In the famous work "The Twelve Chairs," the janitor Tikhon asked Ostap Bender: "What medals are given for janitorial service these days?" In pre-revolutionary Russia, a janitor was not just a cleaner but a true master of the block. Homeowners and tenants sought to hire the most deserving individuals. The janitor, in addition to maintaining cleanliness, ensured order at the gates and did not allow strangers into the courtyard, especially beggars, hooligans, drunks, and dubious characters. At night, he would close the gates but remain on site to help late residents get home.

There was also the position of senior janitor, who was the king of his section. This high position allowed him not to engage in cleaning but to oversee the work of junior employees, maintain law and order, and assist the city guards. The senior janitor kept house books and monitored the registration of residents. Knowing all the homeowners by face, he sometimes reported unreliable individuals to the police, such as suspicious revolutionaries. There is a known case where the senior janitor informed on Lenin, forcing him to urgently hide from the police.

Janitors received relatively good salaries: a minimum of 20 rubles, and senior janitors earned 50 rubles. With tips, by the end of the month, it added up to a decent amount. Janitors were expected to look neat and strict, wearing caps and white aprons with a badge that had the house number. Historian Alexander Muzafarov wrote in his book "11 Myths About Russia": "At the beginning of the 20th century, a janitor was not a marginal or a migrant worker. It was a well-paid and respected job. Perhaps that is why it was clean?"