How much does a cleaner earn?
Cleaners keep offices, schools, practices, hotels, residential complexes and public buildings clean and hygienic: they carry out routine cleaning, maintain washrooms, dispose of waste and use machines and detergents correctly. Entry is often via on-the-job training, entry-level qualification or the related building cleaner apprenticeship. Gross pay depends on region, collective agreements, type of site, working hours and shift allowances. As a guide, experienced cleaners in Germany in 2026 often earn about €2,250–€2,800 gross per month; during onboarding and training around €810–€1,110 is typical.
Salary by region (gross/month)
Orientation figures as of 2026. The apprenticeship column covers onboarding, entry-level qualification, internships or the dual building cleaner apprenticeship; qualified means experienced cleaners in full-time equivalent. Actual pay depends on collective agreements (e.g. building cleaning), hours, site, region, shift and hardship allowances and experience and is not a guarantee.
Further training options
Job and everyday work
A cleaner works to a site and cleaning schedule: rooms and surfaces are cleaned, washrooms maintained, waste disposed of and results documented. Everyday work includes machines and chemicals, often early or late shifts, and coordination with site management, facility teams and users – physically and temporally demanding, but with a clear routine.
- Carry out routine cleaning in offices, corridors, washrooms and common areas according to the cleaning schedule.
- Use machines, detergents and PPE correctly; follow dosing and hazardous-substance rules.
- Dispose of waste, top up supplies and, when required, carry out special or hygiene cleaning as specified.
- Secure sites, follow key and access rules; report defects, damage and unusual incidents.
- Organise routes and cleaning trolleys; complete quality checks and checklists.
- Shift, weekend or evening work and physical strain from standing, lifting and bending are typical.
