| Skill | 1: weak | 3: fine | 5: strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor care | Has only used a mop. Does not know what a floor machine or a wet floor sign is for. | Can mop and vacuum well and has run a buffer, but cannot explain stripping and waxing. | Explains the steps for strip and wax, matches pads and products to the floor, and blocks off wet areas with signs every time. |
| Chemical safety | Would mix products or use them without reading labels or wearing gloves. | Uses gloves and labeled bottles but does not know what a safety data sheet is. | Knows what safety data sheets are and where to find them, uses the dilution station, labels every bottle and knows what to do after a splash. |
| Working alone at night | Needs someone to tell them what to do next. Has no plan if something goes wrong. | Works well alone on a set route but is unsure who to call in an emergency. | Plans the route, finishes on time, knows the emergency numbers and the lone worker check-in, and writes notes for the day crew. |
| Building security | Would let in anyone who says they work there. Leaves doors propped open to carry trash. | Locks up at the end of the night but not while working. | Locks each room after cleaning it, does not let in unknown people, reports damage and sets the alarm, and treats tenants’ desks and papers as private. |
10-minute janitor phone screen script
| Minutes | Step | What to say or do |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | Open | "Thanks for applying for the night custodian job. This call takes about ten minutes. I will check the hours, ask about your cleaning work and tell you about the building." |
| 1 to 3 | Check the knockouts | Ask about the night schedule, the physical work, the background check if it is a school and work status. If one is a clear no, end kindly. |
| 3 to 4 | Ask what they have cleaned | "What kinds of buildings have you cleaned, and which floor machines have you used?" Note autoscrubber, buffer and strip and wax experience. |
| 4 to 7 | Ask three questions | Use the person without a badge at 11 pm, the unlabeled spray bottle and the flooded restroom at 2 am. They show security, safety and how they work alone. |
| 7 to 9 | Share the details | Pay, the address and parking, how many floors or square feet they clean, who to call at night, and what training they get on the floor machines. |
| 9 to 10 | Close | "What questions do you have? Next is a walk-through of the building with our supervisor. We will call you by Friday." |
A supply closet walkthrough
Take the applicant into your custodial closet. Point to three products, for example a bleach-based cleaner, a glass cleaner with ammonia and a floor stripper. Ask which two should never be mixed, what protection they would wear for the stripper and where the safety data sheets are kept.
Then hand them a floor plan of one floor and ask in what order they would clean it. Good applicants spot the bleach and ammonia risk, name gloves and goggles for the stripper and save the floors for last.
Questions not to ask in a janitor interview
These questions can break federal or state law, and none of them tell you whether someone can do the job. Rules change by state and city, so check yours before you write an interview guide.
| Do not ask | Why | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| Can you read English well enough to understand the chemical labels? | A blanket English requirement can be national origin discrimination under Title VII unless it is truly needed for the job. Test the skill the job needs instead. | Here is the label for our floor stripper. Tell me what protection it says to wear. |
| Do you have any back problems that would stop you running a floor machine? | Disability questions before an offer break the Americans with Disabilities Act. | This job includes running a floor machine for an hour or more. Can you do that, with or without a reasonable accommodation? |
| How many years until you plan to retire? | It is a question about age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects workers 40 and older, and many experienced custodians are in that group. | Where would you like to be in this job in two years? |
Janitor pay and jobs in the US
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $36,840 a year, about $17.71 an hour |
| People in this job (2025) | 2,432,600 |
| Openings each year (2025 to 2035) | 321,800 |
| Usual education to start | No formal educational credential |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, table 1.2 and the Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 16, 2026. Most openings come from people leaving the job, not new jobs, which is why hiring for it never stops.
Tips if you are interviewing for a janitor job
- Be ready to explain one floor job step by step, like strip and wax or using an autoscrubber. It is the most common practical question.
- Know the basics of chemical safety: read the label, never mix bleach and ammonia, and know what a safety data sheet is.
- For school custodian jobs, mention any work around kids and your comfort with event setups and daytime spills.
- Say how you will handle nights, like your sleep routine or past night work. Supervisors worry about people who quit after a month of nights.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common janitor interview questions?
Expect questions about what buildings you have cleaned, which floor machines you have used, how you handle chemicals safely, whether you can work nights and what you do if you find a problem like a leak. School jobs often add questions about working around students.
How do I prepare for a custodian interview?
Review the steps for the floor jobs you know, learn what a safety data sheet is, and think of one story about working alone or fixing a problem on your shift. Know your schedule and how you will get there at night.
What is the difference between a janitor and a custodian?
In most job postings they mean the same work: cleaning and caring for a building. Schools and government buildings tend to say custodian, and the job may include small repairs and event setup. Cleaning companies more often say janitor.
What questions should I ask at the end of a janitor interview?
Ask how big the building or route is, what floor equipment you will use, who you call at night if something goes wrong, and how your work is checked. These show you understand the job.
Do you need experience to be a janitor?
No, many employers train new janitors. Experience with floor machines or school cleaning helps you get hired faster and can mean higher pay. Show that you are reliable and careful with chemicals.