Study These Terms

A-weighted decibels (dBA) – is the term used to express the relative loudness of sounds in the air as
perceived by the human ear.
Caddy or Trolley – a container with divisions used in housekeeping to hold cleaning tools and chemicals.
Infestations – the state of being invaded by pests and insects
Loofah – is derived from a fibrous material found in a gourd-like tropical fruits and is used as bath sponge.
Linens – are garments used as household articles such as bedspread, towels, pillows, and bed sheets.
Occupational health hazard – a risk associated with work that could lead to injury, illness, or worst, even
death.
Par stock - the minimum level of supplies required in meeting the daily demands.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) – refer to all protective equipment used while working, e.g. gloves,
safety glasses and shoes.

DISCUSSION

According to a study conducted for the

Dial Corporation by Dr. Boonie Knutson
of Michigan States’ School of Hotel,
Restaurant and Institutional Management
in 1987, the primary reason for a guest
returning or not returning to a hotel is
cleanliness. Statistics show that 56.2% of
the guests who stayed in the economy
hotels did not return because the room
was not clean. 93.6 % of the guests who
like to return to the hotels because the
room was clean.

What can you say about the findings of study above? What do you think is the most important
factor to achieved hotel guest satisfaction? The result of the study shows that cleanliness and hygiene
matters a lot. It is therefore important that all the staff in housekeeping must be well trained in performing
their daily tasks,
Cleaning Tools for Room Servicing
Below are tools, equipment and materials used in cleaning a guest room.
Cleaning Tools
a. Dusters
b. Dust pans
c. Mops
d. Brooms
e. Brushes
f. Buckets or pails
g. Garbage bins
h. Caddy basket
i. Squeegee
Cleaning Equipment for Room Servicing
a. Chambermaid’s trolley
b. Wet and dry vacuum cleaner
c. Scrubber and polisher
d. Upholstery cleaner

Cleaning Materials and Chemical Agents

a. All-purpose spray
b. Disinfectant
c. Cream cleanser
d. Bleach
e. Detergent
f. Polish
g. Glass cleaner
h. Abrasives
i. Polishing cloth

The Maid’s Cart or Trolley

Maid’s cart or trolley is very important in

housekeeping. It is like a giant tool box where all the supplies
needed are placed during room service. It should have enough
space to carry all the supplies needed by a room attendant in a
specific shift. The wheels should also be easy to move and
maneuvered as the cart contains a large amount of supplies.
There are three deep shelves in a maid’s cart. The lower
two shelves are for stocking linens while the top shelf is for
stocking supplies. Heavier linens are placed on the lowermost
shelf while the lighter ones are on the top shelf. The cart
contains two bags: one for collecting soiled linens and the other
on for collecting garbage. It has a storage space for vacuum

1
cleaner and a hand container or caddy. The top of the cart is designed to have partitions for amenities and
guest room brochures. It also contains a locked box for storing guest room keys.
Items placed on the maid’s cart are determined based on the room category, guest amenities and
the size of the cart. Below is the standard number of linens usually placed in the maid’s cart:

Linens Par Stock

Bed sheets 3 per bed
Bedspread 1 per bed
Face towels 1 per guest
Pillow cases 2 per bed
Bath mats 1 per bathroom
Mattress protector 1 per bed
Hand towels 1 per guest

Setting Up a Maid's Cart or Trolley with Cleaning Materials

There are standards to be followed in setting up a trolley or maid’s cart. For instance, bed sheets
should be placed in one shelf, towel in another shelf and bathroom amenities in should be in a separate
shell. There should be a garbage bag in one corner of the maid’s cart with lid and another bag on the other
end for soiled linens. Common supplies loaded on the aid’s cart are shampoo, moisturizer, foam bath,
shower cap, detergent, toilet rolls, tissue box, soap dish, disposal bag, bath mat, bed spread, and pillow
covers.
Cleaning Supplies should be in a separate hand caddy. Examples of items stocked on the hand
caddy include, all-purpose cleaning solution, bowl and toilet brush, rubber gloves, color coded rags, and
scrubber.

Steps in Setting up a Maid's Cart or Trolley

A. Preparation
1. Get all items ready
2. Get assignment sheet from the housekeeping control desk
3. Clean trolley; wipe all areas using a wiping cloth designated for wiping the trolley
4. Collect the needed stocks from the pantry
5. Record all the needed items loaded on the cart on the room assignment sheet
B. Procedure
1. Start stacking from the bottom shelf, which is intended for bed linens like bed sheets, top sheets and
pillowcases. Arrange neatly.
2. Stack at the middle shelf the bathroom linens like bath towel, face towel, and hand towel
3. Place on top of the shelf all the amenities and bathroom supplies. Arrange neatly.
4. Stack the hand caddy with cleaning supplies starting from all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, dusting
solution and bowl brush. Next color-coded wiping cloth and sponge then finally the glass wiper.

2
5. Place the hand caddy on the base of trolley below the garbage bag and linen bag located at the right side
of the trolley. Place the trash bag on the left side of the trolley.
6. Position vacuum and cleaning equipment on one side of the trolley.
C. Inspection
1. Inspect to ensure that the trolley is properly stacked, properly arranged, and clean.
2. Check if the linen bag and trash bin are empty and clean.
Tips in Setting up a Maid's Cart
a. The maid's cart should be clean, well-organized, and well-stocked with all supplies
needed depending on the number of rooms and the type of rooms to be serviced
on.
b. Remember not to overstock the cart as overstocking will cause accidents or damage
to the supplies
c. It is important to always record the items loaded on the cart on the room assignment
sheet
d. Once the shift is over, the maid's cart or trolley must be returned to the floor pantry.
Make sure that all its shelves are locked.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in Hotel Housekeeping
Housekeeping is a physically demanding job. It is called such because it is classified as moderately
heavy to heavy work. Most of the time, a housekeeper carries out varied tasks like sweeping, scrubbing,
vacuuming, mopping, dusting, cleaning, and lifting. In addition to these, they are also responsible for
delivering beds to guest rooms and replenishing toiletry supplies.
There are risks associated in this kind of work. The health of the worker might be at stake, and
there is a possibility of injury or worst, death. The most common injury that might happen because of the
nature of the job is called repetitive motion injuries (RMIs). Heavy physical workload and excessive bodily
motions can cause back injury while forceful upper limb motion in awkward positions can cause neck or
shoulder and arm injuries.
Evaluate Hazards and Risks

Knee and Back injury Falls Slips and Trips

and Lifting injury

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Personnel in housekeeping department work eight hours a day and they perform various tasks that are very
demanding to the body. Below are hazards associated with work that might cause injury to the body:
a. Walking g. Reaching
b. Standing h. Twisting
c. Stooping i. Crouching
d. Squatting j. Lifting
e. Kneeling k. Pushing
f. Stretching

Reducing the work-related risk to injury or danger is a big challenge since the housekeeper works
in a very unique place where it is designed to provide comfort to the guest rather than the worker. However,
there are solutions that would help reduce the risk or injury to the body. Below are tips on how to reduce
injury to the body.
Tips on How to Reduce Physical Stress
a. Use lighter equipment as much as possible. Those heavy ones must have wheels
b. Use motorized operated equipment to lighten the workload. This includes the use
of vacuum cleaners and portable bathroom scrubbers
c. Use long handle mops and brooms to reduce stooping, crouching, and kneeling
d. Use modern cleaning agents like all-purpose cleaner, disinfectant, and liquid
detergents. Modern cleaning agents are effective in removing dirt and stains
e. Follow job rotation to reduce permanent injuries to the body, allowing the body to
rest for a while
f. Proper lifting techniques should be employed e.g., keep objects as close to the body
possible and lift with legs not the back of the body. Know your limits and ask a co-
worker for help lift the object that are too heavy or awkward for one person. Do
not be afraid to ask for help. Eliminate potential tripping or slipping hazards before
beginning to lift.
Safety Practices in the Workplace
a. Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
b. Make sure all spills are immediately cleaned up to avoid slipping
c. Replace worn, ripped, and damaged flooring, and place anti-slip flooring in areas
that cannot continually be cleaned such as an entrance
d. Maintain clean light fixtures to improve lighting efficiency
e. Keep aisles and stairways neat
f. Place warning signs and mirrors to help improve sight lines in blind corners
g. Regularly inspect, clear and repair all tools
h. Do not use damaged tools
Safety in Handling Cleaning Chemicals
a. Use the appropriate protective equipment when handling concentrated cleaning
products
b. There should be a complete list of all cleaning chemicals used in the facility.
Details like how many gallons are stored, where they are stored potential hazards
and precautionary measures for each chemical should be included in the list
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 c. There should be safety data sheets for each chemical used or stored
d. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions of using the chemicals. If not used
the right way, these cleaning chemicals may not effectively work and can be
harmful
e. All cleaning chemicals should be kept in their original containers
f. Never mix chemicals, even if they are of the same type. Combining ammonia and
chlorine bleach for example can produce the fatal chlorine gas
g. Do not use different cleaners as an alternative, unless the intended use is the same
h. Install safety signage that quickly conveys possible dangers and precautions related
to the chemicals
i. It is important that you know exactly what the following "signal words" mean:
Caution: the product should be used carefully but is relatively safe
Warning: the product is moderately toxic
Danger: the product is highly toxic and it may cause permanent damage to skin and eyes.

Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) like safety headwear, safety
footwear, safety hand, and safety eyewear are important. They
must be worn by employees that are exposed to hazardous
materials or in cases where danger or risk for injury s present.

Terminologies Used in Housekeeping

Room status terminologies are used by both housekeeping
department and front desk in communicating with each other regarding the room occupancy. It is very
important that these two departments continually communicate with each other, not only to maximize the
sales and revenue but to avoid problems like room status discrepancy - a situation wherein the housekeeping
department’s description of room status is different from the room status information being used by the
front desk to assign guest rooms. This situation will create a big problem, if not resolved. This is why close
coordination between these two departments is extremely important.
Executive housekeeper uses the terminologies for room status to closely estimate the number of
housekeeper needed on any particular day and to schedule them accordingly. Out of Order (OOO) rooms,
Vacant Rooms (VC) rooms, sleep out are examples of important room status terminologies that would mean
there is no need of housekeepers’ service to clean these room. Below are terminologies used by
housekeeping and front desk:
Important Terminologies for Room Status
a. Pre-register. A guest has booked a room earlier for early morning arrival.
b. Occupied (OCC). A guest is currently occupying the room.
c. Occupied clean (OC). There is a guest occupying the room and has been cleaned
by the room attendant
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 d. Occupied Dirty (OD). There is a guest occupying the room and it has not been
cleaned by the room attendant yet.
e. Extra Bed (XB). There is an extra bed being used in the guestroom
f. Light Baggage (LB). The guest occupying the room does not have a large baggage
g. No Baggage (NB). The guest occupying the room does not have a baggage.
h. No Need Service (NNS). A guest requested a no service for the room
i. Stay-over. The guest is not expected to check out today and will remain at least
one more night
j. On-change. The guest has departed, but the room has not yet been cleaned and not
ready for new occupant.
k. Do Not Disturb (DND). The guest has requested not to be disturbed.
l. Cleaning in Progress. Room attendant is currently cleaning the room.
m. Sleep-out. A guest is registered to the room, but the bed has not been used.
n. Skipper. The guest has left the hotel without making arrangements to settle his or
her account
o. Vacant and Ready or Vacant and Clean (VC). The room has been cleaned and
inspected and is ready for the arriving guest
p. Vacant Dirty (VD). The room is vacant but has not yet been cleaned.
q. Out of Order (OOO). Rooms kept under out of order are not sellable and these
rooms are deducted from the hotels inventory. A room may be out of order for a
variety of reasons, including the need for maintenance, refurbishing and extensive
cleaning, etc.
r. Out of Service (OOS). Rooms kept under out of service are not deducted from the
hotel inventory. This a temporary blocking and reasons may be a malfunctioning
bulb fuse, TV remote not working, kettle not functioning properly, etc. These
rooms are assigned to the guest once these small maintenance issues are fixed,
s. Lock-out. The occupied room has been locked which disallows the guest to re-
enter until he or she comes into contact with hotel staff to clarity his or her status.
t. Did Not Check Out (DNCO). The guest made arrangements to settle his or her
bills (and thus not a skipper), but has left without informing the front desk.
u. Due Out. The room is expected to become vacant after the guest checks out.
v. Check Out (C/O). The guest has settled his or her account, returned the room keys,
and left the hotel.
w. Late Check Out. The guest has requested and is being allowed to check out later
than the normal or standard departure time of the hotel.
x. Expected Departure (ED). It is the same as ‘due out’ which means the guest
would depart prior to the check-out time of the following day.
y. Inspected Clean (I). The room is double checked by the floor supervisor after the
cleaning of room attendant.
z. Complimentary. The room is occupied for free. (setupmyhotel.com 2015)

Guest Room Classifications

a. Single Room. A room that accommodates only one person and has a single or a queen-
size bed.
b. Twin Room. A room that can accommodate two persons with two twin beds.

6
c. Double Room. A room that can accommodate two persons with a double or queen
bed.
d. Double-double Room. A room that can accommodate two to four persons with two
twin, double, or queen-size beds.
e. Triple Room. A room that can accommodate three persons and has been fitted with
three twin beds, or one double bed and one twin bed or two double beds.
f. Hollywood Twin Room. A room that can accommodate two persons with two twin
beds joined together by a common headboard. Medium tariff and budget hotels tend
to provide this room setting, which cater to both couples and parties of two.
g. Studio or Murphy Room. A room that is fitted with a sofa bed or a Murphy bed (i.e.,
a bed that folds out of a wall or closet), which can be transformed from a living room
at daytime and into a bedroom during nighttime.
h. Suite. A room with one or more bedrooms and a living space. The bedroom may be
single, double, or twin double rooms.
i. President Suite. The most expensive room provided by a hotel. Usually, only one
president suite is available in a hotel. Similar to the normal suites, a presidential suite
always has one or more bedrooms and a living space with strong emphasis or grand-
in room decoration, high quality amenities and supplies, and tailor made services (e.g.-
personal butler during the stay).
j. Villa. A special form of accommodation which can be found in some resort hotels. It
is a kind of stand-alone house that gives extra privacy and space to hotel guests. A
fully equipped villa contains not only bedrooms and a living room, but a private
swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, and a balcony. It is suitable for couples, families, and large
group.
k. Accessible Room. This room type is mainly designed for disabled guests. The law
requires that hotels must provide certain number of accessible rooms to avoid
discrimination. The room setting of an accessible room is different from other standard
rooms for guests' convenience. Common features include safety bars and emergency
buttons in the bedroom and bathroom, touch floor lamps, fire alarm lights, outward
opening door for bathroom, etc. The rooms should always be located at the ground or
lower floors and should be near the elevators for easier access of disabled guests. This
room type is also suitable for seniors or old people.
l. Balcony Room. A room with a balcony
m. Room for Extended Stay. This room type can be found in service apartments and
hotels that target guests who are staying for a long period (e.g. expatriates). Open
kitchens and cooking equipment are usually available in the room. Some would also
provide housekeeping services once a week in a regular basis.
n. Smoking or Non-Smoking Room. Many hotels provide both smoking and non-
smoking rooms for their guests. In order to minimize the effects of secondhand smoke
exposure of non-smoking guests, some hotels group all smoking rooms in certain
floors and separate them from non-smoking rooms.
o. Adjacent Room. These are rooms close by or across the corridor, but are not side by
side.
p. Adjoining Room. Rooms that are side by side, but do not have a connecting door
between them.

7
 q. Connecting Room. Two rooms that are side by side with a connecting door between
them.
Hotel guests can be classified according to:
a. Trip purpose - pleasure or business travelers
b. Numbers - independent or group travelers
c. Origin - local or overseas travelers
Classification of Hotel Guest
a. Leisure Travelers. They are individuals who travel to engage in leisure activities,
outdoor recreations, or relaxation, to visit friends and relatives, or to attend sports
or cultural events.
b. Corporate Business Travelers. They are individuals whose frequent bookings are
usually made by enterprises with reduced room rates. Business travelers go on a
trip to conduct business, attend business meetings or workshops, and engage in
selling or purchasing of products.
c. Free Independent Travelers (FITS). They are sometimes referred to as Foreign
Independent Travelers. FITS are international tourists who purchase their own
accommodation and make their own travel arrangements.
d. Group Inclusive Tours (GITs). Tourists who travel together on package tours
accommodation and sometimes meals which are booked through travel agents.
Group tourists tend to spend less and budget their spending allowance.
e. Domestic Tourists. They are local residents who stay at a hotel for special
occasions and functions.
f. Conference Participants. Individuals who travel to attend conference and whose
accommodation is usually reserved by themselves, their enterprise, or a conference
organizer prior to their arrival.
g. Very Important Persons (VIPs). Very important persons may include celebrities,
frequent-stay guests, guests in expensive rooms, guests with security risks, and top
executives from enterprises.
h. Incognito. They are guests who stay in a hotel with concealing identities to avoid
notice and unwanted attention.
Guests' Safety and Security in Hotel
Security Procedures
In a hotel of any size, security is a major concern. The security division is responsible for
maintaining systems and implementing procedures that protect the personal property of guests and
employees and the hotel itself. Every hotel has its own procedures and guidelines for their staffs on how to
handle guest valuables, keys and telephone calls. Any unauthorized disclosure of guest information to
anyone by any hotel staff will be regarded as misconduct. Hotel staff should never disclose guest
information such as guest name and room number to anyone.
Handling Guests Valuables
A room attendant must report to the housekeeping office any guest valuables found inside the guest
room during cleaning. It is important that the room attendant stays in the room until the assistant manager,
8
floor supervisor and the security officer arrive at the scene. The case must then be recorded very clearly in
the housekeeping logbook with the time, room number, description of the item(s) found, the name to whom
the case is reported to and handled by for future references. The guest room will be double locked until the
guest returns.
Key Control
The room key is an important instrument that housekeeping staff use to access the guest room and
carry out their duties. All keys must be secured and distributed properly. Every room attendant is
responsible for taking care of the keys under his or her charge and not allowing anyone else access to the
keys. All keys are kept in the housekeeping office in a locked cabinet and properly coded. The housekeeping
coordinator is responsible for the distribution and control of keys. All keys issued must be properly signed
for and cancelled after return. The room attendant must register or sign in the Key Control In and Out
Logbook and list the number of issued keys. The housekeeping coordinator does the inventory of the keys
at the beginning of each shift and prior to the handover of keys to the subsequent shift in charge. The key
cabinet must remain locked at all times. Keys issued to the employees must be kept under their own custody
and never be left hanging on the trolley or in the door lock. All keys must always be returned to the
housekeeping office. Keys must never be taken out of the hotel premises. Misplacing or loss of key is a
very serious matter and should be reported to the executive housekeeper or assistant manager and security
officer immediately. An immediate search must be made until the key is located. Every staff in the
housekeeping department is trained to handle the different keys and use the correct procedures when
someone asks to open a guest room.
Suspicious Person
The housekeeping staff must report to the housekeeping office any suspicious person loitering on
guest floors and public areas. The housekeeping coordinator will in turn inform the floor supervisor or
assistant housekeeper, the assistant manager, and the security office.
Lost and Found
Lost and found refers to
a. a place or an office that keeps any items found inside the
hotel or
b. a place or an office where reports of missing items,
reported by either guests or staff , are kept and followed
up.
All staffs should hand in items found inside the hotel premises, regardless of their value. Most
hotels assign this duty to the housekeeping department or the security department. All information is
recorded in the Lost and Found Logbook for prompt and easy reference in case a guest inquires about a lost
item. All items found by the guests and staff should be stored in a ventilated room and kept for three months
before being released to the finder. Some items, such as perishable food or drink, may be kept for a shorter
period. The storage area must be secure.
Types and Sizes of Linens, Pillows, and Bed Sheets
Sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and bath items come in different sizes according to the sizes of the
mattresses and their use. Other items are chosen because of their appearance and price.

9
 Careful selection according to standard size and color is considered in purchasing these items
because the labor cost to sort them will be high. The careful selection of standard size makes purchasing,
counting, storing and maintaining inventories easier. Sizes can be color coded for easier sorting. Sheets are
usually available in different sizes and with color-coded hem threads.

Types of Linen
Bathroom Linens

Bath rug Bath towel (25” x 45”) Hand towel Face towel
24” x 42” Pool towel (36”x80”) 6” x 7 ½ “
Staff towel (36” x 62”) 9 ½” x 10 ½”

Bedroom Linens
Blanket Bedspread Mattress Protector Bed Sheets

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 Pillow case
Standard (20”x26”), Queen (20”x30”), King (20”x36”)

Bedding Sizes

Bed Size Mattress Size Bedspread Size Comforter Size Blanket Size
Twin 39”x75” 80”x110” 68”x86” 66”x90”

Twin XL 39”x80” N/A use Twin 68”x90” N/A use Twin

Full or Double 54”x75” 96”x110” 76”x86”to86”x86” 80”x90”

Queen 60”x80” 102”x116” 86”x86”to86”x90” 90”x90”

California or 72”x84” 114”x120” 102”x86” 108”x90”

Western King
to 102”x94”

Dual or Eastern King 78”x80” 120”x120” 102”x88” to 108”x90”

102”x94”
Daybed or Trundle 39”x75” 84”x117” 86”x92” 66”x90”

Waterbed Super 48”x84” N/A 66”x86”to66”x92” 66”x90”

Single

Waterbed Queen 60”x84” 84”x108” 68”x86”to86”x86” 80”x90”to90”x90”

Waterbed King 72”x84” 84”x108” 86”x86”to102”x86” 90”x90”to108”x90”

a. Note standard mattress thickness approximately

b. Comforter and bedspread sizes vary by manufacturers
c. This size chart reflects the most common sizes (BeddingStyle.com 2015)

Procedures in Conducting Turndown

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A turndown service or night service is one amenity that can be availed by a guest. Turndown service means
the room of a guest is prepared ready for sleeping. It includes the following: cleaning the room, having one
corner of the blanket folded for easy sliding, chocolate or fresh fruits placed on the bedside, the room lights
dimmed, and heavy drapes or night curtain was closed. Below are the steps on steps on how to conduct
turndown service.
Preparation for Turndown Service
a. Take the status report of the floor from the desk
b. Get the floor key or card and sign the logbook
c. Check the floor corridor for tidiness.
d. Take out the trolley with linen and amenities.
e. Clean vacant rooms at 6:00 in the evening onwards.
f. Finished all turndown service by 10:00 pm.
g. Clear departure rooms as per hotel requirements

Entering into the Guest Room

a. Follow the two-knock, three-announcement rule. Knock at the door and check if
the guest is inside the room. Say “housekeeping" before entering.
b. If the guest wants you to come back later, politely go out and position the maids
cart in front of the guest room.

Procedure for Turndown Service

a. Greet the guest if the guest is inside the room and say "l am from housekeeping.
Sorry to disturb you. May I turn down your bed?
b. Remove the bed cover, fold it neatly and place it in the wardrobe cabinet either at
the topmost shelves or in the lowermost shelf
c. Set aside the pillows. Smooth the top sheet blanket
d. Grasp the top sheet and second sheet blanket. Fold the corner back and pull them
down to the center of the bed.
e. Make a folded corner a neat 45-degree angle.
f. Tuck in the sides under the mattress.
g. Straighten the pillow and place t neatly on the bed making sure that the pillow case
opening is facing inwards.
h. Following the hotel procedure, place the turn down amenities on top of the pillow.
This is usually any of the following: flowers, a chocolate, candies, cookies and the
like;
i. Place the breakfast menu card on the folded quilt at an angle.
j. Place the foot mat in front of the bed with a pair of slippers.
k. Turn on the bedside lamp or night lamp.

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Procedures in Making up Beds and Cots
Look at the picture of a hotel room above? Is it not so elegant?
How about the bed? Is it not very inviting to have a rest? The best way
to welcome your guest is to provide them with a good quality and clean
bed and linens. Good presentation is also important to be able to make
lasting impressions. It should not only be pleasing to the eye but it
should also guarantee a comfortable sleep.

Preparing for Bed Making

a. Remove soiled bed linen from the bed.
b. Look at the mattress pad or mattress protector
to see if it is stained, torn, or damaged. If it is
not straighten it and make sure the mattress
and box spring are even.
c. Always adjust the mattress with your leg and not with your back to avoid any
injuries.
d. If the mattress pad is stained, remove it.
e. Get a clean mattress pad and place it on the mattress.
f. Lay the mattress pad on the bed.
g. Unfold the mattress pad right side
up and spread it evenly over the
center of the bed.
h. Smooth out any wrinkles.
i. Mattress pad or mattress protector
comes in different sizes. Be sure to
use the correct size.
j. Make sure you have the correct size
of bed sheets.
k. Do not use a stained or torn sheet.
Place them immediately in your
soiled linen bag.
l. Take three fresh sheets and pillow
cover or slips according to the size of the bed.
Procedure in Making up Bed
a. Pull away the bed from the headboard. This is done by pulling the bed with a quick
forceful movement. All beds in hotel are designed with easy maneuvering.
b. Remove all soiled linens. Shake them for any articles that may be left behind by
the guest.
c. Place the soiled linen in the linen hamper of the maid’s cart.
d. Check the mattress side-to-side and end-to-end to even it out. Adjust the skirting if
there is a skirting.
e. Shake the mattress protector and change it if soiled.
f. Clean the headboard with a feather duster.

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 g. Open and spread out a clean cover sheet and tuck it securely at the head, sides and
foot.
h. Miter the corners. See the illustration above on how to miter corners.
i. Open a clean top sheet and spread it evenly on the cover sheet. Make sure that the
laundry crease is in the same line as the cover sheet. The sheet’s hem must be
evenly pulled up to the headboard. Tuck the top sheet to the footboard.
j. Open the blanket and spread it out evenly on the top sheet. Make sure that laundry
crease is in the same line as the top sheet. The blanket labels should be at the foot
of the bed. Pull the blanket eight inches from the headboard and make a fold for
guest to slide in.
k. Fold the top sheet at the head of the bed over the blanket and fold the blanket and
top sheet once again.
l. Ensure that the blanket and the top sheet are tucked uniformly under the mattress
on both sides and the corners at the foot of the bed are mitered.
m. Fold the corner of the blanket and top sheet.
n. Replace pillowcases with clean ones. Even out the pillowcases to look full, neat
and tidy. The side of the pillow with the fold should be on the inside. For turndown
service, the breakfast menu knob is placed on the pillow.
o. Cover the bed with a bedspread. Make sure it falls evenly all around the bed.
p. Tuck the bedspread under the pillows.
q. Push the bed back towards the headboard making sure that it is aligned.
Before Leaving the Room
a. Empty dustbin and ashtrays.
b. Check all light fixtures if it is working.
c. Make sure to draw the heavy curtain.
d. Guest clothes that are lying around should be hanged.
e. Replace soiled glasses with clean ones and remove empty bottles.
f. Replace soiled linens if necessary.
g. Replenish supplies like shampoo, toilet paper, etc.
h. Tidy up the bathroom by folding used towels. Wipe the vanity area if required.
i. Set the aircon temperature.
j. Turn off the lights except tor night lamp or passage light.
k. Give a final look to make sure everything is done according to the hotel standard.
Then lock the door.
l. Update the status and report immediately any maintenance problem found while
cleaning.
Cleaning Guest Room
Procedure in Cleaning a Hotel Guest Room
a. Leave the door wide open as you enter the room.
b. Position the maid’s cart.
c. Turn on master switch to check whether the lights are functioning properly, then
switch off after checking. Adjust or switch off air-conditioning unit depending
upon hotel’s policy.

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 d. Draw back curtains or draperies to allow light to come into the room
e. Empty all waste bins from bathroom and restroom.
f. Wipe trash bins, place trash bags in the trash bins and put the bins back to where
they are located.
g. Place all dirty glasses and ashtrays in the bathroom.
h. Place clean bed sheets on a clean desk. Start cleaning by removing or stripping the
bed sheets of the bed. Use the bottom sheet as a wrapper for dirty sheets. Do not
forget to check for hair, debris and stain. Remove dirty linen from room.
i. Pour cleaning disinfectant solution into the toilet bowl to allow solution to work
before proceeding to bedroom cleaning.
j. Go back to the bed room and make the bed.
k. Wipe the lamp starting from the base using appropriate colored cloth for wiping
lamp and a multipurpose cleaner.
l. Dust starting from the top of the highest piece of furniture, tops of picture frames,
window frames, and fitted lights. Dusting procedures help in checking for missing
or lacking items including defects in the room.
m. Wipe and sanitize surfaces. Use the allotted colored cloth for wiping surfaces to
avoid cross contamination. Pay attention to the remote control, all knobs, locks,
computer equipment, telephones and other high contact areas.
n. Vacuum the bedroom.
o. Clean the bathroom.
p. Thoroughly clean hand basin with disinfectant cleaning solution. Soak in hot water
all dirty glasses. Wash and allow dirty glasses to drip-dry. Clean ashtrays and allow
to dry. Wipe properly the ashtrays.
q. Clean hand basin and wipe to dry.
r. Clean the bathroom shower using appropriate cloth for wiping each surface area to
avoid cross contamination. Make sure that showerheads, taps and soap trays are
thoroughly cleaned from soap scum and water marks. Buff it dry.
s. Clean toilet bowl from the inside out, finishing off by ensuring that seat and handles
are thoroughly cleaned.
t. Replace bath linen and amenities.
u. Clean bathroom floor last, starting at the farthest end.
v. Check the room at once to ensure all is set to hotel standards. Leave the room with
a neutral odor and at a balanced temperature.
w. Vacuum from the back of the room towards the door as you go out and then close
the door.
Procedure in Removing Room Service Equipment
a. Collect all room service equipment and move them to the floor pantry.
b. Position the room service cart or trolley to the floor pantry.
c. Inform the room service department to clear the trays or trolleys from guest room
or floor pantry.
d. Do not place the room service trays on the guest corridor or the service elevator.
Procedure in Removing Garbage

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 a. Gather first all recyclable item such a newspaper, aluminum cans, glass bottles,
etc., and place the either in the bag or on the floor pantry.
b. Remove from the waste paper basket and ashtray and place them on the garbage
bag.
c. Pick up all the trash that you will see and put it in the garbage bag.
d. All the trash removed from the room, upon leaving that room should be placed in
a garbage bag on trolley.
e. Exercise extra care in removing broken glass, razor, etc.
f. Remove all for disposal items like ash, cigarette buds. etc., into the dustbin.
g. Keep ashtrays and glassware under washbasin tap to wash.
h. With lukewarm water and cleaning solution, clean the ashtrays and glassware with
the help of sponge.
i. Wash liberally with water the ashtrays and glassware.
j. Wipe with a lint free cloth.
k. After drying, place back the ashtrays and glassware in the appropriate place.
l. Make sure that the ashtrays and glassware are spotless and clean.
m. Use dry tissue to collect hair from the vanity, toilet, bathtub, and floor.
n. Do not throw away any guest property that may be wrapped in a tissue.

Getting Ready for Cleaning Toilet and Bathroom

Always wear your personal protective equipment. This means wearing your working clothes, hair
restraint, and rubber gloves. You can wear a mask if you are sanitizing the toilet bowl with chemical
solutions.
General Techniques in the Cleaning of Toilet and Bathroom
a. Follow the ceiling, wall, and floor cleaning techniques.
This means that the procedure in cleaning the toilet and bathroom, or any other room, is to start at the top
going down. This allows all the dirt coming from top to go down and accumulate below. This avoids doing
the job back and forth and makes cleaning systematic, thus saving on time and energy.
b. Cleaning according to the different types of floor and surface texture of the floors
and fixtures.
Choose the appropriate cleaning materials to achieve the desired results. Use very fine scouring pads for
painted surfaces, glass mirrors, marbles, and porcelain. Likewise, use a highly absorbent cleaning towels
for drying bathroom walls and floor tiles. Use a polishing cloth for polishing metal surfaces like bathroom
fixtures. Moreover, use toilet bowl brush for cleaning a toilet bowl. Use floor and window squeegees for
removing excess water and drying up the windows. For the floor, a mop always comes in handy in removing
dirt and dust and for wiping and drying after cleaning.
c. Clean the window edge and sill as per standard operating procedure
Dust and dirt accumulate in window edges and sills. It is not enough to wipe these with a clean wet cloth.
To extricate the dirt and dust, use a fine brush with fine bristles that can penetrate in between the window
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edges and sill. A cleaning solution also helps remove sticking dirt and soil. Rinsing the windows after
brushing completes the cleaning. Wipe them dry with a cleaning towel.
d. Clean the bathtub, lavatory, toilet bowl, and urinal in accordance with standard
operating procedures and techniques.
Remove all items that obstruct cleaning like glasses, towels, soaps, shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste,
and others. This allows you to clean without obstruction. Start with the walls around the bathtub, the fixtures
like the faucets and shower, the shower curtains, and the bathtub itself. Then move on to the mirror, the
lavatory, and the fixtures in the area. Move to the urinal, the toilet bowl cover, the seat, and the inside of
the toilet bowl. Work on the flooring last. There are appropriate cleaning materials and tools for each type
of surface. Cleaning means wetting the surface, scrubbing or sponging it with a cleaning solution, rinsing
with clean water, and then wiping it dry. Stubborn dirt and stains should be treated thoroughly with cleaning
solution and scrubbed until removed completely.
e. Replenish bathroom and toilet supplies after the room has been cleaned and dried.
These supplies include the bath towels properly folded and placed on towel racks or shelves; the hand towel
properly folded and placed beside bath towels; the soap in its wrapper, and the shampoos, toothbrush,
toothpaste, and drinking glass with glass cover in their containers. These are all positioned near the lavatory.
f. Always take one last look at the room to see everything is in its proper place-if
there is no visible dirt and/or obstruction on the floor and passageway, and if every
and corner of the room is sparkling clean and dry.

Cleaning the Toilet

Materials Needed:
Bucket
Scouring pads
Cleaning towel
Rubber gloves
Toilet bowl cleaner
Hand brush
All-purpose cleaner
Warm water
Procedure:
a. Collect all used bath towels and hand towels in the bathroom and toilet. Place them
in a bag for soiled linens. Empty the trash cans.
b. Clean first the bathroom walls. Scrub the, with an all-purpose cleaner then rinse.
c. Clean the tiles on the remaining walls. Scrub with an all-purpose cleaning solution
(dilute one part of cleaner to 50 parts of water). Use a hand brush or scouring pad.
Rinse well ad wipe with a cleaning towel.
d. Next clean the shower, the bathtub and the shower curtains with an all-purpose
cleaner. Remove all dirt, spots, stains and other accumulated dirt like hair strands,
bits of soap and soil. Rinse thoroughly using warm water. Wipe dry with a cleaning
towel.

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 e. Clean and sanitize the toilet bowl. To sanitize is to kill disease-causing bacteria.
Pour toilet bowl cleaner all over the toilet bowl. Scrub the seat, seat cover and sides
and front of the toilet bowl. Clean the inside with a toilet bowl brush, Rinse
thoroughly with warm water.
f. Disinfect the toilet bowl seat all over with disinfectant solution mixture. (1 cup
disinfectant to 1 gallon water)
g. Disinfect the inside of the toilet bowl with pure disinfectant. Do this for both urinals
and toilet bowl as these areas already contain water.
h. Clean the bathroom mirror. Apply an all- purpose cleaning solution on the mirror.
Dilute one part of cleaner to 100 parts water. Spray or damp, wipe, rinse and dry
with a clean cloth.
i. Using an all-purpose cleaner and a scrub pad, scrub the faucet, lavatory, sink and
the stopper. Make thorough scrubbing while paying attention to the corners, sides
and edges. See to it that all soap residues, sticking dirt, and soils are removed.
j. Clean the remaining portion of the bathroom wall that has not been cleaned.
k. Wash the drinking glasses. Drain, cover, and put them back in to place.
l. Clean the shelves and cabinets. Wipe the inside with clean, damp cloth. If there are
spots and stains inside and out, scrub them with a cleaner solution and then wipe
with a clean wet cloth. Do this twice or thrice until the shelves and cabinets are
spotlessly clean.
m. Polish all chromes fixtures. Use a clean cloth, a metal cleaner, and a polisher if
needed.
n. Clean the flooring last. Dilute one part of all-purpose cleaner to 50 parts water in a
bucket. Dilute just enough for the flooring. Dip a clean mop in the bucket with the
solution. Mop over the flooring. Rinse and dry. Discard the remaining solution in
the bucket, if any.
o. Take one last look all over the toilet and bathroom before leaving.

Standards in Cleaning the Toilet and Bathroom

What are the expected results after cleaning the toilet and bathroom?
Bathroom and Washroom
a. The toilet bowl and urinals are sanitized.
b. The toilet is clean inside and out. No refuse is present.
c. The bathroom walls are properly scrubbed. The walls are free of marks and spots.
d. The walls are wiped dry.
e. There is no soap residue or film remaining on lavatory sink, mirror, and other
fixtures
f. There are no marks or streaks on walls, fixtures, door, doorknobs, and other
surfaces.
g. The floor is well mopped, sanitized, and dried.
h. The bathroom mirror is well polished and wiped dry. It is clear and spotless.
i. Bathtub is brightly clean, spot-and mark-free, and well dried.
j. The shower curtains are brushed thoroughly and hanged dry.
k. Bathroom supplies are replenished and installed.

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Insects and Pests and Their Control Measures
It is recommended that the hotel works with a professional partner in implementing a pest control
program to safeguard the hotel’s reputation. As American investor, industrialist, and philanthropist Warren
Buffet said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Pest control is a program
used to eradicate pests. Pesticide is a chemical used to kill and control pests. Below are some types of
pesticides.
a. Insecticides are used to control ants, flies, moths, cockroaches, and termites.
b. Herbicides are used to control weeds or other unwanted plants.
c. Fungicides used to control fungi that are pathogenic or disease-causing.
d. Rodenticides are used to control rats and rodents.
Insects and pests include:
a. ants e. mosquitoes
b. moths f. spiders
c. cockroaches g. mice
d. flies h. bed bugs

Supervisors and staff who work in the housekeeping must be alert of any infestation, Part of their
job is to regularly inspect the place for signs of pest on a daily and monthly basis. They are also expected
to inspect situations that may support or encourage pest infestation. They should keep a record of the
inspection done, the findings, or any action taken to treat an infestation. They are also expected to remedy
situations as soon as possible to minimize the spread.
Whenever infestation is identified, appropriate treatments should be done as soon as possible.
Always use professional pest control inputs. If the pest infestation happened in the guest room, it should be
taken out for service and the pest control contractor should be called immediately. If there are guests
occupying the room, they should be relocated to another room. Ideally to the same floor area to prevent the
spread of the infestation. Both areas occupied by the guests should be treated by the pest control contractor
as the guest may have transferred the infestation through their clothes, shoes and luggage.

Hotel Room Defects and Repair

Housekeeping staff's work is not limited to cleaning. They are also responsible for the maintenance
checking as they are the ones who see the situations of their assigned floor area. They check the room for
maintenance and report their findings to the control desk. The control desk in charge will record it in the
room checklist and the maintenance department will take charge of the repair.
Defects that could occur in a guestroom include:
a. Missing or broken light f. Broken tiles
bulb g. Broken socket
b. Breakages
c. Malfunctioning
equipment
d. Carpet stains
e. Deliberate damage
caused by guest

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Remember These
a. Basic tools needed to efficiently clean the area include dusters, dustpan, mops,
brooms, brushes, bucket, garbage bins, caddy basket, and squeegee.
b. Cleaning equipment used for room servicing are maid's cart or trolley, wet and dry
vacuum cleaner, scrubber and polisher, and upholstery cleaner.
c. Cleaning materials and chemical agents include all-purpose spray, disinfectant,
cream cleanser, bleach, detergent, polish cleaner, abrasives, and polishing cloth
d. Maid's cart is very important in housekeeping. It is like a giant toolbox where all
the supplies needed are placed during room service. It should have enough space
to carry all supplies needed by a room attendant in a specific shift.
e. Items placed on the maids cart is determined based on the room category, guest
amenities, and the size of the cart.
f. Supplies loaded on the maid's cart are toiletries, detergent, disposal bag toilet rolls,
tissue box, soap dish, bath towel, hand towel, face towel, bat mat, bedspread, and
pillow covers.
g. Cleaning supplies used during room service are toilet cleaning solution, bowl
brush, toilet brush, all-purpose cleaner, cleaning clothes, and rubber gloves.
h. Hazard associated with work that might cause injury to the body are walking,
standing, stooping, squatting, kneeling, stretching, reaching, twisting, crouching,
lifting, and pushing
i. Personal protective equipment (PPE) include safety headwear, safety footwear, and
safety hand and eyewear. These are mandatory and must be “immediately
available" or worn by any person if exposed to hazardous materials or if danger or
risk of an injury is present.
j. Room attendants must report to the housekeeping office any guest valuables found
inside the guest room during cleaning.
k. The room key is an important instrument that housekeeping staff use to access the
guest room and carry out their duties. All keys must be kept secured and distributed
properly.
l. All information is recorded in the Lost and Found Logbook for prompt and easy
reference in case a guest inquires about a lost item.
m. Sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and bath items come in different sizes according to
the sizes of the mattresses and their use.
n. It is recommended that the hotel works with a professional partner in implementing
a pest control program to safeguard the hotel's reputation.
o. The different types of pesticides are insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and
rodenticides.
p. Insects and pests include ants, moths, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, spiders,
mice, and bed bugs.
q. Defects that could occur in a guest room include missing or broken light bulb.
Breakages, toilet flush not functioning, malfunctioning equipment, carpet stains,
and deliberate damage caused by guest.

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 References
Books
Andrews, Sudhir. 1985. Hotel Housekeeping Training Manual. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill
Publishing Co. Ltd.
Dugan, Beth; 2005 (1st edition); The Responsible Serving of Alcoholic Beverages: A Complete Staff
Training Course for Bars, Restaurants and Caterers; Atlantic Publishing Company
Hurst, Rosemary. 1971. Housekeeping Management for Hotels and Residential Establishments.
United Kingdom: William Heinemann Ltd.
Martin, Robert J. 1998. Professional Management of Housekeeping Operations. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.
Plotkin, Robert; 1988 (1st edition); Intervention Handbook: The Legal Aspects of Serving Alcohol;
Barmedia
Various authors; 2012; Responsible Service of Alcohol: A Server’s Guide; International Center for
Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and the European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD)
Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation; 2012; A Guide to the Responsible Service of
Alcohol; Victoria Government
Websites
BeddingStyle.com. 2015. "Bedding Size Chart". Accessed June 2015. http://www.
beddingstyle.com/content/bedding-size-chart.asp
Setupmyhotel.com 2015. "Room Type Definition In Hotels." Accessed June 2015.
http://setuomyhotel.com/train-my-hotel-staff/front-office-training/95-room-status-terminology-in-
hotels.html

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