Chapter Outlines and Competencies

Housekeeping
Housekeeping is synonymous with the word cleanliness which is considered as one the most important
aspect of the Hospitality Industry. Housekeeping in a Hotel plays one of the most significant part in not
only keeping the surroundings neat, clean and tidy, but also in giving the room and other important
areas an aesthetic appearance. This artistic and a visual appearance is the reason for a guests to be

returning to the property again and again. There are many other key areas of work in housekeeping
department which helps the hospitality industry to run the operations smoothly.We have noted down
the most important and updated information in the field of housekeeping which would help the
hospitality students to know and be aware of this department.
Students will understand the following once they finish reading this chapter
 Understand housekeeping and its types and functions
 Understand the job description and responsibilities within housekeeping department
 Understand the types of guestroom, beds, and its layouts
 Understand the different types of keys and its control measure
 Understand the process of cleaning guestrooms and public areas
 Know how to handle unusual situations
 Understand the safety and security measures within the housekeeping department
 Know how to use different types of forms and formats in the housekeeping department
  Understand the procedures for linen and uniform of the entire hotel or property
 Understand pests, their types and control measures and procedure

Introduction
The Housekeeping department takes delight in keeping the hotel clean and comfortable, so as to create
a homely atmosphere. The aim of all accommodation establishments is to provide their customers with
a clean, beautiful, comfortable and hospitable surrounding that presents a value for money.
Housekeeping may be defined in terms of creating a comfortable, clean and safe environment. It is an
operational department in a hotel, which is accountable for the cleanliness, aesthetic upkeep of rooms,
front and back of the house, the surroundings and maintenance. The challenge that a housekeeping
department faces in general is to provide guests an attractive room which has a direct link to the guests
experience in a hotel. The guest rooms provide the warmth of a hotel. The housekeeping department
not only manage to clean guestrooms at an appropriate time for arrival guest, but also cleans and
retains everything in the hotel so the property remains brand new and attractive as the day it opened
for business.

Hence, housekeeping is a major department that contributes in a big way towards the overall reputation
of a property. It is precisely said that housekeeping is a 24 x 7 operation. Other than hotels, professional
housekeeping services are very much in demand in hospitals, Cruise lines, offices and other. Since most
properties prefer to outsource these functions, contract housekeeping is becoming a popular in these
days.

Functions and Responsibilities of Housekeeping Department

Housekeeping plays a very significant function in the hospitality industry such as:-
 To complete the maximum possible competence in ensuring the concern and comfort of guests
and in the smooth operation of the department.
 To create a welcoming atmosphere and guarantee gracious, consistent service from all
workforce of the department.
 To ensure high standards of sanitation and general maintenance in all areas for which the
department is responsible.
 To make available linen in rooms, health clubs, conference and banquet hall, F&B outlets and so
on, as well as keep an inventory for the same.
 To provide uniforms for all the hotel staff and keep up an adequate inventories for the same.
 To provide and maintain the floral decorations and retain the landscaped areas of the hotel.
 To organize renovation and refurnishing of the property as and when, in discussing with interior
designers and with the management
 To deal with lost and found of guest belongings.
 To make sure supervision, training and control of all employees attached to the department.
 To set up a good operational relationship, among other department.
 To ensure that safety and security policy are prepared and identified to all staff of the
department.

Interdepartmental Coordination
In Hotel not any individual department can work in isolation. Within the rooms division, housekeeping
mainly coordinates with the front-office and maintenance. Housekeeping Department can coordinate
with following departments:

Front Office
 Both departments should inform each other if any changes in room status to avoid the room
discrepancy. Knowing whether a room is vacant ready, vacant and clean, occupied, vacant and
dirty, occupied clean, occupied dirty, out of order, under repair and to change.
 Both departments must have good coordination to share information on occupancy levels,
which will help out to forecast occupancy for the year and make it easier to demonstrate a
budget, estimate the necessary staff strength and set up par stock levels.
 Each night, a front desk agent produces an occupancy report. The occupancy report lists rooms
occupied that night and indicates guests who are expected to check out the following day. The
Executive housekeeper picks up this list early the next morning and schedules the occupied
rooms for cleaning. As guests check out of the hotel the front desk notifies housekeeping.
Housekeeping ensures that these rooms give top priority so that clean rooms are available for
arriving guests.
 Both departments should coordinate for other information which requires special attention like,
in house VVIPs and VIPs, group, airline crews and others.

Food and Beverage Department

 Both departments are mostly concerned with the provision of uniforms, linen and mini bar in
guest rooms.
 Both departments must have good coordination for banquet functions in advance so that it will
be easy to organize and arrange the necessary items from housekeeping.
 Most of the hotels have pest control under housekeeping so this department looks after pest
control in restaurants, kitchens and stores.
 Both departments should have coordination for the collections of trays from the floor corridor
which are collected from guest rooms and for placement of fruit baskets in some special rooms.

Purchase Department
Housekeeping should communicate their requirement such as guest amenities, stationery, cleaning
materials, linen and other equipment’s to purchase in the form of purchase requisition form.

Human Resource
Housekeeping coordinates with the Human Resource departments for recruitment, human resource
planning, selection, Salary, Wages, medical treatment, over time, compensation,
performance appraisal training and development, reward management system and so on.

Sales and Marketing

Housekeeping’s important contribution to the primary goal of the sales and marketing division often
goes unrecognized. Successful sales departments maintain high percentage of repeat business. However
single most important reason travellers return to a hotel is the cleanliness and appearance of the
property. Two things are certain in hotel business: No matter how many guests a sales person brings in
the door, if housekeeping does not execute its function with excellence, the guest will not be back. And,
no matter how clean the rooms, if the sales staff does not bring potential guests to the hotel, occupancy
falls therefore both department must coordinate with positive support.

Engineering and Maintenance

In most mid-size and large hotel operations, housekeeping personnel report to room division manager
while engineering and maintenance constitute a separate division. The housekeeping department works
closely with the engineering and maintenance division to ensure that proper preventive maintenance
procedures are carried out effectively. All the repair and maintenance work such as electrical, boiler,
mechanical, plumbing and carpentry are done by Engineering and Maintenance department.

Security department

Linen Store Tailor Uniform Laundry

Room Room Room room

Corridor
Exective Housekeeping Lost and Housekeeping Flower
Housekeeper Desk Found Supplies Store Rooom
Office

Housekeeping room attendants should follow the key control procedures of the properties. Also when
cleaning guestrooms, room attendants are usually responsible for locking and securing sliding glass
doors, connecting doors and windows. Staff should be cautious of suspicious activities anywhere in the
property and report such activities to an appropriate security authority.

Figure33: Layout of Housekeeping department

The layout of the housekeeping department is different to others as it depends on hotel size. The
following sub departments are major in Housekeeping department:

 Executive Housekeeper Office: All the administrative work in the housekeeping department is
carried out from here.
 Housekeeping Control Desk − It is available and equipped 24 hours and 7 days a week. Storage
shelves, Notice boards, Key hanger matrix, registers and lost and found log are placed here.
 Laundry Area – All the work related to washing, dry cleaning, ironing, folding of linen and
entire hotel staff uniform will be done from here.
 Linen Room –All the hotel linen such as bed sheets, pillow case, towels, table cloth, napkins,
etc. are stored, collected and delivered to the respective departments in the Hotel.
 Uniform Room − the room where all the staff uniforms are stored, distributed and collected.
  Tailor Room – A place where all the repairing and stitching work of uniforms and linen are
held.
 Housekeeping Stores –Storage area of housekeeping department, where all the cleaning
equipment, chemicals, guest supplies and amenities are stored securely.
 Lost and found –A Place where all the guests’ items or belongings that are forgotten by the
guests and remain in the hotel are handled. There must be coordination between these three
departments- front office, Security and Housekeeping before for the lost property to be
returned to rightful owner.
 Flower Room –A place where all the flower decoration work will be carried out. Once Flower
decoration is made, it will be sent straight away to the respective place.

Attributes of Housekeeping Staff

In the hospitality industry, personal attributes among employees in housekeeping department plays a
vital role. It will directly reflect the image of the entire hotel. Following are the few personal attributes
that must be maintained on a daily basis inside the work premises:

Pleasant Personality
 Housekeeping employee should have a pleasant personality so that he or she can impress the
guest that arrives at the hotel.
 His/her behavior should give a positive impact on the guests of the hotel
 He/She should always welcome the guests with a smile and should also be a charming.
 The voice pitch should be maintained, it should not exceed the specified limit.

Physical Fitness
 Most works are manual in nature, so the employee should possess a strong heart & good health.
 Housekeeping is 24×7 service; they may need to handle heavy equipments. Physical fitness is a
lot more important in this department.

Personal hygiene
 Clean hair and manicured finger nails
 No body odor or mouth odor
 Uniform of the employees should be clean and good looking
 Housekeeping staff must maintain a high standard of personal hygiene as it reflects the hygiene
standard of the hotel.
Grooming
 Absolutely essential for staff that comes in guest contact.
 Clean, well ironed and well tucked uniform, light makeup, fresh light cologne spray.
 No jewelry except for small tops and wedding ring.
 Hair tight in a bun or kept short.
 Dress code to be maintained as per the protocol of the particular organization.

Memory
 Good memory is an essential asset in housekeeping staff, particularly when dealing with regular
guests and repeated customers.
 A staff member who keep in mind a guest’s needs, wishes, like and dislikes will be a incredible
benefit to the hotel.
Punctuality
  Punctuality is also important.If an employee is continually late for duty,it shows,lack of interest
in the work and lack of respect for the management and guests.
 Respect for time during working hours will reflect on the employees work and help to create an
impression worthy of appreciation.

Honesty
 This is very essential attributes of housekeeping staff, especially room attendants who have
direct access to guest room
 Guest belonging sometimes valuables is found lying around in the rooms the temptation to theft
are great,it is only the personal quality discipline and integrity that checks this temptation.
Eye for Detail
 This is one of the foremost attributes that housekeeping staff must possess.
 They must be able to take into consideration minute details that a layman may let leave
unnoticed.
 Room attendants need to have an eye for detail in order to make up flawless guestroom and
housekeeping supervisors need to have a keen sense observation to check these rooms for
excellence.
 In addition,the entire property has to be repeatedly inspect by the housekeeping department
for appropriate care and maintenance.
Co- Operativeness
 Cooperation Housekeeping staff must cooperate not only with each other,but also with
departments.
 This is absolutely essential,since housekeeping involves a lot of teamwork for efficient
functioning.
 If there is some lack of coordination and cooperation,it ultimately affects the guest and slow
down efficiency.
Courtesy
 A housekeeping staff should expand courtesy to colleagues and guest.
 It is essential that while dealing with guests,the staff be humble and polite.
 Housekeeping staff should never argue with guest and if they cannot deal with the situation,it
should be referred right away to a senior on the team.
Loyalty
 An employee’s first obligation and loyalty are to the establishment in which they are employed
and for its management.
 They should respect the policies and decisions of the management.
Adaptability
 This is an important quality of housekeeping staff.They should be willing to try out and
experiment with new ideas.
 The staff should accept and adapt to change willingly and should welcome such innovation.
Calm Demeanor
 The housekeeping staff may be faced with various kinds of urgent situations,and it is necessary
that they stay calm so as to perform their best in coping with the problem in hand.
 If they panic during an emergency their anxious demeanor could become contagious and be
passed on to guest and colleagues.
 A calm demeanor helps employees to think rationally themselves and to display their presence
of mind.
Right Attitude
  The candidate with good attitude displays courtesy,and good humor, and does not betray
displeasure even in the most difficult time.
 The employee with the right attitude is proactive and anticipates the guest’s needs and wishes.

Executive
Housekeeper

Assistant Executive
Housekeeper

Control Desk Public Area Linen /Uniform Flower Room

Floor Supervisor Night Supervisor Laundry Supervisor Horticultarist
Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor

Guest Service Public Area Linen/ Valet/Laundry

Room Attendant Houseman Head Gardenar Florist
Attendant Attendant Uniform Attendant Attendant

Tailor/Upholstery Gardener Attendant

Figure34: Organisational chart of Housekeeping department

Duties and responsibilities of housekeeping Staff

Job Title: Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping
Report to: Director of Rooms Division
Job summary: Supervises all Housekeeping employees, has the authority to hire or discharge,
plans and assigns work assignments, informs new employees of property regulations,
inspects housekeeping personnel, work assignments and requisitions supplies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Has the ultimate responsibility to ensure the property provides profitable, well-furnished,
maintained guest rooms, public areas and staff areas.
 Responsible for developing departmental policies and procedures by which the highest possible
degree of cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic value is achieved.
 Review all personal actions of subordinates in the areas of discipline, termination and
promotion. Responsible for the development of all training programs within the housekeeping
departments and ensure their proper implementation through Assistant Executive
Housekeepers in Rooms and Public Area.
 Responsible for smooth, timely communication between departments and will also participate
in community activities, professional organizations and supplier relations and programs.
 Monthly reports are submitted for preventive housekeeping maintenance, and analysis of
loss/usage per occupied room on every major expense category including labor, chemicals,
guestroom supplies, linens, laundry, uniforms and contract cleaning.
 Makes recommendations to the Room division Director for capital expenditure and special
repair and maintenance programs in all areas of the department.
 Responsible for making the annual profit plan preparation involves complete analysis of
housekeeping labor productivity and projection of improvement for the future.

Job Title: Assistant Executive Housekeeper

Report to: Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping
Job summary: Supervises all Housekeeping employees, has the authority to hire or discharge,
plan and assign work assignments, inform new employees of property regulations,
inspect housekeeping personnel’s work assignments and requisitions supplies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Supervise all housekeeping employees, hires new employees as needed, discharge employees
when necessary, and write warning notices when policy has been violated. Evaluates employees
in order to upgrade them when openings arise.
 Plans the work of housekeeping Department and distributes assignments accordingly. Assigns
Floor supervisor, housemen and linen and uniform attendants to their regular duties or any
special assignments that need to be accomplished. Schedules employees and assigns extra days
off, according to the occupancy forecast. Maintains a time log book all employees within the
department.
  Inform new employees of regulations. Trains and assigns new employees to work with
experienced help. Checks on the work of these employees occasionally and observes the reports
made by Floor supervisor.
 Inspects the housekeeping staff periodically to determine if they are on duty and checks the
quantity and quality of their work, checking places likely to be overlooked.
 Approves all supply requisitions. Maintains a lost and found department and is responsible for
all lost and found items. Finds out the correct owner and mails to the appropriate address.

Job Title: Floor Supervisor

Report to: Assistant Executive Housekeeper
Job summary: Supervise and inspect room attendants and Housemans job responsibilities and make
the final conditions of areas including guestrooms, floor, staircase, corridors and pantry
area.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Issue floor keys to room attendants and Houseman
 Supervise cleaning of the selected floors and areas including floor corridor, pantries,
Guest rooms, staircase.
 Inspect the clean rooms once job done by the room attendant.
 Report maintenance department for maintenance work on the floor.
 Supervise handling of soiled linen to the laundry and how to coordinate with room service for
tray clearance
 Supervise for spring cleaning.
 Maintain par stock for the respective floors.
 Report directly to the security department for any safety or security hazard.
 Check on scanty baggage
 Prepare housekeeping status reports and inform the front office about ready rooms
 Make sure services offered to VIPs are of highest standards.

Job Title: Public Area Supervisor

Report to: Assistant Executive Housekeeper
Job summary: Supervise and inspects public area attendants job responsibilities and makes the
final conditions of front of the house, including lobby, entrance, guest corridors.
Guest elevators, lobby area rest room and so on.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Ensure that all functional areas and public areas are kept clean at all times.
 Ensure all maintenance jobs are reported to the maintenance department and final check once
a job is done
 Ensure all flower arrangements are placed in the proper places in public areas.
 Ensure conference halls and banquet halls are kept ready for conferences and functions.
Job Title: Night Supervisor
Report to: Assistant Executive Housekeeper
Job summary: Supervise and inspects all night staff engaged in cleaning guest rooms, public
area and assign job responsibilities for turn down service.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Ensure all public areas are cleaned in detail at night while the traffic is low.
 Plan order of work and direct staff accordingly.
 Ensure room attendants reports and room status reports are submitted.
 Report safety and security hazards.

Job Title: Linen and Uniform Supervisor

Report to: Assistant Executive Housekeeper
Job summary: Supervise job responsibilities of tailors and linen and uniform attendant

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Responsible for entire hotel linen.
 Send clean linen from laundry after checking.
 Check laundered linen before giving it for ironing.
 Provide linen to the various departments
 Maintain register of linen movements and check linen regularly
 Supervise ironing and laundering of linen of the hotel
 Supervise work of linen room attendants and tailors

Job Title: Room Attendant

Report to: Floor Supervisor
Job summary: Performs routine duties in the cleaning and servicing of guestrooms and baths under
supervision of floor supervisor

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Enters and prepares the rooms for cleaning
 Makes the bed.
 Dust the room and furniture.
 Replenish guestroom and bathroom supplies
 Cleans the bathroom
 Cleans the closet
 Vacuums the carpet
 Checks and secure the rooms

Job Title: Houseman

Report to: Floor Supervisor
Job summary: Performs any combinations of the following tasks to maintain guestrooms, working
Areas, and the hotel premises in general in a clean and orderly manner
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Washes walls and ceilings, moves and arranges furniture, and turns mattresses.
 Sweeps mops, scrubs, waxes and polishes floors
 Dusts and polish metalwork ,receive linen supplies and store in floor linen closets.
 Remove trash collected by room attendants and maintain housekeeping carts

Job Title: Lobby Attendant

Report to: Public Area Supervisor
Job summary: Keeps all lobbies and public facilities (such as lobby restrooms, telephone areas, the front
desk and offices) in a neat and clean condition.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Cleans and maintains all lobbies and public restrooms
 Sweeps carpets, empties ashtrays and urns.
 Polish furniture, fixtures and elevators.
 Keep the front of the hotel free from trash.

Job Title: Linen and Uniform Attendant

Report to: Linen and Uniform Supervisor
Job summary: Stores and issues uniforms, bed linen and table linen and also takes inventory and
maintains linen room supplies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Sorts items and counts and records number of items soiled
 Places Linen and Uniforms in containers for transport to laundry
 Examines laundered items to ensure cleanliness and serviceability.
 Sends torn article to the tailor for repair.
 Stores Laundered linen and uniforms on shelves after verifying numbers and types of articles.
 Issues linen and uniforms, which are both to be exchanged on a clean for soiled basis only.
 Counts and records linen to fill requisitions.

Job Title: Laundry Manager

Report to: Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeper
Job summary: Take control of overall laundry related work and take responsibility as well.

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Records Laundry cost
 Makes reports and recommendations when requested.
 Oversees the preventative maintenance program
 Approves distribution of linens to guestrooms and food & beverage areas.
 Direct all on premises laundry (OPL) staff.
 Prepare the OPL budget
 Hire and train new OPL employees
  Develop methods for increasing OPL efficiency.
 Coordinates all maintenance and repairs of machinery
 Supervise the OPL safety program.
 Evaluate OPL Staff Performance

Job Title: Head Washer

Report to: Laundry Manager
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Supervise all personnel in the washing and sorting areas of the OPL.
 Make reports about all washing and sorting activities to the laundry manager.
 Oversee:
 Sorting and washing procedure
 Filling linen needs for guestrooms and food and beverage outlets
 Maintain adequate supplies of clean uniforms
 Setting formulas and cycles for types of linen and types of soils.
 Make sure all workers assigned to a shift are present
 Make sure staff keep areas and equipment clean and neat
 Maintain employee performance and machine performance records.
 Check supply levels.

Job Title: Linen Distribution Attendant

Report to: Laundry Manager

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Use mechanical linen-folding equipment
 Fold linens by hand
 Fill banquet and restaurant requisitions
 Deliver guest service supplies to guestrooms
 Process contract- cleaned linen and uniforms
 Issue and receive employee uniforms
 Provide towel service to recreation area
 Clean and maintain work areas

Job Title: Laundry Attendant

Report to: Laundry Manager

Duties and Responsibilities:

 Load, use and unload dryers
 Iron linens using a mechanical flatwork ironer
 Use mechanical linen- folding equipment
 Fold linen by hand
 Iron linen by hand
 Mend and sew linen and /or uniforms
  Clean and maintain work areas

Job Title: Washer

Report to: Head Washer
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Sort linen and uniforms
 Retreat and /or rewash heavily soiled items
 Load, use, and unload washers
 Clean and Maintain work areas
 Inform the head washers about all matters pertaining to the washroom

Guest Room
An inside part of the of the building that is separated from other areas by walls and a door and that has
its own ceiling and floor. Normally a room is inside the house or hotel where that space is used for
sleeping or accommodation. A room in a hotel is a delicate commodity which means rooms not sold on a
particular day loses its opportunity to earn revenue for that day. Rooms to guests mean comfort,
security, privacy, convenience, cleanliness and hygiene and a home away from home. Approximately, 50
percent of hotels revenue is contributed from room sales. In hotels there are various types of rooms
available as per the need and comfort they would like to have. These rooms are made as per the
number of persons to be accommodated and also in view of luxury and sophistication they are looking
for. There are other rooms too which are for various other purposes in hotel. The size and furnishing of a
room solely depends on the type of hotel and the classification of rooms. Following are the various types
of rooms which are introduced with pictures to make students understand more.

Single Room: A room which has single bed facility and intended for one person to stay in. It is a standard
room having a dressing –cum –writing table. Figure 35 shows how the rooms look like.
 Figure 35:Single room

Double Room: A room which has a double bed facility and intended for one or two people to stay.
Normally this room is for couples or for family members who can share one big bed together or have
enough space for extra bed .This room is standard room having a dressing- cum –writing table. Figure 36

shows how the room looks like.

Figure 36: Double room

Deluxe Room: This room is well furnished, carpeted and more suitable for two people or small families.
This room is available with single and double beds. Figure 37 shows how the room looks like.
Figure 37:Deluxe room

Twin Room: A room which has two single beds separated by a center table ,which means two people
having only one bedside table between the two beds. Figure 38 shows how the room looks like.
Figure 38: twin room
Hollywood Twin Room: A room which has two beds, but shares a common head board. Normally for
two people, but when need arises the two beds can be bridged together to make it appear as a double
room. Figure 39 shows how the room looks like
Figure39: Hollywood twin room

Suite Room: A suite in a hotel mostly denotes a class of luxury rooms. Suites offer more space and
furniture than a basic hotel room. A room comprises of two or more bedroom, a living room, dining,
office and kitchen. Any large hotels have one or more honeymoon suites and sometimes the best room
is called a presidential suite. Figure40 shows how the room looks like.
 Figure 40: Suite room

Cabana: Cabana is generally a shelter on a beach or at a swimming pool. But now some hotels provide

this type of room with contemporary beauty, comfort, protection and privacy with all basic facilities.
Cabana is normally suitable for anniversaries. Figure41 shows how the room looks like.
Figure 41: Cabana room

Duplex: A room which is being spread on two floors connected by an internal staircase and for small

family or for couples. Figure 42 shows how the room looks like.
 Figure 42:Duplex

Studio Room: A room with a sofa cum bed facility. Normally this room is comfortable for minimum three
people or a small family. Figure 43 shows how the room looks like.
Figure43: Studio room

Lanai: A room which oversees a scenic beauty eg. Garden landscape, sea or waterfall. Figure 44 shows

how the room looks like.

Figure 44: Lanai room
Efficiency Room: A room with a kitchen and other facility and is similar to a deluxe room. Figure 45
shows how the room looks like.
Figure 45: Efficency room
Interconnecting Room: Two rooms adjacent to each other having an interconnecting door allowing
entry from one room to another without having to go through the corridor. This room is mostly used by
families. Figure 46 shows how the room looks like.
Figure 46:Interconnecting room

Adjoining Room: Two rooms which share a common wall, mostly preferred by groups. Figure 47 shows
how the room looks like.
Figure 47: Adjoining room
 Figure 48:Layout of room with brief description

Contents and Supplies for guest room

The contents are physical things or objects that are kept in a guest bedroom and bathroom for a long
time. These are very essential things and have to be aesthetically kept in suitable areas of the bedroom
and bathroom. They are permanently fixed up or built in the bedroom and bathroom and cannot be
removed immediately until the requirement of reconstruction or redesign or renovation. Supplies mean
essential things that are provided by the hotel on daily basis which are normally placed in every
bathroom and bedroom. Supplies can be removed, exchanged or replenished after use or on demand of
the guests.

Beddings
Normally in hotel rooms consist of one or two beds with supplies like mattress, mattress protector, bed
sheets, and pillows with pillow cases, blanket or duvet with cover. Following are the standard size of
beds in hotels:
 Twin- (39 or 42×76)”
 Queen-(60×80)”
 King-(78×80)”
 Double-(54×76)”
 Rollaway-(39×75)”
  Crib-(28×52)”

Wardrobe/Clothing care
It is normally an in built which is attached in the wall and have shelves and drawer. Inside the wardrobe
guests can find night suits, slippers, few different types of hangers, safety deposit box, laundry forms
and bags, and an iron with ironing board.

Bedside/Night Table
Normally this table is found by the side of the bed if the room has one bed and in between if the room
has twin bed. This table has shelves, drawer and the height is equal to the bed height. Guests will usually
find an alarm clock, pen, note pad and telephone in the table.

Dressing Table
This table is normally for office purposes or make up and this table is situated in front of big wall mirror,
and has one comfortable chair where we normally find telephone, hotel directory, local maps,
guidebooks, yellow pages or telephone book and reading lamp.

Bathroom
Bathrooms contain bathtub, vanity basket, commode, soap well, shower curtain, towel rack, wash basin
faucets, telephone, shower rose etc. Daily basis supplies like enough towels for the number of guests in
the room for one to two days, toilet paper, facial tissue and basic bath supplies (shampoo, conditioner,
lotion, body soap and shower gel). Dental hygiene kits and shaving kits may be available upon request
from the housekeeping.

TV cabinet
TV is placed on top of table or may be attached on the wall but it should be in front of the guest bed to
make guest comfortable .There is a big table where the TV is placed on top along with TV remote and
channel guidelines. Some hotels offer one or two bottle complimentary drinking water per day as well.
There is a box where we can get coffee, tea, condiment packets that include creamer and sugar and
sometimes powdered cocoa for two people per day. This table is like a small cup board having two doors
and inside a small fridge is placed called mini bar which consist of juices, soft drinks, chocolates, beer
etc., but all these items inside a mini bar is chargeable .There is one hospitality tray, where you will find
an ice bucket and a coffee or tea maker with the supplies needed to make and serve enough of the
beverage once per day for each of the guests in the room.

Luggage rack
It is a piece of furniture which is placed inside the wardrobe or near it, where guest can place their
luggage on top and is easy to take their clothes out.

Other Supplies
On the door knob from inside the room there is sign hanging like Do Not Disturb, Clean my room, Collect
my laundry and find emergency exit map. On the wall there are lights, air vent, decorative pictures and
other show pieces.

Types of bed
 Adjustable bed: This can be adjusted to a number of different positions.
 Air bed: It uses an air-inflated mattress, sometimes connected to an electric air pump and
having firmness controls.
  Box-bed: A bed having the form of a large box with wooden roof, sides, and ends, opening in
front with two sliding panels or shutters; often used in cottages in Scotland: sometimes also
applied to a bed arranged so as to fold up into a box.
 Daybed: It is a couch that is used as a seat by day and as a bed by night.
 Futon: It is a traditional style of Japanese bed that is also available in a larger Western style. It is
a type of low wooden sofa that can be unfolded for use as a bed
 Murphy bed: It is also called wall bed that can hinge into a wall or cabinet to save space.
 Pallet: It is a thin, lightweight mattress which can be used as a bed to sleep.
 Platform bed: It is a mattress resting on a solid, flat raised surface, either free-standing or part
of the structure of the room.
 Roll-away bed: A bed whose frame folds in half and rolls in order to be more easily stored and
moved.
 Sofa-bed: It is a bed that is stored inside a sofa and can be made intoa bed whenever necessary.
 Vibrating bed: It is typically a coin-operated novelty found in a vintage motels. For a feel, the
mattress vibrates for a duration of time. This is supposed to counter body ache and provide
relaxation.
 Waterbed: It is a bed / mattress combination where the mattress is filled with water.

Guest room cleaning

Room attendants must follow a system to consistently produce spotlessly clean guest rooms. A
systematic plan saves time and can prevent the room attendant from overlooking a cleaning task or
even from cleaning an area twice.

Cleaning Rooms in order

To run the housekeeping department as efficiently as possible, it would make sense to instruct room
attendants to begin with room 101 and clean their way down the hall room 102, 103, 104 and so on. But
hotels are about hospitality first and efficiency second. This means we must be considerate of the
guests, both those who are staying in our rooms and those who about to arrive. The following priority of
room assignments generally works well to meet everyone’s needs.
i. Guest requests for early cleaning
ii. VIP rooms before (11A. M, when possible)
iii. Vacant, dirty
iv. Rooms with signs to “Please make up my room”
v. Other stay overs
Save for last those rooms which are due to become check- outs, but from which guests have not yet
departed. Otherwise the staff may have to clean the rooms twice.

Bed making procedure

The most efficient way of making the bed is to completely finish one side before beginning the next.
This system saves time walking back and forth around the bed.
 Begin by placing the bottom sheet on the mattress and mitering that sheet in the upper left
hand corner of the bed.
 Mitering is a simple way to make smooth ,neat, professional corner. Following is the step by
step for mitering.
 Begin with the sheet hanging loosely over the corner. Tuck in the sheet along the foot of
the bed, right up to the corner.
 Take the loose end of the sheet, about one foot from the corner and pull it straight out,
forming a flap.
  Pull up the flap so it is flat and wrinkle free.
 Tuck in the free part at the corner, Making sure it is snug.
 Pull the flap out toward you and down over the side of the bed.
 Tuck in the flap and make sure the corner is smooth and snug.
 Place a fresh top sheet on the bed, wrong side up. Then, place the blanket on top of the sheet.
 At the head of the bed, turn the top sheet over the blanket about six inches.
 Smooth your hand over the bed so the surface appears even and without wrinkles.
 Mitre the top sheet and blanket in the bottom, left hand corner of the bed and tuck them in
along the side of the bed.
 Now working clockwise, walk to the other side of the bed.
 Mitre the bottom sheet at the right foot of the bed, followed by the top sheet and blanket.
 Move down the right hand side of the bed and mitre the bottom sheet in the top right corner.
 Fold the top sheet over the blanket so it is even with the left hand side.
 Finally, make sure the blanket and top sheet are neatly tucked in along the sides and at the foot
of the bed.
 Now centre the bedspread evenly over the bed.
 Fold the bed spread down from the head of the bed, leaving enough room to cover the pillows.
 Fluff the pillows and put on the pillowcase.
 Work the pillow down into the case so that no part of the pillow ticking is showing.
 Tuck the loose ends into the pillow.
 For sanitation reasons, never hold the pillow under your chin or with your teeth.
 Position the pillows at the head of the bed with the tucked ends facing the centre and the
tucked flaps facing down on the underside.
 Pull the bedspread over the pillows and tuck in the bedspread.
 Notice that this method of finishing the bed avoids any hand contact with cases after they are
put on the pillows.
 The thorough room attendant will take a few moments to check the bed for smoothness.
 At last, step back and look carefully at the surface of the bedspread and the line of the pillows,
smooth out any last minute wrinkles.

Occupied room cleaning

 When approaching a guest room, first observe whether the guest has placed a Do Not Disturb
sign on the knob. Also, be sure to check that the door is not double locked from inside.
 Knock the door and announce “Housekeeping”. If a guest answers, introduce yourself and ask
what time would be convenient to clean the room. Note that time on your status sheet or
schedule. If no answer is heard, wait a moment, knock again, and repeat “Housekeeping”. If
there is still no answer open the door slightly and repeat “Housekeeping”. If the guest does not
respond after this third announcement, you can be fairly certain that the room is empty and can
begin to enter.
 After entering the room, turn on all the lights, this makes the room more cheerful, helps you see
what you are doing, and allows you to check for light bulbs that need to be replaced.
 Remove or replace dirty ashtrays and glasses. Always make sure the cigarettes are fully
extinguished before dumping them in appropriate containers.
 Empty the trash and replace any wastebasket liners, straighten any newspapers and magazines.
 Never throw out anything unless it is in the waste basket.
 Making the bed is the next task, and it is important, especially in occupied rooms. If the guest
returns while you are elsewhere in the room, the freshly made bed will give the room a neat
 appearance even if other area have not been touched. Before you begin, remove any personal
items from bed and place them aside and make the bed following the bed making procedure.
 Carry out, dusts of the room, vacuuming of carpet and the upholstery maintenance. Clean
Bathroom and replenish all amenities such as soap, hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion,
shower cap, cotton buds and put fresh bathrobes, face towels, bath towels, hand towels, floor
mat . After servicing the room check if television and telephones are functioning properly or not.
 At last, step back and look carefully and turn off the lights, come outside and make sure you
close the door properly.

Departure room cleaning

Departure room means the room which is occupied the previous night and has been vacant on the
current day. A room attendant usually attends a departure room after attending the vacant rooms. The
cleaning procedure of the departure room is as follows:
 Ensure that all the rooms do not have Do Not Disturb cards on the doorknob or it is not double
locked.
 Always knock the door with the knuckle of the index finger and announce housekeeping in spite
of the fact that it is a departure room.
 Open the door switch off the air conditioning and open the window and curtains.
 Check for anything left or lost by the guest and if any then call lost and found and handover the
items.Look for any fatal damage or theft of hotel property. If found report the matter to the
floor supervisor or concerned authority.
 Check for any maintenance requirement and report the same to housekeeping control desk.
 Remove soiled food trays and trolley, empty ashtrays and trash in the trash hamper.
 Remove soiled linen by shaking each one of them individually to ensure that no guest valuables
are trapped within the fold.
 Take fresh linen and make the bed by following the bed making procedure.
 Disinfect the mouth piece of the telephone with a disinfectant
 Clean the entire surface in single circular motions with a dry lint free duster.
 Carry out dusting of the room, vacuuming of carpet and the upholstery maintenance. Clean
Bathroom and replenish all amenities such as soap, hair gel, shampoo,conditioner, body lotion,
shower cap, cotton buds and put fresh bathrobes, face towels, bath towels, hand towels, floor
mat .
 Replace stationery and guest room supplies and make the room ready for new guest to check in.

Bathroom cleaning
A clean bathroom is important for more than simply appearance. Health and safety considerations level
should be important when room attendant is scrubbing, rinsing and drying bathroom surfaces. Room
attendant should conveniently stock necessary cleaning equipment and items such as cloth, sponges,
rubber gloves, protective eye covering, all-purpose cleaner for bathroom surfaces, mirror cleaner and
odourless disinfectant. Bathrooms are usually cleaned in the following sequence.

Shower Area
 For safety, never stand on the edge of the tub when cleaning inside the tub and some properties
recommend placing a used cloth bath mat in the tub to stand on.
 As you wash and wipe the tub or shower walls, continually check their condition so you can
report any needed repairs to your supervisor.
 If the tub has a drain trap, be sure to check it for hair.
  After cleaning the tub itself, clean the shower head and tub fixtures and make sure to leave the
shower head in the correct position.
 To prevent spotting and add sparkle, immediately wipe and polish the fixtures with a dry cloth.
 Also clean the shower curtain or shower door.
 Always reposition curtain or the door after finishing cleaning.

Vanity and Sink

 Clean the countertop and basin, making sure that you take out hair from the drain and sink
stopper.
 Wipe up every spot or spillage from soap or toothpaste.
 Clean and Polish the chrome fixtures, so that they shine.
 At last, finish the vanity area by cleaning the mirror with glass cleaner.
Toilet
 All-purpose cleaners are preferable to acid bowl cleaners for use on a daily basis, when used
consistently; acid bowl cleaners can demolish bathroom surfaces.
 Flush the toilet to remove any residue and apply the cleaner around and under the lip of the
bowl
 Clean the exterior of the bowl, working down the sides to the bases.
 Scrub the inside of the toilet with the brush around the insides and under the lip, and then flush
it again.
 Use a cloth damp with cleaning solution to clean the top of the seat, the lid and the sides of the
tank.
Walls and Fixtures
 Towels, Washcloths, bath mats, toilet and facial tissue, and guest amenities should be
replenished according to property standard.
 Spot clean for fingerprints and other noticeable stain on the walls, particularly around electrical
outlets and light fixtures.
 Wipe and clean down the walls and both sides of the bathroom door.

Floor
 Starting with the corner of the bathroom working back in the direction of the door, wipe or mop
down the floor as well as baseboards.
 Then, make your final check of the bathroom. Stop for a moment and visually scan all surfaces
from the ceiling to the fixtures to the floor. Check that you have left the bathroom in the best
possible condition before turning out the lights.

Spring Cleaning/Deep Cleaning

Routine cleaning can maintain a guestroom’s fresh and spotless appearance for a period of time. But
after a while, a room will need deep cleaning .Deep cleaning resembles the spring cleaning conducted in
hotels or private homes. Spring Cleaning removes dust and dirt that accumulates from every day wear
and tear and attends to the cleaning needs made out during a guestroom checks. Spring cleaning
includes activities such as wiping down walls, turning mattresses and baseboards and washing windows
and casements. The schedule for cleaning depends on the quality of the routine cleaning, occupancy,
age of furniture and fixtures and general wear and tear on the room.
Some properties, schedule a deep cleaning by giving room attendants, one extra cleaning task per room
per day. For example, a room attendant might be asked to move the night stand and sweep that area of
the carpet. Another way to schedule deep cleaning is to give each room attendant one room for deep
cleaning as part of his or her daily assignment. Following is the spring cleaning task that helps a property
shine:
 Flipping and rotating mattresses
 Shampooing carpet
 Removing soil and stains from wall coverings and baseboards
 Washing windows, casements and shades
 Cleaning vents and fans
 Vacuuming under furniture that need heavy moving
 Vacuuming and cleaning drapes
 Cleaning carpet boundaries/edges
 Washing sheer curtains
 Washing lampshades

Turn down service

Turn down service involves turning down the guest bed sheets and freshening the guestroom for the
evening. This service is done by second shift and is generally smaller than the day shift and services more
room per hour. Procedure for turn-down service includes:
 Cleaning the bathroom and restocking it with fresh towels.
 Rotating or restocking amenities
 Tidying the guestroom
 Emptying wastebaskets or dustbins.
 Folding back the bedspread, blanket and top sheet
 Fluffing the pillow
 Drawing the drapes
As an added touch, some properties have the room attendant leave afresh blossom or a chocolate mint
on the pillow to wish the guest “Sweet dreams”. In addition to turn-down service, housekeeping may be
called upon to provide other types of special amenities such as hair dryers, iron and ironing board,
sewing kits, spot removers, playing cards, chess sets and other conveniences to make the guest stay
more pleasant.

Cleaning
Cleaning is the taking away of unnecessary matter, pollutants or contaminants, from the environment,
or the prevention of soiling; thus, it is—or should be—green. Cleaning is about removing pollution, not
adding to it. Redefining the processes or the ways in which cleaning is performed, to enable the effective
removal of contaminants without adding unwanted substances to the environment or otherwise causing
harm; using tools or agents that do not add or spread pollutants or cause other unintended effects.
Before starting to clean, read product and equipment labels and usage instructions. Cleaning is
performed to better prevent or remove soils, contaminants, or pollutants, and to select and use less
toxic products. These processes must be incorporated into a system of Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs) that are elements of the general operations and protection plan for the building.

Needs and importance of cleaning

Cleaning is essentially a daily task though in various cases it can be made weekly or periodically. Cleaning
creates the area disinfected or germ free, so as to make sure a healthy hotel atmosphere for guest is
created. It is important to extend the existence of the entire property. Cleaning is to improve ambiance
as a result to complement the standards of the property. Cleaning methods depend upon the surface
types that need to be cleaned. Housekeeping staff must follow several rules while cleaning. Following
principles give a housekeeping staff control to cleaning methods in different areas:
 Selecting correct equipment’s/tools before cleaning
 Always sweeping prior to dusting
 Allowing a little time for the dust to get rid of after sweeping.
 If you are using a vacuum cleaner then always dusting first before vacuuming
 Always follow direction either anti clockwise or clockwise while dusting.
 Immediately sanitize the surface after cleaning.
 Knowing the right quantity of the chemical or detergent to be used.

Areas that have to be cleaned by housekeeping department are as follows:

Public Area
Public areas consist of a property’s entrances, lobbies, corridors, elevators, restrooms and health
facilities. Other areas which the guest sees include dining areas, banquet and meeting rooms, and
sometimes administration and sales offices. Some properties engineer public areas to convey a
particular mood through such dramatic features as high ceilings, plant loaded balconies; decorative
fabric panels, textured walls and floors, and elaborate furniture and fixtures. But all levels of
architecture and design aside, nothing can make or break an impression more than the cleanliness and
conditions of property’s public areas. The condition of public or front of the house areas makes a strong
statement about the rest of the property. Spotless and well-kept public areas signal guest to expect the
same level of care and attention in their guest rooms. Establishing and maintaining housekeeping
procedures for public areas is just as it is for guest rooms. The housekeeping needs of public areas vary
considerably among properties because of architectural differences, lobby space allocations, activities
and guest traffic. Following are the areas where the housekeeping department should give special
attention most of the time.

Entrances
Hotel entrances demand strict attention since they are among the most heavily trafficked areas of a
property. Entrances must be kept clean both for aesthetic and for safety reasons. The frequency of
cleaning hotel entrances is largely contingent on the weather. Rainy and snowy days will require that
these areas receive attention more often than days when the sun is shining.

Lobbies
Lobbies require continual cleaning both because they are heavy-traffic areas and because they are the
gateways to the hotel. Many lobbies are a hub of activity where guests check in, socialize and relax.
Generally speaking, cleaning duties in the lobby can be performed once every hour. Housekeeping
attendant assigns a lobby attendant to patrol the area and attend to cleaning activities as necessary.
Activities usually assigned on an hourly or daily basis include the following:
 Emptying and cleaning ashtrays
 Emptying and wiping down wastebaskets
 Cleaning glass and window area
 Wiping and dusting lobby telephones
 Polishing drinking fountains
 Polishing railings
 Removing fingerprints or spots from walls
 Dusting furniture and table fixture
  Polishing door knobs and wiping surrounding areas
 Dusting and cleaning door jambs and tracks
 Vacuuming the carpet

Front desk
Like lobby cleaning, front desk cleaning must be scheduled during non-peak hours to avoid interrupting
the flow of business. The front desk area should be cleaned with the same degree of attention as the
lobby since it is such a pivotal area for shaping the guest experience

Corridors
Another section of the hotel that most guests see before stepping foot into the guest room are the
public corridors or halls. A big part of corridor cleaning involves attending to the floor. In most cases,
floors are covered with durable, attractive carpet designed for easy care and maintenance. Floors should
be vacuumed at least once a day based on guest traffic and occupancy.

Elevators
Elevators require frequent cleaning because of their volume of use. As with the lobby and front desk
area, the best time to clean elevators is late at night or early in the morning to avoid high traffic periods.
Among the problem cleaning areas in elevators are the sides near the floor. These areas are prime
targets for scuff marks, scratches or tears.

Public Restrooms
To a large degree, the structure and size of a public restroom is determined by the service level of the
property. More frequent cleanings are required to maintain a pleasant environment and to ensure
proper sanitation and safety levels. The equipment needed for cleaning public restrooms is basically the
same as that required for cleaning guest bathrooms.
Figure 49:Layout of Linen room

Equipment use in cleaning

There are various types of cleaning equipments used in housekeeping and they work it differently. There
are two types of cleaning equipment one is manual and another is electrical but both equipment should
be used by staff for cleaning purposes. Following are the commonly used manual cleaning equipments
with a brief explanation.

Abrasives
They are the grit papers used to shine wooden surfaces or metal. There are
choices of abrasives depending upon the dimension of grit.

Brushes
There are variety choices of brush to dust the plain surface, remove stubborn
dust and clean toilet bowl. Brushes come with stiff scratch free bristles and
non-slip handles.

Housekeeping Trolley
This trolley is big enough to keep the all the assigned guestroom and bathroom
supplies in well-organized manner. It is easy to move it around and carry large
number of items on one time while cleaning all the assigned rooms for that
day.

Mops
There are different types of mops use in housekeeping such as synthetic mops,
flat mops, dust mops and string mops. Generally mops are made of heavy duty
sponges or flat cotton strings on the metal frame.
Dustbins
Dustbins are normally used for collection of daily garbage that is produced
from hotel. Hotel use big garbage bins having two wheels which help staff to
send that garbage to the main garbage collection area normally in the
underground or basement floor. There are variety of choices while using dust
bin and to put it in various places according to their necessities of garbage
collection on that day. Garbage needs to be removed or the dustbins emptied
every day in hotel to maintain the standard on cleanliness and hygiene.

Dusting cloths
They are a soft cloth which is used for wiping or cleaning the surface dust.
Different dusting cloths are used for different surfaces like metal surface,
window surface, and furniture surface.

Janitor’s Trolley
This trolley stores cleaning supplies like various types of detergents, spray
bottles, dustbins, mop, vacuum cleaner, dusting cloths in properly well stored
area. This is really easy for one staff to move around and fulfils all the
challenges of modern day cleaning for any public area in hotels.

Dustpans
Dustpans will enable office staff to collect garbage and dust from the ground or floor
and will put it into the dustbin.

Mop Wringer Trolley

A mop bucket cart or mop trolley normally have wheeled that make easy for
staff to wring out mop without getting hands wet or dirty. The mops are
squeezed between two surfaces to remove dirty water from it.

Spray bottles
These bottles are normally refilled with chemicals or water. Chemical spray is for
cleaning purpose while water spray is for delicate flower leaves for arrangement of
flowers.

Electric Cleaning Equipment

This equipment requires electrical power to operate which means they might operate either on AC
power or on battery. All the electric equipment need to be used with special guidance and follow the
rules to avoid any accidents. Some common equipment used by housekeeping in hotels is explained
briefly with pictures to make students more understandable:

Box sweeper
It is also called electric sweeper which consists of a friction brush. The brush
frequently fit to rotate horizontally or vertically, when the tools budge on the
surface.
Vacuum Cleaner
In hotel housekeeping most used electric equipment is vacuum cleaner .This device
normally have various attachments like suction motor, a hose, brush and other
small stuff that will help for tough and delicate cleaning.
Scrubber
Normally scrubber is used where mopping is not enough to clean. It is used
to scrub sticky and stubborn stains. This electric machine is used by
housekeeping staff in restaurants, lobbies, fitness centres, cafeterias and
banquet halls.

Vapour cleaning machine

They use this machine wherever the chemical smell are not preferred. They
are equipped for regular operation. They warm up rapidly and work with
small amount of humidity. They kill the bed bugs, their eggs, and fully clean
the environment.

Polishing Machine
This machine is normally used to polish the parquet or wooden floor. This will
shine the floor and make it like brand new. Normally inside the machine
cleaning and shinning wax need to be fit before use on the surface.

Scarifying Machine
It is used to cut through turf and removes dead grass and moss. This is
normally used by hotels which have garden, golf courts and lawn inside the
premises. 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.

Methods and types of cleaning

Normally, in hotels there are four different types of cleaning method. Following are the methods that
are explained in detail

Furniture cleaning
Furniture cleaning not only shows the piece attractive but also increase the lifespan enormously.
Dusting and vacuuming regularly as well as deep cleaning twice a year will also help to maintain your
furniture look attractive. There are different types of furniture that should be cleaned differently.

Cleaning Upholstered Furniture

 Always read the furniture tags and make sure which solvent based cleaner have to be used.
There are four tags and we need to verify which one is suitable at the time of purchasing. W
means water based detergent, S means dry cleaning solvent without mixing water, WS means
either you can follow W or S and last one is X which means professionally clean that is to consult
with professional.
 Make an attempt to clean the cervices and cracks of your furniture among the cushions, take off
the cushions and vacuum all surface. Always do brushing before vacuuming all the parts.
 Make a detergent spray in a bottle mixed with water, few drops of detergent liquid, one capful
white vinegar, few pinches of baking soda and shake well.
  Once detergent mixture is ready use it to ordinary spot. Clean the spot with dry cloth and after
that allow it to dry completely in air.
 Allow the mixture of detergent to sit and go through for several minutes on any tough spots or
stains.
 The best method to avoid wide cleaning sessions in future is to take action quickly while spills
occur, take care of them before they mark too rigorously. Always stain liquids, as opposite to
rubbing or scrubbing.

Cleaning leather Furniture

 The same as with upholstery, regular vacuuming will maintain your furniture looking attractive
and clean. Take out cushions to make sure you will able to make every crevice in the part of
furniture.
 Make vinegar mixture by mixing same ratio of water and vinegar and rub down with it.
Removing stain from leather furniture is normally making other mixtures by mixing the same
ratio of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Polish the mixture to the stain and after 10 minutes
wipe with clean cloth.
 Make a mixture with linseed oil and vinegar in 2:1 ratio and shake it well rub and leave for at
least 10 minutes after that wipe it with dry cloth.
 Leather furniture should be placed at a minimum of 2 feet away from heat sources and also
from sun heat to avoid dryness and cracking.

Cleaning wood furniture

 First make sure you follow the correct procedure if not then beginning with mild cleaner,
moving repeatedly toward stronger cleaning methods depending on the furniture’s reaction.
General rule for cleaning furniture is not to use too much water in it; water can season the wood
crack.
 Never use feather dusters their quills can scratch the wood furniture. Always use clean cloth for
removing dust and dirt from the surface.
 Use mineral spirits like paint thinner which is best for removing stain. . Before using the spirit in
wooden furniture first test it to the furniture back side or leg part to make sure furniture doesn’t
get any damage with those spirits. When using this spirit always keep in mind that place is well
ventilated . Pour the spirits into a rag and softly rub your furniture and after that wipe with
damp cloth.
 Make a mixture with boiled linseed oil and turpentine in 3:1 ratio, mix it well, pour it to the
furniture, rub it for a while and after that polish with the soft rag then rub with oil thoroughly
and allow furniture to dry in air. It will work on both types of furniture finished and unfinished
wood. It will help to increase the durability of finished wood and will prevent unfinished wood
from cracking and drying.
 Use furniture wax to protect the unwaxed furniture put it in cheesecloth and apply it generously
after that polish with separate cloth.

Cleaning Acrylic and Lucite Furniture

 These types of furniture need minimal care so use clean, newly laundered or soft cloth while
wiping. If you use the cloth that has been used to clean other furniture it might scratch the
furniture with little dirt contained within that cloth.
 Do not use glass cleaner or Windex on acrylic furniture; this can crack the furniture, if anything is
stuck to your furniture never use solvent to remove it. Always use wet cloth and cleaners which
it is particularly designed for.
  On acrylic furniture always use those products to clean which is normally designed to clean
plastic. These types of products can actually repair the scratches if there is any.

Cleaning Wicker Furniture

 First we need to find out what type of furniture is wicker. Wicker furniture is made from
bamboo, rattan or paper and is different from other furniture in terms of getting care while
cleaning.
 Remove cushions and use the brush attachment while vacuuming make sure you are cleaning all
the furniture surfaces. We can use tooth brush to remove dust if it is really difficult to use the
vacuum brush.
 Prepare the mixtures of water and ammonia 2:1 in ratio in bucket and use cloth rather than
brush to make it more effective.
 Make sure you are in well ventilated space before mixing those chemicals and always use gloves
when handling ammonia. Wicker furniture must be handled delicately while cleaning. Abrasive
and stiff brushes can damage the furniture.
 For paper furniture you just need to wipe with the piece of damp cloth. When this type of
furniture get wet need to dry entirely for that it is better to put the furniture outside in the sun
to dry.

Metal cleaning
There are normally five types of metal that needs to be cleaned by housekeeping department. Each
metal has its own features that should be handled and cared for accordingly. Following are the types of
metals which are briefly explained with cleaning methods.

Steel
Steel is mainly mixed of carbon and iron, but besides that we can find other materials as well but in very
small quantities only. In hotel normally we find steel coated with chromium for manufacturing bath
handles, taps and shower fittings in all bathrooms and basin areas.

Cleaning methods for steel

 It should be washed by hot synthetic detergent solution, using soft nylon scrubber, and immediately
dried with soft dry cloth.
 Use soft steel wool with hot synthetic detergent solution for Stain remove on steel, once stain is
removed wash with clean water and dry with soft dry cloth. Never use harsh abrasives which may
scratch the surface.

Copper
In hotel copper is used for wall panelling; counter tops in Restaurants, bars, and vases, bowls, urns
which are used in lobbies and guestroom.

Cleaning methods for Copper

 First wash with warm water and then prepare a mixture with salt, fine sand and vinegar, mix it
well, clean with that mixture using clean cloth rags on surface and again wash with warm water
after that dry with soft cloth.
 For removing stain use thin coat of vegetable oil on the surface, if its dark stain or dark greenish
on the surface then ammonia solution will help to remove it.

Iron
Iron is normally used in making buckets, dustbins and furniture that is used in housekeeping
department.

Cleaning methods for Iron

Normally iron needs to prevented from rusting, so for that iron should be washed with mixture of water
and mild soap and dried thoroughly, after that rubbing the inside surface with vegetable oil put it
outside in sun heat for more than two hours.

Brass
This is made from mix of zinc and copper which is golden brown in colour. It is used in making foot rails
in bars, railings stairs rods, ashtrays, windows and door fittings.

Cleaning methods for Brass

First remove all the dust and dirt from surface and make paste from vinegar, salt and wheat flour in
equal quantity which will remove mild stain. You can also use Brasso. After cleaning the brass surface,
apply brasso to surface and clean with a dry cloth.

Aluminium
Aluminium is ductile, soft and light weight. It is used to make insulation wire, light fittings, venetian
blinds, furniture items, windows and door fittings.

Cleaning methods for Aluminium

Use steel wool with hot synthetic detergent solution, and then scrub it and after that wipe and dry with
dry cloth. If there is a strong stain then only use mild abrasives.

Glass cleaning
Glass is shiny, fragile and transparent material which is made from silica. Glass is used in making lighting
fixtures, mirrors, vases, partitions, furniture, Chandelier, doors and windows.

Cleaning methods for glass

 Even small marks and stain show highly lying on glass surfaces as a result; require regular
cleaning and lint free cloth for dusting.
 Make a solution with water and vinegar 1:1 ratio, or another solution with ammonia 9ml and 1
litre water is normally used for removing greasy fingerprints and light soiling from glass surface.
 Glass cleaners like Colin or windows cleaner used with sponge will clean glass efficiently, for big
size glass or window we may need to use squeeze instead of sponge.
 Stains such as hair spray, make up or toothpaste from mirrors should be cleaned with spirit
(methylated) using wet cloth.
 Newspaper can be used to remove stains from windows glasses as print on it contains a useful
solvent after that use lint free cloth to dry the surface

Cleaning methods for Chandeliers

 Generally Chandeliers are feature in places like Banquet halls, VIP suites and lobbies.
  Before cleaning Chandeliers we need to bring it down and clean piece by piece with warm
synthetic detergent solution and wash with warm clean water.
 Second phase of cleaning is to enhance brilliant sparkle which means clean with a mixture of
2 ½ litres water and teaspoonful of ammonia liquid
 It must be cleaned with extreme care; take time if any part is broken thenit may not be simple
to change.
 Another method,which is more efficient, normally uses an upholstery shampooing machine
which sprays a detergent solution through a fine nozzle with sufficient pressure to clean each
prism. The drenched wash water is collected together in a cloth installed beneath the
chandelier.

Carpet cleaning
There are two types of carpet cleaning method which is followed by hotels. Following are the types of
Carpet cleaning methods.

Using Dry Foam Method

 Remove all furniture to assist total cleaning of carpet and save time and after that thoroughly
vacuum carpet.
 Use carpet stain remover for spots and stains. For heavy soiled traffic lanes, doorways etc. use
trigger sprayer or Sparta sprayer.
 For light to medium soil conditions use the mixture of plus 5 carpet shampoos and Luke warm
water 1:10 in ratio. When carpet is heavily soiled or greasy use same mixture but 1:8 in ratio,
and put water in first to avoid excessive foam.
 Release foam and move machine in the direction the pile lays. Overlap slightly and repeat.
 Use wet vacuum immediately to remove soil-laden foam and speed drying.
 Scrape the carpet against the way pile normally lays. This sets pile and decreases drying time.
Replace furniture, using proactive pads under metal casters.
 After carpet is completely dry, vacuum thoroughly with dry vacuum to remove soil ash. Vacuum
daily to prolong carpet life and extend the time between shampooing.

Using Brush Shampoo Method

 Remove all furniture to assist total cleaning of carpet and save time and after that thoroughly
vacuum carpet.
 Use carpet stain remover for spots and stains
 For light to medium soil conditions use the mixture of plus 5 carpet shampoos and Luke warm
water 1:16 in ratio. When carpet is heavily soiled or greasy use same mixture but 1:12 in ratio,
but put water in first to avoid excessive foam.
 Nylon bristle brushes run 1-3 minutes on concrete to knock off the sharp edges and bassine
bristle brushes soak to soften.
 Start machine on smooth surface to generate foam. Begin at upper right hand corner with the
shampoo feed open. Move machine from right to left.
 Drop down one machine width being careful to overlap initial pass slightly and move to the right
with the shampoo feed open. Repeat overlapping the two previous passes with shampoo feed
closed.
 Use wet vacuum immediately to remove soil-laden foam and speed drying.
  Scrape the carpet against the way pile normally lays. This set pile and decreases drying time.
Replace furniture, using proactive pads under metal casters.
 After carpet is completely dry, vacuum thoroughly with dry vacuum to remove soil ash. Vacuum
daily to prolong carpet life and extend the time between shampooing.

Stain
A stain is defined as a discoloration brought about by contact with a foreign substance which is difficult
to remove. There are two major factors which are responsible for ensuring correct stain removal. One is
the stain removal agent and other is the method of stain removal. It is important to select the right stain
removal agents which are friendly.

Stain removal
Many fresh stains eg. Tea coffee grease will be removed from cotton and linen articles during the
normal washing process. Protein stains eg. Egg, blood, glue, perspiration etc. are more easily removed
by pre-soaking in Luke warm water with a detergent containing enzymes which digest the protein.
Enzymes are inactive in hot water above (40-50) degree Celsius. All stains should be dealt with as soon
as they occur or as soon after as possible.

Stain removal agent

There are five main stain removal agents. They are organic solvents, acids, alkalis, bleaches and enzymes

Organic Solvents
a. Benzene, acetone, amyl acetate, methylated spirit, white spirit
b. Carbon tetrachloride, perchlorethylene, trichloroethylene
Acids
Acids include oxalic acid potassium and oxalate (salts of lemon), and various rust removers sold under
trade names. Dilute acids can be used on most white fabrics but many coloured fabrics are affected by
acids. It is always better to use a weak solution several times at first then use a stronger solution.
Alkalis
Alkalis such as soda and borax remove old and heavy vegetables stains eg tea ,coffee, wine etc. from
white linen or cotton fabrics
Bleaches
The process of changing a coloured substance in to a colourless one is known as bleaching. Bleaches are
of two types oxidizing and reducing.
Specific stains
For the more usual stains on white and fast coloured fabrics the following stain removal agents are
suggested
 Ball-point ink: methylated spirit or carbon tetrachloride
 Blood-new: soak in cool or warm detergent solution
 Chewing Gum: Rub with ice-cube and scrape
 Dyes: bleach( not chlorine bleaches on animal fibres)
 Grass: follow with spirit or washing
 Ink: If not removed by washing treat as for iron mould
 Ink (red ): Often not removable, except when very fresh, but some may respond to washing with
sodium or sodium hydrosulphite
 Iron mould: rust remover, oxalic acid potassium acid oxalate(salts of lemon) sodium
hydrosulphite or rustasol
 Lipstick: carbon tetrachloride, or sodium hydrosulphite
  Mildew: hot weak potassium permanganate solution followed by a weak acid or hydrogen
peroxide
 Paint: amyl acetate, acetone or commercial cellulose thinner
 Paint emulsion: wash immediately as once dried it is almost irremovable.
 Perspiration: treat as for mildew or protein stains
 Protein stains: eg egg, meat perspiration, digestion enzymes contained in biological detergents
or powder pepsin.
 Tar: Carbon tetra chloride or white spirit ,scraping first
 Vegetable stains or tea coffee: Alkali or bleach( not chlorine bleach on animal fibres)
 Vomit: scrape, soak and wash if not washable sponge with water containing a few drops of
ammonia.

Stain removal from different surfaces

Carpets and upholstery

 Candle grease: scrape, use hot iron and absorbent paper. Follow if necessary with a grease
solvent.
 Ink: Mop up as quickly as possible to prevent spreading. Wash with warm water and synthetic
detergent or use a weak acid, and rinse.
 Mud: leave to dry then brush off
 Shoe polish: scrape off, if possible and then apply a grease solvent
 Urine: sponge with salt water, followed by a weak solution of ammonia and rinse well or a squirt
from a soda water siphon.
Polish wood
 Ink: Mop up as quickly as possible. Rub with fine dry steel wool or glass paper, or dab with a hot
solution of weak acid and rinse. In both cases colour and polish will be removed so rub with
linseed oil or shoe polish to darken and later apply polish and buff well.
 Spills, slight heat and burn marks: rub with a rag moistened with a drop of two liquid metal
polish or methylated spirit and then re-polish or rub with a very fine abrasive eg. Cigarette ash
or very fine steel wool and re-polish.
 Scratch marks: if newly scratched cover with iodine, potassium permanganate solution or shoe
polish according to the colour of the wood. If necessary remove polish first with a mild abrasive.
 Alcohol: Wipe up, rub with finger dipped in silver polish linseed oil and re-polish immediately.

Marble, Terrazzo
 Ink: Apply sodium per borate, precipitated whiting and water. Leave it to dry.
 Rust: Apply a sodium citrate crystals, glycerine, precipitated whiting and water.

When removing stains, it is worth to remember the following:

 Treat stains as soon as possible
 Consider the fibres of which the fabric is made
 If a coloured articles, check effect of remover on an unimportant part if possible.
 Use the weakest method first
 Use a weak solution several times, rather than a strong one.
 When using a chemical always place the attained area over an absorbent pad of clean cloth
 To avoid a ring always treat from an area round the stain and work towards the centre.
 After using a chemical, neutralize or rinse well.
Cleaning Agents
There are some common cleaning agents that are used in cleaning process in every hotel which are as
follows:

Water
Water is commonly used for cleaning purpose as it is easy to handle and free to use. Water has the
ability to remove any sort of dust and gives the final touch in cleaning .But in most cases pure water is
not enough to remove any sort of dust and gives the final touch in cleaning. Generally for cleaning
purposes water is categorized into two types:
 Soft water
 Hard water

Liquid agents
Liquid agents could be adulterated with water or even it could be applied directly to dry cloth. Some of
the well-known and widely used cleaning agents are given below:

Ammonia: it is a strong chemical compound of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms. Ammonia
is easily integrated into water and highly soluble for cleaning.

Methylated spirits: It is basically a resultant from methanol which is used in the manufacturing area.
This is very helpful for removing grease, stains, ink etc.

Paraffin: This is widely used in hotel for creating a moisture proof layer on surfaces. Paraffin is a
colourless and odourless liquid but also can remove lubricant soil.

Turpentine: It is used in the cleaning process as a thinner, to make paints glazy and clean.

Vinegar: It is basically used in kitchen for cooking purposes, but it is also has the capability to cleaning
chores and remove light bath soil.

Hydrochloric acid: It is also applied for bathroom cleaning, but it can be very harmful if proper caution
has not been taken.

Carbon tetrachloride: It is normally used for cleaning stains or grease.

Detergent
Detergents are getting popularity for cleaning purposes due to easy application for removing dirt and
dust. Detergent contains various elements (surfactants, alkaline, salts bleaches foam boosters,
germicides and perfumes) which make it stronger and useful for bringing best output.

Washing soda
It can be used as a water softener. This is normally used to clean drain pipes or stone surfaces. Washing
soda is harmful for some specific surfaces such as wood, paint fabrics and brushes or even for skin.

Polishes
Polishes are used for cleaning various surfaces such as floors, furniture, leather and even metals.
Polishes provide protective and shinning coverings to the surface in the property along with proper
cleaning. Polishes could be classified into three areas such as:
 Spirit based: It is used to clean metal mirrors, windows panes, and Bakelite
 Oil based: it is used to clean stained, wax polishes or painted wood, cork or wood waste,
enamelled tiles and lacquered metals, leather and leather substitutes.
 Water based: it is used to clean and shine floor including sealed thermoplastic or rubber
flooring.

Safety and Security

Rita is cleaning a badly stained toilet bowl with ammonia- based cleaner. She scrubs vigorously at the
stains, but they will not come out. She pours more of the ammonia cleaner into the bowl, but the stains
are still there. Finally, she reaches for a container of chlorine bleach, dumps some into the bowl, and
leans over to scrub again. This scenario underscores a vital element of chemical use in the housekeeping
department: proper training in the safe and effective use of chemicals. Rita does not know that mixing
ammonia and bleach will produce a deadly gas that will very probably result in her death.

Safety and Security are two major responsibilities of hotel managers. Guests expect to sleep, meet, dine
and entertain in a facility that is safe and secure-and are entitled to reasonable care under the law. In
hospitality operation, safety refers to the actual conditions in the work environment. Security refers to
the prevention of theft and other emergencies.

Safety Equipment
Housekeeping employees may use chemicals that require wearing protective gear. Personal protective
gear may be used for covering the eyes, face, and heads and in some cases the entire body. Protective
gear should be worn when using hazardous or toxic chemicals. It should also be worn when performing
duties and using equipment that may result in injury from flying objects. Gloves, goggles or face shields
may be required when diluting chemicals for cleaning purposes or when mixing chemicals for treating
swimming pools.

The chemical manufacturer must specify what type of equipment is needed when using the product.
When cleaning overhead areas such as ceiling vents, goggles and dust/mist respirators may be needed.
Dust/mist respirators may also be used when cleaning very dusty areas. The respirators fit over the
employee’s mouth and nose and prevent dust and other small airborne particles from being inhaled.

Safety awareness and first aid

Safety awareness is similar to everything we do. It is learned, not natural. We are not instinctive with
knowledge used for safety concern. In fact, everyone who has a young child or grandchild identify this
first hand since they notice them going around doing dangerous things constantly. We learn through
different means. Several learn by reading, others by doing, and some by watching .So how we know that
we have developed first-class safety awareness? Here are a number of good examples of performance
that recommend you have good safety awareness:
 Before you start a job, you think how doing it extra safely
 You look confident and identify how and when to make use of personal protective equipment
 Since you work, you ensure your positioning to reduce damage to your body
 You start to have a discussion with others on the subject of safety.
Observe yourself now and distinguish if you have got good safety awareness. If you don't, then the best
method to gain more awareness is to step back and look at your colleague’s actions while they are
performing a job. Watch for hazardous actions, share those remarks with them to assist them go home
safe and sound every day.

First aid supplies approved by consulting physician should be stocked and readily available. If an
employee works with corrosive materials, suitable facilities should be available to drench or flush eyes,
face and body in case of an accident. Caustic and corrosive cleaning solutions are generally used in
kitchens to clean filters, exhaust hoods and grills. Some properties have a house doctor or nurse’s
station. In the absence of medical staff, the employer should indicate a local medical facility or doctor
who can handle on the job injuries.

Safety rules list for Housekeeping department (Rooms and Housekeeping area)
 Keep glass out of linens
 Be alert for cracked glass that are wrapped
 Empty razor containers before they become full
 Keep cords out of pathways
 Keep bed covers off the floor
 Never smoke on the elevators
 Place ashtrays on dressers, not beside the bed where guests might be encouraged to smoke in
the bed
 Do not overcrowd elevators
 Use caution when pulling carts on and off elevators
 Use the correct cleaning equipment for the job
 Do not leave room service trays in guest hallways
 Walk on the right side of corridors
 Carry pointed objects with the sharp end down and away from yourself
 Never use a chair or box as a substitute for a ladder
 Put broken glass and metal waste in the proper containers
 Correct tripping and slipping hazards immediately
 Use handrails on stairways
 Report defective wiring, plugs and uninspected appliances to your supervisor immediately
 Check the cord and plug off any electrical appliances before plugging in. If there is a break or
fray, or if sparks fly, do not try to plug it in. Return the appliances to the electrical shop and
secure a replacement.
 Look for a broken glass before kneeling on carpeting or bathroom tile; if glass is present sweep it
up with the bottom and then use a portable vacuum .Never handle glass with bare hands.
 Dispose of broken glass in the broken glass containers in the service halls
 All ashtrays should be emptied in toilets, not in waste cans.
 Report any evidence of careless smoking in guestrooms e.g. burnt carpets or bedspreads, burnt
matches on floors etc.
 Do not use bare hand to pull trash out of the cans, as there may be broken glass or razor blades
present.
 Be careful in the placement of luggage in public areas or in the luggage room
 Never attempt to carry more luggage than you can handle safely
 Know the location of wheelchairs and the stretchers
 Know the procedures of dealing with guest injuries and illness
Safety Training
 Safety training begins the first day of the job
 Housekeeping employee orientation must include an introduction to property safety rules and
regulations
 Employees must know what is expected of them in an area of safety in order to perform their
jobs more safely
 A good safety policy is written with the employee in mind, explains how safety benefits the
employee and the company. This statement should be a general safety philosophy that covers
the entire property not just housekeeping
 Safety training does not end at orientation. At least once a month, every employee should
participate in a safety education program which discusses new safety rules and the proper use
of new equipment.

Safety and accident

In many operations, housekeeping and maintenance employ more people than any other department.
Another cause lies in the detail that working in maintenance or housekeeping involves equipment and
physical activity use equally
which raise the risk of injury and accident. To minimize safety risks, the executive housekeeper should
be aware of possible safety hazards and develop procedures to prevent accidents. Safety should be a
top priority. On-going safety training programs help ensure that safe conditions are maintained in all
work areas. To develop such programs, management must be aware of the laws and the regulate the
work environment and more specifically, how those laws affect housekeeping personnel.by following
three simple rules, employees can contribute to a safe and accident free work environment.
i. Take adequate time: No job is so urgent that you must do it in an unsafe, hurried manner.
ii. Correct unsafe conditions immediately: If you cannot correct an unsafe or hazardous condition
yourself, report it at once to your supervisor.
iii. Do not safely the first time: every employee must do his/her job in a safe and correct manner.
This is the best way to prevent accidents.

Fire procedure
 If you find out a fire, without any delay active the Fire pull station nearby.
 Need to familiarise yourself with emergency exits in your area.
 Know where the hose cabinets and fire extinguishers are.
 Upon hearing the fire alarm, turn off all equipment’s and wait on your floor for further
instructions.
 When the announcement on fire evacuation is made, the floor supervisor who is assigned to
that floor will direct all guests and employees to the emergency exit nearby. Do not allow guests
to use elevators.
 Help alarm investigators in physical room checks and help to evacuate guests.
 Remain on your floor awaiting all guests to have been evacuated, however, do not take any
personal risks.
 Make sure hallways are clear and doors are closed. Store trolleys and other difficult equipments
in the room nearby.
 Evacuate the building and continue to the pre designated assembly area outside the building.

Security of Guest and public area

Providing Security in a hospitality operation is the broad task of protecting both people and assets.
Security efforts may involve guestroom security, key control, perimeter control, and more. Each lodging
property is different and has unique security needs.

Security should be recognized as and used as a management tool. Whether the property requires a large
security staff or one or several on premise supervisory personnel, the security role should be clearly
defined and implemented.

Key control
Proper key control procedures are important for guest security and privacy. Key control also protects
the property by reducing the possibility of guest and property theft. Every time an employee receives or
returns master key, he or she should be required to initial or sign the log. Employees issued keys should
keep the keys on their persons at all times. If a guest asks an employee to unlock a room the employee
should politely explain the hotel’s policy and direct the guest to the front desk. If room attendant finds
room key in the hallway or pubic area, the front desk should be notified immediately. The key should be
returned to the front desk.

Types of Key
Housekeeping is primarily concerned with three categories of keys such as:

1. Emergency Keys: It opens all the doors of the hotel even those that guests have double-locked.
These keys should be kept in secure place. Some properties also keep an emergency key off the
premises. Use of this key should should only be in emergency situation such as fire or when
guest or employee is locked in a room and needs immediate assistance. Most housekeeping
personnel do not use emergency keys on a day-to-day basis.

2. Master Keys: It also opens more than one guest room. Master keys can be used in Emergency
situations when it is vital for an employee to enter any or all areas of the hotel. Master keys are
separated into three levels of access.
i. Grand Master Key: This key opens every hotel room and many time all housekeeping
storage rooms. If the guest has turned the deadbolt, master keys will not open the
door.
ii. Section Master Key: It opens rooms in one area of a hotel. Floor supervisor may be
issued more than one key of this type because he/she may be required to inspect the
work of more than one room attendant.
iii. Floor Key: Generally, a room attendant is given this key to open the rooms he/she is
assigned to clean. Floor keys typically open the storeroom for that floor unless the
room is especially keyed or is accessed by another master key.

3. Guestroom Keys: This type of key opens a single guestroom and, in some cases, other locked
areas such as the pool. These keys are distributed to guests. Guestroom keys are stored at the
front desk when not in use.

Handling unusual situation and events in Hotel

As usual, there are many emergencies which arise in the hospitality industry and it is necessary to
handle these emergencies in a tactful way with laid down procedures as per the industry. The staff
should be able to handle such critical cases and they should have knowledge and skill, otherwise it can
cause a great loss to the hotel.
Guest complaints
Staff must understand that guest is always right so do not argue with guest .Listen attentively to the
guest and try to understand what exactly is wrong. Apologize for the inconvenience caused and rectify
the situation if you can. Note down the incidence on the log book and give handover to the next shift if
the issue is still not resolved. Complaint must be handled with empathy and positively for the guest and
hopeful for 100% guest happiness as the result. If the problem is out of your authority, inform the
manager or Duty Manager. Guest should be informed of the progress. Record all the facts in the Register
(Guest call). Even if you successfully resolved the situation inform the manager of all complaints
immediately.

Lost and found

Any item temporarily misplaced or lost by a guest, traced later by hotel staff. Such articles are handed
over to the housekeeping department, who maintain a special locker with record for the same. If the
item belongs to the guest who has checked out, then email is sent to the guest from their registration
card. The item may aso be mailed to the guest on request. If no reply is received within a specified time
period, the article may be given to the staff member who has found it.

Theft
In most hotels there is the possibility that dishonest staff or in house guest will remove or take away
some hotel property without paying. It could be food, linen, towels, and cutlery for their own use. The
security of these hotel properties has the responsibility of each departmental head. A frequent stock
taking and spot checks are essential not only to establish quantities of items in stock, but also to monitor
unusual losses which might point to staff theft.
Most hotel budget for the loss of such items as cloth hangers, ashtrays, bed sheets, towels, and flower
vase etc. But most of the bed sheet, towels, pictures table lamps, flowers and other movable objects
become costly to the hotel. But upon entering a vacated room a room attendant will know immediately
that such items are missing and must inform front desk, security and management often before guest
leave the hotels.

Bomb Threats
Most bomb threats are made by telephone and generally it is the telephone operator or receptionist
who receives them. The operator should be trained on how to bear with such situation. He or She
should write down the exact words, spoken by the caller and rate the sense. Any background noises to
the call might assist the police in tracing its place of origin. The operator should calmly tell the calls that
the hotel is occupied and detonation of a bomb would cause death or injury to innocent people. The
general Manger or the duty Manger and the security officer should be notified immediately. Under
expert supervision the investigate will commence. It should be left for professionals to defuse or move
the bomb. In case of serious bomb it is necessary to evacuate all guest and staff from hotels. Once clear
sign is given by the authorities all the staff, guests and visitors are allowed to enter into the hotel.

Fire in the hotel

As soon as a fire is detected then immediately the first thing is to notify the operator or telephone
department. In large hotels, the operator plays a vital role of alarming the hotel. The front office should
alert all guests and inform them to use the staircase and not the elevator. Staff must guide the guest
through staircase, and help in extinguishing the fire by the use of appropriate fire extinguishers (foam
for electrical fires and oil fires, Water for general fires and so on).
Death of a guest
In case of death, the front office should inform the general manager, the security officer and call for the
hotel doctor. The general manger may decide to call police, the body must be removed by the staff
entrance and the room sealed till all police formalities are done. Family members or closed ones are
contacted through address entered on the registration card.

Accidents
The house doctor should be called immediately on phone and informed to the nature of the accident
and condition of the guest. The doctor’s instruction must be followed immediately. If first aid is needed
then do first aid care till the doctor arrives.

Sick guest
In hotel if any guest is sick then immediately inform front desk or manager. If the condition of guests is
mentioned as delicate then the authorities need to call for the doctor or an ambulance. After arrival of
doctor at the hotel, an authority is needed to guide to the guest room for help. It needs to be ensured
that all the facilities for treatment are available in the hotel. If the guest should transfer to any nearest
hospital then hotel should arrange everything to make the guest comfortable. If guest stays in the hotel
and gets well from sickness, he needs to be provided all his necessary medical documents and medicine.
He also needs to be suggested to stay at home according to doctor’s suggestion.

Drunken guest
A drunken guest should never be argued with. He must be politely laid away from the public areas in to
an office or his room. If he is noisy or behaving unusually the hotel security must be called.

Vandalism
In cases of vandalism, the front office staff must call the hotel security and order the main door to be
locked. If the things get out of hand the police must be called. The front office cashier is instructed to
raise charge for the value of damages to property.

Linen
The term linen includes all fabrics that are used in hospitality industry. There are various aspects of the
linen room layout, inventory maintenance and its functioning. Supply of various linen items to the guest
rooms their recovery after use, their laundering and their recycling. The linen room is the centre stage
for the supporting role that the housekeeping department plays in the hotel. Most linen rooms are
centralized and act as a storage point and distribution centre for clean linen.

Linen Room Work

Collection and Transportation

It is an essential activity when laundry services are on outside contract and is facilitated through chutes ,
canvas bags, trolleys collapsible wire carts, skips etc. Guest laundry are also collected and appropriately
marked for sending off premises for cleaning.
Sorting and counting
Sorting is carried out primarily to make counting easy as well as for streamlining laundry procedures and
to tally the exchange of linen between the linen room and the laundry.

Packaging
Linen is packed in canvas bags to prevent damage on transit to the linen articles. Those articles that
need mending and those, which are heavily stained, may be segregated and put into separate canvas
bags.

Dispatch
The time for off premises laundry dispatch is usually anytime between 13:00hrs and 16:00hrs so that
servicing of rooms is over by then and guest laundry will have been collected.

Deliveries
Clean Linen is delivered back in the morning hours and evening deliveries are usually for guest laundry.
Checking and inspection
Checking the quantity to ensure that the amount of laundered linen tallies with the amount of soiled
linen articles sent and as well as inspection of the quality of wash.

Storage
The amount of space to be allocated for storage depends on the size and type of operation and the
quantum of linen supplies. When designing the storage space for linen it is necessary to consider the
types of shelves required, the method of storage as well as hygiene and safety factors.

Repairs and Alterations

Damaged items are mended by stitching. Alteration of uniforms for correct fit is usual. Condemned linen
is converted into useful items called cut downs/makeovers.

Distribution to various departments

This is generally done on a clean for dirty basis. Some hotels use other systems of exchange such as
topping up or a fixed issue based on expected occupancy. In some hotels specific timings are fixed for
issue of linen.

Stock taking and records

Many records are entered on a day to day basis for the exchange of linen between the linen room,
laundry and floors/departments. Purchase records are essential and records of condemned linen and
make over’s usually maintained. Periodical stock taking is carried out and the annual stock taking is
recorded in the stock register, thereby providing the value of linen as an asset. Stock records also help
generate purchase orders for replacement of lost or condemned articles.

Security
It is important that the access to the linen room is restricted so as to prevent misuse and to guard
against fire breakouts. Linen room is strictly a non-smoking area.

Uniform room
The usual system for exchange is clean for dirty and the timings. Some hotels have specific days for
different departments to facilitate streamlining laundry and uniform room operations.

Staff Uniforms
Articles such as waiter’s jackets, aprons and cleaners overalls, are treated as normal linen room stock,
and exchanged over the counter, but where the staff is provided with individual uniforms, this is treated
as personal laundry, and may be sent as individual bundles to the laundry and returned a week later.

Laundry in house
There is a growing tendency for establishments to have their own laundry in the premises. Laundry
premises can be smaller and the initial outlay on equipment less.

Contract Cleaning
Complete cleaning programmes with all work and responsibility undertaken by the contactor, regular,
selected types of cleaning within an establishment to assist the existing housekeeping organization. It
has been suggested that a contractor must be 20-30 percent more productive than direct labour in
order to provide an equal service at an equal cost and still get a fair profit.

Valet Service
In hotel it is usual to put a laundry list and sometimes a container such as a large paper bag as well as
dry cleaning list in all bedrooms for the guest personal laundry. The guest is asked to complete the list
and fill in the service required eg. Normal or express and the room maid or valet takes the parcel to the
linen room. The linen keeper enters the particulars into a guest laundry or dry cleaning book and the van
delivery collects the parcel.

Floral arrangement

Flower arrangement is a design of beauty. It is essentially a decorative piece and could be the centres of
attraction .Flower arrangements have an ability to introduce a personal touch in an impersonal hotel
room. The elements of art are the basic structure and comprise of line, form, colour, texture, pattern,
light and space which apply to the furnishing and room planning. The effect of these elements is
reflected by our instinct and intellect; they make a visual impact and evoke emotional response.

Basic Principles for flower arrangements

Decorating flower is a creative and stimulating art which often carries a message or theme and
expresses the mood or emotion of the arranger. The basic principles, which any visual art must comply
with, are:
 Proportion or scale: This relates to the height of the plant material, size of container, its shape,
size of room, wall or table or other interior decor.
 Balance: It includes design like symmetrical, asymmetrical, the western style, and the eastern
arrangement
 Dominance or emphasis: It shows the central interest, which is also known as focal point.
Besides this there may also be a dominant theme like movement, direction, line, mass, texture
and colour.
 Rhythm: It is related with movement in respect of line, form, pattern or colour. The eye should
move smoothly and freely without any distraction.
 Repetition: It must be restrained to avoid monotony.
  Variety and Contrast: These aspects especially in relation to shape, texture colour ,leafy part
and strength to the design

General rules for flower arrangement

 Materials usually one and half times as tall as height and width of container.
 Use only three kinds of flowers and foliage
 Not more than five kinds of materials
 Design or lines can be circular, oval, crescent, oblong, triangular and pyramidical
 Three dimensional effect or depth can be created by placing material in graded planes that is, at
different distances from the central axis.
 Vertical lines depicting stately and bold character.
 Horizontal lines appear restful and calm

Equipment for flower arrangement

Like any craft, flower arrangement requires good equipments and proper tools such as flower vase,
flower shears, pin holders, wire mesh, florist tape, water spray, rubber bands, tooth picks, thin wire,
rocks, pebbles, accessories like birds, butter flies, figurines, sheds etc.

Flower arrangement
There are few essential things while arranging the flower such as, flower composition, right shape, good
design, colour of the container and accessories in the arrangement. Flowers are used for decorating
various places inside the hotel such as lobby area, VIP rooms, reception area restaurants banquets etc.,
and should be suited to the location and occasion.

Arrangements for VIP Rooms

Arrangements of flower offer variety of imagination and design, which will vary according to its décor,
room types and so on. Tall arrangements of flower are placed on writing table, coffee table or bed side
table.

Arrangements for reception area

Flower arrangements in this area may be in two dimensional since it needs to be viewed by the guest.
This is the place where guest directly comes in contact with the arrangements so it must blend with
décor roses, chrysanthemums, carnations, gladioli and tuberoses. Normally triangular shape is used in
functions, ceremonies or in anniversary.

Flower on Banquet Table

A banquet is a formal sit down service and the flower arrangement must also follow a formal pattern.
Flower arrangement for special banquets like wedding banquets, honouring of VIP guests, celebration
etc. should be formal and usually monochromatic. Normally circular shape is used on buffet tables.

Flower on Coffee Table

Arrangements of flower can be informal and relaxing. Few large flowers combined with tiny blossoms
are appropriate and can be viewed from all sides.

Pest control
Pest is living being which has characteristics that are regarded by human beings are injurious or
unwanted. Pest causes serious damages and large economic loss to the hotel properties and also human
health through transmitting of contagious and often fatal disease. It is not only embarrassing but also
speaks badly of a hotel where one sees rat cockroach and lizards running around. Insects and pests
enter buildings seeking food, shelter or surroundings having the right temperature and humidity.
Animals such as rat and fleas can also be dangerous pest when it carries germs within human habitats
and spread it. Pest control is another major job of the housekeeping department. The key to successful
pest control is eliminating one or more of these conductive factors. Sanitation is an important part of
control. Successful pest control should begin with good housekeeping. It is important to know
something about the habits of the pest in order to take proper preventive measures and to select and
apply appropriate pest control products correctly. Using the wrong control product or using the right
product but in wrong manner may result in unsatisfactory control. Keep in mind that different pest may
be found in different parts of the building, in different seasons. Below are different types of pests found
in the hotels:

Moths

Clothes and house moths are of a pale buff colour and are seen flying mainly between June and
September. They are comparatively tiny and often don’t live for longer than a month. The female moth
lays its eggs up to 200 in number in some dark,
warm place on material which the grubs (larvae)
will later eat. The eggs hatch and the grubs
immediately feed on the materials as they move
about. When fully grown they crawl into
sheltered places spin a cocoon round themselves
Figure 50: Moths
become a pupa and later emerge as moths to
start another life cycle. The entire life cycle
varies from one month or two years depending
on the food available, temperature and
humidity. Thus it follows that the items which
mainly require protection from harm by moth
are bedding, blankets, and quilts, carpets and
under felts, upholstered furniture and curtains. Control processes are as follows:
 Inspect all food products brought into the hotel.
 Be sure to inspect clothing, furniture, fabrics and rugs and plants for the immature or the adult
moth stages before bringing them inside hotel rooms.
 Another effective way to control moth entry into a structure is to use outdoor lighting only
when necessary since lights are a significant moth attractor around the hotel at night.
Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles are 2-4mm long like small mottled

brown, grey and cream ladybirds. The larvae are small,
covered in brown hair and tend to roll up when
disturbed. As they grow, they mould the old cast off
skins which may be the first sign of infestation. Adults
are often seen in April-June, seeking places to lay their
eggs and the larvae are most active in October. The
adult beetle feed on pollen and nectar of flowers but
lays its eggs in old birds’ nests, fabric and accumulated
fluff in buildings. It is the larvae which hatch from
these eggs Figure 51: Beetles
that do not damage by feeding on wool or feathers fur and items made from these materials. They tend
to walk along pipes from the roof to storage cupboards and under floor boards to carpets and under
felts. Control processes are as follows:
 Identify the source if you want to get rid of carpet beetles
 Immediately and directly remove the carpet beetles with a vacuum.
 Wash your fabrics in hot, soapy water to make sure you remove their eggs, larva and carpet
beetles.
 If you would like to destroy carpet beetles and keep them out, try dusting with boric acid. It kills
just about any insect that comes into contact with it, yet it’s almost completely harmless to
humans.
 Carpet treatments that contain chlorpyrifos, bendiocarbs, and allethrin are effective at getting
rid of carpet beetles.

Wood Boring Beetles

These beetles cab be likened to moths and carpet beetles, in that

it is the grub, lava or worm which does the damage to the woods.
The common furniture beetle lays about 20-60 eggs in cracks and
crevices of unpolished wood for example flooring, panels, roof
timbers, backs of wardrobes and chests of drawers. On hatching,
the grub eats its way through the wood and this tunneling causes
weakening of the wood and may take from 2-3 years. Control
processes are as follows:

 Inspect timber and wood products when selecting, if

possible, or when delivered for emergence holes.
Figure 52: Wood Boring Beetles
 Use wood that has been kiln or air dried to reduce moisture that is favourable to wood-infesting
beetles.
 Decrease moisture within the home with suitable drainage, ventilation and dehumidifiers.
 Infested branches or limbs outdoors can be burned.
Head Lice

It normally lives in the hair of the head, and are most likely
the ordinary of all lice. They suck blood and cause strong
irritation, the eggs which are very numerous and stick firmly
on to the hairs and cannot be removed by brushing. Control
processes are as follows:

 Wash all used towels and bedding with hot water,

dry it with dryer for more than 20 minutes to kill the lice. Figure 53: Head Lice
 Wash all pillows in the washing machine and dry it with dryer for a minimum of 20 minutes.
 Carefully vacuum all couches and mattresses.
 Vacuum all carpets thoroughly and mop all wood floors.

Bedbugs

It may be secreted in the second hand furniture, bedding and books and under the wooden lathes of
trunks, when luggage has been lying in the holds of ships or in trains, and thus may find their way into
any establishments. Control processes are as follows:

 Staffs who handle luggage or linens could spot bed

bugs and head off an infestation in its early stages.
 Train housekeeping staff to look for signs of infestation
every time they clean a room. This includes inspecting
beds, baseboards, bedding and luggage stands.
 Periodically, have supervisory staff remove head
boards to inspect behind them; and carefully inspect
cracks and crevices in walls and other furniture.
Figure 54: Bed Bugs

Silverfish

Silverfish are wingless insects, silvery grey in colour and about 1 cm long. The young closely resemble
the adults and both are rounded in front and tapered towards the rear. Silverfish require a moist place
in which to live and are found in basements and a round pips drains sinks etc. They leave their hiding
places and search of food of a cellulose nature. Control
processes are as follows:

 Repair leaky faucets/pipes in and around sinks and

toilets to prevent/reduce condensation
 Monitor cardboard boxes brought into the home for
evidence of silverfish/other insect activity
 Vacuum floors often, especially around radiator pipes
and cracks in floor, near walls, etc. where silverfish
can hide
Figure 55: Silverfish
  Sprinkle diatomaceous earth, or boric acid (both are harmless desiccant materials) around
crevices, corners where silverfish are spotted to cause them to dry-out

Rats and Mice

Rats and mice are more likely to be found in kitchens and dining
areas than in bedrooms. They are attracted by scraps of food,
candles, soap etc. Hygienic storages and disposal of food and all
kinds of waste, and the cleanliness of all areas where food is
handled are important to prevent an infestation, Rats and mice
may be destroyed with poisons. Rats and bad infestations of
mice may also be dealt with experts from the local Public Health
Department. Control processes are as follows:

 Keep any possible food sources away from rodents. Figure 56: Rats and Mice
 Small crumbs and garbage are popular sources of infestation, as are dry goods such as grains
and cereals. These should be kept in sealed metal or glass containers to prevent contamination.
 Fruits and vegetables should also be stored properly, and resulting waste should never be left in
sinks or on counters.
 Cardboard objects prove attractive to rodents, as they tend to chew them up for use in their
nests.

Dry rot

Dry rot can be recognized by its offensive, mouldy smell, by its friable condition and the dead sound
when the wood is hit with hammer. When dry rot occurs/it is necessary to find the reason for the
dampness of the wood, and some of the more common causes are slightly leaky joints behind the bath
panels or any faulty plumbing keeping the floor boards damp,
not drying out wet boards under a floor covering such as
Linoleum. Control processes are as follows:

 A detailed survey should be carried out to identify and

locate sources of moisture ingress.
 Particular attention should be paid to roofs and
rainwater systems with emphasis on gutters and
downpipes, parapet roofs and roof coverings.
 Rain penetration can also be through renderings and
flashings or around windows and doors.
 Rising dampness through missing, bridged or
otherwise defective damp-proof courses must be rectified. Figure 57: Dry rot
 Rapid drying should be encouraged through the provision of heating and ventilation which may
also require specific building work to prevent moisture ingress and transfer, and to encourage
aeration.
 Dehumidifiers can remove moisture from the air but their effectiveness in aiding drying of walls
depends on the rate of evaporation from the wall surfaces.
Wet rot

This is the name given to the fungal decay in timber in very damp situations. The fungus usually involved
is the cellular fungus and it attacks timber that is definitely wet.
It is commonly found in cellars, roofs and bathrooms, in fact in
any place where leakage of water is liable to occur. It requires
considerably more moisture for development than the dry rot
fungus, the optimum moisture content being approximately 40-
50 percent of the dry weight of the wood. Control processes are
as follows:
 Wet rot decay is typically confined to areas where the
timber has become and remains wet. However, it is not
a case of just fixing the damage the wet rot has
caused,you have to fix the source of the water ingress
to ensure that the wet rot does not re-appear. Figure 59:Wet rot
 After the source of the water has been identified and fixed, treatment of wet rot can continue.
 Wet rot treatment generally involves the replacement of timber within the infected area.

Environmental concern of the Housekeeping

Housekeeping aids in helping the environment by reducing energy consumption in many Eco-Friendly
housekeeping methods. Some Eco-Friendly housekeeping methods include environmentally friendly
cleaning products, practices for cleaning, proper disposal of cleaning chemicals, and appropriate
personal training. Few important concerns are as follows:

 Minimize the amount of water used

 Minimize the amount of chemicals used
 Use environmentally preferred products
 Ensure adequate ventilation to speed drying
 Prevent excessive moisture, mould, mildew and bacteria
 Proper disposal of cleaning solutions
 Frequent cleaning of entryways, inside and outside
 Vacuuming with HEPA(High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter vacuums instead of sweeping
 Micro-fibre mop systems
Sample forms and formats
Figure 60: Sample log for guest loan items

Sample log for guets Loan items

Date Room Loan Item Call Received Delivered Picked up
No Requested Time Who Time Who Time Who

Figure 61: Sample Key control sheet

Key control Sheet

Date page of
Key Name Signature Time Issued Time in Signatur Received
code out by e by
Figure 62: Sample par calculation

This is simple calculation of how to establish a par stock level for king size sheets for a hotel that uses
an in house laundry operation and supplies two sheets for each of the property’s 300 king size beds

300 king size beds × 2 sheets per bed=600 per par number
One par in guestrooms 1 × 600 = 600
One par in floor linen closets 1 × 600 = 600
One par soiled in the laundry 1 × 600 = 600
One par replacement stock 1 × 600 = 600
One par for emergencies 1 × 600 = 600
Total number 3000

3000 sheets ÷ 600 sheets/par =5par

Figure63: Sample Linen Control Form

Guestroom Linen to laundry

Date

Item Colour Number

Pillowcase Ivory
King sheets Blue
Queen Sheets Blue
Twin Sheets Ivory
Bath Mats
Bath Towels
Hand Towels
Wash cloths

Room Attendant
Figure: 64 Sample Lost and found log

Lost and found log

Purchase order
Purchase order Order Date:
Number:
Item Date Description of Area/Room By How By Date
No and articles(include Payments
no/where Term:
whom disposed whom
To: time From/
color,size,
(Suppliers)
found Ship to: found of(enter
found brand etc) address if
(Name of food service operation)
mail)

(Address) (Address)

Delivery Date:
Quantity Description × Units Shipped Unit Total Cost
Ordered Cost

Figure 65: Sample uniform inventory card

Uniform Invetory card

Name Date
Position Dept
Total Cost
Uniform No
Important: This purchase order expressly limits acceptance to the terms and conditions
I understand that the uniform(s) issued me are my sole responsibility and that if I should
stated above, noted on the reverse side hereof,and any additional terms and conditions
change positions or leave the company, I will return the complete uniform(s).I authorize
affied hereto or otherwise referenced.Any additional terms and conditions propsed by
the company to deduct from my paycheck the cost of any missing items or the cost of
seller are objected to and rejected.
repairing uniforms damaged from other than normal wear.I further understand these
uniforms will NOT be taken off hotel property at any time.

Authorized Signature
Employee Signature

Housekeeping Signature Date

Figure66: Sample Purchase order

 Room Inspection Report

Room No
Type
Condition: Excelent Acceptable Unacceptable

S/No Bedroom Condition S/No Bathroom Condition

1. Doors,Locks,chains,stops 21 Doors

2. Lights,switches ,plates 22 Lights,switches,plates

3. Ceiling 23 Walls

4. Walls 24 Tiles

5. Woodwork 25 Ceiling

6. Drapes and Hardware 26 Mirror

7. Windows 27 Tub,Caulking ,grab bars

8. Heating/air conditioning setting 28 Showerhead and curtains

9. Phone 29 Bath mat

10. Tv and radio 30 Vanity

11. Headboards 31 Fixtures/faucets/drains

12. Spreads,bedding, mattress 32 Toilet: flush/seat

13. Dresses, night stand 33 Towels:Facial/hand/bath

14. Promotional material 34 Tissue: Toilet/facial

15. Lamps,shades,bulbs 35 Soap

16. Chairs, sofa 36 Amenities

17. Carpet 37 Exhaust Vent

18. Pictures and mirrors

19. Dusting

20. Closet

Other

Inspected by Sinature
Figure 67: Sample room inspection
 Housekeeper’s Report A.M
Date P.M

Room Status Room Status Room Status Room Status

Number Number Number Number
101 126 151 176

102 127 152 177

103 128 153 178

104 129 154 179

105 130 155 180

106 131 156 181

107 132 157 182

108 133 158 183

120 145 170 195

121 146 171 196

122 147 172 197

123 148 173 198

124 149 174 199

125 150 175 200

Remarks: Legend: -Occupied

OOO -Out of order
- Vaccant
B -Sleep out
× -Occupied,No baggae
C.O -Slept In but Checked
Out Early A.M
E.A -Early Arrival
Executive Housekeeper’s Signauture

Figure 68: Sample housekeeping room status report

Figure 69: Sample maintenance Work Order

XYZ Hotel XYZ Hotel

Maintenance Request Maintenance checklist

123529
Time Check( )indicates unsatisfactory
By Date condition Explain Check In remarks
Location Section

Problem Bedroom - Foyer - Closet

Remarks:

Assigned To Bathroom
Date compl Time spent
Trim Shower
Completed by
Drains LightsWall
Remarks
paper Paint
Tile or Glass Door
Acessories Window
Remarks:

Table No 1: Standard Bed size

S/No Bed Items Size in inches

1. Crib 28×52
2. Rollaway (Extra Bed) 39×75
3. Twin 39 or 42×76
4. Three- quarter 48×76
5. Double 54×76
6. Queen 60×80
7. King 78×80
 Table No 2: Standard Linen size

S/No Bed Items Size in inches

1. Twin Sheets 64×104

2. Double Sheets 81×104

3. Queen Sheets 90×110

4. King Sheets 108×110

5. Pillowcase -Standard 20×30

6. Pillowcase -King 20×40

7. Pillows- Standard 20×26

8. Pillows-king 20×36

9. Bath robe 36×70

10. Bath towels 20×40

22×44
24×50
27×50
11. Hand Towels 16×26
16×30
12. Wash cloth 12×12
13×13
13. Bath mat 18×24
20×30
14. Napkins 17×17
22×22
15. Table cloths 45×45
54×54
64×64
54×110
16. Place mats 12×18
14×20
17. Runners 17× variable length

Housekeeping terminology:
Mini bar – A small refrigerator store with juices, liquor, and snack for the convenience of guests inside
the guestroom and is chargeable.

Murphy bed – The Murphy bed, also called a fold down bed, wall bed, or pull down bed, that's turning
point at one end so it is folding bed normally stored against a wall vertically.

Operating supplies – The items are necessary for daily housekeeping operations, which include cleaning
supplies and guest supplies.

Out of Order (OOO) – It is the status of a guest room that cannot be booked for guest. The room may
require repair or maintenance.

On premises laundry (OPL).-Laundry inside the hotel where linen and Uniforms are washed, clean, dry
and pressed.

On change room – A room that needs service from housekeeping before registering to a new guest.

Housekeeping status report: A report the housekeeping department follows that specify the up to date
status of all rooms according to the physical check.

Occupancy report: A report which is prepared by front desk agent each night, lists room occupied that
night and indicates guests who are supposed to check out the next day.

Preventive maintenance:

Room status discrepancy: Situation where housekeeping department and front office department have
two different descriptions of room status.

Acute hazard: Something that may possibly cause direct harm.

Chronic hazard: Something that could cause harm for a long time; for e.g. chemical that may possibly
damage organ or cause cancer with continual use for long time.

Par number – A multiple of the standard quantity of inventory item that stand for the number of the
article that should be on hand to maintain daily, housekeeping operations.

Par level – The ordinary number of all inventory items that must be on hand to carry daily,
housekeeping operations.

Performance standards –Each employee’s expected work performance in terms of quality and quantity.

Productivity standard: The acceptable quantity of work to be done by department employees.

Room assignment sheets –It is a daily work report, which indicates a guestroom attendant’s need to do
service during the shift.
Room status report – A report that allocates the housekeeping department to know the actual
percentage of the room occupancy in hotel. It is prepared daily during communication between
housekeeping and front office.

Refurbish – Room is changed and given attractive look than before by changing carpet, furniture and re
decoration.

Room section – A group of guest rooms rationally adjoining to each other.

Safety stock level – The quantity of purchase units to facilitate constantly smooth operations in case of
damages, emergency, unexpected delays in delivery or other situations.

Skipper – The guest leaves the hotel without settling his account or bill.

Sleeper – The guest already has settled or paid his bill and checked out of the hotel but the room status
is not updated by front office staff.

Studio bed – This is a dual purpose bed that is used as sofa in the day and changed into a bed in the
night.

Swab cloth – A soft, spongy cleaning rag used for damp cleaning work, to wash bathtubs, basins and so
on.

Sani-bin – These are small plastic or metal containers with lids, kept in toilets for soiled sanitary towels
collection.

Surveillance equipment – Closet circuit televisions or CCTV that help in directly watching suspicious
persons and their activities.

Scanty baggage – A guest checks in a hotel with only a hand luggage which is a threat as they may check
out of the hotel without payment of bill.

Soft water – Water in which the level of magnesium and/or dissolved calcium is below 60 ppm.

Soiled linen – Used, Dirty and stained linen that requires dry cleaning.

Stain – A mark or spot that comes from absorption of unfamiliar substances.

Sorting – The process of sorting out soiled linen into various categories: that should be dry-cleaned
under special conditions, such as coloured and whites

Stock taking – It is also called conductive inventory. The physical confirmation of inventory items which
means counting up all items in stock at cyclic intervals.

SWB – Salaries, Wages and Benefit.

Timeshares – These involve individuals buying the tenure of accommodations for a particular period of
time, generally one or more weeks a year. This owner then can occupy the unit during that time.
Tent cards – Hotel promotion cards in the form of tents placed in guestrooms.

Terrazzo – Flooring which consists of granite, marble and other attractive chips positioned in cement.

Turn down service – A special service in the early evening given by a room attendant in guestrooms to
restock supplies, tidy the room and turn down the guest bed sheets for the night.

Tooth glass – A glass placed on the vanity unit as a guest supply and to keep the guest’s dental kits, or
other similar items.

Water closet – An enclosed room or compartment containing a toilet bowl and the cistern.

Vanity area – A unit which includes a washbasin and mirror, enclosed by flat area where dental kits,
soap, shampoo, conditioner, shaving kits and tooth glass are kept.

Vacant – The status of a room which is not yet occupied.

Zero base budgeting – Zero base budgeting refers to hiring employees while taking into account the
actual occupancy for a specified period of time.