PRACTICAL

HOUSEKEEPING

Starting the day

Systems and techniques vary from hotel to hotel. In most places room
attendants go to the locker room, change into their uniforms, then go
to the housekeeping office and get their room assignment. They
receive the keys, either in the housekeeping office or from the floor
supervisor.

The carts - stored in the housekeeping stores on the floors - are to be

filled with linen, cleaning materiel and guest supplies.

Every effort is to be made not to disturb the guests!

The proper order for servicing guest rooms is as follows:

Occupied rooms requesting "first" service

Check-out rooms that are reserved for arrivals
Check-out rooms so that they are ready for sale
Remaining occupied rooms
Rooms due to depart, but still occupied (late check-outs)

CLEANING THE GUEST ROOM

Room attendants must follow a system to produce spotlessly clean

guest rooms. A systematic plan saves time and can prevent the room
attendant from overlooking a cleaning task.

Guest room cleaning should follow a logical progression from entering

the guest room to the final check and departure.

ROOM ATTENDANT TASK LIST

01. Use your room assignment sheet

02. Get guest room amenities for assigned rooms
03. Get cleaning supplies for assigned rooms
04. Keep cart and work areas organized
05. Enter guest room
06. Prepare the guest room for cleaning
07. Begin to clean the bathroom
08. Clean the tub and shower area
09. Clean the toilet
10. Clean the sink and vanity

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 1 / FONasser

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HOUSEKEEPING

11. Clean the bathroom floor

12. Finsih cleaning the bathroom
13. Clean the guestroom closet
14. Make the bed
15. Dust the guest room
16. Replenish supplies and amenities
17. Clean windos, tracks and sills
18. Put finishing touches on the guest room
19. Vaccum the guest room and report room status
20. Make a final check
21. Leave the guest room

ENTERING THE GUEST ROOM

 Check for non disturb sign (DND)

 Check if door is not double locked
 Knock on the door and announce yourself with "Housekeeping"
 If no answer, knock again and announce "Housekeeping"
 If no answer , open the door announcing "Housekeeping".

Note: if there is no answer from a guest when knocking at the door, does not
mean that there is no guest in the room.

BEGINNING TASKS

 Position cart in front of the door with open section facing the room
 easy access to supplies
 blocks room to intruders
 alerts returning guest that room is being serviced

 Airing out and tidying up guest room

 Turn all lights > check for bulbs to be replaced
 Draw back draperie
 Openin the windows
 Check air condition and/or heater to make sure they are working
and set to appropriate temperature
 Look at the room, take note of eventual damages or items missing.
 In check-out rooms look for item left behind and turn it in to lost
property
 Remove dirty ashtrays (make sure cigarettes are extinguished
properly), glasses, dishes, bottles, cans, etc.
 Empty trash and replace waste paper basket liners

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 2 / FONasser

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HOUSEKEEPING

MAKING THE BED

 Remove any personal items from bed

 Remove bedspread and blanket and place them on chair
 Strip the bed of dirty linen and place pillows on chair
 Check the matress for burns, spots, stains or damage > inform supervisor
 Change matress pad (if necessary)
 Place bottom sheet on matress and miter
 Place a fresh top sheet on bed, wrong side up!
 Place blanket on top of sheet
 At the head of the bed, turn top sheet over the blanket about 25 to 30 cm
 Miter the top sheet and blanket in the bottom, left-hand corner of the bed and
tuck them in along the side of the bed.
 Working clockwise, walk to the other side of the bed
 Miter the bottom sheet at the right foot of the bed, followed by the top sheet
and blanket.
 Move down by the right ahnd side of the bed and miter the bottom sheet in
the top right corner.
 Fold the top sheet over the blanket so it is even with the left hand side.
 Make sure the top sheet and blanket are neately tucked in along the sides
and the foot of the bed.
 Center the bedspread evenly over the bed.
 Fold the bedspread down from the head to the bottom of the bed.
 Fluff the pillows and put on the pillow cases
 Placethe pillows at the head of the bed with the tucked ends facing the
center
 Pull the bead spread over the pillows and tuck in the bedspread
 Step back and look carefully if the job is well done.

Note: Mitering > a way to make a smooth, neat, professional corner

1. Begin with the sheet hanging loosely over the corner, tuck in the sheet along
the foot of the bed, right up to the corner
2. Take the loose end of the sheet, about one foot from the corner and pull it
straight out, forming a flap.
3. Pull up the flap so it is flat and wrinklefree.
4. Tuck in the free part at the corner, making sure it is snug.
5. Pull the flap out toward you and down over the side of the bed.
6. Tuck in the flap and make sure the corner is smooth and snug.

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 3 / FONasser

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HOUSEKEEPING

CLEANING THE BATH ROOM

A bathroom is important for more than simply appearance. Health and safety
considerations on the local, state and federal levels necessitate that the room
attendant take extra care when scrubbing, rinsing and drying bathroom surfaces.

Sequence of cleaning a bath room:

 Shower area
 Vanity and sink
 Toilets
 Walls
 Fixtures
 Floor

It is important to work from top to bottom to avoid spotting or dirtying areas

already cleaned. As you clean the bath room, continually check the condition if
they need ot be repaired.

Check for finger prints and other smudges on the walls, especially around light
fixtures and electrical outlets.

Check for hair at the bottom of the water stopper in sink units and bath and
shower tubs.

Clean bottom of sink units and outside of toilets.

The necessary cleaning equipment should be stocked conveniently in the hand

caddy.

Cleaning products consist of:

 All purpose cleaner for bathroom surfaces
 Cloths and sponges
 Glass and mirror cleaner
 Rubber gloves, eventually protective eye covering
 Disinfectant

Towels, wash cloth, bath mats, toilet and facial tissues as well as guest
amenities should be replenished according to company standard.

Mopping the floor: start with the far corner and work backwards towards the exit.

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HOUSEKEEPING
Gather your things and make a final check, scan all surfaces from the ceiling to
the fixtures to the floor. Make sure you leave the bathroom in the best posisble
condition.

DUSTING

Use a systematic and orderly approach for efficiency and ease. Start dusting at
the door and work clockwise around the room. Begin always with the highest
surfaces so that dust does not fall on items you already cleaned. If using a
dusting solution, spray it on the cloth. Never use a solution directly on the object
> can cause stain or stickiness.

The following should be dusted and/or polished (depends from one property to
another):

 Picture frames
 Mirrors
 Head boards
 Lamps, shades and light bulbs
 Bedside tables
 Telephones
 Windowsills
 Window and sliding-glass door tracks
 Dresser, including inside drawers
 Television and stand
 Chairs, desks
 Closet shelves, hooks and clothes rod
 Top of doors, knobs, sides
 Air conditioning and heating units, fans or vents

Mirrors, glass surfaces, television front: use glass cleaner

Use a desinfectant (where approrpiate) for telephone, fax machines.

VACCUMING

Before vaccuming loosen dirt around baseboards with a broom or rag so it is

easier to pick up.

Run the hoover all over exposed areas that you can reach, including under the
tables and chairs and in the closet. Unaccessible areas (under the bed or heavy

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 5 / FONasser

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HOUSEKEEPING
furniture) are normally cleaned on a special project basis. But you must check
under the bed for any debris which must be removed or lost items.

Start at the farthest end of the room and vaccum your way back. Close windows,
close drapperies and turn off lights as you walk back.

FINAL CHECK

The final check is a critical step in the guest room cleaning. It makes the
difference between just cleaning and doing a professional job.

Give the room a careful look from the guest's perspective. Start at one point in
the room and scan it in a circular fashion from one corner to the next until you
have visually inspected each item.

Make sure all furnishing is back in the initial place

Look for little things like crooked lampshades, or lampshades with their seams
showing

Smell the air for any unusal odors. Spray air freshener if needed.
When you are satisfied with your inspection turn off lights and close the door.
Note the condition status of the room on your assignment sheet.

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 6 / FONasser

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HOUSEKEEPING

PARK HOTEL ROOM ASSIGNMENT SHEET

Floor: 4
th
Section: B Room Attendant: Jeff
Date: November 01 , 2003
st
SHIFT: AM√√√ PM
ROOM # ROOM STATUS COMMENTS OUTCOME
510 D A
511 D A Arrival: VIP
512 D
513 D
514 OOO OOO
515 SO OCC
516 D A
517 D A Arrival: VIP
518 VAC A
519 VAC A
520 OCC OCC
521 OCC OCC
522 VAC A Early Arrival, VIP
523 D Late check-out
524 D A
525 D
526 VAC A
EXPLANATIONS: D Departure/check-out
A Arrival
VAC Vacant room
OCC Occupied room, stay over room
SO Sleep-out, room occupied, but guest did not sleep in the room
OOO Out-of-order room, room under renovation, cannot be rented

How to make a room/Pract.HK/HIHTM/ Handout 7 / FONasser