About the day

Thank Your Cleaner Day: Honouring the Unsung Heroes

Thank Your Cleaner Day began in New Zealand in October 2015, founded by Michelle Boag and Lance Pattullo (City Cleaning Services), in collaboration with the Building Service Contractors of NZ (BSCNZ) and global partner Kärcher. The day was created to recognise the vital yet often unseen work of commercial cleaners who keep our environments clean, safe, and healthy.

What started as a local initiative has grown into a global movement, now celebrated in over 40 countries. Each year, organisations and individuals show appreciation through thank-you notes, small gifts, social media shout-outs, and personal gestures of gratitude.

The day not only raises awareness of the essential role cleaners play but also fosters respect and recognition for the more than 29,000 commercial cleaners across Aotearoa. It’s a simple but powerful reminder to value those who work behind the scenes to support our daily lives.

We all like to feel valued and appreciated

Cleaning is one of the most critical industries in the world, yet the dedicated professionals who carry out this essential work often remain unseen. Every day—early mornings, late nights, and weekends—skilled and hardworking cleaners are on-site, ensuring that your premises are clean, safe, and ready for the next business day.

Across New Zealand, tens of thousands of cleaners work tirelessly to maintain the hygiene and safety of our workplaces, schools, hospitals, and public spaces. Their efforts are fundamental to our health, wellbeing, and productivity, yet their contributions often go unnoticed, hidden behind the scenes and outside regular working hours.

It’s time to change that.

That’s why we created Thank Your Cleaner Day™—a dedicated annual event to celebrate and appreciate the incredible work cleaners do every single day. First launched on October 19th, 2015, this initiative has grown into a global movement of recognition and gratitude.

This year, Thank Your Cleaner Day™ will be held on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, and your business has the opportunity to get involved. It’s a chance to pause, reflect, and say a heartfelt thank you to the people who make clean, safe environments possible.

Thank Your Cleaner Day is made possible by

I would like to say a special thank you to Michelle Boag and Lance Pattullo from City Cleaning Services for coming up with such a fantastic idea!  It’s BSCNZ’s privilege to champion this day this special day for Commercial Cleaner’s throughout New Zealand.  Every year this day gains momentum, and through the help of Karcher is celebrated in over 40 countries around the world. 

The Commercial Cleaners of New Zealand are an essential part of keeping New Zealand healthy and clean, this is their day to be recognised for their continued hard work and contribution to the wider community.  

Get in touch to learn more about Thank Your Cleaner Day™ and how to get involved. 

Everyone is welcome to join us in celebrating this special day.

Sarah McBride
BSCNZ
CEO

BSCNZ Website

Kärcher NZ is proud to continue our sponsorship of Thank Your Cleaner Day in 2025. In a post COVID world the importance of cleanliness remains, and it is incumbent upon us that we take time out to recognise and celebrate the efforts of cleaners throughout New Zealand in keeping our workplaces, public spaces and other shared spaces clean and healthy. Recognition is even more worthy given the scarcity of labour in recent times - this scarcity having placed an even greater level of demand upon the cleaning industry, and Building Service Contractors most specifically, who continue to positively impact our environment and deliver services across the country, without fuss nor fanfare, each and every day

Kere McBratney,
Country Manager - Kärcher NZ

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