cleaner-upper

noun

A person responsible for cleaning or tidying up.

Meanings

nouncleaner-upper (plural cleaner-uppers)

plural cleaner-uppers

  1. informalA person responsible for cleaning or tidying up.

    I want to know how you became a cleaner-upper! A custodian of man's material junk!

    1992, Studies in American Drama, 1945-present - Volumes 7-8, page 86
    2 more examples

    If we were to consider the role of a parent who is totally responsible during the day for children of varying ages, with no assistance, the job description would read in part: Diaper changer, bottle feeder, bottle washer, rocker, laundress, clothes putter-upper, ironer, dishwasher, meal-planner and cook, grocery shopper, hugger, plaground mate, track star, safety oordinator, sympathizer, story reader, clown, nurse, checker player, artist, tutor, rule maker, disciplinarian, supporter and encourager, teacher, activities chairman, religious educator, car pooler, cheerleader at games, cookie maker, party planner, seamstress, clothes shopper, librarian, transportation director to the doctor, school, soccer, museum, or park, mess cleaner-upper, mediator, friend supervisor, bathroom supervisor, bath supervisor, toothbrush director, medicine giver, manners chairman and reminder, schedule maker, TV critic, pet feeder, taker of pets to vet, judge, arbitrator, role model, gardener, and toilet trainer.

    1996, H. Olivia Kittrell, The Nanny World: Heaven Or H---? : a Nanny Agency's Perception, page 11

    This professionalization is a psychological defense of the housewife against being a general “cleaner-upper” and menial servant for her family in a day and age of general work emancipation.

    2011, Juliet Schor, Douglas B. Holt, The Consumer Society Reader, page 32

    Synonyms: cleaner-upperer

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person responsible for cleaning or tidying up.

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

cleaner-upper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cleaner-upper

MLA

“cleaner-upper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cleaner-upper. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cleaner-upper,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cleaner-upper.

Source: cleaner-upper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.