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custodian vs. janitor

custodian vs. janitor: What's the difference?

Custodian and janitor are both words for a person whose job is to take care of an area or property. Custodian usually refers to a person who is primarily in charge of guarding or maintaining a property. This person may do some cleaning in addition to general maintenance tasks such as repairing and checking equipment and securing the property. Janitor usually refers to a person who generally specializes in cleaning, without performing additional maintenance tasks.

[ kuh-stoh-dee-uhn ]
noun
  1. a person who has custody; keeper; guardian.
  2. a person entrusted with guarding or maintaining a property; janitor.
[ jan-i-ter ]

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