1.

Water-based floor sealers -

• These are composed of acrylic polymer resins and a plasticizer.
• The particles of the resin penetrate the pores on the floor surface to provide a
plastic -skin.
• These are less durable sealers and should be reinforced with water-based floor wax.
However, they can easily be touched up, removed, and renewed.
• They may be used on marble, terrazzo, magnesite, linoleum, rubber, thermoplastic
tiles, PVCs, asphalt, concrete, stone, and quarry tiles.

2. METAL POLISH -
• These remove the tarnishes resulting from the attack on the metal.
• They are fine abrasives which when rubbed on the surface of the metal provide
friction to remove the tarnish and produce a shine.
• In many proprietary metal polishes such as Brasso, Silvo; the abrasive powder is
mixed with a grease solvent and in some cases, an acid, to help in the removal of the
tarnish
• Metal polishing is a finishing method that uses an abrasive material to smooth
surfaces. When polished, the surfaces of metallic objects are freed of defects and
become more reflective and shinier, enhancing their appearance. Metal polishing can
be complemented by buffing, a less harsh method that results in a brighter finish.

3. Principles of cleaning :
1. Wash hands thoroughly and always wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
2. Scrubbing is the best way to remove dirt, debris, and microorganisms.
3. Cleaning is required before any disinfection process because dirt, waste, and other
materials can lessen the efficacy on many chemical disinfectants.
4. Always clean from the cleanest to the dirtiest areas.
5. Always clean from the highest to the lowest areas.
6. Clean from the back or the farthest point from the door to the front of the room.
7. Daily and deep cleaning is needed to maintain a standard of cleanliness. Schedules and
procedures should be maintained according to the latest available research and guidelines.
8. Do not leave the room before the cleaning is complete unless gloves are removed and
hands are washed first.
9. Cleaning methods and written cleaning schedules should be based on the type of surface,
the amount and type of soil present, and the purpose of the area.
10. The manufacturer’s mixing (dilution) instructions must be followed when using any
chemical.

4. There are three types of polish:

1. Natural polish: This will leave the natural color of the wood underneath. It will not
match the laminate color.
2. Color polish: As the name suggests, this will match the color of the laminate.
3. Melamine polish: After the color polish, melamine is sprayed on the surface to make
it last longer. You can get a glossy or a matte finish. We can do melamine polishing in
the more visible and high-usage areas such as living room pieces and cupboard doors,
and stick to regular color or natural polish on inside surfaces such as shelves,
drawers, etc.
5. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF CLEANING AGENTS -
1. Very strong agents should not be used for cleaning surfaces.
2. Good quality & reputed products should be used that are available at all times.
3. Cost should be kept in mind.
4. Correct agent to be used at a specific surface.
5. Toxicity should be low for minimum impact on staff, guest's, and environment.
6. The agent should take minimum storage space.
7. Instruction for use to be available with the agent.
8. Should saves time & labor
9. No harsh & strong smell.
10. Versatility – can be put to different use.

6. Eco-friendly literally means earth-friendly or not harmful to the environment. This

term most commonly refers to products that contribute to green living or practices
that help conserve resources like water and energy. Eco-friendly products also
prevent contributions to air, water and land pollution. You can engage in eco-friendly
habits or practices by being more conscious of how you use resources. Making a
truly eco-friendly product keeps both environmental and human safety in mind. At a
minimum, the product is non-toxic. Other eco-friendly attributes include the use of
sustainably grown or raised ingredients, produced in ways that do not deplete the
ecosystem. Organic ingredients or materials are grown without toxic pesticides or
herbicides. Products with "made from recycled materials" contain glass, wood, metal
or plastic reclaimed from waste products and made into something new.
Biodegradable products break down through natural decomposition, which is less
taxing on landfills and the ecosystem as a whole.

7. Orthodox/ Traditional cleaning: In this method, the Guest Room attendant

completes all the cleaning tasks in one room before proceeding to another room. On
average, a GRA may be required to clean about 12-20 room in 8 hours duty.
• Block cleaning: In this method, GRA moves from one dirty room to another and
completes the same task in every room before returning for starting the next task
on the list. This involves blocking several rooms at a time and usually, more than 1
GRA are involved in cleaning at a time. Different GRA’s pick up different tasks. (Bed
making, Toilet Cleaning, Room cleaning, replenishing supplies).
• Team cleaning: This is a combination of the two methods mentioned above. In this
method two or more GRA’s work in the same room taking up different tasks so that
room is cleaned quickly before moving on to the same room. A team of 3 GRA’s may
be assigned 30-35 rooms in a day.
• Deep cleaning: It refers to the intensive cleaning schedule in which periodic
cleaning tasks are scheduled for monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annual frequency.
This is done for areas and surfaces which cannot be cleaned on a daily basis. This
kind of cleaning is conducted in close coordination with the maintenance department.
Example, carpet shampooing, Rotating and cleaning mattresses, Ceilings, light
fittings, fans, signage boards, laundering of soft furnishings.
 • Spring cleaning: This is a term used for annual cleaning of guestrooms and public
areas in off-season periods and low occupancy periods. This involves a complete
overhaul of the rooms by undertaking a few steps.

8. Ans
1. Weekly Cleaning-
These, as the term implies, are routine tasks carried out on a weekly basis. Weekly cleaning
schedules are made and these normally include some cleaning tasks that are time consuming
or tasks that cannot be done on a daily basis. Example :
• Monday- Polishing Brassware.
• Tuesday- High dusting.
• Wednesday- Scrubbing of Bathroom Tiles.
• Thursday- Vacuuming under heavy furniture.
• Friday- Scrubbing of balconies/terrace.
• Saturday- Changing paper underlier in drawers.
• Sunday- Cleaning the window Ledges.
2.Fortnightly Cleaning-
A fifteen-day cleaning schedule.
3.Deep Cleaning-
It refers to the intensive cleaning schedule in which periodic cleaning tasks are scheduled
for monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annual frequency. This is done for areas and surfaces
which cannot be cleaned on a daily basis. This kind of cleaning is conducted in close
coordination with the maintenance department. Example, carpet shampooing, Rotating and
cleaning mattresses, Ceilings, light fittings, fans, signage boards, laundering of soft
furnishings.
4.Spring Cleaning-
This is a term used for annual cleaning of guestrooms and public areas in off-season periods
and low occupancy periods. This involves a complete overhaul of the rooms by undertaking
few steps as: Removal of carpets from the room for shampooing, Polishing wooden
furniture, shampooing upholstery (sofas), Painting on walls, Redecoration, Cleaning air
conditioning vents and Airing the room.

9. Ans
Selection criteria for equipment :
1. Safety in operation
2. Suitability to the type of area, surface, work, amount of obstruction, and cleaning
frequency.
3. Versatility to do various types of cleaning.
4. Work performance in terms of the capacity of the machine.
5. Ease of handling in terms of size, weight, height of the machine, and ease of
operation.
6. Portability in terms of ease of transfer between floors and provision of wheels and
detachable parts.
7. Noise level of the equipment
8. Availability of spare parts, easy servicing conditions.
 10. Ans
Almost every single cleaning agent can be classified as one of the following four
varieties: alkaline, acidic, neutral or degreaser. These four categories are the broad
umbrella terms for cleansers that have similar chemical properties and react in
similar ways with the substances that need to be cleaned. Certain cleaning jobs are a
job for alkaline cleaners only, while other messes or bacteria or stains may require
the use of a detergent or a degreaser or both.

11. Ans
Energy conservation is the decision and practice of using less energy. Turning off
the light when you leave the room, unplugging appliances when they're not in use and
walking instead of driving are all examples of energy conservation.

12. Ans
A cleaning schedule is an easy and effective way of demonstrating all equipment is
regularly cleaned. It is a set of instructions that describe everything that needs to
be done in order to maintain the premises in a clean and sanitary condition. It can be
categorized on a daily, weekly, monthly, every 6 months etc. bases.

13. Ans
Furniture polishes are pastes, creams, or lotions used to clean, protect, and shine
wooden furniture. These products were originally made from natural waxes, which
were hard to apply and tended to leave a heavy buildup over time. Today these
formulations combine natural waxes and oils with petroleum based ingredients and
synthetic polymers. These modern formulations can clean the film residue and lay
down new polish in a single step so periodic stripping of old polish layers is not
necessary. The most popular form in the United States today is aerosol furniture
polish. The primary ingredients used to prepare furniture polishes are polishing
agents, solvents, and emulsifiers. Auxiliary materials include preservatives,
colorants, and fragrance. The waxes, polymers, and oils are used to improve the
condition of the furniture surface can be loosely grouped together and labeled as
polishing agents.

14. Ans
Orthodox/ Traditional cleaning: In this method, the Guest Room attendant completes all
the cleaning tasks in one room before proceeding to another room. On average, a GRA may
be required to clean about 12-20 room in 8 hours duty.
ADVANTAGES:
• Improved security.
• More job satisfaction.
• The Standard of work is higher if the individual is efficient.
DISADVANTAGES:
• Each area takes longer to get cleaned.
• Maybe more expensive.
 • Each staff will have to be given equipment, hence more equipment is required.

15. Ans
Polishing is a major item when you use veneers in your furniture because the entire
furniture piece has to be polished. Since we did not use veneers, I do not know how much it
costs or how long it takes. We just did minor polishing for the edges of our furniture where
they put the wooden lipping patti. My guess is that this edge-polishing is more costly since
it has to be done by hand whereas they just use spray machines for polishing entire pieces
of furniture. All such polishing is charged on a running-foot basis with the material provided
by the polish fellow. Polishing teams work like carpenters - long hours. Its best to sync up
the carpenters and polishing teams so that their work can overlap and you can save some
time. Without veneers, our polish work for furniture in about three rooms hardly took a
week. You have to be careful about examining polished work as its very easy to miss small
parts. And choose your colors well. If you are re-using material from old furniture, lighter
polish does not apply well on darker surfaces from an earlier polishing job. Its best to stick
to darker colors as much as possible.
There are three types of polish:
1. Natural polish: This will leave the natural color of the wood underneath. It will not
match the laminate color. Its the cheapest option around Rs. 10/r.ft.
2. Color polish: As the name suggests, this will match the color of the laminate. It will
cost any where from Rs. 12/r.ft. to Rs. 20/r.ft.
3. Melamine polish: After the color polish, melamine is sprayed on the surface to make
it last longer. You can get a glossy or a matte finish. This is the most expensive
polish and can cost between Rs. 15/r.ft. and Rs. 25/r.ft. You can do melamine
polishing in the more visible and high-usage areas such as living room pieces and
cupboard doors, and stick to regular color or natural polish on inside surfaces such
as shelves, drawers, etc.

16. Ans
There are three main types of floor sealant: polyurethane, solvent-based and water-
based.

17. Ans
Hygiene and Safety Factors in cleaning-

Hygiene Factors-
• Grooming & Personal Hygiene to be maintained.
• Equipment hygiene to be maintained – all types of equipment to be washed, rinsed &
dried after use.
• Workplace hygiene – pantry to be kept clean at all times.
• Color coded dusters to be used.
• WC duster to be kept separately in the chamber maid’s trolley.
• Cleaning solution to be changed frequently while cleaning.
• Use of wringer.
• Brooms should not be used especially in hospitals.
 • Cleaning agents to be prepared freshly. Never top up a disinfectant solution.
Bacteria will survive a disinfectant, may multiply in solution which has deteriorated.
If a solution is stored and used later, it may spread germs rather than kill them.
• Use of Sani bins in public area toilets.
• Garbage not be touched a bare hand.
• Telephones need to disinfected.
Safety Factors-
• Use of protective gears.
• Ladder to be checked off its stability & durability before using.
• Caution board to be used in public areas.
• Appropriate types of equipment to be used while cleaning.
• While lifting heavy items, weight should not fall on the backbone ( bend from the
knees and not back ).
• Avoid lifting the heavyweight; help should be taken wherever possible.
• Cleaning agents to be stored in the labeled bottles; instructions should be written
on the bottles.
• Proper training to given to cleaners in terms of use of equipment & cleaning agents.
• First aid kit to be maintained and kept available.
• Fire exit should never be blocked by keeping equipment/ furniture in front of it.
• At the time of the fire, elevators should not be used.
• Ensure that the cigarette butts are fully extinguished before they are trashed.
• Dispose off rags after using any solvent as they can increase the risk of fire.

18. Ans
1. Weekly Cleaning-
These, as the term implies, are routine tasks carried out on a weekly basis. Weekly cleaning
schedules are made and these normally include some cleaning tasks that are time consuming
or tasks that cannot be done on a daily basis. Example :
• Monday- Polishing Brassware.
• Tuesday- High dusting.
• Wednesday- Scrubbing of Bathroom Tiles.
• Thursday- Vacuuming under heavy furniture.
• Friday- Scrubbing of balconies/terrace.
• Saturday- Changing paper underlier in drawers.
• Sunday- Cleaning the window Ledges.

19. Ans
Flooring sealer is a chemical solution that is applied to the surface of different
types of floor covering materials to protect them against stains and damage. Some
sealers can also interact with some materials to give them a glossier appearance
which may be desirable in certain style locations.

20. Ans
 1. Texture: It refers to the surface quality – how something feels when we touch it.
Smooth, straight & neat textures collect less dust as compared to rough texture,
raised patterns & grooves.
2. Floor plan: The furniture to be bought according to the size of the room. Enough
place should be available in between of the furniture so that the cleaner may clean
them easily.
3. Design: Furniture should be so designed that the cleaning under and behind them is
easy. Furniture on castor wheels is easy to move. Bed frames should not have raised
edges as they may graze the hands of the bed maker. Drawers should slide easily
and handles well placed.
4. Color: Medium-toned color should be used so that the dust is not visible. Dark
colors show dust and dirt. Light colors show stains.
5. Carpets: Dark-colored and shorter pile carpets are preferred since they are easy to
clean.
6. Upholstery: Should have a minimum of decorative items like buttons as it becomes
difficult to clean around them. Upholstery should be easily detachable for easy
cleaning. Upholstery may have stain-resistant chemicals applied on its surface. Bed
covers are provided so that the bed does not get crumbled or dirty during the
daytime.
7. Surfaces: Tables should have easily maintained finishes. Laminates and stone top
tables are easy to clean as compared to wood. Wooden tables may have glass pieces
kept on them so that the wooden surface does not get scratched. Brass and silver
surfaces become tarnished easily.

21. Ans

Care and use of equipment :

1. Dry clean- Remove visible and gross soils and debris.
2. Pre-rinse- Rinse all areas and surfaces until they are visibly free of soil.
3. Wash (soap and scrub)- Use the right detergent in the right concentration with
the right level of mechanical action in the right water temperature for the right
contact time.
4. Post-rinse- Rinse away all visible detergents and remaining soil.
5. Inspect- Look again at crevices and other contamination traps to ensure they’re free
of soils and detergents. Determine whether steps 1-4 should be performed again.
6. Sanitize- Foam, wipe or spray sanitizing chemicals onto surfaces as per the
appropriate instructions.
7. Dry- Ensure adequate time is allotted for equipment to thoroughly dry.

22. Ans
Detergent :
Detergents are those cleaning agents, which contain significant quantities of a group of
chemicals known as ‘Surfactants’ (chemicals that have water and soil attracting properties).
A number of other chemicals are frequently included to produce detergents suitable for a
specific use.
A good detergent should –
• Reduce the surface tension of water so that the cleaning solution can penetrate the
soil
• Emulsify soil and lift it from the surface
• Be soluble in cold water
• Be effective in hard water and a wide range of temperatures.
• Be hard on the surface that has to be cleaned. Clean quickly and with little agitation.
• Suspend soil in a cleaning solution, and once the soil is removed, to hold it in
suspension and not let it redeposit.
• Rinse easily and leave no streaks or scum
• Be economical to user
• Be harmless to the skin and article.
• Be bio-degradable