An industrial cleaning technician strips grease, oil and buildup from machines, tanks, floors and production lines at factories, food plants and warehouses. They run hot pressure washers and degreasing equipment, mix strong chemicals, and often work inside the plant while its lines are shut down.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $32,850, middle half $36,660 to $45,220, 90th percentile $49,200. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
Lead technician or field supervisor
Department
Operations
Schedule
Days, plus night and weekend shutdowns · Plants book deep cleans when lines stop, so nights, weekends and holiday shutdowns bring long shifts and overtime
Responsible for operating industrial cleaning and degreasing machinery, ensuring high-quality cleaning performance and maintenance of equipment to support the overall operational efficiency of the company.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Operate and maintain specialized degreasing machinery and cleaning equipment.
Mix and handle industrial chemicals safely and in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
Perform routine and deep cleaning tasks to remove grease, oil, and contaminants from machinery and industrial surfaces.
Adhere to safety protocols and procedures to ensure a secure work environment.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Inspect cleaning equipment daily to ensure proper functionality and report any issues.
Prepare and mix chemical solutions according to specified guidelines.
Conduct routine cleaning of industrial parts and surfaces to meet cleanliness standards.
Collaborate with team members to optimize cleaning schedules and address urgent maintenance requests.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Cleaning Efficiency: Complete at least 95% of scheduled cleaning tasks on time.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: Achieve a rating of >4.8 stars on client feedback surveys.
Safety Compliance: Maintain a record of zero safety incidents on a monthly basis.
Equipment Downtime: Limit equipment downtime to less than 3% through preventive maintenance.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent; technical certification in industrial cleaning preferred.
Minimum of 2 years of experience in industrial cleaning or a related field.
Strong understanding of chemical handling, safety protocols, and cleaning equipment operation.
Excellent attention to detail and ability to adhere to strict safety standards.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous work experience within industrial cleaning, manufacturing maintenance, or facility operations.
Experience in handling degreasing machinery and high-strength cleaning chemicals.
Familiarity with OSHA regulations and industrial safety practices.
Proven track record of maintaining equipment and managing cleaning schedules efficiently.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. routinely.
Must work in environments with exposure to chemicals, varied temperatures, and confined spaces.
Capacity for prolonged standing, walking, and manual repetitive tasks.
Comfortable working in both indoor and outdoor industrial settings.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular work hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Occasional overtime may be required to meet urgent cleaning or maintenance needs.
Minimal travel required between job sites and company facilities.
Availability to respond to emergency calls during critical operational periods.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate: $18 - $25 per hour, based on experience.
Opportunity for performance-based bonuses.
Eligibility for comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision insurance benefits.
Participation in a company-sponsored 401(k) plan along with additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a growth-oriented company that champions employee development and values teamwork, innovation, and operational excellence.
Our inclusive culture encourages continuous learning and professional advancement.
We celebrate our diverse workforce and foster an environment where every team member’s contribution is recognized and rewarded.
Join us as we strive to exceed customer expectations through superior service and a proactive approach to quality and safety.
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
What makes industrial cleaning technician work different
A janitor cleans a building around the people in it. An industrial cleaning tech cleans the equipment itself, often after it's been shut off and locked out, in spaces built for machines rather than people.
Tanks and pits can be permit spaces
OSHA's confined space rule names tanks, vessels, silos, hoppers, vaults and pits as spaces with limited ways in and out. One with a hazardous atmosphere, an engulfment risk or another serious hazard is a permit space. When a plant hires a contractor to enter one, the plant shares the hazards it knows about and debriefs the contractor after. If both crews work in or near the space, they coordinate. An attendant stays outside, and conditions are tested before entry. Source: OSHA: Permit-required confined spaces (29 CFR 1910.146).
Two lockout programs meet at the machine
Before a tech cleans inside a mixer or conveyor, its energy is shut off and locked out. OSHA's rule says that when outside workers service equipment, the plant and the contractor tell each other their lockout procedures, and the plant makes sure its own people follow the limits of the contractor's program. On a group lockout, each authorized worker puts a personal lock on the group lockbox when they start and takes it off when they stop. Source: OSHA: Control of hazardous energy, lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147).
Caustic cleaners need a place to flush
Strong degreasers and descalers carry their hazards on the safety data sheet, and some are corrosive. Where a corrosive could reach someone's eyes or body, OSHA requires quick-drench or eye-flushing equipment within the work area for immediate use. If the plant has none close by, the crew brings a portable unit. The company also assesses hazards and picks the gloves, face shields and suits each job needs. Source: OSHA: Medical services and first aid, including eyewash and drench facilities (29 CFR 1910.151).
The work starts when the line stops
A plant can't lose production time, so cleaning crews come in on third shift, over weekends and during planned shutdowns, often around holidays. A shutdown might pack a week of cleaning into a few long days, and every hour late keeps the line down. Techs who show up for those weekends, and finish on time, are the ones plants ask for again.
Every plant has its own rules
Each customer adds its rules on top of yours: a site safety orientation, badges, and sign-offs before a machine restarts. Food plants may add their own hygiene steps and approved chemicals and inspect the clean before production starts again. A tech who learns each plant's rules, and follows them when no one is watching, keeps the contract.
How much industrial cleaning technicians make
The closest BLS group for industrial cleaning technicians 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 with overtime, which can be heavy during shutdown season. Some companies pay a shift differential for nights and weekends, or a bonus for jobs finished on schedule. BLS files this work with cleaners of vehicles and equipment, a group that also counts car washers and detailers.
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
Runs hot water pressure washers and steam units safely
Mixes caustic and acid cleaners as the label and SDS direct
Follows lockout and confined space procedures every time
Wears and checks protective gear, including respirators when required
Works long shutdown shifts and nights when the schedule calls for it
Reports near misses and problems instead of working around them
Teach these on the job
Each customer plant's rules and sign-off steps
Your confined space entry and attendant roles
Foam, dry ice or vacuum truck methods you use
Your equipment checks and preventive maintenance
Job paperwork, photos and timesheets
Techs run hot water pressure washers, steam cleaners, foam units, industrial vacuums and sometimes dry ice blasters, with chemical pumps, hoses, lockout kits, gas monitors and protective gear from face shields to chemical suits. In the ad, name the equipment and the kinds of plants you serve, and say plainly whether the job includes confined space entry and respirator use.
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 · Refusing unsafe requests
The plant supervisor asks you to clean a machine quickly while it's running. What do you do?
A strong answer: Politely refuses, explains lockout, calls their own supervisor and waits.
Behavioral · Planning tough jobs
Tell me about the hardest or dirtiest cleaning job you've done. How did you plan it and keep everyone safe?
A strong answer: Describes the buildup and hazards, how they chose method, chemical and protective gear, who they coordinated with, and how the job turned out.
Build your own goals from a few months of job tickets before you lean on the template's numbers. Measure safety in ways that reward reporting problems, not hiding them.
Cleaning Efficiency
Scheduled cleaning tasks finished within the plant's shutdown window, from your job tickets. Note delays the plant caused, such as late lockout or equipment still running.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Ratings from the plant contact after each job or shutdown, plus any failed inspection or re-clean. Read the comments; one plant manager's note can decide a contract renewal.
Safety Compliance
Lockout, permit and protective gear checks on site, plus incidents and near misses reported. OSHA bars any reporting procedure that would discourage workers from reporting injuries, so never penalize honest reports to reach zero.
Equipment Downtime
Hours your washers, pumps and vacuums sat out of service for repairs, from the shop log. Daily checks by the tech before each job keep this number down.
Career path
Apprentice or helperRuns hose, stages equipment and learns lockout and plant rules.
Industrial cleaning technicianCleans equipment and runs the machines on plant jobs.
Lead technicianLeads the crew on site and works with the plant contact.
Field supervisorPlans shutdowns, crews and safety across several plants.
Other roles in an industrial cleaning & degreasing business
Does an industrial cleaning technician need confined space training?
Yes, if they will enter permit spaces or serve as attendants. OSHA requires training before a worker is first assigned those duties, again when duties or the space's hazards change, and whenever the employer sees the procedures aren't being followed. The employer certifies the training in writing. The template says the job may involve confined spaces, so put your training plan in the offer.
How much does an industrial cleaning technician 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.
Can you set a zero-incident safety goal for technicians?
You can track incidents, but be careful how you reward them. OSHA's recordkeeping rule says a procedure for reporting injuries isn't reasonable if it would deter or discourage a worker from reporting, and employers can't punish workers for reporting. A bonus that disappears when someone reports an injury can do that. Reward safe habits you can see, like lockout checks and near-miss reports.
Do industrial cleaning technicians wear respirators?
On some jobs, depending on the chemicals, dust or spaces involved. When a respirator is required, OSHA says the employer provides a medical evaluation, done before the fit test or the first required use. Tight-fitting masks are fit tested before a tech first wears one, and yearly after that. Build the medical evaluation into onboarding, since a new tech can't start those jobs without it.
How is industrial cleaning different from janitorial work?
Janitorial crews keep offices, schools and stores clean while people use them. Industrial techs clean production equipment, tanks and floors in plants, with heavy chemicals, hot water at high pressure, lockout and confined spaces. That's why this page uses BLS pay for cleaners of vehicles and equipment, whose listed duties include scrubbing machine parts and mixing cleaning solutions, rather than for janitors.
What should an industrial cleaning technician job ad include?
Name the kinds of plants you serve and the equipment techs run. Be honest about the schedule: the template lists weekday hours, but shutdowns bring nights, weekends and holidays, so say how often. State whether the job includes confined space entry, respirators and travel between plants, and what safety training you provide.
