3- Getting Started
- When you reach the hotel you, change your clothes and get into the uniform and go directly to the housekeeping supervisor room.
- You will sign in your name, date and time in the sign in and sign out sheet.
- Your housekeeping supervisor will give you the list of the rooms where all assigned rooms number are listed. The supervisor will explain the days shift for your and will direct you if you have to clean any block rooms first. Priority rooms such as block rooms will be highlighted in your list. In your list there will be type of the rooms, status of the room (vacant, check out etc..) priority number, credit (30 minutes) will be highlighted.
- You will be provided with a master key (opens all rooms) and another key that opens the housekeeping supply room (Linen room) in each floor. The set of keys will have an assigned number and you will enter it in the sign in and sign out sheet.
- You will first go to the linen room to get your cleaning cart. Make sure you have all the material required for cleaning the rooms in your cart. All the material should be taken from the linen room on which is located in each floor, that includes all the housekeeping material and stock. If you require to refill your cleaning material, you can do it from the laundry room. Each cleaning material has a different color and should be filled from the relevant hose.
- Depending on the type of the cart used in the hotel, your cart will have several levels and each level for a specific purpose.
- The bottom level Is reserved for pillowcases, standard sheets, and king sheets for the beds.
- The level above that will be for towels and bath towels for the washroom.
- The level above that will be for utilities and supplies for the room and bathroom.
- The top level will be for your cleaning material. Cleaning material may be glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner, room air freshener and disinfectant.
- Garbage bag will be attached to the side of your cart.
- Vacuum cleaner will be attached to the front of your cart (in some cases you will carry it separately)
6. While preparing your housekeeping cart in the morning, normally in the mornings, we are short of laundry and linen, so make sure you don’t stack up all the linen, jet get enough linen for 3-4 rooms and leave others for the other housekeepers, after cleaning 4 rooms you can go and get some back.
7. You will have different color drying cloths for cleaning different surfaces, for example, mirrors are cleaned by red, wall are cleaned by blue, green cloth is used to clean other surfaces and so on. All of this will be oriented to you in the hotel orientation. Different hotels have different colors and cloth for cleaning purposes.
8. You will restock your cart and will head to your rooms for cleaning. Room numbers will be posted on the hotel wall near elevator, it will assist you to find your rooms faster.
9. Check if your vacuum is working properly and if its empty. Then take it with you in your cart.
Lesson 1: Cleaning check out rooms
10. Prior to entering the room, put on your gloves and knock on the door 3 times and say “Housekeeping”. If the guest was not in the rooms, then you can proceed and open the room with your master key and say housekeeping one more time before entering the room. If guest was in the room, ask them politely to leave the room for the period of cleaning the room. Keep the room door opened at all times, use the door wedges to keep the door open and never close the room door when you are cleaning.
11. You should put your cleaning cart in front of the room and do not take it with you inside the room. This also indicates to anyone from outside that this room is under cleaning, and they will not come inside the room.
12. You should have different drying cloths with you, for example blue for windows, yellow for surfaces and Red for cleaning and drying the toilet seat.
13. Open the room curtains to ensure proper illumination in the room. Turn on all the lights in the room.
14. Different garbage bags are used to store bottles and other garbage in the hotels. Remove the garbage from the room and empty bottles. Do not remove bottles that are not completely empty. Put all garbage in your garbage bag. Empty the room dustbin and its garbage bag into your garbage cart and install new garbage bag in the room dustbin. Sanitize the trash can inside and out with sanitizing spray.
15. Inspect the room and check for any maintenance required in the room (e.g., Turn TV on and off with the remote control etc..). Remove any dishes and room service material and put them in designated areas. Watch for any damaged or missing items in the room and if there are any things that required maintenance attention, report it to your supervisor immediately. Check for clock in the room and fix the time if required.
16. After the above steps you will focus on the bed. First you will strip the beds, before striping the beds sheets look for stains and oil stains in the sheet.
17. Different types of linen sheets are used for different type of bed. If bed is king size you will use king size sheet and if its queen you will check and pick the queen bed sheet from your cart.
18. Remove the used pillow covers and put the pillows in the new and clean covers. Don’t put the pillows or linen on the floor. Put them on the table or on the other bed.
19. Detach the sheets from each corner of the bed. Place the stripped and used sheets in your laundry cart or on the chair.
20. Strip the room and collect the towels from the washroom as well and restock the washroom with new towels. Empty the washroom bin in your garbage bag.
21. While spreading new sheets, tuck the sheets under the bed mattress and avoid lifting the mattress.
22. You put first sheet/Duvet on the bed which will be your firsts sheet. Tuck It properly, then you put another sheet on top, spread it evenly. Then you spread the king/queen size bed sheet on the bed. After wards you spread the blanket on the bed and tuck it properly. Finally, you put the final cover on the blanket and fold them as per the brand standard. Depending on the hotels you will also put a bed spread or a runner on the bed for design and branding. Your supervisor will check and will instruct you on how to fold the bed sheets and blanket. You put the pillows in the new pillow covers and place them on the bed.
23. At last, observe the bed so that it is without any wrinkles and evenly spread out.
24. Before vacuuming, remove any garbage or parts found on the floor. Vacuum from the top of the room towards the exit door or the other way around which ever you are comfortable with. If there are any stains on the floor or carpet, clean it with your carpet or floor cleaning material. If stain cannot be cleaned, report that to your supervisor.
25. Vacuum clean the room and any rugs in the room. Also clean the sofa with the vacuum cleaner to remove any dust or particles from the sofa. Clean and mop the room floor with the damp dust mop if necessary.
26. Dust and clean all surfaces in the room. Clean the TV, chair, desk, cupboard, tea stand, landline(phone) and any other surfaces in the room. Clean the inside of the drawers, Spray the cleaning spray on to the towel and not on the objects. Remove the cushions from the sofa and dust the surfaces on the sofa and beneath the cushions if room has a sofa. Use the woolen duster to dust the cotton rods and curtains. Use the designated cleaning spray and cleaning cloth for surfaces, washroom and other surfaces of the room as directed in the hotel cleaning manual and standard.
27. Place TV remove and every appliance in the room in their designated areas. This practice should be applied for all the rooms.
28. Clean the microwave and check nothing is left inside of it.
29. Used glasses and cups by the guest should be collected for washing, if the hotel policy is for you housekeeper to wash them, do so and put them back in their designated locations, If not, collect the dirty glasses and cups and replace them with cleaned ones.
30. The room appliances such as coffee maker, iron, microwave should be in their designated areas and if they are used, clean them, and put them back in their locations. Check the room supplies and if required restock them.
31. Clean the windows and all surfaces of the room including chairs and coffee tables.
32. Clean the mirrors using the designated cloth.
33. The closet should be cleaned and required number of cloth hangers should be available. If not report to your supervisor and it should be restocked.
34. In the checkout rooms, check all areas including closet and drawers of the room for any items left behind by the guest or any items missing and immediately report those items to your supervisor.
Lesson 2: Cleaning checkout room’s washroom
35. Wear your protective gloves while cleaning the bathroom. Spray the shower area with designated cleaning spray and let it sit in. Move to cleaning other parts, this will make it easier to remove any stains from the shower area.
36. You will use your disinfectant spray to disinfect the toilet and sink. Clean the surface and any cups or container in the sink area. Clean the sink itself properly and empty the sink drainage if necessary. Make sure there are no stains or water marks in the window and sink area. Clean soap holder and other glass or cups used in the bathroom for holding toothbrush and toothpastes.
37. Place all the soap, hand washing liquid, tissue paper or any other toilet supplies in their designated areas.
38. Clean the bath area, the glass door start from top and go to bottom while cleaning.
39. Clean the toilet with the toilet brush. Sanitize the toilet again and clean it with the designated cloth. Don’t forget to clean the bottom of the toilet as well.
40. Spray the mirror with the designated cleaning spray and clean it with the designated cloth.
41. Remove the used towels and place the new towels in the washroom after cleaning is completed. Your supervisor will check to see if correct towels are placed in the washroom. Note that all towels placed in the washroom are similar. If they are not similar they may belong to another area. All different towels should be placed in their designated areas. Towels should be folded according to the style of the hotel brand.
42. Place the washroom supplies such as new towels, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper and tissue boxes, etc.… in their locations as per the hotel guidelines.
43. Clean the floors with disinfectant and wipe with the designated mop for cleaning the washroom floors. Make sure there are no hair remains in the bathroom.
44. Always use tissues to clean the hair form sink and other areas of the bathroom such as tub, toilet, and shower areas.
45. Check and adjust the room temperature before leaving the room.
46. Close the curtains and turn off all lights before leaving the room.
47. Note down the room you cleaned in your room attendant sheet and write down the time your started and finished that room.
48. Close the door behind you.
49. When you finish all your rooms, go to housekeeping supervisor office, return the list of the rooms and your keys to the housekeeping supervisor and note your time in your sign out sheet.