What Is Thank Your Cleaner Day?
Every October, workplaces around the world pause for Thank Your Cleaner Day. The celebration is a chance to recognise the people who keep our offices, schools, and facilities clean, safe, and welcoming, day-in and day-out. While cleaning often happens after hours or behind the scenes, the impact is visible every single day. From disinfecting surfaces that prevent the spread of illness to creating professional, welcoming spaces for clients, cleaners are the unsung heroes of every workplace.
At Cleancorp, we see this day as more than a date in the calendar. It’s a reminder to stop, reflect, and show gratitude to the people who make a difference every day.
Why the Day Is Important
Cleaning is often invisible until it’s missed... but behind every polished floor and sanitised desk is a person who takes pride in creating that environment. Without them, productivity, health, and even business reputations would take a hit. Thank Your Cleaner Day is about shifting the spotlight back onto the people who quietly keep workplaces running in the background.
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Health & Safety: Cleaners are protecting teams from germs, allergens, and illness, making it possible for people to show up healthy and do their best work.
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Workplace Image: The care and attention cleaners put in reflects directly on how clients, tenants, and visitors experience your business. It’s their work that sets the tone the moment someone walks through the door.
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Value & Respect: Too often, cleaning is seen as “just a job.” In reality, it’s a skilled, essential role that deserves respect. Recognising cleaners helps change the narrative, celebrating them as professionals whose efforts make a difference every single day.
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Community Connection: Cleaners may work outside of the 9-to-5, but they’re still part of the fabric of the workplace. They share smiles with staff, notice the small details, and contribute to the culture in ways that are easy to overlook but deeply felt.
How We Celebrate at Cleancorp
At Cleancorp, our people are at the heart of what we do. On Thank Your Cleaner Day, we take the time to celebrate them in ways that feel meaningful:
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Personal Thank-Yous: We encourage our clients and their teams to write notes or say a heartfelt thank you. In past years, we've created Cleaner Cards for our clients, with information about their workplace cleaner on them (their name, hobbies, what day's they're cleaning on-site) to build a more personal connection between our clients and the people who clean their spaces. We actually won an award for our Cleaner Cards back in 2024, you can read about it here.
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Morning Teas & Treats: Our office staff deliver surprise morning teas and treats to sites we service, creating moments of connection.
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Recognition & Gifts: From certificates to small gifts, we highlight the incredible work our team does every day. Our Cleaner of the Month initiative sees one cleaner awarded a certificate and $100 Gift Card!
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Sharing Stories: We spotlight our cleaners across social media and internal channels, giving them the recognition they deserve.
This year, we ran the "Do You Know Your Cleaner's Name?" initiative, interviewing people on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne, with the call-to-action being to seek out your cleaner, say hi, and make sure you know their name. You can watch some of our favourite interviews below:
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How Did 'Thank Your Cleaner Day' Start?
Since it all began in Aotearoa back in October 2015, Thank Your Cleaner Day has blossomed into a powerful global movement now observed in over 40 countries. It’s a day built on the idea that cleaners everywhere, from school corridors and office towers to hospitals and public spaces, deserve to feel seen and valued. Every gesture, big or small, whether it’s a handwritten note, a morning tea, or a social media shout‑out, adds personal meaning to that recognition. That’s why Thank Your Cleaner Day is a movement celebrating people who work behind the scenes, often during hours when no one’s watching. It’s, quite simply, a call to pause and say, “We see you. We appreciate you. You matter.”
What Gratitude Looks Like in Action
One of the most powerful parts of Thank Your Cleaner Day is seeing how workplaces respond. A simple thank you can brighten someone’s day — and it strengthens the bond between clients and cleaning teams.
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How You Can Get Involved
If you’re a business leader, facility manager, or staff member, here are a few simple ways you can join in:
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Say Thank You. A simple, genuine “thank you” goes further than you think.
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Leave a Note. A handwritten card on someone’s trolley or locker is always appreciated.
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Celebrate as a Team. Organise a morning tea, gift, or small gesture to show appreciation.
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Share Online. Join the conversation on LinkedIn or Instagram using #ThankYourCleanerDay + tag Cleancorp to help us amplify the message!
At Cleancorp, Every Day Is Thank Your Cleaner Day
While October gives us a special moment to spotlight cleaners, we believe recognition shouldn’t stop there. Our people are the reason Cleancorp has thrived for over 30 years, and our mission is to ensure they always feel seen, valued, and celebrated.
Whether it’s office cleaning, strata services, school cleaning, or industrial sites, our team brings care and commitment to every space. On Thank Your Cleaner Day, and every day, we’re proud to say: thank you.