How much does a metal cleaner make?

In the U.S., experience, useful training, and more complex or responsible tasks can affect pay. The kind of employer and location matter too, and extra hours or shift premiums may add to pay.

Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.

What's a typical day like?

They load parts onto a washer or conveyor, add measured chemicals, and watch gauges or thermometers as the machine runs. They adjust cycle settings, check the solution, and record readings or test results.

Most need a high-school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not; employers train new hires on site for days to a year. U.S. age rules depend on duties: manufacturing generally starts at 16, and hazardous jobs require 18.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Steel “pickling” is not for cucumbers: some U.S. mills use hydrochloric acid to strip the oxide scale that forms as steel cools from molten metal.