What Are the Four Types of Cleaners?

The four primary types of cleaners are domestic cleaners, commercial cleaners, industrial cleaners, and specialist or hazardous cleaners. Each operates in distinct environments, uses different equipment and chemicals, and is subject to different regulatory obligations under Australian law.

Selecting the wrong type of cleaner for an environment is not merely a quality issue — it can result in WHS non-compliance, void insurance coverage, and expose a business owner to legal liability. Understanding the distinctions is essential for facilities managers, property owners, and business operators.

Overview: Four Types of Cleaners at a Glance

Cleaner Type	Primary Environment	Key Compliance	Rate (AUD)
Domestic Cleaner	Private residences	None required	$30 – $50 / hr
Commercial Cleaner	Offices, retail, schools, hotels	Cleaning Services Award 2020	$35 – $65 / hr
Industrial Cleaner	Factories, warehouses, construction sites	WHS Act 2011; high-risk work licences	$50 – $90 / hr
Specialist Cleaner	Crime scenes, asbestos, biohazard, mould	Licensed asbestos removalist; EPA regs	$80 – $150+ / hr

1. Domestic Cleaners

Domestic cleaners work in private residences and provide general housekeeping services. Core tasks include vacuuming carpets and hard floors, mopping, dusting surfaces and skirting boards, bathroom and toilet cleaning, kitchen maintenance, and laundry or ironing in some arrangements.

In Australia, domestic cleaners may operate as sole traders with an ABN, through an agency such as Absolute Domestics or Helpling, or via informal cash arrangements. No specific trade licence is required in any Australian state for general domestic cleaning. Most agencies conduct criminal history checks and provide brief induction training, but formal qualifications are not mandated.

The legal framework applying to domestic cleaners depends on how the arrangement is structured. A cleaner employed directly by a household may be covered by the Miscellaneous Award 2020 or the national minimum wage ($23.23 per hour for 2024–25), rather than the Cleaning Services Award 2020 which governs commercial cleaning employment.

If a homeowner employs a domestic cleaner directly and directs their work, Fair Work and ATO obligations — including superannuation at 11.5% and PAYG withholding — may apply regardless of the informal nature of the arrangement.

Domestic Cleaner Reference Summary

Attribute	Detail
Environments	Houses, apartments, townhouses, holiday rentals
Services	Vacuuming, mopping, dusting, bathroom, kitchen, laundry
Equipment	Consumer vacuum, mop, microfibre cloths, spray bottles
Chemicals	Supermarket products (Domestos, Pine O Cleen, Mr Muscle)
Qualifications	None required in most Australian states
Platforms / Agencies	Absolute Domestics, Helpling, Airtasker, hipages
Legal Framework	Miscellaneous Award 2020 or national minimum wage (if employed)
Insurance	Optional; not universally held

When Is a Domestic Cleaner Appropriate?

A domestic cleaner is appropriate for private residences with no regulatory hygiene obligations. They are not suitable for commercial premises, food production environments, healthcare settings, or any workplace subject to a tenancy agreement specifying minimum cleaning standards. Using a domestic cleaner in a commercial context can void insurance and create WHS liability.

2. Commercial Cleaners

Commercial cleaners service business premises where consistent hygiene standards are maintained across high-traffic environments under formal service agreements. Typical environments include offices, retail stores, shopping centres, schools, restaurants, hotels, and public buildings.

In Australia, commercial cleaners are covered by the Cleaning Services Award 2020 under the Fair Work Act 2009. This Award classifies cleaners at multiple levels — from Level 1 for general cleaning to Level 3 and above for supervisory and specialist roles — and sets minimum hourly rates, penalty rates for evening and weekend work, casual loadings, and leave entitlements.

Commercial cleaning companies are required to hold public liability insurance with a minimum of $10 million coverage, a standard specified in most commercial cleaning contracts. Workers’ compensation insurance is legally required in all Australian states and territories for any cleaning business employing staff.

Equipment used in commercial cleaning is purpose-built for continuous use across large areas. This includes industrial wet-dry vacuums, ride-on auto-scrubbers, carpet extraction machines, and electrostatic disinfectant sprayers. Cleaning chemicals are registered with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and handled under GHS (Globally Harmonised System) labelling protocols required by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017.

Commercial cleaning contracts are formal legal documents governed by KPIs, indemnity clauses, and audit frameworks. Non-performance can trigger contractual penalties or termination — a fundamentally different accountability structure from domestic cleaning.

Commercial Cleaner Reference Summary

Attribute	Detail
Environments	Offices, retail, shopping centres, schools, restaurants, hotels
Services	Daily cleaning, carpet care, floor scrubbing, window cleaning, waste
Equipment	Industrial vacuums, auto-scrubbers, extraction machines, floor polishers
Chemicals	APVMA-registered disinfectants; GHS-labelled products under WHS Regs 2017
Qualifications	Certificate III in Cleaning Operations (CPP30116) recommended; Award-classified
Legal Framework	Cleaning Services Award 2020; Fair Work Act 2009
Insurance Required	$10M+ public liability; workers’ compensation
Quality Auditing	KPI-based contracts; ServiceM8, Tanda, inspection checklists

Subsets Within Commercial Cleaning

Commercial cleaning encompasses several recognised specialisations. Healthcare cleaners working in hospitals and aged care facilities follow infection control procedures consistent with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines and comply with the Aged Care Quality Standards. Food-service cleaners in commercial kitchens and food processing facilities operate under Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) requirements and use food-safe, residue-free chemical protocols.

Window cleaning at commercial height involves working-at-heights compliance and, for high-rise buildings, rope access technicians certified under AS/NZS 4488. Carpet and upholstery cleaners may hold Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) credentials — particularly for water damage restoration under the IICRC S500 standard.

3. Industrial Cleaners

Industrial cleaners work in manufacturing plants, food processing facilities, chemical plants, warehouses, construction sites, and transport infrastructure including airports, rail yards, and shipping terminals. Their work is more technically demanding and hazardous than either domestic or commercial cleaning.

Core industrial cleaning tasks include high-pressure washing using equipment rated at 3,500 PSI or higher, chemical degreasing of plant and machinery, confined space cleaning, removal of heavy grease and chemical residues, industrial vacuum extraction of dust and debris, and waste containment and disposal in accordance with state environmental regulations.

Industrial cleaning in Australia is subject to strict obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and its state equivalents, including the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic). Workers must be trained in accordance with these frameworks, and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) are required for all high-risk activities.

Specific licences and permits apply to industrial cleaning tasks. Confined space entry requires a formal permit process under the WHS Regulations 2017, including atmospheric testing, rescue planning, and communication protocols. Cleaners handling hazardous substances must be trained under the GHS framework and have access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals on site. High-risk work licences — issued by state regulators such as SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Victoria, and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland — are required for certain plant operations.

An industrial cleaner entering a confined space — such as a storage tank, silo, or underground pit — must operate under a confined space entry permit. Non-compliance is a Category 1 WHS offence under the Model WHS Act, carrying significant penalties for both the worker and the employer.

Industrial Cleaner Reference Summary

Attribute	Detail
Environments	Factories, warehouses, processing plants, construction sites, transport hubs
Services	High-pressure washing, chemical degreasing, confined space cleaning, waste removal
Equipment	Industrial pressure washers (3,500 PSI+), vacuum tankers, degreasing rigs
Chemicals	Heavy-duty degreasers, solvents, alkaline cleaners; SDS documentation required
Licences / Permits	Confined space entry permit; high-risk work licence; chemical handling cert
Regulators	SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe Victoria, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
Legal Framework	Work Health and Safety Act 2011; WHS Regulations 2017
SWMS Required	Yes — for all high-risk tasks including confined spaces and hazardous substances

4. Specialist or Hazardous Cleaners

Specialist cleaners address environments that require specific technical expertise, licensing, or biosafety protocols beyond the scope of commercial or industrial cleaning. This category includes trauma and crime scene cleaning, asbestos decontamination, biohazard and infectious disease cleaning, mould remediation, and post-disaster restoration following fire, flood, or storm events.

These services require a combination of technical knowledge, regulatory compliance, specialised personal protective equipment (PPE), and strict waste disposal procedures. In most cases, specialist cleaning cannot legally be performed without specific licences or certifications.

Asbestos Removal and Decontamination

Asbestos removal in Australia is regulated under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state instruments. Friable asbestos — asbestos-containing material that can be crumbled by hand — must be removed by a licensed Class A asbestos removalist. Non-friable asbestos above threshold quantities (generally 10 square metres) requires a Class B licence. Licences are issued by state and territory regulators.

Following removal, the area must be decontaminated and cleared by an independent occupational hygienist before re-occupancy. Air monitoring and clearance certificates are required under the relevant state regulations.

Biohazard, Trauma, and Crime Scene Cleaning

Biohazard and trauma cleaning involves the removal and safe disposal of blood, bodily fluids, and other biological materials from sites including crime scenes, unattended death locations, and medical incidents. This work is governed by state environmental protection legislation for biological waste disposal — including the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) and the Environment Protection Act 1970 (Vic) — and requires full PPE including P2 or P3 respirators, disposable coveralls, and double-bagged biological waste containment.

Mould Remediation

Mould remediation addresses environments where fungal growth — typically caused by water ingress, plumbing failure, or inadequate ventilation — has established itself in building materials. The IICRC S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mould Remediation sets the internationally recognised framework for this work. Effective mould remediation requires containment barriers to prevent spore spread, HEPA filtration during removal, and post-remediation verification testing.

Specialist Cleaner Licensing and Compliance by Service Type

Specialisation	Regulatory Requirement
Asbestos removal (friable)	Class A licence from SafeWork NSW / WorkSafe Victoria / WHSQ
Asbestos removal (non-friable)	Class B licence (threshold quantities vary by state)
Biohazard / trauma cleaning	State EPA waste disposal regulations; infection control protocols
Mould remediation	IICRC S520 standard; PPE and containment protocols
Crime scene cleaning	Biosafety compliance; state health department guidelines
Post-disaster restoration	IICRC S500 (water damage); state emergency management frameworks
High-rise window cleaning	Rope access certification under AS/NZS 4488; working-at-heights training

Subsets and Specialisations Across All Four Types

Each of the four cleaner types contains further recognised specialisations. Understanding these subsets is important when selecting a cleaning provider, as a generalist commercial cleaner may not hold the certifications required for a specific task.

High-rise and rope access window cleaners must be certified under AS/NZS 4488, the Australian and New Zealand standard for industrial rope access systems. This certification is separate from general commercial cleaning and requires specific rigging, rescue, and working-at-heights competencies.

Healthcare cleaning specialists operating in hospitals, aged care facilities, and medical centres must be trained in infection prevention and control consistent with NHMRC guidelines, including protocols for hand hygiene, environmental surface disinfection, and the use of APVMA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants. These cleaners operate under the direction of infection control practitioners and are a distinct subset of commercial cleaning.

Carpet and upholstery cleaning specialists may hold IICRC certification — particularly the CRT (Carpet Repair Technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning Technician), or OCT (Odour Control Technician) credentials. IICRC certification indicates formal training in fibre identification, soil removal chemistry, and equipment operation beyond what is covered in general commercial cleaning training.

IICRC-certified restorers and NHMRC-trained healthcare cleaners command higher rates and meet procurement requirements that general commercial cleaners cannot satisfy. Verify specialisation certifications before awarding contracts in regulated environments.

Which Type of Cleaner Do You Need?

The correct cleaner type is determined by the environment, the regulatory obligations that apply to that environment, and the specific tasks required. Using a cleaner without the appropriate classification, licence, or insurance for the environment creates legal, safety, and insurance risk for the property owner or business operator.

Premises / Situation	Correct Cleaner Type	Key Reason
Private home or apartment	Domestic	No regulatory hygiene obligations
Office, retail store, school	Commercial	Award compliance, insurance, KPI contracts
Hospital, aged care facility	Commercial (healthcare spec.)	NHMRC infection control; APVMA-grade products
Food processing or commercial kitchen	Commercial (food-safe spec.)	FSANZ compliance; food-safe chemical certification
Factory floor, warehouse, construction site	Industrial	WHS Act; high-risk work licences; SWMS required
Asbestos-affected property	Specialist (licensed removalist)	WHS Regs 2011; Class A or B licence mandatory
Mould, water damage, or trauma event	Specialist (remediation)	IICRC S520/S500 standards; biosafety protocols
High-rise building windows	Specialist (rope access)	AS/NZS 4488 certification; working-at-heights reg.

Consequences of Using the Wrong Cleaner Type

Using a domestic cleaner in a commercial or regulated environment can void public liability insurance if a claim arises from the cleaning activity. Building owners and tenants may also breach their lease obligations if cleaning standards fall below those specified in the agreement.

Using a commercial cleaner for industrial or hazardous tasks — such as confined space entry or asbestos-affected areas — creates Category 1 and Category 2 WHS Act liability for the engaging business. The maximum penalty for a Category 1 offence is $3 million for a corporation, $600,000 for an officer, and $300,000 for an individual under the Model WHS Act.

Using an unlicensed operator for asbestos removal or trauma cleaning violates specific regulatory requirements and may result in prosecution by the relevant state regulator, environmental infringement notices, and site closure orders.

The safest procurement approach is to request evidence of licences, insurance certificates, and relevant certifications before engaging any cleaner for a commercial, industrial, or specialist cleaning task — and to document that evidence in the service agreement.

How to Verify a Cleaner’s Credentials in Australia

Public liability insurance can be verified by requesting a current certificate of currency from the insurer, naming the engaging party as an interested party where appropriate. Workers’ compensation compliance can be checked via the relevant state regulator’s online portal — for example, the icare compliance check in NSW or WorkSafe Victoria’s online licence search.

High-risk work licences are verifiable through state regulator databases. Asbestos removal licences are publicly searchable through SafeWork Australia’s national database. IICRC credentials can be verified at the IICRC’s official credential verification portal. BSCAA membership provides an independent indicator of compliance commitment for commercial cleaning contractors.