National Custodial Workers Recognition Day: ways to say thanks

At this hour, a lot of office buildings, hospitals and schools are being cleaned by people most of us rarely see. Today, October 2, is National Custodial Workers Recognition Day, a day to recognize custodians and janitors who keep schools and workplaces clean and running.

The observance is informal. Holiday Insights notes that it appears to have started around 2016 and was never set by Congress or a presidential proclamation. It has caught on anyway, especially in schools, where custodians often know every hallway, every leaky faucet and many of the students by name.

There are easy ways to take part. A handwritten thank-you card means a lot, especially when it names something specific, like a quick cleanup after a spill or a classroom that was ready on the first day of school. Students can make cards in class. Teams and managers can organize a lunch or pool money for small gift cards. Parents can send a note to their child's school custodian through the front office.

The most useful kind of thanks happens every day. Throwing away your own trash, wiping up the break room counter, and reporting a broken soap dispenser or a leak instead of walking past it all make custodians' jobs safer and faster.

If you work or study in a building with a custodial team, write a two-line thank-you note today and leave it where they will find it.