Custodian vs. Janitor: many different phrases are used for the person who seems to be there to fix problems and troubleshoot. Custodian and Janitors are the terms used for such people. The main difference between custodian and janitor is that custodian is a term that refers to a person who has custody of a child or something. While janitor is a term used for a person entrusted with cleaning and maintenance of the building.
Let’s take a closer look at Janitor vs. Custodian
| Responsible For | A janitor is responsible for cleaning, while a custodian is for security |
| Relation | There are a lot of janitors that have been doing custodian tasks in recent past years |
| Custody | The janitor does not have custody, while the custodian has |
| Preference | Custodians are preferred over janitors these days |
Table of Contents
What Is a Custodian?
If we look at the custodian meaning, it is a term that refers to a person or institution which can act as an agent for the financial assets of another person or company. A custodian handles various affairs, including settling sales and purchases, holding equities and bonds, tax compliance and reporting, reporting the status of assets, and managing the client’s account and transactions. For example, a bank works as a custodian for all of its customers’ investments, moving funds, selling securities, and reporting account activities to the owner. The custodian may also help in fixing problems on behalf of the owner .Moreover, an adult with legal status is also a custodian for the minors. But the custodian role is often held by accounting firms, banks or law firms, which can pay additional fees for the services.
What Is a Janitor?
If we look at the janitor’s meaning, it is a word used to describe a person, which is a vital part of any business. Basically, a janitor is responsible for maintaining a clean and healthy facility by performing various tasks. These tasks may include cleaning, mopping, vacuuming, emptying trash cans, disinfecting the restrooms and surfaces, etc., so one of the major responsibilities of the janitor is to clean the area which is appointed to him. There are many other names for the janitor, like caretaker, gatekeeper, attendant, doorkeeper, and steward. These all are the different terms used for janitors. Most people think that the duty of the janitor is to clean public areas like schools, hospitals, workplaces and airports. But the main responsibilities of a Janitor include vacuuming carpets, cleaning toilets, wiping windows, dusting furniture, removing trash, and mopping floors. In some situations, janitors also take responsibility for protection and maintenance.
5 Key Differences Between Custodian and Janitor
| Components | Custodian | Janitor |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A custodian is a term that refers to a person who has custody of a child or something. | While janitor is a term used for a person entrusted with cleaning and maintenance of the building. |
| Services | A custodian provides the service of security, maintenance and other important affairs of a client. | A janitor provides the service of cleaning, like dusting, vacuuming and mopping. |
| Image | A custodian reminds the people of a person who is looking after the security and maintenance of a place. | The public image of the janitor is as a person cleaning toilets, emptying trash cans and mopping the floor. |
| Prior | Today, people prefer custodians, as they consider this job sounds more important. | The janitor is less preferable as compared to the custodian but they can also do the same tasks. |
| Difficulties | Custodians don’t get much money; their salary depends on the company they work for. But the average salary is not good enough. | A janitor can not work from home like another worker, as he has to be present in the working place. Moreover, being a janitor is a hardworking job with manual labor. |
Custodian vs. Janitor Similarities
- Whether it is a custodian or janitor, both provide services to other people.
- These days, custodians and janitors are related to each other as janitors also perform some tasks related to a custodian.
Custodian vs. Janitor Examples
Custodian Examples
- A bank is a custodian for all of its customers
- An adult with legal status is a custodian for the minors
- A law firm or lawyer for its clients
Janitor Examples
- Cleaner
- Doorkeeper
- Stewart
- Attendant
Custodian vs. Janitor Pros and Cons
Custodian Pros and Cons
Pros of Custodian
- A custodian can help with many affairs depending on the job you are hiring him for. For example, an accountant custodian can also collect transaction data, taxes and other finances.
- A custodian is not bound to one place to work like a janitor; they can handle their client’s affairs from anywhere, depending upon the kind of TASK the client gives.
Cons of Custodian
- Custodians don’t get much money; their salary depends on the company they work for. But the average salary is not good enough.
- Being a custodian, there is a certain qualification requirement, like you must be a certified custodial technician or have a custodial supervisor certificate.
Janitor Pros and Cons
Pros of Janitor
- A great benefit of the janitor is that there is not any degree requirement for this job. And you don’t have to pay a lot of money for education to become a janitor.
- Janitors are responsible for keeping every surface clean, sanitary washroom, and trash can empty.
Cons of Janitor
- The duty of a janitor is not easy, as it requires a lot of hard work and manual labor. So, it does not work for everyone. Only fit and healthy people can do this kind of work.
- Another drawback of the janitor is that the janitor can not work from home like other workers, as he has to be present in the working place.
Comparison Chart
Comparison Video
Conclusion
Custodians and janitors are the terms used for the people who provide their services to the people in order to get some money. If we talk about custodian Vs. janitor differences, both of these terms describe different kinds of work and services. A custodian is basically a person who handles various affairs, including settling sales and purchases, holding equities and bonds, tax compliance and reporting, reporting the status of assets, and managing the client’s account and transactions. While a janitor is responsible for maintaining a clean and healthy facility by performing various tasks. These tasks may include cleaning, mopping, vacuuming, emptying trash cans, disinfecting the restrooms and surfaces, etc. moreover, in custodian versus janitor popularity, the custodian is more popular among people.
