All about housekeeeping

1. • House-keeping is one of the largest departments of the hotel which is responsible for creating
cleanliness, maintenance and safe environment. By providing the maximum comforts to the guest, it
maintains the standard of the hotel which contributes the hotel in achieving maximum profit by selling
the rooms. It is also regarded as the Eye and Ear of the management from where the main revenue
income is generated.

2. Ensuring that your staff correctly is essential for any manager. If too many employees are scheduled
then this is waste and costing standards are jeopardized. The following factors are considerations that an
executive housekeeper needs to consider when preparing a week's rota. ● Room occupancy ● Labour
budget available ● Type of room to be cleaned ● Stay-over or check-out

3. ● Customer profile ● Employee holidays ● Turndown service ● Check-in time/check-out time ● Skill
level of employees ● Public areas and frequency of cleaning ● Special events taking place in hotel

4. The Housekeeping Rooms Status screen is used to view all rooms (including maintenance)
summarized by occupancy status. housekeeping supervisor need to updates everytime the room status
after the housekeeper already clean the room.

5. Stay Over Reservation Block/ Maintenance Vacant Clean Vacant Dirty

6. a) Follow the procedure how you enter in the guest rooms. b) If guest is not present inside the room
then must you check for the bathroom. c) then the first step is to open the curtain full so that you can
see the garbage, carpet stain everything clearly. d) Remove all the waste garbage and then remove all
the bed linen that has been used by guest.

7. e) Make a high dusting over the rooms. f) Then make a bed and do the normal dusting. don't forgot to
refill the amenities that the guest has been used and put the amenities and guest things orderly. h) Then
remove the linen and garbage from bathroom. i) Apply the chemical and clean the area clockwise so that
to ensure you didn't left anything to cleaned. j) Put the towel, refill the amenities if it's necessary and
finally wipe the floors. h) Do the vacuuming and put some air freshener.

8. The saying that “your last look at the room is the guest’s first look” is still the working guideline for
inspection.

9.  The inspector first look at the room attendants carts to see whether they are properly equipped and
supplied. 1. Inspect check-out rooms that have been cleaned. A check-out room should not be out of
inventory for more than an hour after the guest departs. Some key areas to inspect:

10.  Bathroom  all amenities should be stocked.  Floor and pipes should be clean and free of dust and
hair.  Shower wall should be clean.  Drains should be free of hair and soap scum.

11.  Beds  Lifting spreads and blanket will insure the linen has been changed.  Pillows , spreads and
dust ruffles should be straight and properly positioned.  If the bed frame does not extend to the floor,
the area beneath the box spring should be checked to makes sure it has been vacuumed.

12.  Carpet  Should have been vacuumed well. Corner and area around furniture should be check. 
Lamps  all lamp should be dust free and in working order, with bulbs of the correct wattage.  Closets 
Hangers should be properly positioned ,bent hangers should be replaced.  Laundry bag should be
restocked.

13.  Night stand or night table.  The proper guest supplies, such as note pads, should be stocked and
properly positioned.  The inspector should pick up the phone to make sure the mouthpiece has been
cleaned.  Walls  Walls in bathroom should be cleaned daily.  Pictures or paintings should be free of
dust.  Windows  Should be smudge free.  The curtain should be clean.  Mini bars  Ice bucket should
be free of water spot inside and out.

14. The other things that should be attention for the inspection Vent Lost items Guestroom supplies
Waste bucket and ashtrays

15.  The bathroom has been thoroughly cleaned.  The bed linen and towels have been changed.  The
main component of the guest room are in working order.  The trash basket and astray have been
cleaned and emptied.  The room has been vacuumed.  Guest belongings should never be disturbed
during an inspection.

16. • Everyday, Housekeeping Supervisor will give a room report to room attendants to record all their
room assignment. This is because not all the room attendant get it right 100% at all time. So, they need
to double-check the rooms.

17. Housekeeping Staff Scheduling • http://www.alec.hemscott.net/hotelstaffing.htm •

http://www.makeschedules.com Room Status In The System •
http://support.resortdata.com/rdpwin/help/content/Housekee ping/RoomStatus.htm • Housekeeping
Notes, Semester 2 Room Cleaning Procedures •
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Guidelines_and_procedure_in_clea ning_a_guest_room_in_hotels

18. Guest Room Inspection • Madelin Schneider, Georgina Tucker, Mary Scoviak, (1999), The Professional
Housekeeper, 4th Edition, New Jersey, John Wiley And Sons Guest Room Report • Industrial Training
Report, Semester 4

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING

STAFF

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF:-

1)Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping:-

The executive housekeeper reports to the General Manager or the Resident Manager or the rooms
division manager. He/she is responsible for the overall cleanliness and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel.
His/her duties are:-
i. Organize, supervise and coordinate the work of housekeeping staff on day- to day basis.
 ii. Ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort and aesthetics for hotel
guests.
iii. Prepare duty rosters and supervise the discipline and conduct of her staff.
iv. Ensure proper communication within the department by conducting regular meeting with
the staff.
v. Recruit new employees and train them for the housekeeping jobs.
vi. Counsel and motivate employees on various duties.
vii. Establish and maintain standard operating procedures for cleaning and develop new
procedures to increase efficiency of labor and product use.
viii. Search and test new techniques and products in the market.
ix. Maintain regular inventory and checking of furniture, linen, uniform, equipments in the
hotel.
x. Evaluate employee performance for promotions and transfers.
xi. Approval of supply requisitions for the housekeeping and to maintain minimum stock and
cost control procedures for all materials.
xii. Check the reports, files, registers maintained in the department.
xiii. Provide budget to the management and control of budgets

2) Deputy Housekeeper

The deputy housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. His/her duties are:-
i. Check and ensure that all guestrooms, public areas, back of the house areas are clean
and well maintained.
ii. Inspect the work done by contractors- pest control, launry, window cleaning, etc.
iii. Prepare staff schedules and duty rotas.
iv. Check periodical stocktaking and maintaining of stock records for linen, uniform,
equipment.
v. Provide necessary information to assist executive housekeeper in staff evaluation,
disciplining, termination and promotion.
vi. Develop and implement training programs within the department in consultation with the
executive housekeeper.
vii. Assist executive housekeeper in forecasting and budgeting for operating and capital
expenditure.
viii. Take charge of housekeeping department in absence of executive housekeeper.
3) Assistant Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager:-

The assistant housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. In large hotels, where an deputy
housekeeper exists, assistant housekeeper reports to deputy housekeeper. In large hotels the
responsibilities of floors, public area are divided among assistant housekeepers. In the absence of deputy
housekeeper, all the above mentioned duties and responsibilities are taken over by the assistant
housekeeper. His/her duties are:-
 i. Be responsible for efficient and orderly management of cleaning, servicing and repairing
of guest rooms.
ii. Be responsible for hotel linen and check its movement and distribution to room
attendants.
iii. Keep an inventory of all housekeeping supplies and check it regularly.
iv. Provide front office list of ready rooms for allotment to guests.
v. Organize flower arrangements
vi. Arrange training of staff within the department
vii. Update records/ files/ registers etc.
viii. Compile the maids roster.
ix. Check the VIP and OOO rooms

4) Floor supervisor/Floor Housekeeper:-

The floor supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. They are responsible for the final condition of
the guestrooms on the floors allocated to them. His/her duties are:-

i. Issue floor keys to room attendants

ii. Supervise cleaning on the allotted floors and areas- including guestrooms, corridors,
staircases, floor pantries of the allotted floors
iii. Inspection of cleaning in rooms and coordination of the work in fllors
iv. Supervise handling of soiled linen to laundry and requisitioning of fresh ones from
housekeeping
v. Report maintenance work on the floor
vi. Supervise spring cleaning.
vii. Coordinate with room service for tray clearance.
viii. Maintain par stock for the respective floors.
ix. Facilitate provision of extra services to guests such as baby sitters, hot water bottles,
other guest requests.
x. Report any safety or security hazard to the security department.
xi. Check on scanty baggage
xii. Prepare housekeeping status reports.
xiii. Inform the front office about ready rooms
xiv. Ensure services offered to VIPs are of highest standards.

5) Public Area Supervisor:-

The public area supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for cleaning and
inspection of the front of the house areas such as entrance, lobby, guest corridors and so on. His/her
duties are:-
i. Ensure that all public areas and other functional areas are kept clean at all times.
ii. Ensure all maintenance jobs are attended in coordination with the maintenance
department.
iii. Ensure all flower arrangements are placed in appropriate places in public areas.
iv. Ensure banquet halls and conference halls are kept ready for functions and conferences.

6) Night Supervisor:-

The night supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He supervises all night staff engaged in the
cleaning of public areas and guestrooms in hotel. His/her duties are:-
i. Ensure all public areas are thoroughly cleaned at night when the traffic is low.
ii. Plan order of work and direct staff accordingly.
iii. Ensure submission of room attendants reports and room status reports.
iv. Provide guest supplies and attend guest requests in the night like providing water bottles,
extra beds, towels etc.
v. Report safety and security hazards.

7) Linen Room Supervisor/ Linen Keeper:-

The linen room supervisor reports to assistant housekeeper. His/her duties are:-
i. Responsible for entire hotels linen.
ii. Send dirty linen from laundry after checking.
iii. Check laundered linen before giving it for ironing.
iv. Provide linen to the various departments
v. Maintain register of linen movements and check linen regularly
vi. Supervise ironing and laundering of linen of the hotel
vii. Supervise work of linen room attendants and tailors
viii. Make suggestions related to replacement purchases and give requirements of linen to
executive housekeepers.

8) Uniform Room Supervisor:-

The uniform room supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for
maintenance of hotel staff uniforms. His/her duties are:-
i. Responsible for providing clean, serviceable uniforms to the staff.
ii. Keep an inventory control of various uniforms in various stages of use
iii. Set budget for procurement of uniforms and materials required for uniform
9) Linen Room attendant/ Linen Room Maid:-
Linen room attendants report to linen room supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i. Stacking sheets, pillowcases, towels, tablecloths, napkins in different stacks.
ii. Issue clean linen on clean- for- soiled basis.
iii. Place soiled linen in containers and send these to laundry.
iv. Examine and count each linen item when send to laundry and again on return.
v. Send torn articles to seamstress for repair.
vi. Maintain proper records of discards and deermine percentage of discards.

10) Uniform Room attendant:-

A uniform room attendant reports to uniform room supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i) Issue clean uniforms while receiving soiled ones
ii) Send soiled uniforms for laundering.
iv. Send torn uniforms to seamstress for mending.
v. Keep count of uniforms.
vi. Shelve laundered uniforms after verifying types of articles.
vii. Count and record linen.

11) Storekeeper:-

A storekeeper reports to senior floor or linen room supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i) Control the stock of equipment.
ii) Issue equipment and cleaning materials as per demand.
iii. Prepare requisitions for materials required.
iv. Coordinate with purchase department for procurement of approved materials.

12) Desk Control Supervisor:-

The control desk supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. It is the nerve centre of housekeeping
department and is manned 24 hours a day. His/her duties are:-
i. Coordination with front office for information on departure rooms and handing of clean
rooms.
ii. Receive complaints on maintenance and housekeeping.
iii. Maintain registers kept at control desk.
iv. Receive special requests from guests.
v. Maintain latest reports regarding room occupancy, VIPs, status of rooms etc.
vi. Delegation of work to attendants and supervisors.
vii. Attend to phone calls received at control desk
viii. Responsible for issuing guestroom keys and maintaining key register
13) Guest room attendant/ Room maids/ Chamber maids/GRA:-

Guest room attendant(GRA) report to the floor supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i. Cleans the rooms
ii. Change guestroom and bathroom linen.
iii. Make guest room beds.
iv. Replenish guest supplies.
v. Answer guest requests promptly on the floor.
vi. Responsible for collecting guest laundry.
vii. Servicing of rooms in the evening( turndown service) and also provide second service.
viii. Handover lost and found articles if any found in the room
ix. Replenish maids cart with supplies for the next shift
x. Arrange and stock the pantry with linen and supplies.

14) Head House person:-

He /she reports to the public area supervisor. His/her duties are:-

i. Supervises work allotted to the housemen in public areas.
ii. Supervise work of people who clean carpets, wall washers, window washers.
iii. Supervise work of chandelier cleaners, vaccum cleaning machine operators

15) House persons:-

They report to the head house persons or the public area supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i. Shift furniture in public areas.
ii. Clear the garbages
iii. Polish all brassware in public areas
iv. Clean all doors, windows and ventilators.
v. Clean fire fighting equipments.
vi. Clean the shafts and terraces.
vii. Clean chandeliers, draperies and other hard to reach areas in public areas.

16) Tailors, seamstress and upholsterers:-

They report to the Linen Room Supervisor. His/her duties are:-
i. Mending and stitching uniforms, linen, upholstery etc.
ii. Alteration of uniforms if required.
iii. Refurnish all damaged upholstery.
iv. Repair guest clothes if required.
v. Calculate materials required for uniforms and upholstery and purchase accordingly.
17) Horticulturist:-

Many large hotels have their own horticulturist, who report to assistant housekeeper. He / she leads a
team of gardener in maintaining landscaped gardens of the hotel as well as in supplying flowers from
gardens for flower arrangements in the hotels. Flowers are used largely to enhance aesthetic appeal of
various areas of the hotel.

18) Head Gardener:-

He reports to the horticulturist and maintains landscaped areas and gardens in the hotel. His/her duties
are:-
i. Brief, schedule, allot duties
ii. Purchase plant seeds, plantings
iii. Purchase and supervise usage of manure and fertilizers.
iv. Maintain watering schedules of plants and attend problems regarding watering
schedules.
v. Maintain and prepare indoor plants for the hotel.
vi. Supervise and maintaining the lawns.
vii. Ensure gardeners are handling equipments and tools efficiently.

19) Gardeners:-
Gardeners report to the head gardener or the horticulturist. They keep landscaped areas, lawns and
gardens clean and aesthetically beautiful. His/her duties are:-
i. Dig landscaped areas and maintain them.
ii. Plant saplings and seeds
iii. Water gardens as per schedules.
iv. Maintain plant nursery and green house.
v. Prepare potted flowers and potted plants.

20) Florist:-

Florists employ their own florist. Providing attractive flower arrangements for the entire hotel is their
responsibility. They report to the horticulturist . His/her duties are:-
i. Collect fresh flowers from gardeners every day.
ii. Purchase flowers from dealers
iii. Prepare different flower arrangements for different areas- lobbies, front office,
restaurants, guestrooms, banquet halls etc.
iv. Treat cut flowers so that they last longer.
v. Maintain flower arrangements by changing water, etc .
vi. Responsible for flower arranging equipments and equipments, accessories etc.
vii. Train the assistant florist.
21) Laundry Manager:-

He/she is in charge of the laundry and Laundry Manager reports to the Director of housekeeping. He/she
is responsible for entire functioning of laundry and dry cleaning unit. He /she should have good
knowledge of fabrics and chemicals and laundry machines.

22) Laundry Supervisor:-

He/she is in charge of the functioning of the laundry in the absence of laundry manager. He must have the
knowledge of all the aspects of the laundry equipment, chemicals and fabrics.

23) Dry cleaner and washers:-

He/ she is in charge of dry cleaning of the hotel linen and guest clothing and washer does the laundering
of the linen, uniforms and guest clothing.

24) Laundry workers:-

They are the staff of laundry who perform following duties;-

i. Spot stained fabrics before loading them into washing machines.

ii. Load soiled linen into washing machines, feed in the right amount of detergent and other
laundering chemicals.
iii. Load washed linen into dryers.
iv. Clean equipments after use.
v. Sort soiled linen according to fabric types, colors, degree of soiling.
vi. Transport soiled linen from linen room to laundry and fresh linen from laundry to linen
room.

25) Valet/ Runners:-

“Valet service” means that they take care of guest laundry. They report to the linen room supervisor. They
are responsible for collecting soiled guest laundry and delivering fresh guest laundry.

PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF:-

There are certain qualities which a housekeeping staff should possess in order to perform the
housekeeping functions which are sometimes more important than the skill too.

i. Pleasant personality- The staff should have a good presentation of ones own self when
interacting with guests. This reflect the quality of service and standards in an establishment.
 ii. Physical fitness- The housekeeping staff should go through a thorough medical
examination and should be fit to perform the housekeeping functions.
iii. Personal Hygiene- The housekeeping staff should have healthy skin, clean hair, eyes,
teeth, nose, nails and fingers etc.
iv. Eye for detail- The staff should possess power of critical observation to make a flawless
room and keen sense to inspect rooms for perfection.
v. Cooperation- The staff must cooperate with staff of other departments for team work and
more efficiency.
vi. Adaptability- The staff should be able to adopt to new ideas and accept changing
situations willingly
vii. Honesty- The housekeeping staff need to have this quality as they have access to all the
rooms and guest belongings are left lying around. They also deal with various kinds of guest
amenities that are very expensive. So they should have inherent discipline and integrity.
viii. Tactful and diplomatic- The housekeeping staff have to handle guest requests and
complaints. The guests are fussy and can make unusual requests. The staff have to be tactful
and diplomatic to handle these requests.
ix. Right attitude- The staff should have a right attitude which displays an even temper,
courtesy and good humor and optimistic in nature.
x. Calm Behavior- Should be able to handle situations with composed personality and
humbleness and politeness.
xi. Courteous- Should be courteous to both guests and colleagues
xii. Punctuality- Should have respect for time during working hours as this reflects on
his/her sincerity.
xiii. Good memory- Should have good memory to remember staff likes, dislikes, needs and
wishes of guests and especially repeat guests.
Layout of the housekeeping Department:-

The layout of the department indicates the different areas and subdivisions in the department. The layout
of the department depends on following factors;-

#Total number of Guestrooms

# No. of outlets and banquets
# Amount of manpower required.

Following are the areas of the department:-

Executive Housekeepers Office- This is the Executive housekeepers office where the administrative work
of the department is performed.

Housekeeping Desk- This is the control centre of the housekeeping and is manned 24 hrs a day. This is
the area where housekeeping staff report for duty and sign out at the end of the shift. Notice boards,
telephones, computers, storage shelves (for registers and files), lost and found cupboard, key racks etc.
are present here.
Laundry- The place in the hotel where washing, pressing, dry cleaning, folding of linen and uniform of the
hotel takes place.

Linen Room- The linen room is the place where the linen of the hotel are stored, collected & circulated
throughout the hotel. Eg. of linen-bed sheets, towels, table covers etc.

Uniform Room- The place from where uniforms are collected, stored and distributed to the staff of the
hotel.

Sewing room- The place in the department where stitching and repair of linen and uniforms takes place.

Housekeeping Stores- This is the storage area in the department where the cleaning agents, cleaning
equipments, guest supplies are stored for the daily housekeeping functions and are securely locked.

Flower Room- Ideally should be an air-conditioned room to keep flowers fresh for arrangements in the
hotel. It should have work tables, counters, sink, water supply, cupboards to store vases, stones etc.

Lost and found- The lost and found section in the department stores all the articles left by the guest and is
stored for a specific period.

Floor Pantry- Located on each guest floor to stock the linen, cleaning supplies and guest supplies
required for operations of the floor and should be securely locked.

CLEANING ORGANIZATION new

CLEANING ORGANIZATION
CONCEPT OF CLEANING
Cleaning is the removal of dust, dirt, foreign matter, tarnish, stains from various surfaces with the aid of
certain cleaning agents. And equipment. Dust, dirt and foreign matter deposited on a surface are
referred to as soil. This may include substances such as sand, mud, pollutants, smoke and fumes brought
into the building from outside. Some types of soil, such as sewage, hair, dead skin cells and fibers shed
from the clothing are generated by the occupants of a building.
Cleaning is carried out for the following reasons:
Aesthetic Appeal: the environment is made visually attractive and appealing
Hygiene: effective, frequent cleaning controls the growth and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria an
other germs
Maintenance: Surfaces and articles, however good in quality, will have a long, functional life only when
they are cleaned on a regular basis.
Safety: Cleaning is done for safety against health hazards, and slip hazards.
Types of soils
soil is the collective term for deposits of dust, dirt, foreign matter, tarnish and stains.
Dust: this is composed of loose particles deposited from the air. It contains both organic (human and
animal hair, dead skin cells, particles of excreta, pollen from plants and so on) and inorganic (sand, dry
earth) matter. Although dust is light, it is heavier that air thus settles readily on any surface.
Dirt: this implies dust held together firmly by moisture or grease on rough surfaces.
Tarnish: this is a discoloring or deposition on a metal or alloy surface caused by chemical reaction with
certain substances found in air, water and foodstuffs. Each metals gets a different type of tarnish when
exposed for too long to these substances. For instance, iron gets a reddish-brown rust, copper gets
greenish deposit of verdigris, and silver gets blackened. There are different methods for the removal of
tarnish from different metals.
Stain: this is a discoloration caused on a hard or soft surface by a substance containing dyes, proteins,
acids, or alkalis. Stains are difficult to remove by routine cleaning processes. Any stain must be removed
as soon as possible by using powders to absorb it, solvents to dissolve it , or an acidic or alkaline cleaner
to neutralize it
Foreign Matters: These may be dead flowers, contents of wastepaper baskets and ashtrays, as well as
stains from the deposition of foreign substances.

STANDARD OF CLEANING:
Depending on the purpose of the area and surfaces to be cleaned, various standards of cleaning may be
imposed. Once a standard has been established, there should be strict adherence to the cleaning
methods required and efficient training and supervision is called for. There may be different standards of
cleaning for different surface and areas.
PHYSICALLY CLEAN:
When this standard is set, the area or surface is supposed to be free from apparent dust and dirt, as
when wiped by hand.
CHEMICALLY CLEAN:
This standard means that the area should be free from harmful chemicals on the surface and in the
surrounding air.
BACTERIOLOGICALLY CLEAN:
To meet this standard, the surface should be free from any harmful bacteria that may cause disease or
infection. This is referred to as “clinical standard “ as most hospitals follow this standard for their general
wards.
ENTOMOLOGICALLY CLEAN:
This means that the area should be free from harmful insects or pests.
OSMOLOGICALLY CLEAN:
This cleaning standard demands that the surfaces and areas should be free from any organic or inorganic
matter that may emit an odor.
TERMINALLY CLEAN:
This refers to the standard of cleaning usual in operation theaters and intensive care units in
hospitals, where surfaces need to be constantly sanitized against all kinds of pathogenic
microbes.

Principles of cleaning
These are the basic rules to follow in any kind of cleaning activity, whatever the nature of surface or the
soil.
1. All soil should be removed without harming the surface being cleaned or the
surroundings surfaces.
2. The surface should be restored to its original state softer the cleaning process.
3. The cleaning process should be efficient, using a minimum of equipment, cleaning
agents, labor and time.
4. The simplest method should be tried first, using the mildest cleaning agent.
5. The cleaning methods least harmful for the surface should be used.
6. Cleaning should proceed from high to low wherever possible.
7. When cleaning an area, start with the cleaner surfaces and articles and then go on to
clean the more heavily soiled ones, so as to prevent the spread of soil from dirty to cleaner
surfaces.
8. while wet-cleaning or polishing the floor , the cleaner should walk backwards while
cleaning in front of him
9. Suction cleaning should be preferred over sweeping wherever possible.
10. Sweeping should be done before dusting ,and dusting before suction cleaning
11. Noise levels while cleaning should be kept as low as possible.
 12. Stains should be removed as soon as they occur
13. The cleaner should take all safety precautions while cleaning. In particular, cleaning agents and
equipment should be stacked neatly to one side.
14. The cleaner should start cleaning from the farthest end of an area, working towards the exit.
15. after the cleaning process is over , all equipment should be washed or wiped as applicable , dried and
stored properly ; cleaning agents should be replenished and stored ; waste discarded ;and the area left
neat and tidy.

Cleaning Schedules –
 Initial – This is the cleaning carried out in any area that has been closed for a
long period, e.g. fro renovation, refurbishment, etc. This will be a thorough cleaning
where all soil and dust left by workmen will be removed.
 Routine – This is cleaning that is carried out on a regular basis. It can be daily,
weekly, fortnightly or monthly. If schedules are stuck to, high standards can be
maintained at low cost.
 Periodic – This is work carried out at certain times of the year, usually during
slack season or when the hotel is closed for renovation or redecoration. It entails in-
depth cleaning where dirt is not allowed to build up excessively. E.g. cleaning of
chandeliers quarterly.

Methods Of Cleaning
I. Team cleaning – Two or more staff work in a given area either together
or as a team and carry out the different tasks in one area.
ADVANTAGES:
 Equipments can be shared.
 Heavy work can be carried with ease.
 New staff can be trained easily.
 Increased productivity.
DISADVANTAGES:
 In case of any damage to the equipment, no one can be held responsible.
 Standards can get lowered if proper supervision is missing.
 While training, new staff can pick up bad habits.
 Due to mis-understanding some work can get left out.
 If there are any clashes between staff, working together can be a disadvantage.
II. Conventional cleaning – One worker is allotted an area, and after he
finishes the area, he moves on to the next.
ADVANTAGES:
 Improved security.
 More job satisfaction.
 Standard of work is higher if the individual is efficient.
 Training is simplified.
DISADVANTAGES:
 Each area takes longer to get cleaned.
 Maybe more expensive.
 Each staff will have to be given equipment, hence more equipment required.
 May be too rigid.
III. Block method – One particular staff is given the responsibility to carry
out a single job in all the areas. After finishing the given job he moves on to a
different job. E.g. one staff maybe making the beds of all the rooms on the floor
and then he goes on to hoover all the carpets on the floor; the next person dusts
and replenishes supplies, etc.
ADVANTAGES:
 Less equipment is required.
 Is cheaper to operate.
DISADVANTAGES:
 Security is weakened as lots of people enter the room.
 More disturbances to the guest if he’s in the room during room cleaning.
 May-be monotonous for staff.
The various types of cleaning processes are as described below:
Manual methods
These do not call for mechanized or electronic equipment.
SWEEPING:
v This is done to collect dust when the floor surface is too rough for a dust mop.
v Push brooms are used for large areas and corn brooms are best for corners and tight spaces.
v Sweeping is not he most efficient, hygienic, or advanced way of removing dust, as so much of it
becomes airborne.
v Sweeping has in many cases been replaced by the use of suction cleaners now. Sweeping with a dry
mop is called ‘mop-sweeping’.
Equipment required: Broom, dust pan, dust bin for collection of dust.
DUSTING:
This task requires a systematic and orderly approach for efficiency and ease.
v Room attendants should start dusting at the door and work clockwise around the room. This minimizes
the chances of overlooking a spot.fold the duster three times and then thrice again. This gives you 18
clean folds, making the duster more effective.
v The duster should be of soft, lint- free cloth. Old rogs should not be used as they leave their own dust
and lint.
v While dusting, it should be start from the highest surface so that dust does not fall on items already
cleaned.
v When dusting solution is used it should be sprayed on the cloth not on the surface as it can stain or
cause stickiness.
v The duster should be always carried away carefully when the task is finished.
Equipment Required: Cloth duster, feather duster and dusting solution if necessary.
DAMP DUSTING
this is the most preferred way of cleaning in hotels as surfaces can be wiped as well as dusted, removing
any sticky or dirty marks at the same time.
A suitable lint- free cloth at the correct level of dampness should be used so as to avoid leaving any
smells.
Equipment and agents required: Cloth duster, water, plastic bowl and a neutral detergent if necessary.
DUST MOPPING/DRY MOPPING/MOP SWEEPING:
This is the preferred way to remove dust, sand or dirt from a floor. If these substances are not removed
from the floor on a daily basis, they will continually scratch the surface finish, diminishing its lusture and
will eventually penetrate down to the floor itself.
 Dust mopping is done with a dust –control mop that may or may not be wet with a cleaning
solution.
 Using such a solution stops the dust from rising.
 While dust- mopping, use figures –of –eight strokes and keep the mop head on the floor at all
times.
 Do not drag the mop straight backwards. On finishing each figure of eight, swivel the mop
around and on the return, pass and overlap the areas that have been wiped by about 8 inches.
 When sweeping in open spaces, clean in long straight lanes, covering the whole area by moving
up and down.
 Use a dust pan to sweep up accumulated thrash.
 Always carry the mop head upward very carefully after you have done and then shake into a bag
to clean.
 Dust- mopping removes gross soil but also redistributes and leaves behind large amount of fine
particles.
Equipment Required: Dust –control mop, dust pan, dust –collection bag, and dust bin.
WET MOPPING /DAMP MOPPING:
A damp moping is used to remove spills and soil that were not removed during the dry removal process.
Wet –mopping will remove light to heavy soil from the floor surface, which could otherwise become
sticked in the surface. Or collected in the seal or finish.
 Before the floor can be wet- mopped, it must first be dust-mopped.
 Add neutral or mildly alkaline detergent to the mop water for wet-mopping.
 The detergent used must be of variety that needs no rinsing, or else spray diluted detergent
from a spray bottle and mop with a damp mop.
 If using mop water, immerse the mop in the bucket and wring it out until it is only damp.
 First finish mopping near the baseboards in smooth strokes. Then mop the entire area with
figure-eight strokes.
 The water in the basket should be changed when it becomes dirty.
 A brush may be used for stubborn spots and a squeegee should be used to help speed the drying
of the floor.
Equipment Required: Wet mop and bucket or mop-wringer trolley.
MANUAL SCRUBBING:
For modern surfaces, very little hand- scrubbing is required.
 Scrub gently in straight lines away from yourself, working backwards
 Rinse well in order to remove any detergent from the surface.
 Use a squeegee to clear away excess rinse water .follow up with mopping.
 Equipment Required: Long-handled scrubbing brush, mild detergent, bucket, squeegee, water
and mop.
MANUAL POLISHING:
 Apply the polish sparingly.
 Use cotton rags to apply polish and a cloth for buffing.
 Use a soft brush for carved articles to get the polish into crevices.
 Use the polish appropriate for a particular surface.
 For, instance, proprietary polishes for metals –Brasso, Silvo, and so on- should be used on these
surfaces.
 Equipment Required: Proprietary polish and cotton rags.
SPOT CLEANING
This refers to the removal of stains from various kinds of hard and soft surfaces.
 To remove a localized stain, the whole surface need not to be treated with stain-removal agents.
 Just the area where the stain discolors the surface is treated and cleaned in the process of spot
cleaning
 Spot cleaning may be used as a cleaning method on walls, fabrics, carpets or floorings.
Mechanized methods
These utilize equipment powered by electricity as well as mechanical gadgets
SUCTION CLEANING
 This is the basic and preparatory step to all other mechanized procedures and should be
performed regularly.
 Very often it must also be repeated at the end of these processes.
 The goal is to remove as much dry soil as possible so that it does not spread, scratch the finish or
damage the surface.
 Vacuuming with high-filtration machines is the most complete method of dry –soil removal as it
picks up, packages and removes soil without spreading it around.
 Wet- vaccum cleaners are now available, which help to mop up water from floors as well. These
are usually dual-function machines that can be used for both wet and dry work. Extraction machines for
cleaning carpets also work on the principle of suction.
 Equipment Required: Wet/dry vaccum cleaner with attachments and mild detergent for wet-
cleaning if necessary.
SPRAY BUFFING
 This process uses a 175-or 300 rpm (revolutions per minute) floor machine and a soft pad or
brush.
 The operator sprays a light mist of a commercial cleaning preparation or detergent and a
finishing solution in front of the machine.
 As the machine goes over the area, soil, scuff, light scratches and marks are removed and the
shine is restored to the surfaces.
 Vacuuming or dust- mopping is a follow-up step to remove loosened dirt.
 Equipment Required: 175-or 300 rpm buffing machine with bag pad, spray bottle, detergent and
finishing solution.
POLISHING
 This process uses a 175-1500 –rpm floor machine and a soft pad or brush to remove some soil
and put the shine back in the finish.
 Vacuuming or dust-mopping should be carried out as a follow up step to remove loosened dirt
 Equipment Required: 175-1500-rpm floor machine and soft pad or brush.
BURNISHING
 This process uses as ultra high –speed floor machine (1500-2500 –rpm) to restore a deep gloss
to the floor finish.
 since the finish is ‘tempered’ by the friction and heat produced by the burnishing machine, the
floor looks better for a longer time, which reduces costs by extending the time between the scrubbing
and stripping cycles.
 Vacuuming or dust-mooping and damp-mooping are preparatory steps and should also be used
as follow- up procedures to remove loosened dirt.
 Equipment Required: 1500-2500-rpm floor machine
SCRUBBING
 This process removes embedded dirt, marks, deeper scuffs and scratches from the floor along
with some of the finish.
 The type of pad or brush, the type of detergent, the water temperature and the weight and
speed of the machine all determine whether the process is considered light or heavy scrubbing.
 Determine whether the process is considered light or heavy scrubbing. For instance aggressive
pads, higher -pH detergent solutions and fast, heavy machines perform the deepest scrubbing.
 Light scrubbing removes just one or two coats of finish.
 Heavy scrubbing removes all or most of the finish, down to the protective sealing coat.
 Equipment Required: floor maintenance machines with a green pad.
STRIPPING
This is a very aggressive process that can and should remove all of the floor finish and sealer, leaving a
bare floor ready for re-finishing. a strong stripping agent, a coarse pad or brush, hot water, and intensive
labour make stripping a costly, time- consuming and sometimes even hazardous process, which should
be used only when no other process will achieve the desired results. Diligent use of other maintenance
procedure delays the need for stripping.
Equipment Required: Floor-maintenance machine with a black –pad.
LAUNDERING
This is the cleaning method used for washable fabrics. it is process in which soil and stains are removed
from textiles in an aqueous medium. it involves the sub –routines of washing, bleaching , drying and
pressing all carried out using specialized laundry equipment and cleaning agents called ‘laundry aids’.
Other sub-processes such as spot-cleaning, starching and softening may also be involved.
DRY-CLEANING
This is the method in which soil and stains are removed from textiles in a non-aqueous medium for e.g.
aviation petrol of per-chloro-ethylene.

SPECIAL CLEANING SCHEDULES

Housekeeping department, along with the regular or daily cleaning, requires special schedules for
particular period of time. Mostly these are divided into following categories depending upon the time
period required between each cleaning.
WEEKELY CLEANING SCHEDULES:
Mostly the time consuming tasks are placed under this category which, must be done at least once in a
week and cannot be undertaken on a daily basis. a record of the weekly schedule is done in a weekly
cleaning format. Some of the weekly jobs are as follows
1. Polishing of brass ware, metal work, fitting and fixtures.
2. Scrubbing of bathroom tiles.
3. pest control of the rooms and floors
4. laundering of the shower curtains
5. Cleaning of windows from outside.
6. Replacing of furniture and proper vacuum cleaning of the carpet below them.
7. Changing paper under liners, cupboard liners etc.
8. Cycling of potted plants in the rooms
9. Cleaning of the balconies and terraces.
10. Polishing of wood paneling and wooden floors if existing.
SPRING CLEANING
This is a thorough cleaning schedule, which requires a section of the floor to be put on out of order
status and the rooms are completely cleaned. Spring cleaning is mostly undertaken once in a year. In the
hotels with high turnover do it even twice in a year. Spring cleaning involves following tasks.
1. Removing of all furniture and potted plants from the rooms.
2. complete cleaning and shampooing of the room carpets
3. Complete cleaning and servicing of the bathroom fittings if required.
4. Checking and rewriting of the electrical fittings if required.
5. polishing of the furniture , brass ware , metal works and woos paneling
6. repair of furniture and upholstery
7. washing of bed cover
8. Removal of rugs and sending them for washing.
9. removal of heavy and light curtains and sent in the laundry
10. Removal of spots on the walls and floors of the rooms.