Saint Louis

City of San Fernando 2500 La Union

Hospitality Management and Tourism Management

Laboratory Manual

Methods And Procedures of

Room Cleaning
Learning Objectives:

At the end of the discussion, you are expected to:

 At the end of the discussion, you are expected to:

 Set up the chambermaid's trolley based on industry standards; and
 Perform the cleaning process for the different status of rooms based on industry
standards.

Aside from Food and Beverage Department, the guestroom is another primary source of
hotel revenue. If the guestrooms are ultimately clean, there is a higher chance of retaining the
guests and have a repeat client.

Standard Procedure in Setting Chambermaid's Trolley

Just like a soldier going to a combat, the Room attendant must have all his tools, equipment
and supplies ready prior to cleaning He must prepare his trolley based on the industry
standards. The chambermaid's trolley is one of the most useful equipment in the
housekeeping department. It does not only make the work of the housekeeping staff easier
but it also saves time and effort. It has different compartments and shelves that can be filled
with the amenities and supplies a certain number of guestrooms need. It is a must not to
overload nor underload the troll either cause accidents if overloaded or will lead to
unnecessary trips to supplies store when underload. A room attendant must be as it may

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knowledgeable as to how many supplies will he need to service the number of roomis
assigned to him in a particular shift. In setting up the chambermaid's trolley, the following
must be

done:

1. Empty the trolley. No item must be left during the setting up process. This is to ensure that
all linens are clean and supplies are in good condition.

2. Check for any broken parts.

3. Clean it by dusting and wiping any stains. A sanitizer may be used to thoroughly clean the
trolley.

4. Place the items according to their weight: heaviest items at

the bottom and lighter items at the top section of the trolley.

5. Arrange the linen according to their purpose.

6. Check the lids of the cleaner bottles and liquid cans to ensure everything is closed. 7.
Make an inventory by recording the numbers and types of

the items loaded in the trolley for the rooms.

8. Collect the room keys.

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9. Take the trolley to the assigned duty floor.

Arrangement of Articles in the Chambermaid's Trolley

1. Top-most tray - guest supplies and amenities are placed on the top-most tray such as
bathroom kits which include shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion and cotton buds, dental kits,
tissue rolls, sanitary kit, guest stationary, matches, laundry bags and housekeeping forms
such as laundry form. Cleaning agents are also placed here for easy access.

2. Middle and top shelf - pillow slips and bathroom linens

3. Lower Shelf - heavier items such as bed sheets, bed pad and bed spreads

Cleaning equipment are placed below the trash bag.

Source:www.google.com/

Standard Operating Procedures for Entering the Guest Room Prior to entering the
guestroom, the room attendant must follow the standard operating procedures for entering
the guest room:

1. Knock the door at least twice (2x) using your knuckles and announce in a pleasant voice,
"Housekeeping". Never use keys or any object aside from your knuckles when knocking. 2.
Wait for the guest's response for at least five (5) seconds.

3. In case there is no response, announce the same again.

4. If there is still no answer, open the door with the key and enter the room.

5. If the guest is sleeping, withdraw from the room quietly. In case the guest is not in his
room, you may proceed with the cleaning.

6. In case the guest answers, ask politely when he would like to service the room.

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7. In case the guest wants it later, acknowledge his reply and withdraw from the room.

8. If the housekeeping work is in progress and the guest came, greet him and ask if the
cleaning has to be continued or he wants for the Room Attendant to come back and do the
cleaning some other time.

Bedmaking is one of the most tiresome tasks of a room attendant. During the process, one
has to consider not only the size and number of beds he has to fix but also the number of
beddings to be placed in a bed. To be able to do the bedmaking procedure, the RA must be
familiar with the parts of the bed. These are the head of the bed, the head board, box
frame/box spring/bed box, foot of the bed and the mattress. There are two types of
bedmaking, the traditional and the duvet method.

A. Traditional Bedmaking

Most of the hotels still use the traditional method though it requires a lot of bed linens to be
able to make up one bed. The linens are as follows:

1. Bed pad to protect the mattress from stain.

2. 3 flat sheets of the same size

3. Blanket that serves as insulator

4. Bed cover or bed spread to protect the sheets from dust

5. Pillows and pillow cases

6. Bed skirt or valence to cover and add beauty to the bed frame

Step 1- Place the bed pad.

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Step 2 - Put on bottom sheet, right side up. Inspect both sides to make sure linen is centered.
Miter all corners and tuck in all sides.

Step 3 - Put on the second sheet, wrong side up. Top must be leveled with the head of the
bed.

Step 4 - Put on blanket, right side up, at least 12" from the head of the bed. This is to make
room for the pillows to be placed later.

Step 5 - Put on third sheet, right side up, leveled with blanket.

Step 6 - With the sheets and blanket as one, tuck in all sides and miter the bottom corners.
Step 7 - Turn second sheet over the blanket and the third to make room for pillows.

Step 8 - sheet tuck in all sides.

Step 9 - Fluff pillows. Insert in pillow case ensuring not to touch your body. Labels and tags
should be kept away from guest contact or must not touch the neck of the guest when slept
upon. Openings must be facing away from the door.

Step 10 - Put on bed cover.

B. Duvet Procedure

Duvet is the most common bed covering in Northern Europe. It was discovered by Sir
Terence Conran being used in Sweden and from then on, he decided to sell it in Britain in
1964. Duvet is considered by some as it is said to be easier to prepare a bed with duvet, with
less beddings needed. The duvet procedure became popular in the 20th century. To do the
procedure, the beddings needed are as follows:

1. Bed pad

2. Flat sheet

3. Duvet cover

4. Duvet comforter

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Follow;

steps 1 and 2 in doing the traditional bedmaking. Step 3 Place the duvet, making sure the top
is leveled with the head of the bed.

Step 4 Tuck bottom underneath the mattress. Tuck both sides of the duvet in an "envelope-
like" manner.

Step 5 Make room for pillows by folding the duvet at least 12 inches from the head of the bed.

Step 6 Follow step 9 of the tradition bedmaking for pillows and pillowcases.

Reminders when Doing the Procedures for Bedmaking

1. Room attendants must refrain from wearing jewelry as this can damage the linens.

2. RA must wear their fingernails short.

3. Wear flat and comfortable shoes.

4. Work at the bottom center to see both sides of the bed have the equal length of linen

5. Strip the dirty linens individually, making sure it never touches the floor.

6. Check linens condition-no tears nor stains,

7. Never carry the mattress especially when tucking linens.

8. Do not bend when working, instead, sit down or squat.

9. Never lean on the mattress during the procedure or once the linens are placed

10. Refrain from touching the pillows. This is for sanitary purposes.

11. Mattress must be rotated regularly.

Procedures of Room Cleaning

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In room cleaning, the status of the room has to be considered. Cleaning is carried out for
rooms that are just about to be occupied, while guests are staying in the hotel and as soon as
they vacate the guestroom. The room may also be given the night turn down service. To
avoid disturbing the guests, the following sequence must be observed when cleaning: first
cleaned are check out rooms, followed by rooms with request for early service, stay-over
rooms and request for late service. Guestrooms with Do Not Disturb (DND) sign should be
avoided. During cleaning, the chambermaid's trolley is left at the hallway blocking the opened
door of the guestroom to signify that the room is being cleaned.

Cleaning the Check-in Room

Cleaning the check-in room is done when the guest is about to occupy the room. This
normally happens after the check-out time which is 12:00 noon. In cleaning, a checklist must
always be available not only to check for the guestroom amenities, fixtures and furniture's
completeness but also to check if all the required cleaning procedures have been carried out.
The floor supervisor inspects the readiness of the room for occupancy.

During check-in room cleaning, the guestroom attendant must

perform the following:

1. Leave the door of the room being serviced open.

2. Switch on lights, air-conditioning unit, television and other electronic appliances to check
its condition.

3. Open the draperies and curtains to let the sunshine in, checking for stains and replacing if
needed and closing after the cleaning has finished.

4. Make the bed with fresh linens. Soiled and fresh alike must not be placed on the floor for
sanitary reasons.

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5. Clean ashtrays and dustbins, putting fresh garbage liners if needed.

6. Remove room service items, if there is any.

7. Refilling stationery and vanity supplies if needed. fixtures and equipment

8. Dusting the furniture,

9. Sanitizing the telephone and washing soiled utensils, Available. Glasses and cups and
saucers.

10. Vacuuming the floor

11. Clean the bathroom from the walls to the floors, including the toilet, shower area and tub.

12. Replacing the bathroom supplies with new ones.

13. Throw the used guest supplies.

14. Spraying air freshener before leaving the room.

15. Report any damage to the supervisor.

Cleaning an Occupied Room

This cleaning is performed when the guest still occupies his room. An occupied room is
cleaned at 1-2x a day, depending on the request of the guests. When cleaning an occupied
room, the following has to be observed:

1. Enter the guest room in a standard way.

2. Clear the dustbins.

3. Collect used linens and place it in the linen bag.

4. Make up the bed.

5. Dust the furniture and fixtures.

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6. Vacuum the carpets and bedside mats

7. Clean the bathroom and replenish the bathroom supplies.

8. Check the condition of all the electric devices such as light bulbs, television, electric kettle
and intercom device.

Cleaning a Check Out Room

Cleaning is performed as soon as the guest vacates the room and proceeds for hotel check
out. Cleaning a check out room is considered as the most tedious as it requires thorough
cleaning and involves the following activities:

1. Open the draperies and curtains to let the sunshine in.

2. Check the condition and completeness of all the furniture,

fixture and linens.

3. Check under the beds, chairs and in the cabinet for any article the guest left behind. For
any article found inside the room, deposit it to Lost and Found Desk.

4. Make up bed and assemble chairs, sofa and other furniture and placing it appropriately.

5. Clean all electric appliances such as microwave, coffee maker and refrigerator. Sanitize
the telephone unit.

6. Wash and sanitize mugs, cups, saucer and teaspoon. Allow to soak in water with cleaning
solution.

7. If applicable, clean the guest room floor with a sanitized,

damp mop.

8. Clean the writing tables, replacing the stationery if necessary.

9. Clean the bathroom, including walls and floor.

10. Keep heaters/air conditioners at lowest power.

11. Close the draperies and curtains.

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12. Switch off room light.

13. Lock the guest room door.

14. Report any damage to the Floor Supervisor.

15. Mattresses must be turned side to side on succeeding days followed by end-to-end
turning.

Turndown Service

Night turns down service or evening service is one of the most important services being
provided by the housekeeping department. It is considered as a sophisticated service and
yet, no additional expense on the part of the department is being incurred. Through this
service, guests are elated in receiving such service particularly when they see their room
being turned down right after having an outside dinner or sightseeing activity. The concept of
the turndown service is to provide a homier ambiance for the guests so that they will feel
more relaxed as soon as they come in their room. This is normally done from 6:00 pm
onwards.

When turning down a bed, the following has to be observed:

1. Ensure all are prepared (from checklist of rooms to be given the turn down service to
stocking the trolley with complete amenities).

2. Remove guest items from the bed and put them aside.

3. Fold the bedcover in a three-way fold. To do this, pull the bedcover gently back over the
pillow bringing it toward the bottom of the bed by approximately three-fourth (3/4) up. Fold the
right side to the center. Do the same for the left side. Fold in the middle. Place inside the
closet or on top of the luggage rack if the closet is full of guest's belongings.

4. Fold one corner of the bed, in a 90-degree angle, in such a

way that guest could easily slide in when going to bed.

5. In a twin room with single occupancy, turn down only one bed.

6. If there are 2 persons sharing one bed, turn down both sides of the bed.

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7. Straighten up all edges and tuck in properly. Ensure no bumps or folds are seen and can
be felt when the guest sleeps on the bed.

8. Fluff the pillows.

9. Place the following in the middle of the

a. Breakfast knob card

b. laundry list and service

c. Comment and suggestion card

d. Hotel services list

10. Place the slippers on the floor, on the side of the bed where the guest sleeps.

11. Check the telephone for dial tone and the alarm clock.

12. Clean the guestroom by tidying everything that is out of order.

13. Clean the bathroom. Wash and dry the basin, toilet and tub neatly.

14. Replenish the towel and bathroom supplies if requested or if needed.

15 Close the curtains, drapes and blinds.

16. Turn bedside light on.

17. Set thermostat at the highest level.

18. Spray some air freshener, if necessary.

Standard Operating Procedures for Do Not Disturb (DND)

Rooms

If the guest does not want to be disturbed in his room, he may place the DND sign on his
door. Normally, the guest may be checked by 2:00 in the afternoon the following day, though
some hotels still follow the 72-hour rule. If the hotel has a 2:00 pm policy, the following has to
be done:

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1. After 2:00 in the afternoon, the Room Attendant must notify the Floor Supervisor regarding
the DND status of the room. He will decide whether or not to service the room.

2. Should the Floor Supervisor decide to have the room serviced; he will call the guest room
with the DND sign to ask for the guest's needs.

3. If after two (2) attempts, the call was not answered by the guest, the room will be serviced.

4. To his best judgment, the room attendant enters the room and continues with the usual
housekeeping work.

5. The Room Attendant must inform the Floor Supervisor of

the status of the room and of the guest during room service.

Standard Operating Procedures in Cleaning the Guest Bathroom

1. Open the bathroom door for ventilation. The exhaust has to be opened, if the room has
one.

2. Count the linens and check its conditions. For check out, the towels must be complete. No
stains or tears must be present. Otherwise, cleaning or mending must be charged to the
guest.

3. Clean and sanitize the toilet bowl.

4. Sweep the floor.

5. Scrub, finish and sanitize the platform, bathtub and basin.

6. Scrub, finish and sanitize the toilet bowl, rim, ring and hinge. 7. Wipe the mirror.

8. Clean bathroom walls using sponge or cloth.

9. Replace guest amenities. This includes toilet tissue, shampoo, conditioner, vanity kit,
dental kit.

10. Replace bathroom mat.

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11. Using a dry cloth, wipe down shower curtain, working from

top to bottom. Sanitize.

12. Replace bath linens such as hand towels, face towels and bath towels.

13. Dispose garbage from the dustbin and replace liner.

14. Close the exhaust fan/ventilation.

15. Wipe clean the bathroom door and sanitize.

16. Leave the bathroom door open for several minutes cleaning.

17. Close the bathroom door.

18. Report any damage found to the Floor Supervisor.

Guest Supplies

In room cleaning, part of the tasks of the Room Attendant is to check the completeness and
condition of the guest supplies. The purpose of guest supplies in the room is to provide guest
with all the basic necessities they need leaving them no room to worry about essential things
that they might left behind. Room Attendant must prepare the guestroom so that the guests
will have a memorable and comfortable stay. Guest supplies vary based on the type of hotel
and room. Regardless of the type of rooms, the room attendant must ensure that these
supplies are complete and in good condition.

The list of supplies for guestroom are as follows:

1. Furniture and fixture - ensures comfortability of the guest's stay. These may include but not
limited to television, bed, bedside table, chairs, cabinet and drawers, writing table, dressing
table, center table, a magazine holder, iron and vault.

2. Bedding - includes mattress, bed sheet, bed cover, quilt, quilt cover, pillows and pillow
cases.

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3. Bedside table supplies include a telephone device and a printed compiled list of important
intercom numbers such as reception, restaurant and laundry of the hotel. A copy of the Bible,
Geeta or Koran, depending upon the prior knowledge of the guest's religious orientation, is
also provided. The remote control for the television is normally placed here.

4. Center table supplies - include room service, laundry service, and other hotel services and
facilities. It also has an ash tray, if the room allows smoking, and a small decorative center
piece.

5. Clothing and clothing care includes bathrobe and hangers for clothes and ties.

6. Hospitality tray - a small tray with compartments that holds sachets of coffee, tea, cocoa
powder, creamer and sugar, some may include a coffee tablet for the coffee maker and
sachet of condiments like black and white pepper powder and salt. They also keep an electric
kettle, coffee maker, a couple of cups, saucers, spoons, and bottled water so that the guest
can make the beverage of his choice once in a day.

7. Mini bar supplies - include a small personal refrigerator that may be filled with canned soft
drinks, alcoholic drinks, soda, ice cubes, a couple of personal servings of salted peanuts,
cashew nuts and chips. (Picture taken during the authors stay in Conrad Manila)

8. Writing desk supplies - includes the stationery, a pencil, an eraser, promotional brochures,
a la carte menu card, and the short list of places of historical and commercial importance in
the city for guest's reference.

List of Supplies for Guest bathroom

Guest bathroom supplies are also considered as guest essentials since guests are expected
to use these supplies or take them away when they leave the hotel. Like guestroom supplies,
bathroom supplies depend on the type of room and classification of the hotel

The list includes the following:

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1. Bathroom and comfort room fixtures - this includes the basin, shower, either fixed or
handheld, bath tub, soap dispenser, toilet paper holder, towel holder, mirror, toilet bowl and
bidet. Some have telephones inside the comfort room.

2. Towels - normally include two sets of face towels, hand towels and bath towels.

3. Dustbin - a small dustbin with lid and lined with a plastic bag from inside.

4. non-slip floor mat-sometimes a bath mat is used instead of the rubber mat.

5. Slippers - flat, non-slip slippers for the guest

6. Hair dryer - can be wall mounted or just placed in one of the drawers of the bathroom. 7.
Vanity tray - includes the basic necessities such as toothbrush and toothpaste set, shampoo,
conditioner, lotion and shower gel. Some hotels provide shower cap, moisturizer, ear buds,
razor, sanitary bag and a small bottle of mouthwash. A couple of empty glasses is also
provided.

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