An industrial cleaning helper sets up hoses, pumps and chemical gear for the technicians, cleans and degreases equipment under their direction, and keeps the work area clear and safe. It's an entry job where people learn the methods and plant safety rules before they run a pressure washer on their own.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
This role supports our industrial cleaning and degreasing team by assisting technicians, preparing and maintaining equipment, and ensuring job sites are clean and safe. The Apprentice / Helper will learn the fundamentals of industrial cleaning techniques while contributing to high-quality service delivery and operational excellence.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Assist senior technicians with cleaning, degreasing, and maintenance tasks at various industrial job sites.
Prepare and organize equipment and cleaning supplies for daily operations.
Clean and maintain job sites, ensuring all areas meet safety and quality standards.
Follow established safety protocols and assist in maintaining a safe work environment.
Continuously learn and develop skills related to industrial cleaning and equipment handling.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Support technicians by setting up equipment and gathering necessary materials before job site assignments.
Clean and degrease surfaces, machinery, and tools as directed by senior staff.
Perform routine maintenance checks on equipment and report any issues promptly.
Engage with team members to learn best practices and improve personal technical skills.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Equipment readiness rate: ≥ 95% of equipment prepped and operational at shift start.
Job site cleanliness consistency: 100% compliance with company safety and cleanliness standards.
Scheduled task completion rate: ≥ 90% of tasks completed within allotted time frames.
Safety adherence: 0 safety violations per quarter.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
Ability to follow detailed instructions and work collaboratively in a team environment.
Basic understanding of safety procedures and industrial cleaning practices.
Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality workmanship.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in a hands-on, support role within industrial cleaning or maintenance.
Familiarity with cleaning equipment and chemical handling procedures.
Exposure to degreasing techniques in an industrial setting.
A proactive attitude and willingness to learn new skills in a dynamic environment.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds safely.
Frequent standing, bending, and reaching during job site tasks.
Work in varying weather conditions and potentially confined spaces.
Must have good manual dexterity and physical stamina to perform repetitive tasks.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular daytime shifts with potential occasional early mornings or extended hours as needed.
Work predominantly outdoors and on-site at industrial facilities.
Minimal travel between job sites as assigned by the supervisor.
Occasional on-call support requirements during high-demand periods.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly wage range between $14.00 - $18.00 per hour, commensurate with experience and skill level.
Potential for performance bonuses based on task completion and safety metrics.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
Additional fringe benefits such as a 401k plan and paid training opportunities.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster an environment where every team member is valued and encouraged to learn and grow.
We believe in investing in our people through ongoing training and development, ensuring you have the tools and support to succeed.
Our culture emphasizes teamwork, safety, and operational excellence, creating a workplace where you can build a rewarding career.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Helpers here work around high pressure water, hot equipment and strong cleaners from the first day. Get these right before a new helper's first plant job.
Keep clear of the nozzle
The Hotsy 871SS manual warns of a risk of injection or severe injury, tells users to keep clear of the nozzle, and says the trigger gun kicks back, so hold it with both hands. Helpers often hold hose near the wand or pass it between people. Show them where to stand, to lock the trigger before handing the gun over, and to never point it at anyone. Source: Hotsy: Model 871SS operating instructions and parts manual.
The company pays for the chemical gear
OSHA requires employers to provide the protective gear its standards call for at no cost to workers. Plain steel-toe boots and plain prescription safety glasses are among the few exceptions, and only if workers are free to wear them home and elsewhere. Chemical suits, face shields, gloves and chemical-resistant boots come from the company, so have the helper's set ready on day one. Source: OSHA: Personal protective equipment, payment for protective equipment (29 CFR 1910.132).
Plant orientation hours are paid hours
Some plants require their own safety orientation before a contractor's worker may enter. Under the Department of Labor's hours worked rules, training counts as work time unless it's outside normal hours, voluntary, not job related and no other work is done at the same time. A required plant orientation doesn't meet that test, so put those hours on the helper's time card. Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #22, hours worked under the FLSA.
Plant workers may still be nearby
During a partial shutdown, plant staff keep working a few feet away. Teach helpers to set and respect barricades, keep spray and runoff away from people and running lines, and never touch the plant's buttons, valves or switches, even to help. If plant staff ask for anything, the helper sends them to the lead.
How much industrial cleaning helpers make
The closest BLS group for industrial cleaning helpers is cleaners of vehicles and equipment. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $19.11 an hour ($39,740 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $35,830 median for cleaners of vehicles and equipment in all industries. About 11,630 of the 380,430 cleaners of vehicles and equipment in that survey work for building services companies.
Hourly, often with overtime. Without a helper code for this trade, the BLS figures come from cleaners of vehicles and equipment, where the company's technicians are counted. The template starts helpers below that group's median, as expected for an entry job.
Building services companies
$39,740$39,740 median Middle half $36,660–$45,220 10th–90th $32,850–$49,200
All industries
$35,830$35,830 median Middle half $30,420–$41,040 10th–90th $27,380–$47,610
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Building services companies
$32,850
$36,660
$39,740
$45,220
$49,200
All industries
$27,380
$30,420
$35,830
$41,040
$47,610
BLS doesn’t publish pay for industrial cleaning companies on their own. These figures cover services to buildings and dwellings, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Follows instructions exactly, even when a step feels slow
Arrives ready for early plant start times
Wears the full PPE each task calls for without being reminded
Asks when unsure instead of guessing
Keeps hoses, fittings and tools sorted and put away
Teach these on the job
Setting up and shutting down hot and cold pressure washers
Mixing your cleaners at the right ratio
Plant safety rules, permits and lockout basics
Rigging plastic covers and drain protection
Your job tickets and time clock app
A helper's kit includes heated and cold pressure washers, steam cleaners, foamers, chemical pumps, squeegees and wet vacuums. Most of these skills come from training, so the ad can ask for a willingness to learn more than for experience.
Industrial cleaning helper interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Personal lockout
Your lead locked out a conveyor and tells you that you can start degreasing it now. What do you do before you start?
A strong answer: Puts their own lock and tag on the lockout point or group box, asks how zero energy was verified, and only then starts work.
Behavioral · Speaking up
Tell me about a time at work, school or volunteering when you spoke up because something didn't seem safe or right.
A strong answer: Names what seemed unsafe or wrong, who they told and how (calmly, right away), and what happened next, such as the task being stopped or fixed.
What does the template's stamina, weather and confined space wording mean for a helper?
Turn it into tasks. Helpers lift and carry hoses, pails and parts up to 50 pounds, bend and reach to clean under and around machines, and repeat the same spray or scrub motion for long stretches. Much of the work is outdoors or in hot or chilled plant rooms, and some jobs include work in or near tanks and pits under an entry permit. Spell those duties out in the ad. Anyone who needs an accommodation can then raise it early.
How much does an industrial cleaning helper make?
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $19.11 an hour ($39,740 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $36,660 and $45,220 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
A plant worker asks the helper to clean something extra. What should happen?
The helper says the lead will check and passes the request on. Extra work can need its own lockout, permit, chemical or PPE, and the plant may not have approved it or agreed to pay for it. Teach this on the first day, because plant staff ask helpers often, and a helper who says yes to be friendly can end up spraying a live panel.
What work history suits an industrial cleaning helper?
Car wash and fleet washing work, farm and ranch work, food plant sanitation, and general construction labor all build useful habits. In farm and oilfield country such as North Dakota and Oklahoma, also ask about washing tractors, rigs or trucks. Ask what they've cleaned, what gear they wore, and how they kept track of tools.
When should we hire helpers for shutdown season?
Hire before the big shutdowns are booked, not the week they start. A new helper needs time for plant orientations, PPE fitting and practice setting up equipment in the shop. One who joins mid-shutdown spends the first days learning instead of helping, and leads lose time they don't have.
