Classification of Cleaning Equipment

Abrasives − They are the sharpening stones or grit papers used to polish metal or wooden surfaces. There are various abrasives
depending upon the size of grit and adhesion of grit particles on the paper.
Brushes − They are handheld flat brushes with bristles to dust the plain surfaces as well as the corners. They come with non-slip
handles and stiff scratch-free bristles. They help removing stubborn dust.
Chambermaid’s Trolley/Housekeeping Trolley − This trolley is large enough to keep all the guest room and guest bathroom supplies
in an organized manner. It makes the housekeeping staff to move it around and carry large number of items in one go while keeping
and cleaning the guest rooms.
Dustbins − They are used to collect daily garbage produced in the hotel.
Dusting Cloths − They are soft cloths used for wiping the surface dust.
Dustpans − They are used to collect dust and garbage from the floor and putting it into the dustbin.
Janitor’s trolley − It is a trolley that stores cleaning supplies such as detergents, spray bottles, dustbin, mop, and dusting cloths, all in
a compact manner. It can be moved around easily. It fulfills the challenge of modern day housekeeping in hotels.
Mops − There are various types of mops such as string mops, flat mops, dust mops, and synthetic mops. Mops are generally made of
flat cotton strings or heavy-duty sponges fixed on the metal frames. The cotton mops have high absorbing ability but need more care
unlike the synthetic mops that offer almost zero absorbing ability and very less maintenance.
Mop Wringer trolley − A mop bucket cart (or mop trolley) is a wheeled bucket that allows its user to wring out a wet mop without
getting the hands dirty. The mops are squeezed between two surfaces to remove dirty water from it.
Scarifying machine − It is used for keeping gardens, golf courts, and lawn in the hotel premises. It cuts through the turf, and removes
moss and dead grass. It helps grow spongy lawn. Scarifiers have fixed knife blades attached to the rotary cylinder. They cut through
the grass by which the offshoots are separated into lots of individual plants. This helps to thicken up the turf and improve its health.
Spray Bottles − They are used to spray water or chemical solutions on the surface that needs cleaning. They are also used to spray
water on the delicate flowers or leaves of flower arrangement.
Electric Cleaning Equipment
As the name depicts, these equipment require electrical power to operate. They are operated either on AC power or on the battery.
Some important electric equipment are −
Box Sweeper − It is electric sweeper that consists of a friction brush. The brush often is fit to revolve vertically or horizontally, when
the equipment moves on the surface. It can clean floors as well as carpets. The wider the better is the box sweeper brush.
Vacuum Cleaner − It is again a majorly used equipment in hotel housekeeping. It comes with a suction motor fit in a case, a hose,
and various attachment for delicate as well as tough cleaning requirements.
Polishing Machine − They are used to add a shine to the floors of most frequented areas of the hotel.
Scrubber − It is a floor care accessory that comes with handheld electrically operated scrubber. It is used where only mopping
doesn’t suffice. It can scrub stubborn and sticky stains on the floors of cafeterias, restaurants, lobbies, and fitness areas where people
can take food and beverages.
Vapor Cleaning Machine − They are used where the chemical odors are not desired. They are equipped for continuous operation.
They heat up quickly and work with low amount of moisture. They kill the beg bugs and their eggs, the yielding a completely clean
environment.

Cleaning Agents or Chemicals

Water − It is the most commonly used medium for cleaning and rinsing. The housekeeping staff needs to use only soft water because
hard water cannot dilute detergents properly. Non-oily and non-greasy stains such as ink stains can be removed using water.
Vinegar − It is used in removing light stains in the bath.
Bathroom Cleaners − They come in liquid form for easy cleaning. They clean, descale, and disinfect the bathroom walls, bathtubs,
bathroom flooring, sinks, and showers. They often contain phosphoric acid.
Clean Air Sprays − They are best for freshening the hotel corridors, washrooms, bathrooms, and reception areas. These sprays
remove the pungent smell of tobacco, smoke, and organic wastes.
Degreaser − This is mainly used in bars to remove the marks of grease and lipstick that cannot be removed by traditional washing of
glasses and cups. Degreaser restores the surface shine and transparency of the glasses and bowls.
Floor Cleaners and Sealers − One of the important tasks of hotel housekeeping is cleaning the floor periodically and keeping it sealed
with the help of sealer of the right consistency for optimum maintenance. Some areas in the hotel are busy and bear heavy traffic
such as lobby, corridors, parking areas, restaurants, and dining halls. Their floorings loses smoothness and shine. In such a case, the
floor cleaners and sealers are used for restoring their look and shine.
Laundry Cleaners − They are liquid concentrates with variable amount of peroxide that removes tough stains, bleaches the linen, and
enhances its whiteness.
A number of chemicals are used in dry-cleaning. They are camphor oil, turpentine spirits, benzene, kerosene and white gasoline,
petroleum solvents such as naphtha blends, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and liquid carbon dioxide. They remove the stains
from silk tapestry without damaging the fibers.
Surface Sanitizers − They often come in the form of liquid concentrate. They are water-based and sanitize the surfaces without
damaging their appearance. The sanitizers reduce the presence of bacteria to a great extent. They come with different
concentrations and fragrances.
Toilet Blocks − They deodorize the toilets and leave them with a fresh smell. They come with two variants: continuous action and
instant action. They contain oxidizing agents such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, or chlorine that removes unpleasant organic odor
from the surface of a material.
Toilet Cleaners − They are available in liquid form containing strong hydrochloric acid. They remove stains and plumbing scales easily,
and restore the shine of their surface.
Carpet Cleaning Agents − Cleaning and maintaining the carpets are important tasks of hotel housekeeping.
Swimming Pool Cleaners − They are used for cleaning the swimming pool water. Some of them are TCCA-90 granules or tablets, SDIC,
hydrochloric acid (HCL), liquid chlorine, and alum. The pool cleaning chemicals kill the bacterial and algae growth in the water.

Room Status Terminologies in Housekeeping

 - Used by both housekeeping department and front desk in communicating with each other regarding room occupancy
 Pre- Register- a guest has booked a room earlier for early morning arrival
 Occupied (OCC)- a guest is currently occupying the room
 Occupied Clean (OC)- there is a guest occupying the room and it has already been cleaned by the room attendant
 Occupied Dirty (OD)- there is a guest occupying the room and it has not been cleaned by the room attendant yet
 Extra Bed (XB)- there is an extra bed being used in the guest room
 Light Baggage (LB)- the guest occupying the room does not have a large baggage
 No baggage (NB)- the guest occupying the room does not have a baggage
 No Need Service (NNS)- a guest requested a “no service” for the room
 Stay-over- the guest is not expected to check out today and will remain at least one more night
 On-change- the guest has departed but the room has not yet been cleaned and not ready for new occupants
 Do Not Disturb (DND)- the guest has requested not to be disturbed.
 Cleaning in Progress- room attendant is currently cleaning the room
 Sleep-out- a guest is registered to the room, but the bed has not been used
 Skipper- the guest has left the hotel without making arrangements to settle his/ her account
 Vacant and Ready or Vacant and Clean (VC)-room has been cleaned and inspected and is ready for the arriving guest.
 VacantDirty (VD)- room is vacant but has not yet been cleaned
 Out of Order (OOO)- rooms kept under this are not sellable and hotel inventory is deducted
 Maintenance
- Refurnishing
- Extensive cleaning
 Out of Service- rooms kept under this has temporary blocking and some malfunctioning but the hotel inventory are not
deducted
 Lock-out-occupied room has been locked which disallows the guest to re-enter until he she comes into contact with hotel
staff to clarify his or her status
 Did not Check Out (DNCO)-guest made arrangements to settle his her bills, but has left without informing the front desk
 Due Out- room is expected to become a vacant after the guest checks out
 Check-out (CO)-guest has settled his/ her account, returned the room keys, and left the hotel
 Late Check Out- guest has requested and is being allowed to check out later than the normal or standard departure time of
the hotel
 Expected Departure (ED)- same as “due out” which means the guest would depart prior to the check-out time of the
following day
 Inspected Clean (I)- room is double checked by the floor supervisor after the cleaning of room attendant
 Complimentary- room is occupied for free
Guest Room Classifications
 Single room- only one person, a single or a queen sized bed
 Twin room- two persons with two twin beds
 Double Room- two persons with a double or queen size bed
 Double-double room- two to four persons with two twin, double or queen size beds
 Triple room- three persons and has been fitted with three twin beds
 Hollywood Twin Room- can accommodate two persons with two twin beds joined together by a common headboard
 Studio or Murphy Room- room fitted with a sofa or murphy bed (bed that folds out of a wall or closet)
 Suite- with one or more bed rooms and a living space. Maybe single, double or twin double room
 Presidential Suite- most expensive room. Only one is available in hotel. One or more bedrooms and a living space with strong
emphasis on grand in-room decoration, highly quality amenities and supplies, with personal butler during stay
 Villa- can be found in some resort hotels. Stand- alone house that gives extra privacy and space to guests. With private pool,
Jacuzzi and a balcony
 Accessible room- mainly designed for disabled guests. Common features are safety bars, and emergency buttons in
bathroom and bedroom, touch floor lamps, fire alarm lights, outward opening door for bathroom etc.
 Balcony- room with balcony
 Room for extended stay-can be found in service apartment and hotels that target guests who are staying for a long period.
Open kitchen and cooking equipment are usually available in the room
 Smoking or non-smoking room- in order to minimize the effects of second hand smoke and exposure of non-smoking guests,
some hotels group all smoking rooms in certain floors and separate them from non- smoking rooms
 Adjacent room-rooms close by or across the corridor, but are not side by side
 Adjoining room- rooms are side by side, but do not have a connecting door between them
 Connecting room- two rooms that are side by side with a connecting door between them

Classification of Hotel Guest

 Trip purpose- pleasure or business travellers
 Numbers- independent or group travellers
 Origin- local or overseas travellers
Types of Hotel Guests
 Leisure travellers- individual engage in leisure activities, outdoor recreation, for relaxation, to visit friends and relatives,
attend sports or cultural events
 Corporate Business Travellers- frequent bookings are usually made by enterprises with reduce room rates. To conduct
business, business meetings, workshops or engage in selling or purchasing of products
 Free Independent Travellers (FITs)- referred as to foreign independent travellers, international tourists who purchase their
own accommodation and make their own travel arrangements
 Group Inclusive Tours (GITs)- tourist travel together on package tours with accommodation and sometimes meals which are
booked through travel agent
 Domestic tourist- local residents who stay at a hotel for special occasions and functions
 Conference Participants- individuals who attend a conference whose accommodation is usually reserved by themselves,
their enterprise or conference organizer
 Very Important Persons (VIPs)- include celebrities, frequent stay guests, guests in expensive rooms, with security risk, top
executives
 Incognito- concealing identities to avoid notice and unwanted attention

Make Up Room Procedure

1. Place the cart in front of the room and knock.
2. Switch on the light/ open sheer curtains.
3. Empty all trash cans/ baskets.
4. Wash and wipe dry drinking glasses.
5. Replenish soiled linens.
6. Make- up bed
7. Dust furniture and fixture. Polish the mirror.
8. Clean and vacuum the floor.
9. Replenish other guest room supplies.
10. Make-up the bathroom.
11. Check overall condition of the room
12. Spray the room with air freshener.
13. Close the door gently.
14. Call or inform the room coordinator upon the status of the room

Points to Remember when Cleaning a Guest Room

1. Clean in one direction.
2. Clean from top to down.
3. Clean from farthest point out.
4. Check for damage, if there is something that requires maintenance or if a property is lost.
5. Use correct equipment and cleaning agents.

Types of Linens use in Guest Room

 Bath rug
 Bath towel, pool towel, hand towel, face towel
 Blanket
 Bedspread or cover or duvet
 Mattress protector or bed pad
 Bed sheets
 Pillowcases
Bed Sizes
Single bed 36x74
Twin bed 39x74
Double bed 54x74
Queen bed 60x80
King bed 76x80

Parts of the Bed

1. Headboard
2. Footboard
3. Bed board
4. Frame
5. Mattress
Make- Up Bed Procedure
1. Lay down the bed pad on the bed.
- Place it on top of the mattress, center it and smooth it flat over the bed.
- Secure it by tucking-in the garter on the corner.
2. Lay down the first bed sheet.
- Place it evenly on top of the bed bad with center down; tick in the sheet under the mattress at the head and foot board of
the bed.
- Mitre all corners, and then tuck in the underside of the sheet in such a way that the sheet tightly covers the mattress.
3. Lay down the second bed sheet.
- Place it evenly on top of the first bed sheet with the wrong side facing-up; its upper edge should be aligned on the edge of
the mattress at the headboard.
4. Lay down the blanket.
- Place it on top of the second bed sheet about 6-9 inches away from the edge of the mattress on the headboard.

5. Lay down the third bed sheet.

- Place it on top of the blanket with its upper edge aligned on the edge of the mattress and the second bed sheet.
- Fold down the upper part of the second bed sheet inserting it under the edge of the blanket.
- Fold down the upper part of the second bed sheet jumped up on the top of the blanket and the third bed sheet.
6. Set the pillows.
- Set up the pillows with slip and case on the head of the bed
7. Lay down the bed cover.
- Cover the finished bed with cover.

Turndown Service
- or evening service
- one amenity that can be availed by a guest.
- Room of a guest is prepared ready for sleeping
 It includes the following:
- Cleaning the room
- Having one corner of the blanket folded for easy sliding
- Chocolate or fresh fruits placed on the bed side
- Room lights are dimmed
- Heavy drapes or night curtain was closed
Preparation for Turndown Service
1. Take the status report of the room from the desk.
2. Get the room key or card and sign the logbook.
3. Check the floor corridor for tidiness
4. Take out the trolley with linen and amenities.
5. Clean vacant rooms at 6:00 pm in the evening onwards.
6. Finished all turndown service by 10:00 pm
7. Clear departure rooms as per hotel requirements.

Entering into a Guest Room

1. Follow the three knock and announcement rule. Knock at the door and check if the guest is inside the room. Say
“housekeeping” before entering.
2. If the guest wants you to come back later, politely go out and position the maid’s cart in front of the guest room.
Procedure for Turndown Service
1. Greet the guest if the guest is inside the room and say “I am from housekeeping. Sorry to disturb you, may I turn down
your bed?”
2. Remove the bed cover, fold it neatly and place it in the wardrobe cabinet either at the topmost shelves or in the
lowermost shelf.
3. Set aside the pillows. Smooth the top sheet blanket.
4. Grasp the top sheet and second sheet. Fold the corner back and pull them down to the center of the bed.
5. Make a folded corner a neat 45- degree angle
6. Tuck in the sides under the mattress.
7. Straighten the pillow and place it neatly on the bed-making sure that the pillow case opening is facing inwards.
8. Following the hotel procedure, place the turn down amenities on top of the pillow.
9. Place the breakfast menu card on the folded quilt at an angle.
10. Place the foot mat in front of the bed with a pair of slippers.
11. Turn on the bedside lamp or night lamp.