Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 391,700 people employed as cleaners of vehicles and equipment in the United States. The median annual salary is $29,280. Entry level employees earn approximately $21,890 per year and senior employees earn approximately $38,830 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Scrub, scrape, or spray machine parts, equipment, or vehicles, using scrapers, brushes, clothes, cleaners, disinfectants, insecticides, acid, abrasives, vacuums, or hoses.
• Apply paints, dyes, polishes, reconditioners, waxes, or masking materials to vehicles to preserve, protect, or restore color or condition.
• Inspect parts, equipment, or vehicles for cleanliness, damage, and compliance with standards or regulations.
• Maintain inventories of supplies.
• Press buttons to activate cleaning equipment or machines.
• Monitor operation of cleaning machines and stop machines or notify supervisors when malfunctions occur.
• Mix cleaning solutions, abrasive compositions, or other compounds, according to formulas.
• Turn valves or handles on equipment to regulate pressure or flow of water, air, steam, or abrasives from sprayer nozzles.
• Rinse objects and place them on drying racks or use cloth, squeegees, or air compressors to dry surfaces.
• Turn valves or disconnect hoses to eliminate water, cleaning solutions, or vapors from machinery or tanks.
• Sweep, shovel, or vacuum loose debris or salvageable scrap into containers and remove containers from work areas.
• Disassemble and reassemble machines or equipment or remove and reattach vehicle parts or trim, using hand tools.
• Drive vehicles to or from workshops or customers' workplaces or homes.
• Clean the plastic work inside cars, using paintbrushes.
• Pre-soak or rinse machine parts, equipment, or vehicles by immersing objects in cleaning solutions or water, manually or using hoists.
• Connect hoses or lines to pumps or other equipment.
• Collect and test samples of cleaning solutions or vapors.
• Lubricate machinery, vehicles, or equipment or perform minor repairs or adjustments, using hand tools.
• Transport materials, equipment, or supplies to or from work areas, using carts or hoists.
• Fit boot spoilers, side skirts, or mud flaps to cars.
• Clean and polish vehicle windows.

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