UNIT OF COMPETENCY : CLEAN AND PREPARE ROOMS FOR INCOMING GUESTS

UNIT CODE : TRS5123112

UNIT DESCRIPTOR : The unit deals with the skills and knowledge required from housekeeping
attendants to clean and prepare rooms for incoming guests in a commercial accommodation
establishment. ELEMENT

1. Set up equipment and trolleys

1.1 Cleaning, supplies and equipment required for servicing rooms are correctly selected and
prepared for use

Good Preparation for a task is vital. In order to work well , you must be well organised. This
means having everything you need for the job on hand ready to use.

The average room attendant cleans between 13 and 18 rooms depending on the size of the
rooms, the amount of guest giveaway items, whether or not the bed linen is changed daily and
what types of surfaces there are to clean. All of this is completed in an eight hour shift so good
time management is essential.

1. Arrive at work on time. Be well groomed and wear all pieces of uniform according to your
property's guidelines. To be late shows poor preparation and will be demonstrated in the work you
perform during the day.

2. As A room attendant you must report to the Housekeeping office prior to commencing cleaning
in order to obtain your room reports,(A report that gives all information about the room and
guest ) ,sign for keys / pagers and to receive any special instructions relevant to your assigned
rooms or particular requirements for guests currently staying in house or due to arrive. Floor
master keys should be attached to your person by means of a belt or chain and these keys should
be signed in and out so the hotel management know at all times who had possession of the keys
should there be a particular security breach needing investigation. Never lend the keys to anybody
and never leave them hanging from doors or on your trolley as anybody could pick them up and
use them.

The Pendle Moor Hotel

ROOM ATTENDANT'S REPORT
FORMS
Name: Date:
Section 5 West
Room Stay/ Linen
Leave
Number Makeup Change
501 x - -
502 - x -
 503 - x -
504 x - x
505 x - -
506 x - -
Please note ; there is a rollaway bed to
come out of room 510 as the son is
leaving today.

Room 511 has requested 2 extra

pillows

Room 507 is required for A 10am arrival

3. Floor master keys should be attached to your person by means of a belt or chain and these
keys should be signed in and out so the hotel management knows at all times who had
possession of the keys should there be a particular security breach needing investigation. Never
lend the keys to anybody and never leave them hanging from doors or on your trolley as anybody
could pick them up and use them.

Key Time Time

Print Name Signature Signature
Number out in
1A          
1B          
2A 6:20 SHAMILLA Shamilla 11:10 Shamilla
2B          
2C 6:25 JESSIE JBurke    
3A          
3B          

Sample key sign out chart

4. The next step in your working day will be to obtain cleaning rags and tea towels from the
Housekeeping office or linen room. It is imperative that no room linen be used for cleaning
purposes as this is very costly to the property, unhygienic, and will result in the hotel running short
of linen because a lot will have to be condemned due to damage caused by chemicals. If a face-
washer is used to clean grease or to wipe out ashtrays for example, it will have to be soaked in
bleach or rewashed several times in a strong alkaline solution. This amount of chemical in time
causes premature ageing of the fabric and costs the company many dollars in replacement of
linen

5. Before going to the section of rooms you have been assigned, you must also get your cleaning
bucket from the office or chemical store, complete with toilet brush, dishwash brush, abrasive pad
(if necessary), and correct chemicals. The types of chemicals you may be using may include but
not limited to; toilet bowl cleaners, abrasive liquids for cleaning baths and basins, all purpose
detergents for general surface cleaning (paint, laminate, walls), window cleaners for glass and
mirror cleaning and disinfectants to kill bacteria in the bathroom area. (see illustration) There
may also be tools to reduce manual handling injuries available such as window squeegies on
extension poles, wall scrubbing tools again on adjustable handles.
You should NEVER MIX CHEMICALS because to do so could:

 cause injury to yourself by creating toxic gases;

 one chemical mixed with another could render both inactive and
 a solution of two chemicals which are incompatible could damage surfaces.

You should always use chemicals at the correct dilution rates as specified by the manufacturer.
Always ensure you are familiar with the chemicals you are using and that you are aware of any
safety precautions that you need to take (eg wearing rubber gloves)

All chemical bottles should be correctly labelled and spray guns checked to ensure they are in
working order ( It is not very funny when the chemical runs up your arm instead of landing on the
surface where you think you sprayed it !!!) Today most large chemical companies supply colour
co-ordinated bottles, spray guns and solutions. The chemicals are also generally placed in
dispensers that automatically dilute the product so there is no fear of using the wrong strength.

If you do not know what each chemical should be used for, you must ask your supervisor. Much
damage can be done to surfaces / fabrics if the wrong chemical is used and can cause many
thousands of dollars of damage. For example if you were to using a chemical containing a bleach
on a carpet stain, the colour could be removed from the carpet by the action of the bleach and the
end result would be a carpet with white patches. The carpet would need to be replaced.

1.2 Supplies for trolleys are accurately identified and selected or ordered in sufficient numbers
in accordance with establishment procedures

The room attendant's trolley is stored either in a central linen store or on the guest floors in
separate pantries. It is one of the most important pieces of equipment to be used in
Housekeeping. It is almost always left in the corridor outside rooms when cleaning is in progress
and is visible and accessible to the guests. It should always look tidy and presentable and be
parked where it causes the least inconvenience to the guests and staff.

The trolley is a mobile work-station and is usually designed with shelves to hold clean linen and
supplies, a tray on top to hold all guest supply items and a fabric or plastic bag on either end. One
to hold the soiled linen that is removed from the rooms and the other for the rubbish. In the case of
new hotels, the trolley may be designed with several bags to assist in the sorting of recyclables.
The trolley should be stacked correctly at the end of each shift with all linen and guest supplies
that are needed for the correct servicing of rooms in the following shift.

If the trolley is stacked correctly, you will find that you will save valuable time by not having to run
from one floor to the next to look for something you need. Clean sheets should be stacked at waist
height for easy lifting, as they are the heaviest of the linen items. Towels and face washers can be
stacked at a lower level as they are not as heavy. Soiled linen and rubbish should be removed at
regular intervals throughout the day for hygiene purposes (approx every 4 rooms cleaned) and
also to maintain a good trolley appearance. Nothing looks worse than a trolley overflowing and
linen falling onto the floor. Trolley wheels should be checked and oiled at regular intervals. Carpet
fluff should be removed from the wheels to ensure easy manoeuvrability.

The photograph shows an example of a trolley which would not be offensive to the guest and
indicates a well organised Housekeeping department.

1.3 Trolleys are safely loaded with adequate supplies in accordance with establishment
procedures

You will see that the trolley holds linen items that will be required to service the rooms. These
may include some or all of the following:
Linen Items Abbreviation
King size sheets KS
Queen size sheets QS
Double size sheets DS
Single size sheets SS
Pillow cases PC
Bath sheets * BS
Bath towels BT
Hand towels HT
Face washers FW
Bathmats BM
Bathrobes BR

* this is an extra large bath towel used frequently in 5 star properties

You may also have mattress protectors and baby cot sheets on your trolley .It is best for safety
sake to restrict the weight on your trolley and to only carry what you need for a particular day.

2. Access rooms for servicing

2.1 Rooms requiring service are correctly identified based on information supplied to
housekeeping staff

The Final step in preparing to clean is to check and familiarise yourself with the daily room
attendant's report. This is a report generated from the Front office specifically for the
Housekeeping department to advise the status of all rooms so that Housekeeping is aware of the
movements of the guests to permit the rooms to be cleaned.

It usually includes some or all of the following information:

 The date;
 Floor number or section number;
 Name of today's room attendant;
 The room numbers;
  The status of rooms;
 The guest name;
 The guest arrival date;
 The guest departure date;
 The guest departure time (if known);
 How many people are occupying the room;
 Rollaway beds or babycots;
 Columns to write in the amount of linen used in each room;
 Whether the linen is to be changed column (usually in small hotels where linen is not
changed daily);
 Special requests;
 Maintenance reports

The Pendle Moor Hotel

ROOM ATTENDANT'S REPORT
FORMS
Name: Date:
Section 5 West
Room Stay/ Linen
Leave
Number Makeup Change
501 x - -
502 - x -
503 - x -
504 x - x
505 x - -
506 x - -
Please note ; there is a rollaway bed to
come out of room 510 as the son is
leaving today.

Room 511 has requested 2 extra

pillows

Room 507 is required for A 10am arrival

 this is a simplified room report



2.2 Rooms are accessed in accordance with the establishment’s customer service and security
procedures
You are now ready to clean. There is an order of work which the hotel or motel you are working
for will have established. Usually as you clean the rooms , you will work to the following order.

1. All vacant clean (abbreviated as V.C. ) rooms . These rooms are checked and dusted to
ensure the room is in fact vacant clean. Sometimes reception can make a mistake and
accidentally give out wrong room keys or check the guest into the wrong room number on the
computer. If these room discrepancies are not noted, the reception may assign an already
occupied room to a new guest, and somewhere else within the hotel there is a room that should
be occupied but is in fact vacant clean.

In large hotels where newspapers are delivered to the rooms by the night porter, it is possible to
have a newspaper in the room from several days ago due to human error. If these rooms are not
checked and the paper is still there when a new guest checks in , it reflects rather badly on the
hotel. Also any rooms turned down from the previous night for guests who did not arrive , will
need to be turned back up again and the curtains opened.

2. After you have checked all vacant clean rooms, you should proceed to any vacant dirties /
check out (abbreviated V.D. or C.O.) rooms first. These rooms are cleaned for new guests
arriving that day. Rooms that have not yet checked out - due out rooms (DO) must be monitored
for departure particulary if thae are late arrivals. Your supervisor should keep you updated.

3. The next type of rooms to be serviced should be stay / occupied (abbreviated S. or OCC)
rooms .These are usually serviced last , except when a guest requires early morning service due
to the fact that he / she is expecting colleagues for a meeting and is using the room for these
meetings .Celebrities and dignitaries may have special requirements about the times they require
their room to be serviced , due to their movements .When the Rolling Stones stayed in Melbourne,
all their rooms were serviced in the late afternoon / evening as they were performing at night and
did not get to bed until the early hours. In this particular hotel , staff had to be rostered to start later
for the period of their stay.

4. If a guest has displayed the "Please make up my room sign"(abbreviated P.M.U.), and you
have been requested by your supervisor to clean rooms for new arrivals , always ask which room
you should clean first as your supervisor will have more information from Front office and will
know which rooms should take priority.

5. Finally , check all rooms displaying the "Do not Disturb "(D.N.D. ) sign to see if they have been
removed allowing for you to service these rooms. Each hotel has a specific policy on this , some
will ring the guest to ask if they would like their room to be serviced and other hotels will leave the
room unserviced until requested by the guest . Make sure you know the policy in place at the
property you are working in. As a rule ,most hotels do not disturb airline crews but will enter most
other rooms to check on the welfare of the guests. The next step is to park your trolley on the
corridor next to the room you are cleaning or across the open door of the room you are cleaning.
(This varies from property to property ). This is to increase security . If the trolley is parked across
the door , it will deter anybody from entering and if you are in the bathroom cleaning with the water
running , chances are you will not be able to hear anybody enter the room. In some hotels, you
may have to work with the door to the room closed and a sign on the door handle "Cleaning in
progress "or "Room attendant in room " Do not forget to collect your vacuum cleaner from the
designated store.

PARKING THE TROLLEY

Having decided on which room you will service first, the next step is to park your trolley in the
corridor next to the room you are cleaning or across the open door of the room you are cleaning.
(The policy on parking trolleys varies from property to property, so remember to check when you
begin work). This is to increase security. If the trolley is parked across the door, it will deter
anybody from entering and if you are in the bathroom cleaning with the water running, chances
are you will not be able to hear anybody enter the room. In some hotels, you may have to work
with the door to the room closed and a sign on the door handle "Cleaning in progress "or "Room
attendant in room." Do not forget to collect your vacuum cleaner from the designated store.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

1.Never knock on a door where there is a "Do not Disturb" sign displayed.

If the room has checked out and vacant dirty, the previous guest may have forgotten to remove
the sign/ turn off the light - inform your supervisor so they can check and access the room.

2. Always knock on the door of any room prior to entering. The usual practise is to knock firmly
with the knuckles and declare "Good morning / afternoon / evening , Housekeeping". Wait
approximately 10 seconds to give the guest enough time to answer the door, and then repeat the
process. If there is no answer, knock again but this time, open the door, and repeat the greeting
so that it is audible.(Many a guest and room attendant has been red faced because he or she did
not knock and wait before entering the room.!!)

If there is no guest in the room, proceed to clean the room as per the method you will learn. If the
guest is in a state of undress or is still asleep, retreat quietly and close the door. If the guest is in
the room and comes to the door, ask him/her politely if they would like their room serviced now or
if they would like you to come back later. Always use the guests' name if possible (This
information is often listed on the room report.) Always comply with a guest request that is within
reason in line with service standards of the property. Many room attendants have been
propositioned to provide sexual favours over the years, by guests who may feel that the room
attendant is a personal maid and should comply with ALL requests. If this harassment should
happen to you, always report the matter immediately to your supervisor.
If you should be cleaning an occupied room and the guest returns to the room, always ask the
guest for either his room key or registration folder to confirm that he is indeed the guest occupying
that room. A guest will appreciate your concern for security. Once you are satisfied that he is
indeed a bona fide guest, ask if he would like the room service to be completed or if he would like
you to come back later. Remember the guest is paying for the room and has an utmost right to
privacy.

Once you are in the room, the first task is to ensure the room is definitely Vacant Dirty and the
guest's luggage has gone.

Working with the door open,(in hotels with fire-rated or self-closing doors, you may have to use a
door wedge for this purpose) open all curtains and switch on the lights. This is to ensure you have
enough light to see to clean.

(1) If the room windows will open, open them to get some fresh air into the room. Sometimes,
when you enter a room first thing in the morning, the room will smell of sweaty socks,
cigarette smoke, body odour or maybe even bacon and eggs if the guest has had room
service breakfast. If you are unable to open the windows and the room smells, turn up the
air conditioner to increase the air-flow or spray the room with air freshener and return
there a little later.

(2) The next task you must do is to remove any room service equipment (eg breakfast trays,
champagne buckets etc.) It is preferable to remove these to a service pantry rather than to leave
them on the corridor where guests or staff may trip over them causing breakages or creating extra
work for the Housekeeping department in cleaning up the corridor.

If you find unusual or suspicious items in the room (such as a weapon) notify your supervisor or
report it according to you propertys procedures.

Once all trays etc. have been removed from the room, you must strip the bed. The bedspread
should be removed and placed on a chair. (In five star hotels where there is a turndown service,
the bedspread should have already been removed and placed in a drawer or wardrobe, making
the bed making process slightly quicker)
 

3. Make up beds

3.1 Beds and mattresses are stripped, pillows and linen are checked for stains and damage
rooms are checked whether guests left any valuables

Stripping the bed

 Remove the bedspread if necessary and place on the chair.

 Strip the sheets off the bed one by one. If the bed has been tucked in tightly at the corners,
loosen the corners first to prevent the sheets from being torn. The reason sheets should be
removed one by one is to check for lost property in the bed. (you will find pyjamas, wallets,
socks and other interesting things amongst the sheets and doona covers)!! Many hotel
room attendants report finding things like slippers stilettos, teddy bears or even blow up
dolls amongst the sheets !! Follow your hotels procedures for the handling of lost property
should you find anything.

 Place the blanket on the chair NEVER on the floor. If a guest comes into the room or walks
past in the corridor and sees bedding on the floor, it does not look very nice, nor is it
hygienic. There is also a tendency if the blanket is left at the foot of the bed on the floor, to
walk on it as you move around the bed to make it.

 Pillow cases should also be removed one by one and should never be sent to the laundry
inside out because his slows down the laundry production and results in pillow cases being
returned that have been pressed inside out and therefore not useable. Pillows should also
be placed on a chair or table close to the bed NOT on the floor

 Check that the mattress protector is clean but if it is not, remove it and place it in the
soiled linen bag on your trolley. Replace it with a clean one of the correct size.
 

 placing the bottom sheet

3.2 Items with stains are immediately segregated and forwarded to the Laundry Department for
proper processing

 Check that the pillows are clean and free from stains. If soiled, have them replaced with
clean ones or change the pillow protector if one is used.

 Rollaway or cot - remove linen from these items in the same way as for normal beds

 All soiled towels from the bathroom should be removed at this stage and also placed in the
soiled linen bag on the trolley. (If you find any towels or bathrobes missing from the room,
you should inform your supervisor so that he / she will take the appropriate action
according to your propertys policy.) After you have placed the soiled linen in the trolley bag,
collect the necessary clean bed linen from your trolley and take it with you as you go back
into the room. Any additional linen such as extra blanket or pillows, or rubber sheets
(usually requested by people with young children who wet the bed) to be removed from
vacant rooms

 If the bed or bathroom linen is heavily soiled eg with blood, vomit or other body fluids,
always wear rubber gloves and handle this linen as potentially infectious. (Many laundries
now provide a special bag for the disposal of this linen thereby reducing the number of
people who handle this linen). Find out what the procedure is in your property.

 If the mattress is wet or soiled, find out what the procedure is in your property. A hotel will
usually have spare mattresses in order to change wet ones over. The procedure might be
to clean them in house or have them professionally cleaned off site or recovered by the
manufacturer.

3.3 Bed linens are replaced in accordance with establishment standards and procedures

There are many different ways to make a bed in the hospitality industry. Many five star hotels
now use duvets and duvet covers. Others use three sheets where the top sheet acts almost as a
night spread on the bed and sits on top of the blanket. Some hotels make the bed with the sheets
turned back ready for night service underneath the bedspread. Check with your supervisor about
how it should be done at your property. Whichever way the bed is made in your property, you
should always try to make the bed within 5- 8 minutes. Too much time spent on making the bed
will not leave you enough time to clean the rest of the room and bathroom. At first you will be slow,
but as the old saying goes, "practise makes perfect". The usual method of bed-making assumes
two sheets, a blanket, two pillows and a bedspread are used.

 At the same time as you place the soiled linen into the soiled linen bag on the trolley, you
should bring back into the room the correct number of sheets and pillowcases you require
to make the bed. Fewer trips out to your trolley will not only make it easier on you and you
will be less tired at the end of the day but will also increase your productivity as time will be
saved as a result of fewer trips out to the trolley. Remember to use your head to save your
legs!

 Place all but one sheet on a chair or table close to the bed

 Straighten the mattress protector on the bed and check it is clean and the correct size for
the bed. Check that the mattress is square on the bed and if you need help to straighten it ,
ask your supervisor. If there is a valance on the bed base, make sure it is clean and
straight. The mattress protector is a cotton pad placed on the mattress beneath the bottom
sheet which protects the mattress from soiling and the valance, or bed ruffle as it is more
commonly known, as the cover for the bed base. It is placed on the base for a pleasant
visual effect but also keeps the bed base clean. Bed bases are prone to dirt from guests�
shoes and also from spillages of coffee etc. which are spilt when consumed whilst lying in
bed.

 Place the bottom sheet on the bed with the hems parallel to the head and foot of the bed. If
there is one larger hem, this should be placed at the head of the bed. Most hotel linen is
white for ease of laundering but most hotel sheets have a colour thread stitched across one
end to identify the size eg red for double sheets, green for single sheets etc.

 Many properties also use the same size sheet for King and Queen size beds or for Queen
and Doubles. This is to save costs but also to make it easier for the room attendant. Should
you encounter a torn or stained sheet from the laundry, take it to the Housekeeping office
or linen room. Do not place in the soiled linen bag as it will be sent out for washing and be
recirculated. It may need special stain treatment or repair.

 Open up the sheet lengthways and then open up the sheet by holding one side, and flicking
it open over the bed. The fold of the sheet from the pressing process will help you to place
the sheet on the bed evenly. Use the centre fold of the sheet to centre the sheet on the bed

 Once the bottom sheet is on the bed, proceed to mitre the top two corners. First tuck the
sheet in at the top of the mattress. It is very important to tuck the bottom sheet over the
mattress at the top so that during the night the sheet will not move down the bed and form
a roll under the body which is then very uncomfortable. Once this is done, the mitred
corners are then done as follows.

 From the top of the mattress, pick up the hem of the sheet at the side of the bed approx 20
centimetres from the top of the bed and lift up over the mattress, tuck in the sheet
underneath. Let the sheet you are holding drop down and then tuck this bit in. Another
name for a mitred corner is a hospital corner. A good mitred corner looks very neat and
reduces bulk around the corner of the bed. You may need to practise this for sometime
before you become totally proficient at it.
 You can mitre all four corners of the bottom sheet if you choose, but it is not necessary to
do the bottom two as these can be done later. Remember it is very important NOT to spend
too much time on making the bed. Smooth the bottom sheet so that it is flat and even on
the bed.

 If your sheets have patterns, the pattern should face upwards on the bottom sheet.

 Place the second sheet on top of the first one. Again if the sheets you are using have a
pattern, the pattern on this sheet should be facing downwards. The larger hem of the sheet
should be placed at the head of the bed and in line with the top of the bed or bed
headboard if necessary. Some sheets have a patterned edge or simply a wider hem on the
top, and again, this should be facing down, so that when the sheets are turned back, the
decorative edge can be seen by the guest. Use the laundry folds to assist in placing the
sheets evenly on the bed. It is not necessary to mitre any corners on this sheet at all but if
you wish to practise your corners, you may mitre the two bottom ones. Do not tuck this
sheet in at the sides yet.

 Now it is time to place the blanket on the bed. Check that it is clean and free from holes or
cigarette burns and replace it with a clean one if necessary. Place the blanket evenly on the
bed. Usually a blanket will have either a satin ribbon or a stitched hem on the top and
bottom ends to make them easily identifiable. If there is a label on the blanket, place it at
 the foot of the bed where it will not tickle or scratch the guest in the middle of the night if he
is a rough sleeper and prone to wriggle around in bed!

 The blanket should be placed just below the top edge of the second sheet. Smooth out the
blanket on the bed and ensure it is even on both sides.

 Turn back the second sheet and the blanket together approx 30 centimetres from the top of
the bed (approximately the width of a pillow) and tuck in the sides tightly.

 Working your way around the bed, tuck in the bottom edge of the bed whist mitring all
thickness of the sheets and blanket together. Tuck in all along the sides. You may have to
practise your mitred corners, but once you have mastered them, you will increase your
speed and in time will become an expert bed-maker.

 (1) Now is the time to place the bedspread on the bed. There are many different styles of
bedspreads. You will need to be shown by your supervisor at your particular property, how
the one provided should be correctly placed, but the main points to remember are to place
the bedspread squarely on the bed and to check that it is clean.

 (2) Place the pillow cases on the pillows and place them on the bed. Open the pillow-
cases and bend the pillows lengthways to insert them into the pillow case easily. Once they
are in about halfway, you will find it easier to shake the pillow down by holding the edges of
the pillowcase. Cover the ends of the pillows with the inside flap of the pillow case.

 Never place the pillow under your chin as this is very poor hygiene and you could easily
leave make-up or the smell of aftershave on the pillow.
  It is common practise on a double, queen or king size bed to place the pillows with the
open end towards the centre of the bed for a tidier presentation. To see the open ends of
pillow cases does not look attractive, however some pillow cases have a decorative edge
on the open end and therefore are usually placed with these edges on the outer ends of the
bed. On single beds, the open end is usually placed at the side away from the door so if the
bed is turned down, the guest does not see the open edges. This practise should also be
observed when placing spare pillows in the wardrobe.

Once the bed is made, the room already looks tidy, should a guest arrive early. Once you have
made a few beds, ask your tutor to demonstrate the "once round method" where you can make
the bed by standing at one side except in the final steps. If there are two or more beds in the room
but only one has been used, check that the linen on the other bed is in fact clean. Occasionally a
guest has used both beds or has had a friend stay the night who is not actually registered with the
front desk.

4. Clean and clear rooms

4.1 Rooms are cleaned in correct order and with minimum disruption to guests

1. Remove all rubbish

Remove all rubbish from the bedroom and bathroom. Collect one of the room rubbish bins and
proceed to walk clockwise around the room and pick up all the rubbish. Check for items in
drawers, cupboards, on the furniture and on the floor (be sure to check under the bed). If you are
not sure if an item is rubbish, refer to your supervisor as it may be lost property. Empty all
ashtrays, checking that there are no smouldering butts that could cause a fire later, and place the
ashtrays in the bathroom for washing at a later stage. In occupied rooms, never remove anything
from the room unless it is in the rubbish bin. Remove all rubbish from the room and place in the
rubbish receptacle on your trolley.

Remember! NEVER put your hand inside the rubbish bin. There could be razor blades,
used sanitary napkins, condoms or possibly even a used syringe. Most hotels provide
training to their staff about the disposal of syringes and have a special syringe bin to
dispose of them. Check the procedure at your property.

Place the rubbish bin in the bathroom to be washed along with any used glasses and cups from
the room. Whilst you may think it is preferable to send dirty cups and glasses to the kitchen for
washing, most hotel room crockery is washed in the bathroom using a detergent purely for
logistical reasons.Some hotel rooms have dishwashers, if they are an apartment style, that may
be used.

If you were to transport all this dirty crockery and glassware to the kitchens for washing and return
it to the rooms, it would probably be necessary to employ another person to do this task and
would further inconvenience the guest by being disturbed another time to have the clean items
placed back into the room. To have a total new set of glasses and crockery for each room would
be a very expensive exercise and the room attendants trolley is not designed to hold these items.
Hence it is easier all round to wash the items in the room.

2. Defrost the fridge

Most hotel rooms have a fridge supplied which is usually stocked with soft drinks, alcohol , and
food items such as chocolate bars and milk. This is commonly referred to as the minibar fridge. If
the minibar fridge is switched off each time the room becomes vacant dirty, the room will not need
to be placed out of order to perform this task.

 Open the fridge door and switch off the fridge. (Newer hotels have frost free fridges)

 Dispose of any half consumed food or drink items.

 Place a cloth under the drip tray to catch any drips. This makes the cleaning of the fridge
later easier and prevents the labels on the bottles coming off hence reducing wastage.

 Remove any dirty glasses, water jugs and ice cube trays to the bathroom for cleaning at a
later stage.

The room is now ready for cleaning.

3. Dust the room

You are now ready to dust.

(1) When dusting, always clean from top to bottom, to prevent dust falling on surfaces you have
already cleaned.

 To dust up high, it is recommended you use a long handled feather duster. These are
terrific for reaching cobwebs in high corners, dust on air vents or for even just tickling your
colleagues!

 You must remember that dust does not just accumulate on horizontal surfaces but also on
vertical ones such as walls and doors, so you need to dust them all.

 Once the high dusting is complete, furniture and fittings should be dusted.

 Depending on the types of surfaces that have been installed in your property, you may
spray the cleaning chemical directly onto the surface, but it is a better practise to spray the
cleaning chemical onto a damp cloth. This reduces the amount of chemical used and saves
money. Some surface materials may include but not limited to laminate, wood, glass,
marble, paintwork or plastic.

 Start the dusting process at the entrance door and move clockwise around the room,
dusting all surfaces and finishing again at the door. Do not forget to dust the door itself and
the door jambs.

 In the wardrobe, you should dust all surfaces including the rails, the shelf and the coat
hangers themselves as they get very dusty, particularly if they are not all used every day. In
the wardrobe, there are often extra pillows and blankets, check underneath these
periodically as you will often find items placed there by the guest. The most common item
would be an issue of "Playboy"!

 You must not forget to clean mirrors (2) and spot clean windows and picture frame glass
with the correct chemical and a clean cloth. Once the room has fresh air, close the
windows. This prevents dust entering the room and curtains getting wet if it should rain.

 Do not forget to clean the inside of drawers and cupboards as there is often hair or rubbish
left behind. If the drawers have paper liners, lift each one to check underneath for items.
Guests have been known to put money here for safe keeping, but have then checked out
forgetting the item.

 While moving around the room note should be taken of any pests such as flies, spiders,
cockroaches, fleas etc. Evidence of these needs to be saved for the pest control
companyso they can deal with the specific insect. Call your supervisor to kill / collect the
offendind bug.
 (3) The telephone should be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectant as this is a common
source of infection. In fact it is estimated at any one time that 20 % of the travelling public is
carrying some form of infection. The mouth and ear piece should be thoroughly cleaned
paying particular attention to remove lipstick, biro marks and hair oil. Always wipe the cord
and handset.

 (4) The television set should be dusted and the remote control also should be wiped over
with a disinfectant. The TV may need to be set on a certain channel which is defined by
your manager. You will find many hotels leave the television tuned to the in house
information channel.

 (5) As you dust around the room, make sure you dust the lamps and check that all globes
are working. Replace burnt out lamp globes and report all other tube lights for replacement
to the Housekeeping office or to your supervisor. Make a mental note of all guest supply
items such as matches or stationery items, needing replacement as you go and leave
drawers or cupboards open to remind you that items are missing.
  Position all lamps, chairs, magazines and other room items in the correct position. This will
have been decided by your manager or supervisor.

 When arranging furniture you should check underneath cushions for magazines,
newspapers and loose change that falls out of the back pocket of male guests. This area
will also need vacuuming from time to time. (See the topic Vacuuming the Room).

 When you have finished dusting, go out to your trolley and get the items you need to
replace in the room. eg matches, tea and coffee sachets

 Arrange all these items in the correct places and close the drawers etc.

 If, as you dust the room, you notice something that is broken or defective, report it
immediately to your supervisor or the Housekeeping office so that it may be fixed before
the next guest arrives. If you find chips off the furniture or a leg off the chair, do not throw
them away, keep them and give to your supervisor or to the maintenance technician. This
may speed up the process of repair. Note any problems on your worksheet as well.

 Wash the cups, glasses and ashtrays at this time in the bathroom sink and replace back
into the correct location .(Special note , the dishes are more often washed when cleaning
the bathroom see the procedure under washing dishes in bathroom section)

Remember! Before you vacuum the room, you must clean the bathroom.

4.  Clean the bathroom

You may not like the thought of cleaning a bathroom after somebody else, but it is very important
if it is not thoroughly cleaned and sanitised after each guest, there could possibly be transmission
of infection. Most of us at sometime in our lives have probably used a public toilet that has not
been clean and we remember it as not a pleasant experience. Everybody expects to use a clean
toilet and bathroom area. So probably one of the most important tasks of the room attendant is
that of cleaning and sanitising the bathroom. Like guest rooms, there are many different types of
bathroom surfaces which will need to be cleaned Some of them are listed below;

Chrome/Brass
Toilet
fittings
Plastic
Toilet seat
bins/Chairs
Bath Marble tiles
Wash hand basin Shower curtains
 Laminated
Shower stall
shelves
Painted walls and
Bidet
doors
Ceramic tiles Bathroom scales
Glasses Ceiling fans
Mirror

Again there is a logical order that you should follow when cleaning the bathroom.

5. Remove soiled linen and rubbish

syringe disposal unit

These tasks should have been done in the Preparation to Clean. However if you have not done
so previously, these are the tasks you must do.

 Remove all soiled linen from the bathroom to the soiled linen bag on the trolley. If the
bathroom linen is heavily soiled eg with blood, vomit, or other body fluids. Always wear
rubber gloves and handle this linen as potentially infectious. Many laundries now provide
a special bag for the disposal of this linen thereby reducing the number of people who need
to handle this linen. The bag is usually red for easy identification and is soluble. This bag
will not dissolve from the inside with the wet towels but can be placed directly into the
washing machines at the laundry and will dissolve from the outside allowing the linen to be
washed.

 Find out the procedure in your property.

 Collect all rubbish from the bathroom including empty guest amenity packs such as
shampoo, bath-gel and used soap that have been left on the bath or basin and place them
into the rubbish receptacle on the trolley.

Remember! NEVER place your hand inside the rubbish bin. There could be razor blades,
used sanitary napkins or condoms, or possibly even a used syringe. Most hotels provide
training to their staff about the disposal of syringes and have a special syringe bin to
dispose of them. Check the procedure at your property.
 rubbish bins may contain syringes, broken glass or other dangerous items

6. Wash the dishes

It is now the time for you to wash all glasses and cups etc. from the room that you placed there in
Preparing to Clean.

Follow this procedure:

 Place the plug in the wash basin and fill with hand hot water;

 Place the correct amount of washing up detergent in the water;

 Wash and scrub the glasses and cups in this water. Check that all traces of lipstick, tea and
coffee have been removed. Check also the bases of the cups. This is frequently overlooked
where crockery is washed by hand but cups can be often stained with stale coffee;

 Rinse and dry all glasses and place them in the correct position in the room. There is a
temptation to use towels for the drying process but it is much better to use tea towels as
they will not leave fluff on the glasses as tea towels are lint free;

 Remove the drip tray from the fridge as you return from the room and empty the water that
has accumulated from the defrosting process. Dry and replace back to the fridge, wiping
out the fridge and switching back on.

The toilet should always be the first surface to be cleaned in the bathroom in order to remove the
majority of bacteria. Even though a toilet bowl may look clean, if it is not thoroughly cleaned and
sanitised, there will be bacteria that remain there and the next time the toilet is flushed, there will
be airborne bacteria which will land on already cleaned surfaces.

14. Occupied rooms

All occupied rooms should be cleaned with the same detailing, with the exception that there will
be luggage and personal belongings in the room.

Do not remove anything that you think may be rubbish if it is not in the rubbish bin. Some guests
may be very untidy, (especially football and cricket teams!) and whilst it is your job to clean, it is
not your job to hang up all the guests' clothes and put away all their belongings. You must clean
around all personal possessions and never be tempted to help yourself to lollies or to try the
guests' perfume. This is a breach of security and could cause a guest complaint.
In the bathroom it is a nice touch if you can replace the top of the toothpaste tube or place the
toothbrushes in a glass.

The corridor carpet outside all your allocated rooms is cleaned daily. If you have not done this
when vacuuming each of the rooms, now is the time to do this task.

4.2 All furniture, fixtures and fittings are cleaned and checked in accordance with
establishment procedures and hygiene/safety guidelines

Dusting is a basic cleaning procedure use in removing dirt, dust from a given surface. In dusting
make sure that all surfaces, furniture’s, fixtures, and appliances are free of grease, dirt, dust,
deposits, marks, stains and cobwebs. Inaccessible areas such as edges, corners, folds and
crevices are free of dust, grit, lint and spots.

Dusting Furniture and Fixtures

BEFORE:

1. Prepare materials needed. Organize all materials in a dusting bag.

o Handy brush
o Dusting Cloth (lint cloth, microfiber cloth, cotton cloth)
o Whisk Brush
 Prepare the chemicals needed.
 Spray bottle with cleaning chemicals (APC)
o Furniture Polish
 Use personal protective equipment.
o Gloves
o Hairnet
o Goggles

DURING:

1. Identify the type of dirt /dust and surface texture before commencement of work so that you can perform
the correct procedure of dusting the surface.
2. Use the correct dusting tools in cleaning the following surfaces:
a. Dusting corner
i. Use whisk brush in cleaning corners.
b. Dusting ornaments
i. Use static duster in dusting ornaments.
ii. Stabilize the ornaments by gently pressing on the item with your finger.
iii. Items must be lifted to wipe the base.
c. Dusting wooden furniture
i. Use a clean barely damp cloth, turn it often to remove dust from surface
ii. Use whisk brush in removing dust from corners of furniture.
iii. Use soft brush to remove dust on top of wooden furniture to avoid scratches.
iv. Spray wood polish on dusting cloth and wipe it on the wooden furniture.
 AFTER:

a. Clean all equipment and tools after using them. Be sure to store them in the right place afterwards

7. Clean the toilet and bidet

 To avoid any "surprises", always shut the lid and flush the toilet bowl before you start
cleaning the toilet.

 Sprinkle or pour the toilet cleaning chemical around the bowl and leave it for a few minutes.
The chemicals that are used in toilet cleaning are usually acid base so always take care
when using them. It is recommended that you wear rubber gloves for this task.

 When you are using the toilet bowl cleaner, it protects you against the bacteria as well as
the next guest. Toilet bowl cleaners can be liquid, powder or crystals. Always ensure, with
the liquid form, that it is NEVER kept in a spray bottle. This reduces the risk of spraying an
acid on to a surface or your skin. The top of the bottle should allow for pouring only.

 Open the lid and, with the toilet brush, clean the inside of the toilet bowl which is commonly
referred to as the" throat "of the toilet, paying attention to the water line and the underneath
rim of the bowl. This is the dirtiest part of the toilet as any soil that is in the bowl will be
flushed under the rim of the toilet with the pressure of the water before it is flushed away
down the sewerage pipes. Use the brush in an up and down and around the bowl action

 Whilst the cleaner is working, proceed to clean the toilet lid, seat and surrounds.

 Spray the detergent/ disinfectant on to both sides of the lid, both sides of the toilet seat and
the top and under sides of the bowl. Clean with a cloth which should NOT be used on any
other surface. This cloth should be kept separate from all other cle

 Because the toilet bowl cleaner is an acid NEVER mix it with any other chemicals.
  Pay particular attention to the hinges of the toilet seat and lid, as when the toilet is flushed,
this is an area where the water spray collects and if not cleaned regularly, will lead to a
build up of soil and bacteria. Have a look at the hinges when you next use a public toilet!

 Flush the toilet again to rinse the bowl and also your brush. Keep your toilet brush separate
from your other cleaning tools and rags.

 Dry off both sides of the lid, the seat and the top and underneath part of the toilet and the
pipe directly behind the bowl.

 Clean the flush button because this area is prone to bacteria accumulation as toilet paper is
porous, and the walls surrounding the toilet bowl with disinfectant, as this area can be
splashed with urine. As men are built differently from women! The toilet should now be
perfectly clean.

CLEANING THE BIDET

Because a bidet is designed for the washing of genitals it should be cleaned with the toilet bowl
cleaner in a similar manner to the toilet bowl. Beware of turning on the tap as water spurts up like
a fountain - hold the brush over this section when rinsing.

If it is necessary to wash the rubbish bins, do it now. Wash and rinse the rubbish bins in the bath
and wipe dry. Remember to contact your tutor if you have any concerns about this information.

Cleaning the Toilet

Cleaning a toilet can be a very disgusting chore, but at least it's uncomplicated, right? Actually there is a
right way to begin cleaning a toilet. The right way prevents the spread of bacteria and viruses. The right
way of cleaning a toilet also saves time and energy. Find out the right way to get your toilet clean.

What You Need

 Goggles or glasses.
 Toilet brush.
  Gloves.
 Cleanser for inside of bowl.
 Cleanser for outside of the toilet.
 Paper towels or cloths.

Instructions

1. Remove everything from around the toilet - Cleaning the toilet is a messy job, and there's always
the chance of splashing cleanser or toilet water outside of the actual toilet. Prevent extra cleanup by
removing all excess items from around the toilet. Don't forget to remove anything on top of the tank
to prevent dropping items into the bowl during cleaning.

2. Flush and add cleaning solution - Flush the toilet with the lid down to prevent splashing or
spraying. Add your choice of powdered, liquid, or gel cleanser to the bowl. Try to apply the cleaner
as close to the toilet rim as possible to prevent diluted cleanser.

3. Clean the exterior of the toilet - While the cleansing solution soaks into the toilet grime in the
bowl, clean the outside of the toilet. Start at the top to prevent dripping on already clean surfaces.
Spray the tank, handle, and tank edges with cleaner and wipe down. Next do the outside lid of the
toilet. Finally wipe down the entire bowl. Start with the sides and front before cleaning the bottom
edges of the toilet where it meets the floor.

4. Clean the toilet seat - The toilet seat should never be neglected. It is the part of the toilet that
comes into actual contact with people, and it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. Raise the seat. Spray
the seat, inside lid and the rim of the toilet with cleanser. Wipe down the lid, seat, and hinges at the
back of the toilet seat. Some toilets have hinges that will pop open to allow better access for
cleaning.

5. Clean the inside of the toilet bowl - Begin cleaning the bowl from the top down. Always begin
scrubbing under the rim first. Look under the rim to get all the stains and grime scrubbed away.
Next scrub the bowl. Finally scrub the hole at the bottom of the toilet. Flush the toilet with the lid
down.

6. Wipe up any drips or spills - Wipe up any drips of cleanser or water that may have occurred. Put
away tools and trash. Replace the items removed in step 1. Enjoy a clean toilet.

Tips
 Wear eye protection when cleaning a toilet. It prevents splatters of toilet water and cleaner.
You may also want to use gloves to prevent contact with your hands.
 Flush the toilet with the seat lid down to prevent splattering and splashing.
 Do not use sponges when you scrub a toilet. Sponges are a great way to breed bacteria,
and there are already enough in bathroom. Paper towels are a great options because they are
thrown away. If you use reusable cloths, wash them immediately in their own load on hot water with
bleach.

8. Clean the bath & shower

The bath and shower areas are used daily by the guest and should be therefore thoroughly
cleaned daily to prevent the build up of soap scum, body fat and mould on the tile grouting.

There are many hotels where the tiles are just wiped down daily with a rag and are never
scrubbed with an appropriate chemical. Check with your supervisor about the procedures at your
property.
Mould grows in warm, damp conditions and feeds on body fat and soap scum. It only becomes a
problem when it is visible and its visibility signals a "dirty " bathroom. It is most frequently seen on
shower curtains and on wall grouting. In many cases, when left too long before cleaning, the
grouting must be scraped out from between the tiles and replaced by the maintenance
department, an exercise which is costly and time consuming.

Shower curtains MUST be changed regularly for hygiene reasons .A glass shower screen is
easier to keep clean although it can be somewhat more difficult to access. Mould however can be
a constant source of frustration to Housekeepers in the tropics and a regular elimination
programme must be put into place.

Follow these steps:

 Spray the bathroom cleaner directly onto the wall tiles, and starting from top to bottom,
scrub the shower walls and shower screen.

 When finished, rinse the bathroom cleaner off the walls and surfaces and dry the walls
making sure, they are streak free.

 Clean the bath with the bathroom cleaner, paying particular attention to the areas around
the taps, the soap-dish in order to remove any soap residue and the overflow and plughole
where hairs can accumulate.

 Rinse the bath and again dry the bath and its surrounds. Be sure to polish taps and shower
heads and shower curtain rails. Shower curtains should be wiped dry and any hairs
removed.If a glass shower screen shows signs of streakiness that cannot be readily
cleaned, advise your supervisor as you may need to use another chemical to remove body
fat residue.

 If there is a spa bath - separate chemicals may be used to disinfect the pipes - see your
trainer for guidance.

Always check the bath and its surround to ensure it is perfectly clean

9. Clean the wash basin

To clean the bathroom, follow this procedure:

 Place the plug in the wash basin and half fill with hand hot water.

 Thoroughly wet all areas of the basin to loosen any deposits of soap / toothpaste.

 With a small amount of abrasive liquid on a cleaning cloth, wipe all areas of the basin,
paying particular attention to the area around the taps, the plughole and the overflow hole.
Never use the abrasive liquid on the tap surfaces as it may scratch them. Prolonged use
will cause the chrome plating to peel.

 Release the water from the basin and wipe the rest of the basin.

 Rinse the same surfaces and dry off with a dry rag.
  Wipe the pipes underneath the basin and the underside of the basin and pedestal
depending on the style of basin.

 Now wipe the adjoining shelves and fittings including towel rails, and side and underneath
walls, bathroom telephone and paintwork.

Clean the mirror above the basin with your window cleaning chemical. Spray on and wipe off.
Check that the mirror is spotless and there are no splash marks.

11. Clean the bathroom floor

Most hotel bathroom floors are cleaned by hand and not with a mop and bucket. The reason is
that the floor area is usually very small and when cleaned manually, a better result is achieved. It
is also not convenient or practical when cleaning a large number of rooms to have a mop and
bucket available as the water has to be continually changed and the bucket would need to be left
on the corridor as you move from room to room. This is not visibly attractive for the guest and
increases the risk of the bucket being knocked over on the carpet by porters with luggage trolleys
or room service waiters with food trolleys whose visibility may be obscured.

Method:

 When cleaning the bathroom floor, get a floor cloth which is wet and has been soaked in
detergent/ disinfectant.

 Wring out the cloth so it is not dripping and then proceed to clean the floor starting at the
furthest point from the door and working back towards the room.

 You may need to rinse the cloth several times if the floor is particularly dirty.

 Squat down as you do this to prevent back strain.

 Remember to clean behind the toilet and underneath the rubbish bin.

 Clean behind the door.

12. Vacuum the carpet

It is now time to vacuum the carpet.
 Before using the vacuum cleaner, you should always check it is in working order and that
there is a clean bag inside. See Preparing to Clean.

 Take the vacuum cleaner from the corridor and bring it inside the room.

 Plug it in to the electrical socket closest to the door of the room. This is because you will be
working back to the door and you do not want to get tangled with the cord.

 Starting at the furthest point from the door, start to vacuum the carpet, paying particular
attention to behind and around the furniture and curtains.

 When vacuuming the edges of the carpet, you may need to remove the carpet nozzle from
the vacuum cleaner and place another attachment to the machine to pick up the dirt that is
embedded in the edges.

 Vacuum around the bed, lifting up the bedspread as you go to get as close to the edge of
the bed as you can This is where you will find toenails or other traces of the last guest�s
stay!

 Vacuum down the back of chairs for breadcrumbs and bits of paper. (If you are really
having a good day, you may find coins that have dropped out of the back pocket of the last
guests trousers. This is one of the perks of being a room attendant although nobody ever
got rich from this practise!)

 Lift up the rubbish bin to find items that didnt make it into the bin and vacuum underneath.

 Work your way back to the door and remember to vacuum behind the door. This is an area
commonly overlooked as you have been working with the door open.

 When you have finished vacuuming the room, continue with the vacuum cleaner out to the
corridor and proceed to vacuum the area directly outside the room. This way when you
have finished all your rooms, the corridor will have been cleaned and does not have to be
treated as a special task.
 Unplug the vacuum cleaner and remove and place outside the next room you will clean.

13. The final check

Before you leave the room, you should make one final check that you have not forgotten or
overlooked anything. Spend a few moments surveying the room and make any final adjustments.
Make sure the furniture is all in its correct position, set the curtains, the airconditioner and radio as
per your property's guidelines and switch off all the lights. Close and lock the door.

4.3 Room supplies are checked, replenished or replaced in accordance with establishment
standards

Replace guest amenities

It is now time to replace the missing towels, and guest supply items that have been used. The
main points you must remember are:
  To replace the correct quantity;

 To fold towels according to your property's guidelines and to place them in the correct
position;

 To place the items in the correct position;

To place the items neatly and with the labels facing the correct way so that the guest can easily
identify them.

Replenishing Guest Room Supplies

Re-supplying the guest room with supplies is very important to the guest.

1. Towels (folded, place in towel holder).

3 bath 3 hand 3 washcloths (Four of each in a double, double)

2. Soap. Two bars, one deodorant and one non-deodorant

3. Drinking Cups. Three wrapped cups (Either side of vanity. Do not insert into ice bucket)

4. Ice Bucket Liner. Clean and on top of ice bucket (either side of vanity).

5. Ashtrays and Matches. One ashtray each on top of vanity, credenza and party table. Note: In
designated non-smoking rooms, do not provide ashtrays or matches.

6. Clothes Hangers. Six wooden hangers (3 suit, 3 skirt) hooked to the clothes rack (remove extra
hangers in unoccupied rooms)

7. Desk Items. Top of Desk: Days Inns Directory; Guest Comment Card; Non-Smoking Tent Cards (in
applicable rooms); Denny's Menu; Plastic Book Shape Tent Card (with current insert); TV Guide; and
Television Station List.

8. Desk Drawer: Stationery Package (folder, 3 pieces of letterhead, 3 envelopes, Trip Rewards
Application); and Gideon Bible (closed, good condition and unsoiled).
9. Other items:

a. Rate/Security/Hotel Law Cards. Check for condition and replace if needed. Place in holder on back
of entry door.

b. "Do Not Disturb” Sign. Hook the sign on the inside knob of entry door.

c. Room Numbers. Check on the outside of each entry door (note on the Daily Report if missing or
damaged).

d. Smoke Detectors. Housekeepers should check daily.

One Last Note: “It is very important not only to replenish supplies, but also to replace them if those that
are present are not in good condition.”

4.4 Pests are promptly identified and appropriate action is taken in accordance with safety and
establishment procedures

Unauthorized pet - Tell the Front Desk about any unauthorized pets or signs of pets. The hotel
may be able to charge the guest. Also, the Front Desk may tell you what to do about the animal. If
you feel threatened by the animal, leave the room. You don't need to risk a bite or scratch.

4.5 Rooms are checked for any defects and are accurately reported in accordance with
establishment procedures

The final check

Before you leave the room, you should make one final check that you have not forgotten or
overlooked anything. Spend a few moments surveying the room and make any final adjustments.
Make sure the furniture is all in its correct position, set the curtains, the airconditioner and radio as
per your property's guidelines and switch off all the lights. Close and lock the door.

4.6 Damaged items are recorded in accordance with establishment procedures

Checking for damages

The following are the steps in checking stains and damages:

1. Wear disposable gloves.

2. Carefully check the linens for any stains or damages.
3. If there are any lost and found items found on the bed, follow the same procedures as before.

The following are the steps in checking stains and damages:

1. Wear disposable gloves.

2. Carefully check the linens for any stains or damages.
3. If there are any lost and found items found on the bed, follow the same procedures as before.
 Abused guestroom - Some guests will destroy a room just for fun. This is costly to the
hotel, and it takes a lot longer to clean that room. Tell your supervisor about the abused
room. That way, someone else can clean some of your rooms while you

1. Work on the damaged room. Also, the Front Desk may be able

2. To charge the guests for the damage.

4.7 Any unusual or suspicious person, item or occurrence is promptly reported in accordance
with establishment procedures

REMEMBER THE NEXT PERSON TO SEE THE ROOM WILL BE THE GUEST.

As you clean each room, make sure that you make the correct notations on your room report. Ask
your tutor if you have any concerns about this information.

Suspicious, unusual items or occurences

Hotels can attract strange people, the HK department is the eyes and ears of the hotel.

If you see someone loitering or 'hanging around' report it immediately to the office. if you feel
threatned go to the nearest room and lock yourself in. If someone tries to come into the room you
are cleaning and they cannot identify themselves call HK or security straight away.

An unusual items in rooms vacant or occupied such as a firearm or drugs, call the Security or Duty
Manager.

4.8 Guest’s belongings left in vacated rooms are collected and stored in accordance with lost
and found establishment procedures

All lost property items and guest loan items (power point adapters, hot rollers, hot water bottles
etc.) should be returned to the Housekeeping office.

Handling lost and found items

The following are the steps in handling lost and found items left by the guest:

1. Search the room for items possibly left by the guest. Take these items to the vanity table.
2. Get the ziplock bag clipped together with the Room Assignment Sheet.
3. Place the items inside the ziplock bag.
4. Fill up the lost and found form with the details of the lost and found items.
5. Place the lost and found form inside ziplock bag and seal it.
6. Place the ziplock bag back inside the drawer.

Lost & Found Shipping Procedures

The procedure for the shipping of items left in Lost & Found to our customers is as follows:

When the guest claims the item and wishes it to be sent to him by any means of conveyance, the
Hotel must receive the shipping charges in advance.
Why? If we have to ship it C.O.D. the guest will pay twice the normal shipping costs.

How Do We Receive Payment? The easiest way is to take the guests credit card information:
name of card, name of cardholder, card number and the card expiry date. The guest will be charged only
the actual cost of shipping.

Who Does The Shipping? All shipping will originate at the Lost & Found. If it is Purolator, the item is
to be packaged and all forms will be completed and the item brought to the Front Desk who will phone
Purolator and complete the charge to the guest’s credit card. If it is mail, the item will be packaged and
brought to the Front Desk who will complete the charge to the guest’s credit card and then put the parcel at
the mail station.

What If The Guest Will Not Provide A Credit Card Number? Please assure them that they will
receive their item C.O.D. and that they will pay twice the costs of normal shipping.

5. Clean and store trolleys and equipment

5.1 Trolleys and equipment are cleaned after use in accordance with safety and establishment
procedures

Clean and store trolleys and equipment

A good room attendant will always clean up after themselves.

 It is your responsibility to empty all soiled linen and rubbish from the trolley and place it in
the correct location. Usually soiled linen is placed in bags or very large trolleys for
transporting to the laundry. In newer buildings, there may be a linen chute that is essentially
a hole in the wall that leads to a tunnel in the wall cavity where the soiled linen is placed. It
falls down to a central collection point, usually the laundry.

 Rubbish is placed in plastic bags and removed to a rubbish collection area, either by the
room attendant or houseman.

 The trolley should be tidied and refilled with clean linen and guest giveaway

 All lost property items and guest loan items (power point adapters, hot rollers, hot water
bottles etc.) should be returned to the Housekeeping office.

 The vacuum cleaner should be emptied daily or if there is a paper bag inside the vacuum
cleaner for collection of the dust, this should be replaced as necessary.

 Place both the trolley and the vacuum cleaner in the designated storeroom and tidy up your
linen cupboard before taking your bucket and dirty rags to the linen/ storeroom for
replenishment and your keys and room report to the Housekeeping office before signing off
and going home.

 Always ensure you have a clean uniform for the next day.

Remember
When cleaning guest rooms, always try to look at the situation from the guest point of view. Be
helpful, cheerful and above all, enjoy the job you do. It takes a special person to be a good room
attendant and I hope this unit will help to give you a better understanding of the importance of the
Housekeeping function.

5.2 All items are correctly stored in accordance with establishment procedures

A good room attendant will always clean up after themselves.

 It is your responsibility to empty all soiled linen and rubbish from the trolley and place it in
the correct location. Usually soiled linen is placed in bags or very large trolleys for
transporting to the laundry. In newer buildings, there may be a linen chute that is essentially
a hole in the wall that leads to a tunnel in the wall cavity where the soiled linen is placed. It
falls down to a central collection point, usually the laundry.

 Rubbish is placed in plastic bags and removed to a rubbish collection area, either by the
room attendant or houseman.

 The trolley should be tidied and refilled with clean linen and guest giveaway

 All lost property items and guest loan items (power point adapters, hot rollers, hot water
bottles etc.) should be returned to the Housekeeping office.

 The vacuum cleaner should be emptied daily or if there is a paper bag inside the vacuum
cleaner for collection of the dust, this should be replaced as necessary.

 Place both the trolley and the vacuum cleaner in the designated storeroom and tidy up your
linen cupboard before taking your bucket and dirty rags to the linen/ storeroom for
replenishment and your keys and room report to the Housekeeping office before signing off
and going home.

5.3 Supplies and items are checked and replenished or re-ordered in accordance with
establishment procedures

Replenishing Guest Room Supplies

Re-supplying the guest room with supplies is very important to the guest.

1. Towels (folded, place in towel holder).

3 bath 3 hand 3 washcloths (Four of each in a double, double)

2. Soap. Two bars, one deodorant and one non-deodorant

3. Drinking Cups. Three wrapped cups (Either side of vanity. Do not insert into ice bucket)

4. Ice Bucket Liner. Clean and on top of ice bucket (either side of vanity).
5. Ashtrays and Matches. One ashtray each on top of vanity, credenza and party table. Note: In
designated non-smoking rooms, do not provide ashtrays or matches.

6. Clothes Hangers. Six wooden hangers (3 suit, 3 skirt) hooked to the clothes rack (remove extra
hangers in unoccupied rooms)

7. Desk Items. Top of Desk: Days Inns Directory; Guest Comment Card; Non-Smoking Tent Cards (in
applicable rooms); Denny's Menu; Plastic Book Shape Tent Card (with current insert); TV Guide; and
Television Station List.

8. Desk Drawer: Stationery Package (folder, 3 pieces of letterhead, 3 envelopes, Trip Rewards
Application); and Gideon Bible (closed, good condition and unsoiled).

9. Other items:

a. Rate/Security/Hotel Law Cards. Check for condition and replace if needed. Place in holder on back
of entry door.

b. "Do Not Disturb” Sign. Hook the sign on the inside knob of entry door.

c. Room Numbers. Check on the outside of each entry door (note on the Daily Report if missing or
damaged).

d. Smoke Detectors. Housekeepers should check daily.

One Last Note: “It is very important not only to replenish supplies, but also to replace them if those that
are present are not in good condition.”