Handling a hotel can be challenging, especially when you have to cater to hundreds of people at a time. It’s difficult to keep up with the room services, the quality of hospitality, and of course, the hotel rooms itself. Housekeeping is a challenge for some management since some hotels lack the manpower to handle the demands, especially during peak seasons and everything is rushed.

The power of hotel guests and their comments

Guests can be critical, and they can assess your entire hotel’s reputation based on the room. If they get bug bites from the bed or seat, expect them to post it online and discourage people from going there. Some people actually go the extra mile and test your room if your staff replaced the sheets, towels, and thoroughly cleaned everything in the room – there are even shows about it circulating online!

Sometimes, missing out a couple of things to clean isn’t due to laziness, it’s because there is no established method on how to properly clean the room. They miss out a couple of items since they are used to it and failed to think of these places. It can be remedied with a few detailed steps. However, in the long run, it’s still better if you contact professional cleaners when you need proper deep cleaning for the hotel rooms.

What to keep in mind while cleaning the rooms:

• Chambermaid trolley. Make sure that the chambermaid trolley is well equipped with supplies for each room. It should always contain sprays, cleaning agents, fresh new sheets, and vacuum cleaners. It should be stored in a way that the clean sheets won’t be contaminated by the used ones. It should avoid being overloaded with items as a full trolley can make the trip dangerous.
  • Setting up the trolley properly. Safety is always a priority – you should make sure all the trolleys are in good condition with functional wheels and clean. Stains should be removed and it should always be cleaned thoroughly every after trips. All the heaviest items should be at the bottom and the lightest at the top.
  • Prepare for the cleaning rounds. Make sure that all the lids and the liquid containers are seal properly and always record the numbers and the types of items they need for their room. Always remind your staff to park it with the linen side faces outside and the room entrance is blocked.
• Guest room etiquette. Make it a point to remind your chambermaids to treat each room with respect. They should always skip people who have their signs turned to ‘Do Not Disturb’ and proceed to those with ‘Housekeeping’. They should always knock loud enough to be heard and clear, and in a pleasant voice, announce that they’re housekeeping. Always wait for 5 seconds for a reply before opening the room.
• Cleaning Procedure. These steps are important, and with these, your cleaning staff will be able to maintain the quality of service that every hotel upholds. Here are some steps they can do:
  • Make sure the door is open when the staff is cleaning the room and don’t use the linen side as a door stopper when they are sweeping.
  • Let all the natural light in and air out the room so they staff won’t be suffocated to clean. They can open the windows and the patio door to ventilate the room.
  • If ever the guest checked out, your staff should always search the room first to determine if there are any items left behind or broken hotel properties. They should contact the floor supervisor if ever there are items left or damages done.
  • They should remove the used sheets, pillow covers, towels, and completely empty the trash cans and ashtray in the room.
  • Pick up the used glasses and cups, including the trays and ashtrays from the table, put it in the bathtub, and wash it a bit then let it soak with cleaning liquid while you do the rest of the chores.
  • Make the bed and cover it when you start vacuuming and dusting the areas in the room. Completely dust all the area, from inside the corner of the room to outwards.
  • Wipe the TV, all surfaces, and pick up the trash on the tables like wrappers and debris from makeup or food. Coat it with a thin layer of antibacterial spray and wipe it dry.
  • Clean the bathroom floor thoroughly and scrub the items in the bathroom. Eventually replace the empty bottles of shampoo and conditioner then replace the tissue roll.
  • Thoroughly clean the toilet, wash the bathtub and the used items, then scrub the other areas until dry and clean.