S1 HK Notes

MODULE-1
ROLE OF HOUSEKEEPING IN HOSPITALITY OPERATION

DEFINITION OF HOUSEKEEPING
Housekeeping may be defined as ‘provision of a clean, comfortable, safe and aesthetically appealing
environment’. By another definition, ‘housekeeping is an operational department in a hotel, which is
responsible for cleanliness, maintenance, aesthetic upkeep of rooms, public areas, back areas and the
surroundings’.
IMPORTANCE OF HOUSE KEEPING

A hotel survives on the sale of rooms, food, beverages, and other minor services such as the laundry,
health club, and so on. The sale of rooms constitutes a minimum of 50 percent of these sales. Thus, the
major part of a hotel’s margin of profit comes from room sales, because a room once made can be sold
over and over again.b
The effort that a housekeeping department makes in giving a guest a desirable room has a direct bearing
on the guest’s experience in a hotel. Guestrooms are the heart of the hotel. Unless its décor is
appropriate, the air odour-free, and furnishings and upholstery spotlessly clean, the hotel may lose the
guest as a potential repeat customer. The housekeeping department not only prepares clean
guestrooms on a timely basis for arriving guests, but also cleans and maintains everything in the hotel so
that the property is as fresh and attractive as the day it opened for business. Housekeeping, thus, is an
ancillary department that contributes in a big way towards the overall reputation of a property.
It is rightly said that housekeeping is a 24x7x365 operation. Imagine the stacks of linen needed to make
up all the beds in a hotel; the huge amounts of bath soap, tissue, and other amenities such as shampoos,
colognes, and so on that must be placed in the guestrooms; the miles of carpeting, floors, walls and
ceilings to be cleaned and maintained; the countless pieces of furniture that must be dusted and
polished, and the barrels of cleaning compounds along with special tools and equipment needed in
order to clean these. Scientific housekeeping demands the employment of the most effective cleaning
materials and procedures, attention to purchasing the most suitable linen and supplies, maintenance of
decorative areas under the house keeping department’s purview, and proper organization and
supervision.
Other than hotels, professional housekeeping services re very much in demand in hospitals, on cruise
liners, at offices, and more. Since most such organizations prefer to outsource these functions, contract
housekeeping is becoming a lucrative entrepreneurship venture these days.
AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A HOUEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
The Aims, objectives, and responsibilities of a housekeeping department are listed below.
 To achieve the maximum possible efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests and in
the smooth running of the department.
 To establish a welcoming atmosphere and ensure courteous, reliable service from all staff of the
department.
 To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas for which the
department is responsible.
 To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, conference venues, health clubs, and so
on, as well as maintains an inventory for the same.
 To provide uniforms for all the staff and maintain adequate inventories for the same.
 To cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guest clothing.
 To provide and maintain the floral decorations and maintain the landscaped areas of the hotel.
 To select the right contractors and ensure that the quality of work is maintained as at the onset
of the business.
 To coordinate renovation and refurnishing of the property as and when, in consultation with the
management and with interior designers.
 To coordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning
agents, equipment, fabrics, carpets, and other items used in the hotel.
 To deal with lost-and-found articles.
 To ensure training, control, and supervision of all staff attached to the department.
 To establish a good working relationship with other departments.
 To ensure that safety and security regulations are made known to all staff of the department.
 To keep the general manager or administrator informed of all matters requiring attention.
AREAS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF HOUSEKEEPING
FRONT OF THE HOUSE AREAS BACK OF THE HOUSE AREAS

Guestrooms Management offices
Corridors Storage areas
Lobbies and public restrooms Linen and sewing rooms
Pool and patio areas Laundry room
Meeting rooms Employee locker rooms
Dining rooms/restaurants Administrative offices
Banquet halls Cloak rooms
Convention halls Maid’s service room
Hotel-operated shops
Games rooms/recreation rooms
Exercise rooms/gymnasium
Building exterior
Landscaping and gardens
MODULE – 2
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
Organization is the process of identifying and grouping the work to be performed, defining and
delegating responsibility and authority, and establishing relationships for the purpose of enabling people
to work more effectively in accomplishing objectives. If the whole establishment has to work as one unit,
it is important that there are clear lines of authority and good lines of communication. The
organizational structure of housekeeping department—whether in a small, medium, or large hotel—can
be depicted using an organizational chart. An organizational chart is a schematic representation of the
relationships between positions with in an establishment, showing where each position fit into the
overall organization and illustrating the divisions of responsibility and lines of authority. The
organizational structure varies to some extent with different hotels. The typical departmental
organization chart of housekeeping in a large hotel is given below.
Organizational Hierarchy of a Housekeeping Department in a small hotel
The housekeeping department in a hotel is headed by the executive housekeeper. She/he reports to the
general manager, or to the resident manager, or the rooms division manager in a large hotel. In the case
of a chain of hotels, the executive house keeper also reports to the director of housekeeping, who heads
the housekeeping departments in all the hotels of that chain. The deputy housekeeper assists the
executive housekeeper and, depending on the size of the property, there can also be assistant
housekeepers who look after the various areas of responsibility in the hotel, that is, floors, public areas,
the linen room, and desk control.
Then there are supervisors in each of these sections, who report to the respective assistant
housekeepers. The floor and public area supervisors are responsible for getting the guest rooms and
public areas cleaned. The linen room supervisor is in charge of the linen and uniform room operations.
The desk supervisor is responsible for coordinating all the housekeeping activities and liaising with the
other departments of the hotel. Attendants and house men may report to the supervisors.
The horticulturist has gardeners reporting to him/her. He/she reports to the executive housekeeper.
Normally, this area is farmed out on contract.
The laundry manager also reports to the executive housekeeper. He has laundry workers reporting to
him. Laundry may also be given out on contract.
JOB DESCRIPTIONS OF HOUSEKEEPING PERSONNEL
A job description is a written description of a job performed by a job holder. It specifies the parameters
within which a job is done. These parameters include the duties and responsibilities, reporting
relationships, authority and control, coordination with other departments, status within a departmental
hierarchy and the broad scope of the function. A job description offers the following advantages to both
the job holder and the organization:
1. The new recruit knows exactly what his or her job entails. This in itself is a vital part of induction.
2. A job description acts as a basic foundation to set standards of performance. This informs the
exact standards expected of a job holder.
3. The job description ensures a common perception of the job by both the superior and the
subordinate.
4. It acts as a legal document for any disputes arising out of a lack of role clarification.
5. It protects an employee from an unreasonable superior who may like to overburden an
employee through unnecessary role deviations.
JOB SPECIFICATION
Profile of a person in terms of education, experience, skills and competencies to perform a job.
EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER
This is one of the most important positions in the hotel since it carries the responsibility for the
cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic appeal of facilities so that they are sanitary, desirable, and in
saleable condition. The good housekeeper, because of the need to cooperate with many other
department heads, must possess a high degree of tact as well as good organizing ability. This is a
management position that commands respect from all the members of the hotel.
Job Title:
Executive Housekeeper
Reports to:
1. Accommodation manager
2. General Manager
Job Summary:
Responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel; works closely with a
trained and motivated team that observes the policies, procedures and standards of the establishment
and delivers service to guest satisfaction.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Develop and monitor an annual housekeeping budget and plan.

2. Hire, train, lead and motivate the Housekeeping team.
3. Ensure two way communications with daily department meetings.
4. Organize and direct the various sub activities of the department.
5. Approve expenses exercising cost control.
6. Represent Housekeeping in coordination meetings.
7. Develop and update housekeeping policies, systems, procedures and standards.
8. Schedule staff rotations and duties.
9. Ensure staff safety and hygiene.
10. Maintain discipline and conduct staff appraisals.
11. Ensure coordination with engineering, laundry, and the front office.
12. Conduct quality inspections.
13. Be responsible for all housekeeping assets and recommend specifications of purchase when
required.
14. Conduct period market surveys of new suppliers and products.
15. Plan, control and supervise horticultural requirements.
16. Conduct periodic competition analysis.
17. Plan schedules of pest control, spring cleaning, renovation and audit.
18. Oversee the lost and found procedures.
19. Confirm that incoming supplies conform to specifications.
20. Prepare required management reports.
Directly Supervises
Assistant House keepers, Laundry Manager, Horticulturist, Floorist
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates performance of staff

2. Checks discipline of staff
3. Recommends budgets
4. Can declare a room out-of-order
5. Can refuse purchases if not as per specifications
6. Can spend within budgets
7. Approves all housekeeping requisitions.
Coordinates with
1. Front Office -- for the cleanliness of rooms and making them available for sale.
2. Accounts-- for budgetary approvals and expenses.
3. Engineering-- on matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors and public areas.
4. Security -- on matters of security and safety.
5. Purchasing-- for purchases of capital and daily supplies.
6. Accommodations Director -- for policy directions and evaluation of department performance
ASSISTANT HOUSEKEEPER
She is the deputy to the Executive Housekeeper. This is a management position that is the preparing
ground for the position of the Executive Housekeepers. She is the link between the Executive
Housekeeper and the supervisors to ensure that the policies, systems, procedures and standards are
met. Supervisors take,n n directions and approvals from her on a moment to moment basis. She frees
the executive housekeeper for other administrative duties by managing the routine administrative tasks
on a daily basis, such as taking attendance, briefing, managing grievances, etc.
Job Title:
Assistant Housekeeper
Reports to:
Executive Housekeeper
Job Summary:
To ensure that the policies, systems, procedures and standards are understood and implemented by
housekeeping supervisors at the optional levels in a shift.
Duties and responsibilities
1. Conduct morning shift briefings and allot duties for the day.
2. Lead, train and motivate a housekeeping team in a shift.
3. Inspect VIP rooms and ensure that staffs have followed the procedures set.
4. Organize and direct the various sub activities of the department .
5. Review the requisitions for supplies from supervisors and recommend them to the Executive
Housekeeper keeping in mind the cost control.
6. Represent the department, in the absence of the Executive Housekeeper, at coordination
meetings including the General Manager’s morning meeting.
7. Ensure that housekeeping policies, systems, procedures and standards are followed by all
housekeeping staff and recommend any changes.
8. Recommend staff rotations and duties and organize extra hands when required
9. Ensure the safety and hygiene of the housekeeping staff.
10. Maintain discipline and conduct performance appraisals of the supervisors.
11. Ensure proper coordination with all departments, especially the engineering, laundry, and the
front office.
12. Conduct inspections of areas to ensure that standards are met.
13. Ensure that all housekeeping assets like equipment, linen and consumables are used and stored
properly to prolong their life.
14. Assist the Executive Housekeeper in market surveys of new suppliers and products.
15. Supervise the periodic schedules of pest control, spring cleaning, renovation and audit.
16. Ensure that the lost and found procedures are followed.
17. Check that all incoming supplies adhere to specifications.
18. Train supervisors and staff.
Directly Supervises
Floor Supervisors, Public Area Supervisors, Desk control supervisors, Linen and Uniform Supervisors.
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates performance of supervisory staff.

2. Checks discipline of staff.
3. Can declare a room out-of-order.
4. Can refuse purchases if not as per specifications.
Coordinates with
1. Front Office—for the cleanliness of rooms and making them available for sale.
2. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors and public areas.
3. Security—on matters of security and safety.
4. Purchasing—inspection of incoming supplies.
FLOOR SUPERVISOR
This position should be held by a competent, personable individual who knows her employees well and
is able to meet the public. The latter requirement is important since supervisors are actually
representatives of the Executive Housekeeper on the floor assigned to them. They supervise a team of
room attendants and housemen who clean allotted guest rooms within productivity standards. She is
responsible to keep the team supplied with all the linen, cleaning equipment and guest amenities for the
floor. She does this by maintaining an efficient floor linen room (pantry). She reports to the Assistant
Housekeeper on administrative matters.
Job title:
Floor Supervisor
Reports to:
1. Assistant Housekeeper
2. Executive Housekeeper
Job Summary
To ensure that guest rooms on an allotted floor/s are cleaned and maintained according to the
standards and within productivity limits in a shift.
1. Inspect staff turnout of the team assigned.

2. Lead, train and motivate a floor team to prepare rooms according to the standards and guest
satisfaction.
3. Inspect VIP rooms and ensure that the room attendant has followed the procedures set.
4. Inspect each room completed by a room attendant with a specified room checklist and ensure
they meet the standards of the establishment in terms of cleanliness, functionality and aesthetic
value.
5. Maintain the floor pantry. To check par stocks of linen and guest amenities and cleaning supplies
and requisition them in a timely manner.
6. Supervise the linen exchange procedure with the laundry ensuring that the par stocks are
maintained. To account for the stocks.
7. Ensure that the housekeeping policies, systems, procedures and standards are followed by all
staff on the floor.
8. Train room attendants and housemen to achieve productivity and efficiency standards.
9. Ensure the safety and hygiene of the housekeeping staff.
10. Maintain discipline and conduct performance appraisals of the personnel under her control.
11. Check all safety systems on a floor and ensure that any defect is rectified.
12. Liaise with security personnel on security matters on the floor.
13. Prepare the housekeeping report for the front office.
14. Check all maid carts to ensure it is well stocked with linen and supplies as per the standards.
15. Follow-up on all maintenance orders and sign for work that gets completed to her satisfaction.
16. Liaise with the housekeeping control desk for departure rooms that need to be cleaned for sale
and confirm that those rooms have been cleared.
17. Liaise with the room service for the clearance of room service trays and trolleys.
18. Check the serviceability of all floor equipment.
19. Execute the pest control schedules on the assigned floor/s
20. To execute the spring cleaning schedules on the assigned floors.
21. Ensure that the out-of-order rooms are treated as per procedure.
22. Ensure that internal plants and floral arrangements are watered and recycled by the horticulture
department.
23. Report all lost and found items and ensure that the prescribed procedures are followed.
Directly Supervises
Room Attendants and housemen on a given floor.
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates performance of room attendants and housemen in her charge.

2. Checks the discipline of staff.
3. Can declare a room out-of-order.
4. Can requisition linen and supplies for a floor.
5. Authorised to enter guest rooms
Coordinates with:
1. Front Office—for housekeeping room reports and the cleanliness of rooms and making them
available for sale.
2. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors.
3. Security –On matters of security and safety on the guest floor.
4. Control Desk—for receiving departure room information and reporting cleared rooms. For
registering maintenance requests.
5. Laundry—for the deposit of soiled linen of a floor.
6. Linen room—for issue of fresh linen
7. Horticulture—for maintenance of indoor plants in rooms and corridors.
8. Florist—for supply of floral arrangements in VIP rooms.
9. Room Service—for the clearance of trays and trollies.
10. General Stores—to requisition supplies.
NIGHT SUPERVISOR
The night supervisor is the representative of the housekeeping department at night. Normally the
evening shift would have done the service leaving all occupied rooms ready for night use by guests. The
only requirement at night would be second services. However, in metropolitan cities with well
connected international and domestic flights, train arrivals and boat traffic, where check out and arrivals
can be busy, the night supervisor is kept busy with a limited work force at hand. Even though the check-
out time is 12 noon in most hotels, many guests catching late night transports may stay on till their
convenient check-out time. The other aspect of night duty is the cleaning of public area. Most
restaurants, bars and banquets would have closed at late hours when the public area cleaning crew
takes over their cleaning chores to prepare the facilities for the next day. Shopping arcades, executive
offices, elevators, lobbies and foyers are cleaned at night when there is least guest traffic. The night
supervisor mans the housekeeping control desk from where she coordinates the crews on the floors and
public areas. She would also be the person to resolve additional guest requirements and complaints
regarding housekeeping. The night supervisor’s role is a rotational duty among the supervisors to give all
the unique experience to the guest.
Job title:
Night supervisor
Reports to:
Job Summary:
Supervise all night cleaning schedules in guest rooms and public areas to hotel standards and within
productivity standards and within productivity limits.
Duties & Responsibilities:

2. Lead, train and motivate the night crew to accomplish the night cleaning duties as pe the hotel
standards.
3. Inspect VIP rooms and ensure that the room attendant has followed the procedures set in case
of VIP arrivals at night.
4. Inspect each room completed by a room attendant with a specified room checklist and ensure
they meet the standards of the establishment in terms of cleanliness, functionality and aesthetic
value.
5. Maintain records of fresh linen and guest amenities issued to floors from each floor pantry and
disposed soiled linen in hampers at the floor pantry.
6. Ensure that the housekeeping policies, systems, procedures and standards are followed by all
staff on the floors and in public areas.
7. Ensure the safety and hygiene of the housekeeping staff at night.
10. Prepare the night housekeeping report for the front office.
11. Check the log book and follow-up on any special instructions left by the evening shift.
12. Man the housekeeping control and coordinate all cleaning activity on the floors and public
areas.
13. Liaise with the room service for the clearance of room service trays and trolleys.
14. Record all lost and found items and ensure that the prescribed procedure is followed.
Directly Supervises:
All room attendants and housemen at night.

Limits of Authority:
1. Evaluate performance of room attendants and housemen in her charge.

2. Check discipline of staff
4. Authorised to enter guest rooms
Coordinates with:
1. Front Office—For housekeeping room reports and the cleanliness of rooms and making them
available for sale.
2. Engineering—On matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors.
3. Security—On matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors.
4. Security—On matters of security and safety on the guest floor.
5. Room Service—for the clearance of trays and trolleys.
PUBLIC AREA SUPERVISOR

She is the most challenged in a hotel because her responsibility expands over large public areas
including external areas, lobbies, function rooms, public cloak rooms, corridors, foyers, elevators, etc.
Naturally this requires physical fitness to walk long distances in her supervisory role. She leads a crew of
housemen who are trained to clean different surfaces. Good Executive Housekeepers would rotate the
supervisors for their all round and development between floors and public areas. Since a large hotel may
have extensive public areas the tasks of completing the entire hotel is spread over two shifts. There
would be a public area supervisor for each shift.
Job Title:
Public Area Supervisor
Reports to:
Job Summary:
Ensures that all public areas are cleaned and maintained as per the hotel standards and within
productivity limits in a shift.

2. Lead, train and motivate a public area team to clean and maintain public areas to hotel
standards.
3. Inspect all public areas against a public area checklist ensuring that hotel standards are met.
4. Remove furniture, curtains and other fixtures which require repairs mending, spotting, washing,
etc.
5. Follow an advanced renovation programme of public areas after it is approved by the Executive
Housekeeper, in a timely manner.
6. Prepare a chandelier cleaning schedule and have it followed by the cleaning crew.
7. Ensure that staff follows housekeeping systems, procedures and standards.
8. Prepare a carpet shampoo schedule and ensure that it is followed in timely manner.
9. Ensure the safety and hygiene of the public area crew.
10. Maintain discipline and conduct performance appraisals of public area personnel
11. Check all safety systems in public areas and follow-up on faults.
12. Liaise with security personnel on security.
13. Account for the movement of all furniture and fixtures in public areas.
14. Follow-up on all maintenance orders and sign for work that has been completed to her
satisfaction.
15. Liaise with the housekeeping control desk on all matters concerning the public areas.
16. Check and control all equipment ensuring that they are used correctly and stored appropriately
after use.
17. Check the serviceability of all floor equipment.
18. Supervise the pest control schedules in public areas.
19. Ensure that internal plants and floral arrangements are watered and recycled by the horticulture
department.
20. Report all lost and found items and ensure that the prescribed procedures are followed.
21. Ensure that all cloakroom attendants keep public cloakrooms clean and fresh.
Public area Housemen and Cloakroom Attendants.
1. Evaluates performance of public area housemen and cloakroom attendants.

2. Checks discipline of staff
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—On matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors.

2. Security—On matters of security in public area
3. Control desk—for coordination
4. Horticulture—for maintenance of indoor plants in public areas.
5. Florist—for supply and maintenance of floral arrangements in public areas
6. General Stores—for requisitions
LINEN/UNIFORM ROOM SUPERVISOR
Her basic role is to issue uniforms and linen to staff according to prescribed systems and procedures.
She is accountable for the movement of linen to the floors and food and beverage areas as also of
uniforms to all hotel personnel. She coordinates closely with the laundry department exchanging soiled
linen and uniforms for fresh ones on a strictly one-to-one basis. While it is prudent to rotate all
supervisors through the various functions of housekeeping this position is largely a specialist one that
pins accountability and responsibility for such a large asset . She is assisted by attendants and helpers.
Job Title:
Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor
Reports to:
Job Summary
Maintain an inventory of linen and uniforms and their storage conditions as per prescribed standards.
Be accountable for the movement of all linen and uniform. Issue of linen and uniforms as per procedure.
1. Inspect staff turnout of the linen and uniform team.

2. Lead, train and motivate the team to provide service as per the standards.
3. Check periodically the condition of uniforms and linen and take appropriate action for damaged
and soiled ones.
4. Assign daily work to tailors.
5. Maintain the storage conditions to minimize damage to linen and uniforms.
6. Supervise the linen exchange procedure with the laundry ensuring that par stocks are
maintained and account for the stocks
7. Ensure that housekeeping policies, systems, procedures and standards are followed by all staff
in the linen/uniform room.
8. Coordinate closely with the laundry to ensure timely supply of fresh linen and uniforms.
9. Ensure the safety and hygiene of the team.
11. Ensure that the linen/uniform room is kept clean and orderly and that linen and uniforms are
stored as per prescribed conditions.
12. Introduce all relevant records in respect of linen and uniforms for control purposes.
13. Execute the pest control schedules for the linen/uniform room.
14. Coordinate the annual audit of the linen and uniform room.
Linen/Uniform room attendants and helpers
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluate the performance of linen/uniform room attendants and helpers.

2. Check discipline of staff
3. Can declare linen and uniforms as discards.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in the linen room.

2. Laundry—for the exchange of soiled linen and uniforms for fresh ones.
3. All Departments—for issue of fresh staff uniforms.
4. Floor supervisors—for issue of fresh linen.
5. Food & Beverage—for the exchange of soiled restaurant linen with fresh ones.
6. General Stores—for requisition of supplies.
7. Accounts—For periodic stock taking.
LINEN/UNIFORM ROOM ATTENDANT
Job title:
Linen/Uniform Room Attendant
Reports to:
1. Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor

Job Summary:
Issues linen and uniforms to staff according to prescribed systems and procedures. Also controls the
movement of soiled and fresh linen and uniforms with the laundry.
1. Issue uniforms to all hotel employees on a one-to-one basis.

2. Physically count uniforms and linen and record them before sending to laundry.
3. Make records of linen and uniform movement.
4. Store uniform and laundry according to prescribed methods.
5. Check for damages to uniforms and linen to take appropriate action.
6. Assist new employees with uniform sizes and if required take measurements for custom made
uniforms.
7. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude towards hotel personnel.
Helper if provided
Limits of Authority
1. May refuse the issue of linen and uniforms if not on a one-to-one basis
2. May refuse the issue of linen and uniforms if staff does not come at their allotted time for
exchange.
Coordinates with:
1. Laundry—for the deposit of soiled linen/uniforms and receipt of fresh ones in exchange.
2. All Hotel Personnel—for the issue of fresh uniforms and linen.
ROOM ATTENDANT
This position is perhaps one of the most critical in a hotel as their work is under the scrutiny of every
guest. His/her efforts in keeping the rooms clean and safe directly contribute to the guest experience.
The room attendant is also directly responsible for making a room available for sale. Low productivity
seriously affects room sales and is an inconvenience to confirmed arrivals.
Job Title:
Room Attendant
Reports to:
1. Floor Supervisor
Job Summary:
Cleans guest rooms as per the hotel standards and ensures that it is safe and functional. To complete
rooms within productivity standards.
1. Attend daily briefings at the beginning of a shift.

2. Note the VIP rooms in his/her allotted rooms.
3. Stock the maid’s cart with linen and supplies to service the allotted rooms.
4. Clean guest bedrooms as per the hotel standards and replenish supplies as per the room check
list.
5. Clean guest bathrooms as per hotel standards and replenish supplies as per a checklist.
6. Count and hand over soiled linen to the floor supervisor.
7. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude towards guests and respect their privacy.
8. Hand over lost and found articles to the floor supervisor.
9. Check physically the occupancy of rooms for the floor supervisor’s occupancy report.
10. Check all the maintenance requirements in rooms and notify the control desk for further action
and follow-up that faults are corrected before releasing the room.
11. Turn-down beds in the evening service.
12. Dispose garbage in prescribed areas.
13. Return master keys to the floor supervisor upon completion of the shift
14. Check all safety systems on a floor and report any defects.
Housemen on a given floor
1. May enter guest rooms.

2. May deny access of guest rooms to unauthorized hotel personnel and guests.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in guest rooms.

2. Security—on matters of maintenance and safety in guest floor.
3. Control Desk—for receiving departure room information and reporting cleared rooms. For
registering maintenance requests.
5. Linen Room—for issue of fresh linen.
6. Horticulture—for maintenance of indoor plants in rooms and corridors
7. Florist—for supply of floral arrangements in VIP rooms.
8. Room Service—for the clearance of trays and trollies.
9. General stores—for the requisition of supplies.
Houseman
The houseman has two roles:
a) To support the room attendants with heavy work and

b) To be the primary cleaner of public areas.
In either case, his job involves heavy physical work such as vacuuming carpets and corridors, cleaning
large window panes, carrying heavy furniture, garbage clearance, floor scrubbing etc. The houseman is
essential to the strenuous demands of a hotel and everyone leans on them for difficult tasks.
Job Title:
Houseman
Reports to:
1. Floor Supervisor
Job Summary:
Executive tasks as assigned by the floor supervisor.
1. Attend daily briefings at the beginning of a shift.

2. Note the VIP rooms in his floor.
3. Assist in stocking the maid’s cart with linen and supplies to service the allotted rooms.
4. Assist the floor supervisor in the guest room in any heavy work required such as window pane
cleaning, carpet hovering, shifting of furniture etc.
5. Assist in counting soiled linen in the floor pantry and transporting them to the laundry.
6. Visit the linen room for fresh linen in exchange for soiled linen.
7. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude towards guests and respect their privacy.
8. Hand over lost and found articles to the floor supervisor.
9. Vacuum floor corridors, foyers, stairwells and landings.
10. Check physically if required, the occupancy of rooms for the floor supervisor’s occupancy report.
11. Report all the maintenance requirements in corridors and notify the control desk for further
action and follow-up that faults are corrected before the shift ends.
12. Turn-down beds in the evening service.
13. Dispose garbage in prescribed areas segregating the recycled items.
Public Areas
14. Clean the swimming pool deck areas.

15. Beat carpets and replace them.
16. Check all safety systems on a floor and report any defects.
None
Limits of Authority
1. May enter guest rooms.

2. May deny access of guest rooms to unauthorized hotel personnel and guests.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in guest rooms

2. Security—on matters of security and safety on the guest floor.
3. Control Desk—for receiving instructions and follow-up on maintenance orders.
5. Linen room—for issue of fresh linen
6. Horticulture—for maintenance of indoor plants in rooms and corridors.
7. General Stores—for the collection of supplies.
HORTICULTURIST
Job Title:
Horticulturist
Reports to:
2. Accommodations Manager
Job Summary:
Responsible for the aesthetic upkeep of the hotel’s landscapes and indoor plants through a trained and
motivated team of gardeners that observe the policies, procedures and standards of the establishment.
1. Develop, recommend and monitor an approved annual budget and plan.

2. Hire, train, lead, and motivate the gardeners.
3. Ensure two-way communication with daily department briefings.
4. Approve expenses exercising cost control.
5. Devolop and update horticulture policies, systems, procedures and standards.
6. Schedule staff rotations and duties.
7. Ensure staff safety and hygiene.
8. Maintain discipline and conduct staff appraisals
9. Ensure coordination with concerned departments for effective work
10. Conduct quality inspections daily
11. Be responsible for all gardening assets and recommend specifications of purchase when
required
12. Conduct periodic market surveys of new suppliers and products
13. Set specifications for horticulture equipment.
14. Visit periodically nurseries for new saplings
15. Plan schedules of pest control of flower beds
16. Oversee the water supply system and report any defects to engineering.
17. Confirm that incoming supplies conform to specifications.
18. Maintain a nursery and green house for the propagation of plants.
19. Be accountable for all horticultural assets including equipment, manure, garden tools and
accessories.
20. Ensure periodic preventive maintenance of equipment.
21. Research into new plants and grafting methods through constant study.
Head gardener, Gardeners.
Limits of Authority
1. Evaluates the performance of staff

2. Can discipline gardeners
3. Recommends budgets
4. Defines specifications of horticultural materials.
5. Can refuse purchases if not according to specifications.
6. Can spend within budgets.
7. Approves all horticulture requisitions.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and water supply.

2. Purchasing—for purchases of capital and daily supplies.
3. Floor and Public area Supervisors—for indoor decorations
4. Florist—to supply fresh flowers and ferns.
HEAD GARDENER
He is the supervisor that translates the horticulturist’s directives and procedures to the operational level
which is manned by gardeners. He is a person who has considerable experience as a gardener and
understands the challenges in maintaining gardens.
Job Title:
Head Gardener
Reports to:
1. Horticulturist
Job Summary:
Translates the horticulturist’s directives to operational levels.Responsible for the upkeep of all
landscapes, gardens, nurseries and green houses to ensure that they are of the standards of the hotel.
1. Ensure that the prescribed landscapes in terms of gardens, rockeries, water courses etc. are
maintained according to the original concept.
2. Attend morning briefings and receive instructions of the day from the horticulturist.
3. Brief, schedule and allot duties to gardeners to meet daily requirements.
4. Supervise fresh planting schedules.
5. Procure seeds from reliable nurseries at the least cost.
6. Procure, control and supervise the usage of manure and fertilizers.
7. Ensure that planting schedules satisfy aesthetic appeal.
8. Supervise the watering schedules & report any water shortages.
9. Maintain the nursery according to prescribed conditions and ensure a steady supply of saplings
10. Provide the hotel with flowers, garlands, wreaths, bouquets as required and also prepare,
provide and maintain indoor plants for the hotel.
11. Ensure that lawns are well-mown and kept clean at all times.
12. Train and motivate gardeners.
13. Ensure that the gardeners handle garden tools and machines correctly and carefully.
14. Ensure that all equipment is stored safely in garden sheds at the end of the day.
15. See that the preventive maintenance schedules of garden equipment are followed.
All gardeners
1. May enter guest rooms and public areas of the hotel for maintenance of indoor plants.
2. May discipline gardeners.
3. Advise the performance levels of gardeners to the horticulturists.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—On matters of maintenance of gardening equipments, water supply, and plumbing

issues of fountains, cascades etc.
2. Security—on matters of security in external areas.
3. Floor Supervisor—for access to floors and guest rooms to maintain indoor plants
4. Public Area Supervisor—for access to public areas to maintain indoor plants.
5. General Stores—to collect gardening supplies
GARDENER
Job Title:
Gardener
Reports to:
1. Head Gardener
2. Horticulturist
Job Summary:
Keeps all landscapes, gardens, nurseries and green houses to set standards so as to enhance the image
of the property.
1. Attend morning briefings and receive instructions of the day from the head gardener.
2. Dig-up landscaped areas for fresh planting according to season.
3. Plant seeds and saplings as per conditions and concept prescribed.
4. Be knowledgeable about the seasonality of plants and their maintenance conditions.
5. Plant seeds and saplings as per conditions and concept prescribed.
6. Lay manure and fertilizers economically ensuring proper coverage.
7. Water all gardens as per daily schedules and routine.
8. Cut, prune, trim, hedges, bushes, flowers to enhance aesthetic appeal.
9. Maintain the nursery according to prescribed conditions and ensure a steady supply of saplings.
10. Provide the hotel with flowers, garlands, wreaths, bouquets as required and also prepare and
maintain indoor plants for the hotel.
11. Mow the lawns and keep clean at all times.
12. Use garden tools and equipment correctly to extend their life.
13. Store all equipment and tools in the garden sheds at the end of the day.
None
1. May enter guest rooms and public areas of the hotel for maintenance of indoor plants.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance of gardening equipment; water supply; and plumbing

issues of fountains, cascades, etc.
2. Security—on matters of security in external areas.
3. Floor Supervisor—for access to floors and guest rooms to maintain indoor plants.
4. Public Area Supervisor—for access to public areas to maintain indoor plants.
5. General Stores—to collect gardening supplies.
TAILOR/UPHOLSTERER
Job Title:
Tailor/Upholsterer
Reports to:
1. Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor

Job Summary:
Will stitch and mend uniforms and linen as assigned ensuring a quality that can be used in daily
operations.
Duties and responsibilities
1. Attend morning briefings and receive instructions of the day from the linen/uniform room
supervisor.
2. Take measurements of new employees and deliver custom uniforms promptly.
3. Mend all damaged linen and uniforms according to the standard of daily usage.
4. Refurbish all damaged upholstery.
5. Estimate materials required and inform the supervisor to requisition them.
6. Withdraw materials from the store and maintain a record of materials used.
7. Pre-shrink materials that shrink.
8. Cut materials with minimum wastage.
9. Check the quality of furniture frames e.g. springs, woodwork, foam etc. before upholstering
them.
10. Keep work areas neat and tidy.
11. Keep accessories safely and account for them.
12. Return excess materials to stores.
13. Be accountable for all the upkeep of equipment used for work.
None
May reject defective materials, equipment and accessories.

Coordinates with:
1. Stores—for materials and supplies.

2. Houseman—for cleaning of spaces.
3. Hotel Personnel—for new uniforms, alterations and mending.
CLOAK ROOM ATTENDANT

Job Title:
Cloak Room Attendant
Reports to:
1. Head Houseman
2. Public Area Supervisor
Job Summary:
Maintains high sanitation standards of cloak rooms in public areas and ensures the safety of hotel
property in the assigned areas.
1. Exchange soiled hand towels for fresh ones at the linen room
2. Maintain adequate stocks of soaps, detergents and hand towels to meet demand especially at
peak hours.
3. Maintain shoe-shine kit and clean guest shoes if required.
4. Maintain all cupboards and fixtures installed in the cloak room by daily cleaning.
5. Maintain a polite, dignified and helpful attitude to guests.
6. Report any plumbing deficiencies to the Head Houseman.
7. See that the cloakrooms are clean and sanitized; faucets sparkling, wash-basins dry;
environment smelling fresh.
8. Supply guests with towels, soap, comb/hair brush and cologne.
9. Sweep, wash and scrub the floors.
10. Maintain the janitor’s closet neatly and properly stocked for daily work.
11. Clear soiled linen periodically from linen baskets and store in janitor’s closet.
12. Brush guest jackets if required.
13. Replenish soap dispensers periodically.
None
May declare a WC booth out-of-order.
Coordinates with:
1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance of cloakroom facilities.

2. General stores—to collect supplies
3. Linen Room—for the exchange of hand towels.
PERSONAL ATTRIBUES OF HOUSEKEEPING PERSONNEL

The housekeeping department in a hotel may easily have the largest work force. No matter how
luxurious the décor or how aesthetic the guestroom may be, grumpy, poorly trained, and unhelpful staff
can destroy any potential customer satisfaction with the hospitality product. Being a service industry,
the personal projection of staff to guests enhances the image of the hotel. It is also essential to know the
qualities that a housekeeping staff must possess for the purpose of recruitment, induction, training, and
self-development programmes. These attributes sometimes override the importance of skill, as skills can
be taught but these personal traits should be inherent in a member of the staff.
Pleasant Personality
A pleasant personality is the result of good grooming and good presentation in front of guests. The way
a staff looks is the first impression he/she creates, and this reflects on the quality of service and
standards in an establishment. It is good to remember that ‘your last look in the mirror will be the
guest’s first look’. All the supervisory housekeeping staff and the guestroom attendants should be
especially well groomed, as they come into close contact with the guests. The staff should be turned out
in clean and crisp uniforms. After shaves and perfumes used should not be too strong; mild deodorants
should be preferred. Most establishments follow a minimum jewellery and light make-up policy for
female housekeeping staff. Hair must always be clean and, incase of long hair, should be tied up or back.
Many hotels have a maid’s cap for attendants. Because of the long hours involved, housekeeping staff
should wear comfortable, light, low-heeled box shoes and keep them looking clean at all times. Unclean
mannerisms such as scratching of the face or scalp and chewing gum in front of guests should be
avoided. It should always be remembered that a ready smile on the face wins many a battle.
Physical Fitness
Housekeeping is a 24 x 7 x 365 operation and the staff work long hours on their feet. Most of their work
is manual and may require them to handle heavy equipment. Hence physical fitness is a must to cope
with the nature of this work. A thorough medical examination and a medical history of candidates can
be used as tools to ascertain their fitness at the time of recruitment. Housekeeping staff must maintain
their level of fitness at the optimum to perform to required standards. It is said that ideal housekeeping
staff should possess a ‘strong heart and good feet’.
Personal hygiene
Personal hygiene deals with matters pertaining to the health of the individual for the maintenance of
which the responsibilities lie with him alone. Elements of personal hygiene include:
 Good and healthy habits

 Cleanliness of the skin
 Cleanliness and care of hair, eyes, ears, teeth, and nose
 Cleanliness of the nails and fingers
 Cleanliness, tidiness, and condition of clothes and footwear.
Housekeeping staff must maintain a high standard of personal hygiene, as it reflects on the hygiene
standards of the hotel. They must take a bath daily to avoid body odour. Their hair must be well
combed, their nails clean and clipped. Their mouths should be free of any offensive odour. Any
infections should be reported and attended to immediately. Cuts and burns should be covered with the
correct dressings.
Eye for detail
This is one of the foremost attributes that housekeeping staff must possess. They must be able to take
into consideration minute details that a layman may let go unobserved. The power of critical
observation is what distinguishes good service from average. Room attendants need to have an eye for
detail in order to make up a flawless guestroom and housekeeping supervisors need to have a keen
sense of observation to inspect these rooms for perfection. Furthermore, the whole property must be
continually scrutinized by the housekeeping department for proper care and maintenance.
Cooperation
Housekeeping staff must cooperate not only with each other, but also with the staff of other
departments. This is absolutely essential, since housekeeping involves a lot of team-work for efficient
functioning. If there is any lack of cooperation and coordination, it indirectly affects the guests and
hampers efficiency.
Adaptability
This is an important quality in housekeeping staff. They should be willing to try out and experiment with
new ideas. The entry of foreign hotel chains into India has brought about an immense sense of
competition, due to which hotels in India are now trying out more innovative methods and materials in
housekeeping. The staff should accept and adapt to change willingly and should welcome such
innovations.
Honesty
This quality is all important to the staff in dealings with both guests and the management. Housekeeping
staff have direct access to guest rooms. Guest’s belongings are often left lying around the room and
temptations are great. Housekeeping staff also deal with various kinds of guest amenities that may also
tempt them. It is inherent discipline and integrity that checks these temptations. If there is trust and
respect across the triangle of staff, guests, and management relationships, then there will be a work
atmosphere that encourages efficiency and a good team spirit.
Tact and Diplomacy
Housekeeping staff come into close contact with various kinds of guests. Some guests may make
unusual requests or complaints. Some times guests may be fussy and demand services that override the
management’s policies. It requires a lot of tact and diplomacy on the part of housekeeping staff to
handle such guests at their level, since under no circumstances can they be rude to a guest or hurt
his/her sentiments. Staff needs to be trained in handling guests who make such requests.
Right Attitude
Most managers agree that a candidate with the right attitude is more of an asset to them than a
candidate who has the skills but the wrong attitude. The candidate with good attitude displays an even
temper, courtesy, and good humour, and does not betray displeasure even in the most difficult of times.
They learn from their mistakes and are always optimistic. The employee with the right attitude is
proactive and anticipates the guest’s needs and wishes.
Calm demeanour
Housekeeping staff may be faced with various kinds of emergency situations, and is essential that they
remain calm so as to do their best in coping with the problem in hand. If they panic during an
emergency, their anxious demeanour could become contagious and be passed on to guests and
colleagues. A calm demeanour helps employees to think rationally themselves and to display their
presence of mind.
Courtesy
A housekeeping employee should extend courtesy to both guests and colleagues. It is essential that
while dealing with guests, the staff be humble and polite. Housekeeping staff should never argue with a
guest and, if they cannot deal with the situation, it should be referred immediately to a senior member
of the team. Guests will always remember pleasant and charming staff, as this adds to the guest’s
positive experience in a hotel.
Punctuality
This too is crucially important. If an employee is continually late for duty, it shows lack of interest in the
work and a lack of respect for the management and guests. Respect for time during working hours will
reflect on the employee’s work and help to create an impression worthy of appreciation.
Good Memory
This is an essential asset in housekeeping staff, particularly when dealing with regular guests and repeat
customers. A staff member, who remembers a guest’s likes, dislikes, needs, and wishes will be a
tremendous asset to the hotel.
Loyalty
An employee’s first obligation and loyalty are to the establishment in which they are employed and to its
management. A situation should never arise when employees use guests as their sounding board. They
should respect the policies and decisions of the management.
MODULE - 3
LAYOUT OF THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT
There is no ideal or universal model for the layout of a housekeeping department. The layout differs
from hotel to hotel and depends upon its size and the limitations of physical space. However, the
layouts must respond to certain considerations :
1. The number of guest rooms determines the space required to maintain inventories of the room
linen and supplies
2. The number of function rooms determined the amount of linen to be maintained.
3. The number of public area facilities and an anticipated volume of business determine the
amount of restaurant linen to be maintained.
4. Whether the hotel decided to outsource some services like landscaping, flower arrangements,
tailoring upholstery, laundry etc to be able to optimally utilize space.
5. The number of total employees for the amount of uniform inventories they have to be
maintained.
Hotel’s place is valuable and use mostly to generate revenue. An investor makes decisions whether to
allot space to revenue generating activities areas or submit to non-revenue activities such as
housekeeping. He chooses most unattractive locations in the building for non- revenue activities. It is for
this reason that the housekeeping department is located in the basement termed as ‘back house area’.
HOUSEKEEPER’S OFFICE:
Its main features are:
1. This is the main administration centre for the department.
2. It must be an independent cabin to provide the housekeeper with silence to plan out her work.
3. It will also provide her the privacy to counsel her staff or hold departmental meetings.
4. It should be preferably in glass paneling so as to give her a view of what is happening outside
her office.
5. The office should be preceded by a cabin for the secretary who would control movement into
the housekeeper's office.
DESK CONTROL ROOM:

1. This is the main communication centre where relevant house keeping information is sent out and
received .
2. It is the nerve centre for coordination with the front office, banquets, etc.
3. The desk control room should have a desk and chair, preferably more than one telephone and
computer terminal for information storage and control.
4. It should have a large notice board to display essential information for the staff.
5. The desk control room is the point where all staff report for duty and check out at the end of duty.
It adjoins the Housekeeper's office.
LOST AND FOUND SECTION:

This section adjoins the desk control room. It is a space away from thoroughfare which is secure, cool
dry with a cupboard to store misplaced guest belongings that may be claimed later.
LINEN ROOM:
This iswhere current linen is stored for issue and receipt.

The room is well lit large and airy, and free from heat and humidity. It should have adequate shelves to
stack linen. It should be secure from pilferage. The linen room should have a counter across which the
exchange of linen takes place. It should preferably adjoin the in-house laundry so that the exchange of
linen between both will be smooth and quick. Only authorised persons should be permitted to access
the linen room.
UNIFORM ROOM:
This room stocks the uniforms in current circulation. It is possible that smaller hotels may choose to
combine this room with the linen room . The volume of uniforms in circulation determines whether to
have an independent uniform room or not.
Hanging racks as most uniforms are best maintained when hung. Shelves for regular hardy uniforms like
dungarees, chef jackets, etc. Cupboards for small accessories like gloves, ties, bows, caps, etc. Exchange
counter for employees who come to collect and deposit their uniforms. Exchange counter with the in-
house laundry. It has only one entry/exit door for security.
HOUSEKEEPING STORE:
This store stocks materials for linen and uniforms. Ideally, the stock maintained should be enough to
replenish once all over the whole hotel. However, due to budgetary constraints the hotel may stock less.
stocks in the store are only touched when the linen or uniforms in circulation fall short due to damage or
loss.
The room should be cool and dry. It is provided with shelves to stock linen and materials. Larger hotels
may have an independent store for linen and another for uniforms, based on the volume of materials in
circulation and the hotel’s policy to stock such large numbers. It has only one entry/exit door for
security.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT STORE:
This isa store to stock bulky housekeeping equipment like vacuum cleaners, carpet shampoo machines,
ladders for chandelier and window cleaning etc.
The room should be clean and dry. It is securely locked to prevent pilferage or theft, as they constitute
substantial capital investment. It has only one entry/exit door for security.
TAILOR ROOM:
This room is for in-house full-time tailors who stitch and mend damaged linen and uniforms.
Its features are:
The room typically has sewing machines with machining stations based on the number of tailors
employed. It has shelves and cupboards to store materials used for uniforms. It is accessible only to
tailors and uniform room personnel. It is a clean and dry place. Smaller hotels may outsource this
function to reliable tailors in the city to save space and recurrent labor costs.
UPHOLSTERY AND FURNITURE YARD:
This is a space provided to store of damaged upholstered furniture. Tailors specialised in re-upholstery
work in this yard. Since furniture takes space, it requires adequate space, to store them.
FLOOR LINEN ROOM (PANTRY):
Each guest floor has a floor linen room to keep a supply of linen, guest supplies and cleaning supplies
required to service the rooms on a floor.
Its features are:
It acts as the housekeeping nerve centre of the floor. The floor linen room is situated at the end of
floors or off the foyers of service elevator away from guest view. The pantry maintains a complete
turnover of fresh linen to service rooms on the floor. The floor linen room is equipped with shelves and
cupboards; hampers and a sink with a water supply for washing glasses; etc.
FLOWER ROOM:
This room is used by the in-house florist who prepares flower arrangements for display at various parts
of the hotel. Flowers beautify rooms and public areas. They are supplied to restaurants for table
decoration and buffet displays.
Its features are:
The room is air-conditioned to keep the flowers fresh. It has work tables to assemble the flower
arrangements. It has a tap with running water and sink.
GREEN HOUSE:
This is an external facility to grow exotic plants that need special climatic conditions. Horticulture comes
under the housekeeping and therefore, this facility is provided for by the housekeeper.
Its features are:
It is an area covered in polythene or glass. It has a water source to water the plants.
HORTICULTURE EQUIPMENT STORE:
There is a number of garden equipment such as lawn movers, spades, rakes, pots etc. Thatis essential
for gardening operations. These need to be stored safely. The store is an external facility easily
accessible to gardeners. The size of the store increases as the area of landscaping increases.
There are a few considerations to be made when planning the housekeeping facilities:
(a) It has to be accessible to all employees of the hotel as they will come to the uniform room for the
issue and exchange of uniforms;
(b) It has to be accessible to food and beverage personnel and floor supervisors for the exchange of
linen;
(c) The location has to be away from guest view and hotel staff traffic;
(d) The area must be strong to install heavy equipment;
(e) The laundry involves heavy duty washing machines, hydro-extractors and calendar machines etc. that
rest well on sturdy flooring like the basement or ground floor.
(f) The sound and vibration of equipment must not affect the quiet ambience required for guest living.
Who Plans Housekeeping Facilities?
The task of creating the housekeeping spaces is given to a facility planner. Facility Planning is the activity
of designing the layout of the operational service areas such as restaurants, kitchens, stewarding,
laundry, housekeeping, etc. The design must take full advantage of space in creating convenience of
operations and a return on investment to the owner. This requires knowledge of preparing blueprints;
service equipment and staff roles and skills. For example, housekeeping would like to have laundry
operations in close proximity to its linen and uniform rooms. Facility planning will ensure that this is
made possible. Facility planning ensures that the conditions required for various operations are met. All
storage areas cannot have steam and hot water pipes running throughthem, while the laundry requires
steam and hot water supplies. These considerations are meticulously looked into by the facility planner.
In view of this the facility planner works against certain objectives when planning the housekeeping
layout:
Objectives of Facility Planner
1. To get a fair return on investment in space, furniture, equipment, fixtures and building
materials.
2. To create a facility, this could appeal to guests and employees so that they find it convenient,
safe and hygienic.
3. To create a facility compatible with the housekeeping operations. No establishment wants -
unnecessary equipment and service ware.
4. To create a facility this could have an efficient flow of operations. This means that there could
not be a conflict of movement of staff resulting in delays and operational safety.
5. To create a facility where the spaces could easily be kept according to the municipal standards
of safety and sanitation.
6. To create a facility this could improve employee efficiency. The ergonomics must result
minimum movement with maximum productivity.
7. To create a facility this could ensure low maintenance costs. The equipment, furniture and
fixtures must be durable and easy to maintain, a facility where the design makes employee
supervision easy, the facility in such a manner that it includes building materials, furniture,
fixtures and equipment at the most economic price but of the best possible quality.
Preliminary Considerations
Before any facility planning can commence, there are certain considerations that are necessary
be decided:
1. To determine the project team.
The team would normally consist of the owner/general manager, architect, facility planner,
housekeeper, purchase manager and the finance manager.
2. To have the basic needs worked out.
The housekeeper must be clear of her exact basic requirements to ensure that plans meet the
operational requirements of the department.
3. To determine the type of service.
The market segments that the hotel service will largely decide the type of housekeeping service
that will be provided. There is a vast difference between housekeeping services of a business
hotel and a resort; a group hotel and an airport hotel. Then again, town hotels will have
different dynamics than those that are sprawled in large acreage.
4. Set specifications of equipment and furniture
The housekeeper, purchase manager and facility planner should conduct market surveys of
equipment manufacturers and furniture warehouses to know exactly the spaces required by
them when planning layouts.
5. Develop a blueprint.
The architect is the best person to do it along with the facility planner. The blueprint is the
architectural drawing of the establishment.
6. The Planning Process:
With these preliminary considerations in place, we now move to the actual planning.
Housekeeping Design Factors

Space:
The housekeeping must take full advantage of spaces ensuring security and accessibility. This is the
most expensive cost and will continue to be so in the future. The effective utilisation of space is the
challenge to the facility planner. An important decision making is to choose those items, which are
to be outsourced, and those that are to be prepared in-house. For example, an establishment may
decide whether they want to outsource laundry operation rather than use valuable space of the
hotel for other purpose. There may be a decision making that: - outsource the florist rather than use
up a room for her, Upholstery, refurbishing can be outsourced to agencies rather than blocking
valuable space to create a yard.
Noise:
The facilities must control noise which comes from noisy laundry equipment and verbal staff
communication. The noise should not reach guest areas at any cost. Sound proofing is achieved by
carpets, double doors, double window glazing and rubberized flooring materials.
Temperature:
It is important in places of extreme climate. Desert areas will need good air conditioning while cold
climates will need effective heating. Extreme temperatures ruin textiles and equipment.
Freedom of movement:
This is essential for safety reasons. The corridors must have enough space for trolleys and other
equipment.
Exchange counters:
The uniform exchange room can be congested at certain times, especially mornings, when all the
staff is in a hurry to get fresh uniforms for the day.
Storage:
Housekeeping will need adequate storage to keep the volume of linen, uniforms, cleaning
detergents, operational equipment, lost and found things, etc.
Cost:
Obviously the cost of equipment, furniture and fixture depends on the type and quality of the
establishment. The costs must be reasonable to be able to get a return on investment. This is
possible by vigorous market survey, surfing the web and by getting referrals from others.
Quantity and quality:

Equipment must be able to meet the quantities of linen and amenities provided. Expensive linen and
uniforms will need special storage conditions to maintain them.
Equipment:
There are several considerations in the selection of equipment:
1. The equipment must be cost-effective.
2. It must be durable.
3. It must have guarantees for replacement.
4. Spare parts must be cheap and easily available.
5. Technicians of the supplier are available readily at the time of breakdowns.
6. The lead times for procuring equipment coincide with the opening of the property, "old models
of equipment can be replaced.
7. The equipment is easy to maintain and clean.
8. Equipment needs minimum facilities to get it working
9. Equipment must be safe. It should not present a fire hazard.
Utilities:
These are the power, fuel, water and steam connections required to operate the housekeeping and
laundry equipment. Utilities are expensive and provided by the government or private utility
companies. The utility connections must be easily accessible to the Housekeeping. The equipment
must be so positioned as to access these connections without too many wires and pipes crossing the
floor.
Sanitation and Safety:
The facility design must be easy to keep the facility safe and sanitized. Cleaning programmes by
housekeeping personnel must have access to every corner of the facility especially those under
heavy equipment. Service doors must be provided to access like guest areas like the banquet halls,
restaurants and bars. The facility must have stores for toxic chemicals.
Type of Service:
The facility must suit the service style. Downtown business hotels that are built upwads may need
efficient service elevators while chalet-type resort properties may require sturdy access roads to roll
trolleys and carts. Distribution points for linen may vary. Busy hotels may have floor pantries on
each floor or a set of floors, while chalet- type resort properties may need service huts to serve a
given number of chalets.
Physical Fatigue:
Fatigue is caused by too much movement, lack of climate control and carrying heavy loads. The
facility planner must address these issues as the ultimateproductivity of the workforce depends on
it.
Lighting:
Lighting must be bright in linen and uniform rooms to be able to spot stains and damages.
Government Safety Codes:
Every government prescribes codes especially where people work. The codes prescribe
foradequatewaste disposal, recycling of materials like bottles, newspapers and cans, sanitation
schedules, preventive maintenance schedule and others.
Some of the common requirements by the government are:

■Sufficient drainage
■Adequate supply of drinking water.
■Floor properly paved or cemented to carry heavy equipment.
■Tiled walls where water is used, like the florist's shop or the laundry.
■Adequate exhaust systems.
■Provision of adequate garbage disposal.
■Items to be stored at least three feet above the ground level, requiring racking.
■Metallic refuse bins to be provided with lids.
LAYOUT OF LINEN AND UNIFORM ROOM

LAYOUT OF ON-PREMISES LAUNDRY
MODULE- 4
COORDINATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS / INTER-
DEPARTMENTAL RELATIONSHIP
No individual department in any hotel can work in isolation. Willingness to cooperate and coordinate,
with the assistance of efficient methods of communication, is essential if the establishment is to run
smoothly. The housekeeping department is just one of the departments in a hotel working towards the
satisfaction of the guests, and each department is dependent on others for information and/or services
if its work is to be accomplished efficiently. Frictions between departments must be kept to a minimum
and there should be close inter-departmental liaison. All the departments depicted in need to
coordinate with housekeeping, and vice versa. Within the rooms division, housekeeping primarily
coordinates with the front office and maintenance. Amongst all coordination relationships in hotels, the
most important one is that between the front office, housekeeping, and maintenance. Hotels depend on
this triangle to create a perfect image. The ultimate aim of this trio is to provide the guests with a
comfortable room and a friendly yet courteous service. This must be provided economically and
efficiently because a room that is not sold for a day is a loss of revenue that cannot be retrieved.
Coordination with Front Office:
Rooms are of chief concern to the front office and housekeeping departments. It is important for the
departments to continuously exchange information on room status. The front office must provide lists
for expected arrivals and departures for the day in advance, and notify housekeeping of actual arrivals
and departures as and when they occur. The front office is not allowed to assign guestrooms until the
rooms have been cleaned, inspected, and released by the housekeeping department.
Each night, a front office assistant produces an 'occupancy report' also called the 'night report'. This
report lists rooms occupied that night and indicates guests who are expected to check out the following
day. The executive housekeeper procures and consults this list early the next morning and schedules the
occupied rooms for cleaning. As guests check out, the front office notifies housekeeping. Housekeeping
ensures that these rooms are given top priority in servicing, so that clean rooms are available for sale. If
a guest checks out before the stated departure date, the front office must inform housekeeping that the
room is no longer a stay over, but is now a check-out. To ensure efficient rooming of guests, both
housekeeping and the front office must inform each other of changes in a room's status. Knowing
whether a room is occupied, vacant, on change, out of order (OOO), under repair, or similar, is
important for proper rooms management.
A flow of information in the reverse direction is also necessary, especially by way of the 'room status
report' or the 'housekeeping status report'. At the end of a shift, the housekeeping department prepares
the housekeeping status report, which indicates the physical count as seen by housekeeping, which is to
be tallied by the reception board. This report indicates the current housekeeping status of each room.
The front office must be informed about rooms that are ready for occupation and those which are out of
order or under repair. The room status report is compared with the front office's occupancy report, and
discrepancies are brought to the attention of the front office manager.
A room status discrepancy is a situation in which the housekeeping department's description of a room's
status differs from the room status information being used by the front office to assign guestrooms. As
unoccupied rooms are cleaned and inspected, the floor supervisors call the housekeeping desk
attendant, who in turn informs the front office of rooms ready. The front office then updates the room's
status to 'vacant and ready'. Promptly informing the front office of the housekeeping status of rooms is
a tremendous aid in getting guests who arrive early registered, especially during high-occupancy or sold-
out periods.
Keeping room status information up-to-date requires close coordination between the front desk and
housekeeping. The two common systems used for tracking current room status are the manual Whitney
room-rack systems and the computerized room status systems. The front desk may use a Whitney room
rack to track the status of rooms. In this system, a room-rack slip containing the guest’s name and other
relevant information is prepared during the registration process. This slip is placed in the room-rack slot
corresponding to the assigned room number.
The presence of a room-rack slip in the slot indicates that the room is occupied. When the guest checks
out, the rack slip is removed and the room’s status indicates ‘on change’, which means the room is in
need of housekeeping services before it can be registered to an arriving guest. House keeping
meanwhile attends to the unoccupied room and notifies the front desk, which updates the status to
‘vacant and ready’.
In a computerized room status system, as soon as a guest checks out, the front desk enters the
departure into the computer. This information is received by housekeeping via the computer terminal
located in the housekeeping department. When housekeeping is done with the cleaning and inspection
of the room, it enters this information into its departmental terminal. This information is received on the
front office computer terminal and it puts the room on sale. This system works best when the computer
system is directly connected to the guest room telephone system. With such a network, supervisors can
inspect rooms cleaned by attendants and, if they are found ready for occupancy, enter a code on the
guest room telephone to change the room status to ‘cleaned and ready’ in the hotel computer system.
Within seconds, the updated room status is displayed on the screen of a front desk computer terminal.
Sharing information on occupancy levels helps forecast occupancy for the year and make it easier to
draw up a budget, establish par stock levels, and estimate required staff strength. It also helps to gear
renovations and spring cleaning to low occupancy periods, thereby preventing loss of revenue. The
housekeeping department also receives other important information from the front office, which
requires special attention:
VIPs in the house: This information is essential so that the staff can take a little extra care and keener
precautions in cleaning and supervising VIP rooms.
Groups in the house: The group rooming list must be provided before the group arrival as groups
tend to move together in terms of arrival, departure, sightseeing tours, and meals. Their rooms need to
be readied together in view of strict time parameters. It is also important to intimate room changes, so
that items left behind by guests may be handed over, 'extras' retrieved, and laundry delivered.
Group rooming lists enable the department to organize their work and have the group’s rooms’ ready
on time. This is particularly crucial when the turnover is high and rooms are experiencing back-to-back
occupancy.
Crew in the house: Under normal circumstances, airline crews are allotted a given set of rooms on a
particular floor. However, sometimes, the arrival of a crew and the departure of another crew from the
same airline may overlap. In such circumstances, it is important for the allotted rooms to be cleaned
within a short period of time. Also, because of odd timings for international flights, these crew rooms
may display a 'do not disturb' (DND) card at times when other guests are normally out, which the
housekeeping schedule must take into account.
Flowers: Sometimes the management extends its compliments to a guest with a special gesture of a
flower arrangement in the room as recognition of the importance of a person. This requirement of
flower arrangements for certain guests is conveyed to housekeeping by the front office on a daily basis.
Apart from the above communications, the front office needs to depend on housekeeping for the
provision of clean uniforms to its staff.
Coordination with Maintenance Department:
The maintenance department is responsible for the provision of engineering facilities that contribute to
the comfort of guests and increase the efficiency of staff. The housekeeping department depends
on maintenance to keep things in order. While carrying out their scheduled work, housekeeping
employees may find some deficiencies in the hotel facilities, such as faulty electrical plugs, dripping
faucets, leaking pipes, or malfunctioning air-conditioning units or WC cisterns. The housekeeping
department often takes the first steps in maintenance functions for which the maintenance department
is ultimately responsible. However, these deficiencies and faults should be immediately reported to
maintenance. A need for urgent repairs is reported to maintenance over telephone and these requests
are usually dealt with promptly if the rapport between the two departments is good.
There are various heads under which maintenance work is done:

Electrical work :
Air conditioning and heating; fused bulbs; lights and lamps that are not functioning; defective plugs and
plug points; short circuits; and faulty geysers, refrigerators, and mini bars fall under this category.
Boiler work:
This is necessary to maintain a supply of hot water to guestrooms.
Mechanical work:
This entails repair or replacement of any faulty equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, ice-cube machines,
and so on.
Plumbing work:
This deals with faulty faucets, showers, drainage systems, water closets, and so on.
Civil work:
Any masonry work comes under this head.
Carpentry work:
Broken or shaky furniture, mirrors and cupboards in less than peakcondition, and fresh woodwork are all
part of this.
To look at it another way, in terms of frequency, urgency, and complexity of the job, there are three
levels of maintenance work.
Routine maintenance:
This involves maintenance activities that relate to the general upkeep of the hotel. They occur on a
regular basis, daily or weekly, and require minimal training or skills. These activities do not call
for the making out of a formal work order, and no records are maintained for them. Most of these
routine maintenance activities are carried out by housekeeping. Proper care of many surfaces and
materials by housekeeping personnel is the first step in the overall maintenance programme for the
property. Examples of such activities are the replacement of fused light bulbs, polishing of furniture,
cleaning of windows and floors, and so on.
Preventive maintenance: This is a systematic approach to maintenance in which situations are
identified and corrected on a regular basis to control costs and keep larger problems from occurring. It
involves inspections, minor corrections, and initiation of work orders.
Inspections: During the normal course of their duties, housekeeping personnel earn out inspections of
most areas. Room attendants and supervisors regularly check for leaking faucets, chipped caulking
around bathroom fixtures, fused bulbs, malfunctions, and so on.
Minor corrections: Problems of a greater magnitude are avoided if minor reports are attended to
promptly. If communication between housekeeping and maintenance is efficient, minor repairs will be
rectified by the maintenance department even the room attendant is cleaning the guestroom.
Initiation of work orders: Preventive maintenance sometimes identifies problems that are beyond
the limited scope of minor corrections. The necessary work referred to the maintenance department
through a formal work-order system. The chief maintenance officer or the chief engineer then schedules
this maintenance work to be done.
Scheduled maintenance: This involves maintenance work initiated by a work order. Work orders are
key elements in the communication and coordination between housekeeping and maintenance. The
procedure for scheduled maintenance is described in this section. The moment a housekeeping
personnel detects a problem that requires attention from maintenance, she calls the housekeeping
control desk, stating the nature of the problem, the kind of assistance required, and the location where
it is required. The control desk fills out a work order form in triplicate, each copy being of a different
colour. One copy is sent to the executive housekeeper and two copies to maintenance. The chief
engineer keeps one of these copies and gives other to the tradesperson assigned to do the repair. When
the job is completed, a copy of the tradesperson's completed work order is sent to the executive
housekeeper for acknowledgement of work satisfactorily completed. If this copy is not sent to the
executive housekeeper within an appropriate period of time, housekeeping issue another work order,
which signals maintenance to provide a status report on the requested repair.
Nowadays, many hotels install a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) .Engineering
and maintenance departments in most hotels keep records of all equipment operated by housekeeping
personnel.
On the part of the house keeping department, its personnel should cooperate with maintenance by
getting room doors unlocked promptly when repairs are being done. Housekeeping should also have
maintenance rooms already stripped when redecoration is to take place and should have furniture to be
removed for repair appropriately labeled.
Coordination with Security Department:
The coordination here is mainly concerned with the prevention of fire and thefts and the safekeeping of
keys and lost property. There are so many security hazards on the floors that this liaison is particularly
important, and the housekeeper cooperates by endeavoring to see that housekeeping staff are aware of
the hazards. Housekeeping personnel should also report anything of a suspicious nature immediately to
the security staff. A hotel guestroom should be the most private of places and the hotel staff must
ensure their guests' privacy and security. However, a guest may take advantage of this privacy and may
be engaged in certain illegal activities such as gambling, smuggling, and so on. Housekeeping personnel
have to be alert to this risk and seek the security department's intervention if necessary. The security
department is responsible for conducting training sessions on handling emergency situations for the
staff. For example, they conduct fire drills to train staff to gear up in a fire emergency.
Coordination with Food and Beverage Department
The food and beverage (F&B) department consists of both the service staff as well as the kitchen staff.
The coordination of housekeeping with the restaurants and banquet halls is mainly concerned with the
provision of linen and uniforms. The linen room supervisor, under the supervision of the executive
housekeeper, needs to have sufficient stock of clean napery to meet the demands of the F&B
department’s restaurant and banquet functions. On his/her part, the restaurant manager shouldensure
that the time set for the exchange of linen is respected; that linen is not lost or misused; and that
intimation of forthcoming banquet functions is conveyed to housekeeping well in advance. Besides
extra/special linen, housekeeping may also have to arrange for flower decorations for banquets.
Coordination between the two departments becomes particularly necessary in thecase of room service,
so that friction does not arise over matters such as waiters not collecting trays from guestrooms or room
service staff leaving soiled trays in the corridors or causing extra work through careless spills on the
carpet.
In many hotels, housekeeping also looks after pest control in restaurants, kitchen, and stores attached
to them. Special cleaning of these areas calls for coordination with the housekeeping department. Both
restaurant and kitchen staff require uniforms on a daily basis, for which too they need to communicate
housekeeping. Provision of staff meals for housekeeping personnel, on the other hand, is the
responsibility of the kitchen staff.
Coordination with Stores
Coordination with stores ensures the availability of day-to-daynecessity of housekeeping department.
Larger hotels have a store attached to the housekeeping department that stocks linen, supplies, and so
on. Smaller hotels may stock them in the general store, except for linen, which is sent to the
housekeeping department on par. Communication with stores is by way of a requisition form, which
may sends to stores when it requires certain items.
Coordination with Personnel Department
Housekeeping coordinates with the personnel department for recruitment of housekeeping staff;
managing their salaries and wages; addressing indiscipline; following through grievance procedures;
issuing identity cards for employees; running inductionprogrammes; maintaining locker facilities;
completing income tax formalities; effecting transfers, promotions, appraisals, and exit formalities;
procuring trainees; and organizing training sessions.
Coordination with Purchase Department
The purchase department procures out-of-stock items for housekeeping, such as guest supplies and
amenities, stationery, linen, cleaning materials and equipment, and so on. Housekeeping should convey
their requirements to purchase by way of advance notice in the form of a purchase requisition.
Coordination with Sales and Marketing
The sales and marketing department informs housekeeping of the occupancy forecast for the entire
year, which is broken up month wise. This enables housekeeping to budget for the necessary expenses.
An important contribution of the housekeeping staff to hotel sales is ensuring that repeat business is
obtained by providing the level of cleanliness and service that meets or exceeds guest expectations. The
sales and marketing team also have to depend on housekeeping for their uniforms. Two things are
certain in the hotel business: no matter how many guests a salesperson brings in the door, if
housekeeping does not execute its function with excellence, the guests will not be coming back. Vice
versa, no matter how well-kept the rooms, if the sales staffs do not bring potential guests to the hotel,
occupancy falls.
Coordination with Laundry
This applies when the laundry is under the supervision and control of a manager. Without clean linen,
the room attendants simply cannot operate. During periods of full occupancy, the housekeeper needs a
fast turnaround of linen from the laundry, but should not always be making an 'emergency' demand for
them. As far as possible, the housekeeper should stick to the schedule for the laundry. In return, the
laundry should provide an acceptable standard of service with regard to laundering. Housekeeping also
needs to coordinate with the laundry with regard tohousekeeping employees' uniforms and those of
other departments as well.
MODULE – 5
CLEANING PROCEDURES, AGENTS AND EQUIPMENTS
INTRODUCTION
Cleaning is the removal of dust, dirt, foreign matter, tarnish, and stains from various surfaces with the
aid of certain cleaning agents and equipment. Dust, dirt, and foreign matter deposited on a surface are
referred to as soil. This may include substances such as sand, mud, pollutants, smoke, and fumes
brought into the building from outside. Some types of soil, such as sewage, hair, dead skin cells, and
fibres shed from the clothing are generated by the occupants of a building.
Cleaning is carried out for the following reasons:
Aesthetic appeal: The environment is made visually attractive and appealing.
Hygiene Effective, frequent cleaning controls the growth and reproduction of pathogenic bacteria and
other germs.
Maintenance Surfaces and articles, however good in quality, will have a long, functional life only when
they are cleaned on a regular basis.
Safety Cleaning is done for safety against health hazards, fire hazards, and slip hazards.
TYPES OF SOIL
As explained above, soil is the collective term for deposits of dust, dirt, foreign matter, tarnish, and
stains.
Dust This is composed of loose particles deposited from the air. It contains both organic (human and
animal hair, dead skin cells, particles of excreta, pollen from plants, and so on) and inorganic (sand, dry
earth) matter. Although dust is light, it is heavier than air and thus settles readily on any surface,
horizontal as well as vertical.
Dirt This implies dust held together firmly by moisture or grease on rough surfaces.
Tarnish This is a discolouring or deposition on a metal or alloy surface caused by chemical reaction with
certain substances found in air, water, and foodstuffs. Each metal gets a different type of tarnish when
exposed for too long to these substances. For instance, iron gets reddish-brown rust, copper gets a
greenish deposit of verdigris, and silver gets blackened. There are different methods for the removal of
tarnish from different metals.
Stain This is a discoloration caused on a hard or soft surface by a substance containing dyes, proteins,
acids, or alkalis. Stains are difficult to remove by routine cleaning processes. Any stain must be removed
as soon as possible by using powders to absorb it, solvents to dissolve it, or an acidic or alkaline cleaner
to neutralize it.
Foreign matters These may be dead flowers, contents of wastepaper baskets and ashtrays, as
well as stains from the deposition of foreign substances (as opposed to the result of a chemical
reaction).
NATURE OF SOIL
All the above types of soil may be categorized under at least one of the following heads, depending on
the nature of the substance responsible.
Inorganic or mineral A homogeneous chemical element or compound, solid, liquid, or gaseous

substance, having a chemical composition resulting from the inorganic processes of nature.
Organic A substance that has a plant or animal origin. Organic compounds are basically
hydrocarbons, that is, they essentially contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Osmological These are substances containing either organic or inorganic matter that emit an
unpleasant odour.
Bacterial Some soils may contain live bacteria or their spores, which may cause diseases or
infections.
Entomological These soils harbour insects, especially those that are carriers of disease and
infection.
STANDARDS OF CLEANING
Depending on the purpose of the area and surfaces to be cleaned, various standards of cleaning
may be imposed. Once a standard has been established, there should be strict adherence to the
cleaning methods required, and efficient training and supervision is called for. There may be
different standards of cleaning for different surfaces and areas, as follows:
Physically clean When this standard is set, the area or surface is supposed to be free from apparent
dust and dirt, as when wiped by hand.
Chemically clean This standard means that the area should be free from harmful chemicals on the
surfaces and in the surrounding air.
Bacteriologically clean To meet this standard, the surfaces should be cleaned so as to be free from
any harmful bacteria that may cause disease or infection. This is referred to as 'clinical standard' as
most hospitals follow this standard for their general wards.
Entomologically clean This means that the area should be free from harmful insects or pests.
Osmologically clean This cleaning standard demands that the surfaces and areas should be free
from any organic or inorganic matter that may emit an odour.
Terminally clean This refers to the standard of cleaning usual in operation theatres and intensive
care units in hospitals, where surfaces need to be constantly sanitized against all kinds of
pathogenic microbes.
Principles of Cleaning
These are the basic rules to follow in any kind of cleaning activity, whatever the nature of the
surface or the soil.
 All soil should be removed.

 Soil should be removed without harming the surface being cleaned or
the surrounding surfaces.
 The surface should be restored to its original state after the cleaning process.
 The cleaning process should be efficient, using a minimum of equipment, cleaning
agents, labour, and time.
 The simplest method should be tried first, using the mildest cleaning agent.
 The cleaning methods least harmful for the surface should be used.
 Cleaning should proceed from high to low wherever possible.
 When cleaning an area, start with the cleaner surfaces and articles and then go on
to clean the more heavily soiled ones, so as to prevent the spread of soil from dirty
to cleaner surfaces.
 While wet-cleaning or polishing the floor, the cleaner should walk backwards while
cleaning in front of him.
 Suction cleaning should be preferred over sweeping wherever possible.
 Sweeping should be done before dusting, and dusting before suction cleaning.
 Noise levels while cleaning should be kept as low as possible.
 Stains should be removed as soon as they occur.
 The cleaner should take all safety precautions while cleaning. In particular,
cleaning agents and equipment should be stacked neatly to one side.
 The cleaner should start cleaning from the farthest end of an area, working
towards the exit.
 After the cleaning process is over, all equipment should be washed or wiped as
applicable, dried, and stored properly; cleaning agents should be replenished and
stored;waste discarded; and the area left neat and tidy.
CLEANING PROCEDURE
Cleaning processes may be either manual or mechanical. They may involve washing (using water
as a cleaning and rinsing agent), friction (as in using an abrasive), static electricity (as in using a
static mop), suction (as in using a vacuum cleaner), or force (as in using pressurized water). The
various types of cleaning processes are summarized in this section.
Manual methods
These do not call for mechanized or electronic equipment.
Sweeping This is done to collect dust when the floor surface is too rough for a dust mop. Push
brooms are used for large areas and corn brooms are best for corners and tight spaces. A broom
with a long handle is most suitable ergonomically. Use short, smooth strokes and sweep directly
into a long-handled dustpan without dissipating the dust. Keep the head of the broom flat on the
floor at all times. When using a long-handled broom, use smooth strokes to sweep away from
yourself. It is important in sweeping to develop a rhythm and 'bounce' the push broom to avoid
rolling the bristles under.
Sweeping is not the most efficient, hygienic, or advanced way of removing dust, as so much of it
becomes airborne. Sweeping has in many cases been replaced by the use of suction cleaners now.
Sweeping with a dry mop is called 'mop-sweeping'.
Equipment required Broom, dust pan, dust bin for collection of dust.
Dusting This task requires a systematic and orderly approach for efficiency and ease. Room
attendants should start dusting articles at the door and work clockwise around the room. This
minimizes the chances of overlooking a spot. Fold the duster three times and then thrice again.
This gives you 18 clean folds, making the duster more effective. No corners of the duster should be
left hanging.
A soft, lint-free cloth should be used as a duster. Avoid using old rags, which
leave behind their own dust and lint.
In all cases, begin dusting from the highest surfaces so that dust does not fall on items already
cleaned. In case you are using a dusting solution, spray a small amount onto the cloth. Never spray
dusting solution directly onto the surface being cleaned as it can stain or cause stickiness. The
duster should not be unfolded in the room after dusting, nor be shaken outside the window. Carry
the duster away carefully to such a place where it can be washed and dried.
Equipment and agents required Cloth duster, feather duster, and dusting solution if necessary.\
Damp-dusting This is the most preferred way of cleaning in hotels as surfaces can be wiped as well
as dusted, removing any sticky or dirty marks at the same time. A suitable lint-free cloth at the
correct level of dampness should be used so as to avoid leaving any smears.
Equipment and agents required Cloth duster, water, plastic bowl, and a neutral detergent if
necessary.
Dust mopping/dry mopping/mop sweeping This is the preferred way to remove dust, sand, or grit from
a floor. If these substances are not removed from the floor on a daily basis, they will continually
scratch the surface finish, diminishing its lustre, and will eventually penetrate down to the floor
itself. Dust-mopping is done with a dust-control mop that mayor may not be impregnated with a
cleaning solution. Using such a solution stops the dust from rising. While dust-mopping, use figure-
of- eight strokes and keep the mop head on the floor at all times. Do not drag the mop straight
backwards. On finishing each figure of eight, swivel the mop around and, on the return, pass and
overlap the areas that have been wiped by about 8 inches. When sweeping in open spaces, clean
in long straight lanes, covering the whole area by moving up and down. Use a dust pan to sweep
up accumulated trash. Always carry the mop head upwards very carefully after you are done, and
then shake into a bag to clean. Dust-mopping removes gross soil but also redistributes and/ or
leaves behind large amounts of fine particulates.
Equipment required Dust-control mop, dust pan, dust-collection bag, and dust bin.
Spot mopping Spot mopping is essential to the preservation of a floor surface. Liquids and solids that are
spilled on the floor, if left for any length of time, may penetrate the finish and stain the floor. Even acids
from fruit juices may wreak havoc on a floor if they are not immediately cleaned up. Clean, cold water
should be used so that the finish on the floor is not softened. Detergents should be avoided unless
necessary-that is, unless the substance has been allowed to dry on the floor.
Equipment and agents required Mop and bucket or a mop-wringer trolley, cold water, and a very
dilute solution of neutral detergent if necessary.
Wet mopping/damp mopping A damp mop is used to remove spills and adhered soil that were not
removed during the dry removal process. Wet-mopping will remove light to heavy soil from the
floor surface, which could otherwise become embedded in the surface or encapsulated in the seal
or finish. Before the floor can be wet- mopped, it must first be dust-mopped. Add neutral or mildly
alkaline detergent to the mop water for wet-mopping. The detergent used must be of the variety
that needs no rinsing, or else spray diluted detergent from a spray bottle and mop with a damp
mop. If using mop water, immerse the mop in the bucket and wring it out until it is only damp.
First finish mopping near the baseboards in smooth strokes. Then mop the entire area with figure-
eight strokes. The water in the bucket should be changed when it becomes dirty. A brush may be
used for stubborn spots and a squeegee should be used to help speed the drying of the floor.
Equipment and agents required Wet mop and bucket or mop-wringer trolley, squeegee, and
detergent solution.
Manual scrubbing For modem surfaces, very little hand-scrubbing is required. Scrub gently in straight
lines away from yourself, working backwards. Rinse well in order to remove any detergent from the
surface. Use a squeegee to clear away excess rinse water. Follow up with mopping.
Equipment and agents required Long-handled scrubbing brush, mild detergent, bucket, squeegee,
water, and mop.
Manual polishing Apply the polish sparingly. Use cotton rags to apply polish and a cloth for buffing. Use
a soft brush for carved articles to get the polish into crevices. Use the polish appropriate for a particular
surface. For instance, proprietary polishes for metals-Brasso, Silvo, and so on-should be used on these
surfaces.
Equipment required Proprietary polish and cotton rags.
Spot cleaning This refers to the removal of stains from various kinds of hard and soft surfaces. To
remove a localized stain, the whole surface need not be treated with stain-removal reagents. Just the
area where the stain discolours the surface is treated and cleaned in the process of spot cleaning. Spot
cleaning may be used as a cleaning method on walls, fabrics, carpets, or flooring.
Mechanized methods
These utilize equipment powered by electricity as well as mechanical gadgets.
Suction cleaning This is the basic and preparatory step to all other mechanized procedures and should
be performed regularly. Very often it must also be repeated at the end of these processes. The goal is to
remove as much dry soil as possible so that it does not spread, scratch the finish, or damage the surface.
Vacuuming with high-filtration machines is the most complete method of dry-soil removal as it picks up,
packages, and removes soil without spreading it around. Wet-vacuum cleaners are now available, which
help to mop up water from floors as well. These are usually dual-function machines that can be used for
both wet and dry work. Extraction machines for cleaning carpets also work on the principle of suction.
Equipment and agents required Wet/dry vacuum cleaner with attachments and a mild detergent for
wet-cleaning if necessary.
Spray buffing This process uses a 175- or 300-rpm (revolutions per minute) floor machine and a soft pad
or brush. The operator sprays a light mist of a commercial cleaning preparation or detergent and a
finishing solution in front of the machine. As the machine goes over the area, soil, scuffs, light scratches,
and marks are removed and the shine is restored to the surface. Vacuuming or dust-mopping is a follow-
up step to remove loosened dirt.
Equipment and agents required 175- or 300-rpm buffmg machine with beige pad, spray bottle,
detergent, and finishing solution.
Polishing This process uses a 175-1500-rpm floor machine and a soft pad or brush to remove some soil
and put the shine back in the finish. Vacuuming or dust-mopping should be carried out as a follow-up
step to remove loosened dirt.
Equipment required 175-1500-rpm floor machine and soft pad or brush.
Burnishing This process uses an ultra high-speed floor machine (1500-2500 rpm) to restore a deep gloss
to the floor finish. Since the finish is 'tempered' by the friction and heat produced by the burnishing
machine, the floor looks better for a longer time, which reduces costs by extending the time between
the scrubbing- and-stripping cycles. Vacuuming or dust-mopping and damp-mopping are preparatory
steps, and should also be used as follow-up procedures to remove loosened dirt.
The method of burnishing described above is carried out on flooring and should not be confused
with the burnishing of silver articles in a burnishing machine. For burnishing of silver, refer to
Chapter 8.
Equipment required 1500-2500 rpm floor machine.
Scrubbing This process removes embedded dirt, marks, deeper scuffs, and scratches from the floor
along with some of the finish. The type of pad or brush, the type of detergent, the water temperature,
and the weight and speed of the machine all determine whether the process is considered light or heavy
scrubbing. For instance, aggressive pads, higher-pH detergent solutions, and fast, heavy machines
perform the deepest scrubbing. Light scrubbing removes just one or two coats of finish. Heavy scrubbing
removes all or most of the finish, down to the protective sealing coat.
Equipment required Floor maintenance machines with a green pad.

Stripping This is a very aggressive process that can and should remove all of the floor finish and sealer,
leaving a bare floor ready for re-finishing. A strong stripping agent, a coarse pad or brush, hot water, and
intensive labour make stripping a costly, time-consuming, and sometimes even hazardous process,
which should be used only when no other process will achieve the desired results. Diligent use of other
maintenance procedures delays the need for stripping.
Equipment required Floor-maintenance machine with a black pad.
Laundering This is the cleaning method used for washable fabrics. It is a process in which soil and
stains are removed from textiles in an aqueous medium. It involves the sub-routines of washing,
bleaching, drying, and pressing, all carried out using specialized laundry equipment and cleaning
agents, called 'laundry aids'. Other sub-processes such as spot-cleaning, starching, and softening
may also be involved. Refer to Chapter 17 for further details on laundering.
Dry-cleaning This is the method in which soil and stains are removed from textiles
in a non-aqueous medium.
COMPOSITION, CARE, & CLEANING OF DIFFERENT SURFACES
Hard surfaces are found in various forms, in different areas, in all hospitality establishments.
To keep the hotel property looking as fresh as it did the day it first opened, housekeeping
employees involved in the care and maintenance of these hard surfaces must know the
composition of these surfaces.
The type of hard surfaces commonly used in hotels include:
1. Metals
2. Glass
3. Plastics
4. Ceramics
5. Wood
6. Stone, etc.
In addition to these, housekeeping staff are also responsible for the care and cleaning of
surfaces such as leather, rubber, etc.
1. METALS
The most commonly used metals are:
1. Silver
2. Steel
3. Copper
4. Brass
5. Bronze,
6. Aluminium
7. Iron
These metals may be used in door and window fittings, wall panels, light fittings, sanitary ware,
restaurant cutlery, cooking utensils, guestroom accessories (such as ashtrays, vases, and picture
frames), and furniture (such as beds, chairs, and tables).
Most metal surfaces get tarnished, scratched, or rusted unless treated or protected.
a) Silver
This soft, malleable, ductile metal has a brilliant sheen when well polished.
Small amounts of the metal in elemental form occur naturally in the earth, but most of the
silver we use is extracted from silver ores.
Silver is chemically unaffected by pure water, pure air, and a majority of food stuffs, but gets
scratched easily if pure.
Silver is used as the plating in electroplated nickel silver, for making cutlery, utensils, vases, and
decorative artefacts.
Types of Silver
Sterling Silver Silver-Plated (EPNS)
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is an alloy containing 92.5 per cent silver, and the rest is mainly copper.
Sterling silver is more expensive than silver-plated alloy and for this reason is seldom used in
hotels.
Silver-Plated (EPNS)
Table silver or ‘silverware’ is usually made of silver-plated alloy by plating ‘blanks’ of nickel
silver alloy. ‘Nickel silver’ does not contain any silver at all;
It(Nickel Silver) is a term for alloys that look like silver (being white metal) and made of nickel,
copper, and often(but not always) brass, along with a few other metals for added strength and
shine.
Cleaning Procedures
Silver needs to be cleaned and polished on a regular basis.
When it gets tarnished, more complex cleaning methods have to be employed.
Following are the cleaning & polishing methods for silver:

Regular Cleaning Silver Dip Polivit or Aluminium-Soda method
Burnishing Machine Plate-Powder Method
I. Regular Cleaning
 Wash the article in a hot solution of synthetic detergent, scrubbing with a piece of
cotton cloth.
 Then rinse in clean boiling water in an enameled tray.
 A sheet of alunimium and some soda can be placed in the tray.
 Once the articles are clean, drain the water away and wipe dry while it is still warm,
rubbing hard with a lint-free linen cloth or chamois leather.
II. Silver-Dip Method
 A silver dip solution is used when tarnished silver is to be cleaned.

 It is usually a pink coloured liquid based on an acid solution of a compound into which
the articles are immersed completely for removal of tarnish.
 The silver should remain in the liquid for a very short time, the articles should be lifted
out, washed with warm water and dried.
 While working with silver dip, stainless steel containers should not be used since the dip
attacks steel.
 Enamel or plastic containers must be used instead.
 Silver dip should not be used too frequently on the silver, either, since it is harder on
silver because of a chemical reaction between the silver and the liquid that can corrode
the metal.
 However, many establishments use silver dip frequently since it is faster than other
methods.
III. Polivit Method
 Polivit is an aluminium metal sheet containing holes, which is best used in an enamel
bowl or galvanized iron bowl.
 The polivit is placed in the bowl together with some soda.
 The silver to be cleaned is then put into the bowl, ensuring that at least the one piece of
silver has contact with the polivit.
 Sufficient boiling water is poured into the bowl to cover the silver being cleaned has
contact with the polivit.
 A chemical reaction takes place between the polivit, soda, boiling water and silver which
causes the tarnish to be lifted.
 After 2-4 minutes, silver should be removed from the bowl and placed into the 2nd bowl
of boiling and then rinsed.
 On removal from the second bowl the silver is allowed to drain and then polished with a
clean cloth and then dried with a tea cloth.
IV. Burnishing Machine
 This is a revolving drum with a safety shield. In this revolving drum, highly polished steel
balls are immersed in a detergent solution with silver articles.
 The machine rotates and the friction from the steel balls polishes the silver.
 These articles are then rinsed into hot water and dried.
 The burnishing machine is used for polishing large quantities of silver articles.
 Care should be taken to keep the ball bearings covered with water when not in use,
since they rust rapidly otherwise.
 V. Plate-Powder Method
 This pink powder should be mixed with just enough methylated spirit to make a smooth
paste.
 Alternatively water may be used; but methylated spirit is preferred since it evaporates
faster and the silverware is then available for polishing much more quickly.
 The smooth paste is rubbed thoroughly onto the silver article with a clean rag and left to
dry. It is then rubbed off with rags.
 The article should now be rinsed well in boiling water and buffed with a clean cloth.
 Though this method is time consuming but it gives a good result.
b) Steel
Steel is an alloy of iron.
The alloy contains mainly iron and carbon; other materials are found in small quantities.
It is used in the form of pressed chrome steel for the manufacture of baths, sinks, and so on.
Stainless steel is used in making cutlery, protective paneling, sanitaryware, furniture, trays, and
cooking utensils.
Steel is sometimes galvanized or enameled to prevent corrosion.
If an enameled steel surface gets stained, it can be washed with a mild liquid abrasive.
Types of steel commonly used

Chrome Steel Stainless Steel Galvanized Steel
Chrome Steel
Steel is coated with chromium for manufacturing taps, bath handles, shower fittings, and so on.
These can become spotted with water marks or get greased, but they do not tarnish.
Stainless Steel
This is steel to which 8-25 per cent of chromium has been added, making it corrosion-resistant.
Stainless steel is tough, durable, and can take a mirror-polished finish. It is used in making
cutlery, sinks, WCs, and so on.
For spoons and forks, steel containing 18 per cent chromium and 8 per cent nickel is generally
used.
However, even stainless steel can be harmed by silver-dip solutions, acidic solutions, salt-
vinegar mixtures, and excessive heat.
Galvanized Steel
Steel may be coated with zinc (galvanized) to prevent tarnishing.
This kind of steel is used for making buckets.
Cleaning Procedures
Stainless steel is washed in a hot solution of synthetic detergent using a soft nylon scrubber,
rinsed with clean water and immediately dried thoroughly with a linen cloth.
The use of harsh abrasives should be avoided as they may scratch the surface.
Chrome steel and galvanized steel are wiped or washed with synthetic detergent solution,
stains removed with soft steel-wool, the articles rinsed with clean water, and buffed with a
linen cloth.
For cleaning greasy stains, sodium bicarbonate can be used on all types of steel.
c) Copper
 This metal with an orange-brown shade has a light sheen of its own.
 It is used for wall paneling and counter tops in bars and restaurants; bowls, vases, and
urns in lobbies and guestrooms; and utensils in the kitchen.
 Copper is even used in cutlery and serving dishes in some ethnic Indian restaurants.
 Copper cookware should be lined with tin or nickel for protection, as the copper may
react adversely with some foods.
 Cleaning Procedure
 Copper is washed in warm water and then rubbed with a mixture of salt, fine sand, and
vinegar, using rags, to clean.
 It is then rinsed in warm water and dried with a smooth cloth.
 A thin coat of vegetable oil is applied to the surface to retard further tarnish.
 In case of heavily tarnished copper, a weak ammonia solution will remove the greenish
deposits on the surface.
d) Brass
 This is a golden-brown alloy of copper and zinc. It is used in making door and window
fittings, stair rods and railings, foot rails in bars, taps, ashtrays, and ornaments.
 Brass tarnishes and scratches easily.
 To avoid this, brass fixtures are usually lacquered.
 To clean brass articles, remove surface dirt with a duster and rub the article with a paste
made of white flour, salt, and vinegar in equal parts.
 This will remove mild tarnish. Make sure to rub away all the mixture.
 Corroded brass should be treated with spirit of salt (hydrochloric acid) and then rinsed
thoroughly.
 Polish with Brasso, using damp rags or cotton
 A long-term hard-metal polish can also be used on brass.
e) Bronze
 This is a brown alloy of copper and tin. It is used primarily in making works of art and
medals.
 It does not tarnish easily.
Cleaning Procedure
 To clean a bronze article, wash well with water and then apply a mixture of one part
muriatic acid and two parts water with a piece of flannel.
 Allow the solution to dry and then polish the bronze well with vegetable oil.
f) Aluminium
 This silvery, lightweight metal is highly malleable, and ductile.

 It is used to make light fittings, and other utensils.
 Aluminium is not tarnished by air.
 It is, however, damaged by soda and other alkalis as well as stained by acids.
 It also scratches and bends easily.
 To clean aluminium, wash in a hot solution of synthetic detergents, using soft steel-wool
to scrub.
 Use mild abrasives only in the case of difficult stains.
 Discolouration in saucepans can be removed by boiling a solution of water and lemon
juice in them, rinsing and then drying.
 In case of aluminium showpieces, some liquid wax polish may be applied to maintain
the gloss.
g) Iron
 This silver-white metal of great strength is used in making furniture, buckets, dustbins,
and cookware. Iron can be forged or cast.
 Wrought iron is iron that has been forged, that is, it has been shaped by heating in fire
and then hammering while hot.
 Cast iron is a hard alloy of iron, carbon, and silicon that has been cast in a mould.
 Non-enameled cast iron is flame and oven proof.
 Maintenance
 Utensils made of cast iron need to be seasoned before first use to prevent rusting.
 Before seasoning, the article has to be washed in mild soap and water, then thoroughly
dried.
 Seasoning is done by rubbing the inside surface with vegetable oil and heating in a slow
oven for about two hours.
 Enameled cast-iron utensils do not need seasoning and are easier to clean.
 If handled carelessly, however, the enamel may chip away.
 If the utensils are put under cold water immediately after use, while still hot, the enamel
may gain flake off.
 Therefore, before cleaning, allow the utensil to cool gradually.
 Unprotected iron should be washed only when necessary and then thoroughly dried.
 Galvanized iron needs regular washing and thorough drying.
 Rust can be removed from galvanized items with fine steel-wool dampened with oxalic
acid.
 Do not store iron in damp areas.
 Before long-term storage, coat with oil or black lead (graphite).
2. Glass
Glass is a transparent, lustrous, and brittle material made from silica or sand.
A mixture of pure, fine sand, soda or potash, and other ingredients is carefully measured out.
This is called ‘batch’.
The batch is fed into a furnace and heated to an extremely high temperature, above 1300
degree Celsius, where it fuses into molten glass.
From the furnace, the molten glass is led away for shaping.
After shaping, the glass is cooled by a process called ‘annealing’.
Glass is used in making:

Doors
Windows
Furniture
Vases
Lighting fixtures
Mirrors
Partitions
Tableware
Kitchenware, and
Bottles.
Types of Glass
Flat glass Fibreglass Obscured Glass Safety Glass Cut Glass
a) Flat Glass
It is usually soda-lime glass, used in making windows, table tops, and shelves.
Flat glass can be of two types:
Sheet Glass or Plate Glass:

This type of glass is used as ordinary windows and picture glass.
Float Glass:
It provides clear transparency, used in shop windows, mirrors, and protective covering for
furniture.
b) Fibreglass
Glass can be manufactured as a textile fibre, which may be used for making curtains and fire
blankets.
Fibreglass may also be manufactured as rigid sheets of plastic or other material with glass
filaments embedded for strength.
Fibreglass is fire-proof, impermeable, and resistant to damage by pests, sunlight, or air.
c) Obscured Glass
This is a type actually derived from sheet or float glass.
It is textured from one side, so that some light passes through and some is blocked or distorted,
so that the material is not entirely transparent.
It is used in making bathroom windows and the areas where privacy is desired.
d) Hollow Glassware
This is produced by blowing, moulding, and pressing molten glass into the desired shapes.
e) Safety Glass
This is another kind of glass that is made from sheet or float glass in various ways:
Obscured glass with wire Toughened Glass
Laminated Glass Toughened and Laminated Glass
1) Obscured Glass with wire

Wire is incorporated in obscured glass during the rolling process.
If broken, the glass pieces will be held in place by the wire until knocked out of the ‘frame’ for
repair.
2) Laminated Glass
This consists of two thin sheets of glass with transparent plastic sandwiched between them.
If a laminated glass sheet breaks, the glass pieces will adhere to the plastic layer.
3) Toughened Glass
This is made by heating the glass sheet to a temperature just below softening point and then
cooling the surface rapidly.
4) Toughened & Laminated Glass
This safety glass is made by the combination of the above mentioned two methods laminating
and toughening.
This combination creates a glass five times tougher than other safety glasses.
f) Cut Glass
 This glass is expensive and used for chandeliers, vases and quality glassware.
 Cleaning Procedure (Flat Glass)
 Even slight marks and smudges show prominently on glass surfaces.
 Therefore glass surfaces, especially flat sheets, require frequent cleaning.
 Dusting should be done daily with a lint-free cloth.
 Damp dusting needs to be done whenever necessary. Light soiling and greasy
fingerprints should be wiped away with a solution of vinegar and water (1:1) or a
solution of 9ml liquid ammonia in approximately 1 litre of water.
 Glass cleaners applied with a sponge also clean glass effectively.
 For cleaning larger surfaces, a small window squeegee may be used.
 Stubborn marks on mirrors—such as toothpaste deposits, hair-spray, and make-up—
should be removed by wiping with a cloth moistened with methylated spirit.
 Newsprint contains an effective solvent, therefore newspaper can be used to remove
marks from windows too.
 Use a lint-free cloth to dry the glass surface afterwards.
 Cleaning of Hollow glassware & other articles
 Textured or engraved glass ware should be cleaned whenever necessary, using a soft
nylon brush.
 Abrasives should be avoided.
 Discoloured or stained bottles and vases can be cleaned using a mixture of crushed
eggshells, synthetic detergents, and warm water.
 For jars and bottles, a mixture of construction sand and water can also be used to
remove discolouration.
 Alternatively, clean by filling them one-fourth full with a mixture of vinegar and water
(1:1) and add a few potato pieces, gently shaking till the marks disappear.
 To remove lime deposits from hard water in water jugs, vases, and tumblers, soak the
items in distilled water for an hour, scrub with a nylon scrubber and synthetic detergent
solution, and rinse with water.
 Dry the articles with a lint-free cloth.
Chandelier Cleaning
 Chandeliers are usually featured in the public areas i.e. in lobbies, banquet halls, and VIP
suites.
 They can be cleaned either by bringing down and cleaning each piece with spirit or it can
be cleaned insite where the chandelier is very large.
 Cleaning chandeliers is a time-consuming laborious process; but it should be done with
utmost care since parts from a chandelier , once broken, may not be easy to replace.
 For cleaning purpose, chandeliers are taken down, dismantled piece by piece, and
dipped into a warm solution of synthetic detergent.
 Each piece is then gently cleaned with a nylon scrubber and rinsed in clean warm water.
 A second rinsing is done in a mixture of one teaspoon liquid ammonia in 2 ½ litres of
water.
 This results in a brilliant sparkle.
 Another method, which is more efficient, uses an upholstery shampooing machine.
 The machine sprays a detergent solution through a fine nozzle with enough pressure to
clean each prism.
 The dripping wash water is collected in a catch basin or cloth installed below the
chandelier.
3. Plastics
Plastics are resinous synthetic polymers that have the following qualities, advantages and
disadvantages:
 They are light in weight.

 They are quiet in use.
 They are resistant to most chemicals.
 They are non-conductors of electricity.
 They are easy to clean.
 They are largely non-absorbent, except thermoplastics, which absorb grease.
 They are resistant to moths and other pests.
 They can be scratched if harsh abrasives are used on them.
 They have a tendency to discolour and crack.
 They produce toxic fumes on burning.
 They attract dust due to static electricity.
 They are non-biodegradable.
Uses of Plastic
In the hospitality industry alone, they are used in making furniture, wall coverings, floor
coverings, cleaning equipments, etc.
Types of Plastics
Thermoplastics Thermosetting Plastics
A. Thermoplastics
 These are soft plastic that soften when exposed to heat and harden again when cool.
 Most of the plastic materials used in hotels fall under this group.
 Some thermoplastics are heat-sensitive while others may withstand higher
temperatures.
 Thermoplastics include acrylics, polyesters, PVC derivatives, and some other plastics
produced as synthetic fibres.
B. Thermosetting Plastics
 These are hard plastics that are moulded by heat and pressure and do not usually soften
when they are reheated.
 Examples of thermosetting plastics are melamine, phenolics and laminates.
Melamine
 This group of plastics in making tableware, trays, laminated worktops and shelves.
Phenolics
 These are used in making buckets, door handles, electrical fittings, and laminates.
 Phenolic plastics are not affected even by boiling water, so that they are suitable for
making kitchenware.
Laminates
 Melamine, phenolics, and other plastic resins are together used to produce plastic
laminates.
 Plastic laminates may be stuck directly to wall surfaces, to plywood, or to other
supporting material.
 They may also be used for making wall panels, countertops, and furniture.
 Cleaning & Maintenance Procedures
 Plastic surfaces are easy to clean and maintain.
 Daily damp-dusting should be done since plastic attracts dust due to static electricity.
 Light soilage can be removed by wiping with a warm solution of synthetic detergent,
followed by rinsing and air-drying.
 Stains should be removed by rubbing with a cloth soaked in methylated spirit.
Precautions that help in the maintenance of plastics:
 Do not expose to direct heat, such as from cigarette butts, hotplates, and so on.
 Do not use harsh abrasives.
 Do not buff with a dry cloth.
 Do not apply strong acids or alkalis.
 Do not drag heavy objects over plastic surfaces.
4. Ceramics
 Ceramics are made from sand and clay.

 Different proportions and types of clay are mixed with other ingredients to produce
various kinds of ceramics.
 Ceramics are glazed and if unglazed the articles remain highly porous.
 Ceramics are used for making sanitary fittings, drain pipes, vases, floor tiles, wall tiles
and finishes, cooking utensils, and crockery.
 Ceramics should be handled with care since they are prone to cracking and chipping.
 Ceramic plates used in hotels usually have rolled edges to avoid the problem of chipping
at the rim.
China
The word ‘china’ is a broad term which covers all ‘clayware’ used for crockery and sanitary
fittings, and includes glazed and vitrified earthenware, bone china and porcelain.
Types of Ceramics
Earthenware Porcelain Bone China
a) Earthenware
This thick, heavy, porous material is used in making jugs, bowls, vases, and ashtrays.
Earthenware should be handled with care, as it chips and breaks easily.
This types of ceramic may also be glazed or vitrified.
Glazed Earthenware:
It contains fine white clay which makes it thick and opaque and then glaze is applied on the
surface as this clay structure is highly porous.
Vitrified Earthenware:
Also known as vitreous china and it is very hard, stronger, heavier, less easily chipped, and
more expensive than other kinds of earthenware.
b) Porcelain
 This is made from kaolin (china clay) and china stone or feldspar.
 Porcelain has a translucent body and a transparent glaze.
 It is an extremely hard and strong ceramic. Since it is extremely expensive, it is not much
used in hotel establishments.
 Porcelain can, however, be used to make cups, saucers, and other types of crockery.
c) Bone China
 Bone china contains bone ash and china clay.

 The addition of bone makes the clay easier to work and gives it strength.
 It is very thin but strong and impervious.
 Harsh abrasives should be avoided as designs are often applied to the outer surface of
this material.
 Bone china is used to make fine cups, saucers, and other types of crockery.
 Ceramics should be handled with care during cleaning since they are easily cracked and
chipped.
 Extremely hot or too cold water should be avoided.
 A warm, neutral synthetic detergent solution should be used for cleaning ceramics.
 The articles must be rinsed thoroughly and dried with a lint-free duster.
 Stains may be removed by rubbing with a damp cloth to which sodium bicarbonate has
been applied.
5. Wood
 Wood is hard, compact, fibrous, and porous. Good wood makes for a rich, warm, and
beautiful surface.
 It is a versatile surface material with its varied colours and different patterns and
is used throughout hotel establishments.
 Being a porous material, wood absorbs water as well as dust.

 It is also prone to fungal attacks and pest infestations.
Types of Wood
Solid Wood Woven Stems
Wood Boards Cork
A. Solid Wood
Depending on its strength and resilience, it may be hard or soft wood.
Hard Wood:
These are obtained from broad-leaved trees and most popular woods are teak, oak, ash, beech,
walnut and rosewood.
Soft Wood:
These are obtained from coniferous trees.
Commonly used softwoods are pine, fir, cedar, and rubberwood.
B. Wood Boards
A variety of wood boards are available at significantly cheaper rates than solid wood.
These are much lighter than solid wood and most have undergone treatments such as termite-
proofing and waterproofing.
Types of Wood Boards

Hardboard Blockboard
Plywood Chipboard
I. Hard Board
This is a type of thin, flexible board made of compressed and processed wood-pulp fibre.
It is smooth on one side and has a mesh-like texture on the reverse.
It is used to make doorpanels, picture backings, cupboards and wardrobe backings, bases of
drawers etc.
II. Plywood
This type of board is manufactured by gluing together many thin sheets of hardwood, which are
termed ‘plies’.
Since it does not have good visual appeal compare to solid wood, however, it is often veneered
with hardwood or laminated.
It is used to make tables, desks, shelves, countertops, and cupboards.
III. Blockboard
Each blockboard is made up of plywood veneers laid over a core of wood strips.
The inner strips of wood may be upto 3cm in thickness, making the board strong and durable.
It is used for making worktops, tabletops, and shelves.
IV. Chipboard
This type of board is manufactured from compressed wood chips and synthetic resin.
It is strong and heavy.
Like plywood, this too is often veneered or laminated.
Chipboard is used for making closets, cabinets, drawers, wardrobes, and worktops.
3. Woven Stems
Cane and wicker are included in this class.
Both materials are used in making woven items such as bread-baskets, flower-baskets, trays,
sofas, chairs, tables, and beds.
Cane and wicker products are usually cheaper than solid wood.
4. Cork
This is a material obtained from the outer, light-brown bark of the cork oak.
The bark is ground into large granules, mixed with synthetic resin, pressed into sheets at high
temperature and pressure, and then cut into tiles or strips of varying widths.
Cork has warm and restful appearance. It has also excellent acoustic properties.
Protective Treatments for Wood
Wood surfaces often require extra protection since they are mostly porous and absorb
moisture.
They also tend to get stained and scratched.
The most common treatments are listed below:

Beeswax Varnish Lacquer French Polish Paint
a. Beeswax
This is the comb material secreted by bees.
It is applied to solid wood furniture and floors.
It should be allowed to dry and rubbed in well to get a good gloss.
b. Varnish
This is a clear, pale solution of a resinous substance dissolved in oil, turpentine, or alcohol.
Varnish forms a hard and transparent film on the wood surface.
Varnish is most commonly applied on wooden floors, furniture, and doors.
c. Lacquer
It is applied to wood furniture and provides a glossy finish or matt finish.
It is damaged by water, heat and solvents.
d. French Polish
This is a solution of shellac and methylated spirit.
It is applied on small furniture items made of solid wood.
However, this finish is easily damaged by water, heat, and solvents.
e. Paint
The function of paint may be to provide protection or decoration or both.
The unique property of paint is that it also lends colour along with protection to the wood
surface.
This finish, however, is damaged by abrasives and heat.
Care & Cleaning

 Wood, being porous, deteriorates in contact with an excess of water.
 Therefore, the least possible amount of water should be used for cleaning wood.
 Always dry-dust the surface first with an impregnated mop, or vacuum-clean.
 Then remove excess soiling by damp-dusting in case of small articles and light damp-
mopping for larger surfaces.
 Wooden floor surfaces need to be buffed with a floor polisher two times a week.
 Spills and stains should be removed immediately from wood surfaces so that they are
not absorbed into the surface.
 Cork should only be dusted or vacuumed daily.
6. Leather
 Leather is made from the skins of various animals including sheep, goat, pigs, and cattle.
 It is one of the most durable and versatile of all natural materials.
 The skins are treated in various ways to give different varieties of leather, ranging from
the soft, flexible types to tougher types.
 Leather can be dyed in a variety of colours and is used for belts, shoes, gloves, purses,
wallets, luggage, upholstery, desktops, and book bindings.
 Leather is expensive and should be kept supple to prevent cracking.
 Leather also picks up oil and grease readily.
Cleaning Procedure
 General cleaning of leather involves daily dusting or suction cleaning.

 In case of soiling, wipe the leather with a soft cloth wrung out of warm water and mild
synthetic detergent.
 Follow with a damp-dusting with clean water and then dry thoroughly.
 Occasionally leather may be polished with a good furniture polish cream to keep it
supple.
 Solvents should not be used on leather as they will stiffen it.
7. Stone
Stones are used mainly as floor finishes and external wall surfaces.
Other areas where they may be found are table tops, countertops and tops of vanity unit,
furniture, decorative idols, and ashtrays.
Stones such as marble are often used as flooring and on walls in luxury bathrooms.
Natural Stones in Use

Marble Sandstone Granite
Quartzite Slate
Marble
It is available in many colours and pattern such as white, black, grey, green, brown, and pink.
Sandstone
This sedimentary rock is composed of compressed sand.
Granite
This is a granular, crystalline stone composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica.
Quartzite
This is a compact granular stone made up of silica.
Slate
This is a grey or blue-grey stone formed when layers of mud and silt build up and solidify over
millions of years.
These layers allow slate to be easily made into slabs.
Maintenance & Cleaning

Stone surfaces may be cleaned using synthetic detergent and hot water.
Stains may be removed using fine abrasives.
For large areas, a wet-pickup vacuum cleaner may be used.
Use of acids and strong alkalis should be avoided, as they may cause pits on the surface.
MODULE – 6
CLEANING OF PUBLIC AREAS
Scheduling public area cleaning
Scheduling cleaning for the front of the house is different than scheduling room attendants.
Normally the day shift concentrates on public area neat in appearance. More thorough cleaning of the
front of the house is done during early morning shift that starts at 4 am or 5 am, depending on the
category of the hotel.
Scheduling is generally based on a labour analysis which shows an average of how many labour
hours it takes to complete a task. For eg: If the cleaning time for the lobby is three hours, the executive
house keeper have to calculate whether by one person working the entire three hours or a team
working a total of three hours.
The design of the front of the house must be taken into fact for the labour analysis. It also may
affect how the area is cleaned most effectively. A team concept, with each person assigned a certain
task, one person dust,a second empties waste basket and a group of 2 or 3 vacuums.
Public area is divided into two:
1. Front of the house

2. Back of the house
FRONT OF THE HOUSE
Public spaces includes the lobby, restaurants, corridors, meeting rooms, function rooms and
business centres that are used by visitors and guest is known as the front of the house. For the many
people who dine in the hotel restaurants or attend social functions in the banquet room and other
public place will provide the only basis on which to judge the hotel appearance. The house keeping
department has round the clock responsibility for keeping the public spaces spotlessly cleaned and in
good repair.
Cleaning front of the house
Lobbies – The appearance of the lobby is playing a key role in impress the guest who first comes
to the hotel. Lobby floors and floor covering must with stand a steady stream of foot traffic by the effect
of snow, rain, sand or mud, paper waste etc. So the executive house keeper must find ways to meet
these cleaning challenges.
Procedure to clean Lobby
Day cleaning-
1. Remove the ashes from the ashtray and clean it.

2. Remove the wastes from the waste basket . This should be done frequently through out the day.
3. Clean the entry way and steps through out the day.
4. Reposition furniture move by guest.
5. Clean cloakroom and replenish supplies.
Overnight cleaning
1. Dust all furniture and the lobby reception counter.

2. Empty and clean ashtrays.
3. Polish all guest elevators and elevator floor and walls.
4. Clean mirror.
5. Vacuum all carpeted areas.
6. Remove fine marks and spots from the wall and wood works.
7. Polish metal handles , rails and door knobs.
Cleaning Cloak rooms or Rest rooms
Public rest rooms or cloak rooms must be cleaned and sanitized through out the day. Public area
attendant should be assigned to check the public rest rooms at least once an hour.
Before entering the rest rooms at any times, attendant should-
1. Knock on the entrance door.

2. Announce house keeping’.
3. If there is no reply the attendant may enter. If some one is using the rest room the
attendant waits out side until the rest room is not occupied.
4. Place a traffic control device explaining the rest room is being cleaned.
5. Then begin cleaning.
Procedure
1. Refill all the soap, tissue and towel dispensor.

2. Empty or trash containers.
3. Damp wipe all the fixture including the mirror.
4. Clean or polish the door handles if necessary.
5. Rinse the cleaned surface.
6. Using a cloth dipped in diluted disinfectant, clean all exterior surfaces with soft cloth.
7. Clean the wash basin with cleansers.
8. Clean toilet bowls and inside of the urinals. Never use the abrasives.
9. Clean the floors.
GUEST EVELATORS
The house keeping department is responsible for the cleaning of interior of the elevator car. A
thorough cleaning of walls, ceiling and floor should be carried out daily. The volume of traffic may be
required more frequent cleaning of elevator floor. In cleaning the elevator car interiors, the car should
be take to the top most floor for the cleaning procedure to be carried out. Cleaning and polishing must
be done in the early hours of morning when guest traffic is low.
RESTAURANT / BARS
1. Pull out tables and chairs and remove all crumbs on the seat.
2. Wash vinyl seat.
3. Clean bar stools and bar fronts with the appropriate cleaner.
4. Pick up large pieces of debris around each table before vacuuming to save wear and tear on
vacuums.
5. Vacuum around each table.
6. Damp wipe the windows, chairs and table leg daily.
7. Wipe the hostess or maitre ‘d hotel desk.
8. Disinfect the telephone.
9. Polish the foot rails on the bar.
10. Clean the walls neatly. If there is a counter, clean the front of it. Counter top should be
cleaned by wait staff.
FUNCTION ROOM AND MEETING ROOM

Meeting and functions held at conference centres are previously planned. The Executive house
keeper will know week or even month in advance exactly when function will, how many people attend
and about when it will conclude. These cleaning schedule will include the procedure for daily inspection
and cleaning is required.
Walls and ceilings, windows and window frames, floors and carpeting, lighting fixture, pictures,
lamps and furnitures.
BUSINESS CENTRES
Many hotels now have business centres which provide essential business service for the guest. It
include copying and faxing, computer using facilities, gents and ladies beauty parlour, gift shops, travel
agencies etc. The supervisor should check with business centre for any reservations after the standard
closing time. Since some centres are available round the clock by reservation, wood surfaces should be
dusted , glass portion should be clean, disinfect the telephone receiver and carpets vacuum neatly.
CORRIDORS
A house man is assign to do this work and he is redpndibl for the cleanliness of the floors and
walls. Carpeted floor should be brushed, swept clean and then wet moppek. They should also remove
stains. Floor tile edges, floor corners, base board are to be inspected to ensure that there are no water
mark. All corridors, lighting fixtures and fire extinguishers are to be cleaned as thoroughly.
SWIMMING POOL
The bottom and sides of a swimming pool must be cleaned daily by pool
personnel. All outside terraces including those surroundings swimming pool are to be swept and wet
mopped at least once daily depending upon the type of surface. Care should be taken for keeping
fungus from growing between tiles. Employees responsible for cleanliness of swimming pool areas will
inspect diving board diving plat forms and pool stairs daily to ensure that they are clean and safe . Pool
personnel are responsible for all pool site furniture including chais, lounge tables, sun mats, garden
umbrella etc.
BACK OF THE HOUSE
Back of the house which include service corridors, kitchen and area used only by employees
such as employee cafeterias and locker. Office and service elevators must be spotlessly clean. The
standard the executive house keeper sets for these areas will influences the standard employees use for
public areas and guest room. By enforcing cleaning standards as strictly in the back of the house as in
the front of the house, the Executive house keeper reinforces the message that employees’ needs must
be respected, not just the guests ‘.
CLEANING BACK OF THE HOUSE
Service Corridors and stair ways

Provide virtual link for hotel operations Carts and racks can reach their destination quickly
without disturbing guests. These corridors also link the back of the house offices where all the
administrative work of the property is done.
Cleaning and maintaining service corridors usually is scheduled at the start of the 3 pm to 11pm
shift. Many areas of the back of the house from offices to kitchen cannot be cleaned until the F & B
outlet close. Stairway should be swept daily and mopped as needed walls and vents should also be
cleaned regularly.
Kitchens
It is becoming more and more rare cases the house keeping department cleans the kitchen. The
most important assignments are to degrease and sanitize the exterior surface of the equipment filter
and floors. It is the responsibility of F & B stewards to clean inside of the equipments, interior of storage
areas, surface where food containers are stored.
Employees areas
Cleaning employee areas is a necessary part of maintaining the back of the house. It includes
employee cafeteria, employee restroom and employee locker rooms. Cleaning cafeteria is usually the
responsibility of the F & B department.
But in some case it is cleaned by one house keeping employee. Employees rest room should be cleaned
on the same schedule and with the same schedule and with the same procedures as public place rest
room. The rest room should be checked once an hour for cleanliness and for replenishing supplies. In
some hotels the attendant who cleans the public area rest room also cleans employee rest room and
locker rooms. Only the exterior of the lockers is cleaned. Only the General Manager or Security staff can
enter an employee locker. The executive house keeper or assistant should be inspect their area on
monthly basis.
Offices
The house keeping department has limited responsibility for cleaning and maintaining employee
offices. The only task usually assigned on a daily basis are emptying waste basket and vacuuming.
Employees are expected to keep their desk or office neat. To save time, some hotel now ask that
employee set all trash outside their offices when they leave work each day.
Before general cleaning is scheduled, the Executive house keeper sends a memo to all
employees explaining on what date the cleaning will be take place and requesting that all items be
removed from the top of surfaces and partitions. General cleaning of office space that would include
polishing, wiping, and vacuuming the exterior surfaces.
MODULE- 7
HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISION
INTRODUCTION
In the day-to-day running of the housekeeping department, the executive housekeeper

relies to a great extent on her supervisory team to train and monitor the semi-skilled and
unskilled workforce. Good supervision leads to efficient work using the correct cleaning
agents, equipment, and procedures. Good supervisors will themselves have thorough, up-
to-date, and practical knowledge of cleaning agents, equipment, and methods, so that
junior staff members respect them and their abilities. The supervisory-level staff in the
housekeeping department include the assistant housekeeper, floor housekeeper, linen
room supervisor, public area supervisor, and so
ROLE OF A SUPERVISOR
The supervisor's role is much more than just overseeing the work of semi-skilled and
unskilled staff. Supervisors carry the responsibility of directly managing the human
resources, the most important resource of the housekeeping department. Though an
executive housekeeper may call meetings or meet all the staff during briefings, the actual
link between the manager andthe lower-levelstaff isthe supervisors. The supervisors
keep the managers apprised of the standard of performance of their workforce. They
have the whole and sole responsibility of not only getting the work done, but getting it
done efficiently and within the time period set as a standard by the hotel. Many hotels
debate whether supervisory posts are required in their hierarchy and quite a few
organizations choose not to have them these days. Before taking the decision to do away
with supervisory staff, a lot of thought must go into the quality of lower-rung employees
to be recruited, the type of training to be given, and the kind of follow-up required.
Another resource that the executive housekeeper has is money. It is with the availability
of this resource in mind that she prepares the budget. The enormous task of
implementing the budget by operating within the forecasted costs falls on the
supervisors' shoulders. The supervisors make sure that the correct cleaning agents are
used in the proper dilution and only on the surfaces they are meant for. They oversee the
use of the cleaning equipment suited for a particular cleaning procedure. They train the
junior staff to meet the standards of cleanliness expected by the hotel and this is an
ongoing on-the-job training. The physical control of cleaning standards is also the
responsibility of the supervisory staff. The supervisors pass on information from the
housekeeping managers to the workers, and vice versa. They also maintain the records of
the housekeeping department and ensure that the staff under their supervision follows
the codes of conduct and discipline set down by the management. And it is the
supervisors who are directly responsible for any deterioration in or failure to meet the
standards set by the executive housekeeper.
In their supervisory role, supervisors automatically become representatives of the teams

working under them. An effective supervisor recognizes all the employees on the team
individually as unique human beings, empathizes with them, helps them increase their
productivity while always considering their safety, and motivates them to perform
collectively towards achieving the set goals. An efficient supervisor delegates
responsibility to attendants by assigning them cleaning areas or; room sections,
welcomes their ideas and opinions, and implements their ideas after ratification. The
supervisor, apart from offering skills training to team members, also trains up the
members in basic etiquette, formal speech, and in case there is a language barrier, a
working knowledge of English, thus helping them to interact with guests.
On the other hand, a supervisor also needs to anticipate the guest's needs, looking at
things from the guest's perspective so that proactive service can be provided. Proactive
guest service is possible only when the supervisors keep their staff highlymotivated. A
motivated employee is professional, takes pride in his/her work, and provides quality
service consistently.
Supervisory Posts
The housekeeping department usually has the following supervisory positions:
 Floor supervisor • Linen room supervisor

 Public area supervisor • Uniform room supervisor
 Night supervisor • Laundry supervisor
 Control desk supervisor
General Duties of a Supervisor
The general duties and responsibilities of supervisors are as follows.
 To ensure that staff are aware of their hours of work and that they adhere to the
planned duty roster.
 To make any adjustments necessary in their off-days in consultation with the
concerned employees.
 To instruct the staff in cleaning routines and schedules.
 To regularly fill up the cleaning and maintenance checklists and inventories
after a complete physical check.
 To liaise with the maintenance department for any maintenance work required in
guestrooms or public areas and to initiate work-order forms.
 To inspect and record room status regularly and liaise with the reception desk.
 To issue the relevant keys, keep track of them, and get them safely back.
 To be responsible for following the correct procedure in dealing with lost-and-
found articles when employees hand these in.
 To check the stocks regularly, take delivery of stocks, and issue supplies to
attendants.
 To supervise the staff involved in the cleaning and setting up of banquet halls,
meeting rooms, and other event venues.
 To check and record the amount and condition of the house linen during collection,
dispatch, storage, repair, and use.
 To arrange for the induction and training of staff.
 To regularly apprise managers of individual staff performance.
 To inform the employees of staff welfare schemes and other facilities.
 To liaise with staff from other departments in a way that shows respect for their
skills and abilities.
Guestroom Inspection
This is a planned, systematic process in which guestrooms are checked for cleanliness and
maintenance and accordingly approved for occupancy (or not) by supervisors. The
supervisors inspect guestrooms keeping in mind that their last look will be the guest's first
look at the room. The inherent trait of 'an eye for detail' is the most important aid to
supervisors inspecting guestrooms. The supervisors inspect for anything that is not upto
the establishment's standards before the guest finds them amiss. Room inspections also
recognize the need for deep cleaning and other maintenance activities.
A systematic method should be followed while inspecting guestrooms so that the process
is thorough, leaving no room for neglect. The executive housekeeper should develop an
efficient checklist to help supervisors in this aspect of their work. The inspection of
bedrooms and bathrooms may be carried out in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction,
moving from high to low levels, first checking every article on the wall or against the wall.
The supervisors then need to check all the free- standing items, again working in the same
particular direction. The floor and ceiling should be checked after this. Then, a final look
around the room is important to place things in perspective.
Inspection checklists
Inspection of the cleaned areas forms a major part of a supervisor's work. In this regard,
inspection checklists are vital tools for a supervisor. Checklists should be developed for all
the areas that the housekeeping department is responsible for cleaning and maintaining.
The ideal checklist itemizes all surfaces and articles, lays down the standards of cleanliness
to be achieved, and allows space for supervisors to indicate checks and record any
observations. The more detailed the checklists, the more thorough is the inspection, and
the more in conformance to set standards is the cleaning. Whatever anomalies the
inspection brings to light should be rectified promptly, else the purpose of inspection is
defeated.
Inspection of VIP rooms
This is in fact not a typical supervisor's responsibility, though a supervisory task. VIP rooms
are checked personally by the assistant housekeeper or the executive housekeeper. The
guestroom is opened and looked over to gauge how it will be seen by the VIP guest when
he/she enters the room. Then a more thorough checking is done. Along with the items
and surfaces mentioned in the checklist, bedspreads, lamp shades, and pictures on the
walls are checked for thorough cleanliness. The room should smell fresh, with no bad
odours or dampness. White-ragging is carried out on random surfaces-this means
checking the cleanliness of any area by wiping a white rag across it to see the degree of
soiling. All the neglected area mentioned in 'Inspection modules for neglected areas'
should also be checked. The toilet bowl should be checked by running a damp cotton swab
under the rim. Finally, the housekeeper should check that all the VIP amenities are in
place.
Inspection modules for commonly neglected areas
Various inspection modules are used for the thorough inspection of

guestrooms, so
that certain areas and aspects that tends to be neglected while cleaning and
inspection
are particularly checked by supervisors. Some hotels develop these as
separate lists
and some incorporate these neglected areas in their routine inspection
checklists.
These modules often have easy-to-remember names such as the Quick Six
Inspection
or the Dirty Dozen.
In general, the most commonly neglected areas in guestrooms include:
 The area between the bed and the nightstand, where food particles, dirt,
and
debris may accumulate since this area is usually hidden by the
bedspread.
 The interiors of drawers and wardrobes, where dust may accumulate in
crevices.
 Surface below the lamps and other accessories kept on tables, where
dust
accumulates because they tend to be overlooked.
 The tops of picture frames hung on walls, which tend to gather dust as
they are
not easily visible to the eye.
 The top edges and backs of doors, which if not cleaned on a regular
basis may
collect a lot of dust.
 The diffuser grilles of radiators or air-conditioners, which can collect
stubborn
dirt.
 Ceilings, which may show cobwebs if not attended to daily.
 The carpet area behind free-standing furniture that is near but not
against the
wall, such as a credenza standing to one side.
 Pillows and pillowcases, which should be free of wrinkles or stray hairs
and
which should have a fresh smell.
 The general odour of the room, which is often overlooked. The room
should
have a fresh smell.
 The tiled area next to the shower, which collects grime and shows water
marks
if not attended to daily.
 The area behind the toilet bowl, including pipes, cisterns, and the toilet-
roll
receptacle, which all provide surfaces and nooks where dirt settles.
 The area under the vanity unit and towel racks, which are hard to reach
and
may accumulate a lot of dust and debris. The tiles behind the vanitory
unit also
get water marks and soap marks easily.
 The faucet filters, which may be stained brown due to dirt collecting in
them.
 The air vents in the toilet, which are hard to reach and which, if
neglected
during routine cleaning, may collect stubborn grime and dust.
Sample inspection checklist for a guestroom
Bedroom Room no. Remarks Bathroom Room no. Remarks

Doors, door frames, and door fixtures Doors, door fames, and door fixtures
• Free from dust, dirt, smears, stains, • Free from dust, dirt, smears, stains,
and scuff marks. and scuff marks.
• Hinges operating smoothly, free • Hinges operating smoothly, free
from dust, and dirt. from dust, and dirt.
• Locks, knobs and bolts working • Locks, knobs and bolts working
smoothly. smoothly
• 'DND', 'CLEAN MY ROOM', and
'POLISH MY SHOE' cards intact and
fresh, and hung neatly on the door
knob behind the door. -
Ceiling and ceiling lights Ceiling and ceiling lights
• Free from cobwebs, spots, and • Free from cobwebs, spots, and
marks. marks.
• Lights in working order and • Lights in working order and fixtures
fixtures clean. clean.
• Air vents free of dust, dirt, and
cobwebs; kept open.
Wall and baseboards Vanity unit
• Free of cobwebs, dust, dirt, • Free from dust, dirt, debris, stains,
smears, stains, scuff marks. lime sediments, scum, and any residual
cleaningagent, both inside and out.
• Mirror free from dust, dirt, smears,
and streaks; frame dust-free.
• Faucets and fittings in proper working
order and polished to a shine.
• Waste grids, stoppers, and overflows
free from fluff, hair, and any residues;
drainingproperly.
• Standard supplies present and
neatly arranged. Tooth glasses
free of water marks and stains.
- - - .- -- - -
DELEGATION AND DISCRETION

According to Mackenzie, delegation is one of five activities of direction. Others view delegation
as the most valuable activity. The other activities-motivation, coordination, managing
differences and managing change can be seen as stemming from a manager’s ability to delegate
properly.
Too often we hear the phrase, “delegation of responsibilities and authority.” In fact, it is
impossible to delegate a responsibility. To delegate actually means to pass authority to
someone who will act on behalf of the manager delegating. The passing of such authority does
not relieve the manager delegating of the responsibility for action or results, although there is
an implied accountability of the person to whom power has been delegated to the person
having that power. The responsibility of a manager for the acts or actions of his or her
subordinates is therefore absolute and may not be passed to anyone else.
When an executive housekeeper is assigned over-all responsibility for directing the activities f a
housekeeping department, carrying out this responsibility may require the completion of
thousands of tasks, very few of which may actually be performed by the executive
housekeeper. It is therefore a responsibility of the management to identify these tasks and
create responsibilities for subordinates to carry them out. (The creation of these responsibilities
is done during organization through the preparation of job and position descriptions). A good
operational definition of the creation of a responsibility for, or the assignment of a task to, a
subordinate, providing that person with the necessary authority(power) to carry out the task
and exacting accountability for the results of the sub-ordinate’s efforts. The lack of a anyone of
the three elements of this definition creates a situation whereby the manager abdicates the
responsibility to manage.
Thorough and complete delegation, where possible, will free the manager from tasks that can
be performed by subordinates, allowing the manager time to manage the operation. The
manager is then left free to
1. Coordinate the activities of sub-ordinates,

2. Manage change (implies that the manager now has time to be creative and search for
changes that will improve operations), and
3. Manage differences (a form of problem solving)
Methods of delegation
There are several methods, all of which will be useful to the executive housekeeper.
1. By results expected: The manager can make a simple statement of the results that are
to be obtained when the task has been completed properly.
2. By setting performance standards: The manager can create conditions that will exist
when a task has been performed satisfactorily. An example of this type of delegation is
found in inspection forms, which specify conditions that exist when the tasks are
adequately performed.
3. By establishing procedures: The major technique in dealing with routine matters is to
prepare standard operating procedure (SOP) in which the tasks to be performed are set
forth in a routine procedure, thus allowing for the delegation of appropriate tasks to
people.
Another simple and equally important technique of delegation is to take all tasks that must
be done and divide them into three separate groups.
Group 1 contains tasks that may be done by someone else immediately. People are assigned
group 1 tasks as soon as staff is available.
Group 2 contains tasks that may be assigned to other people as soon as they have been
properly trained. Training is started for people to undertake group 2 tasks. As soon as
training is complete and competenceis shown, the tasks in group 2 are assigned.
Group 3 contains tasks that must be done only by the manager. Group 3 tasks remain with
the manager. The number of tasks remaining in group 3 is usually a measure of the
manager’s confidence to train people and let them become involved.
WHY MANAGERS DO NOT DELEGATE?
Often managers do not delegate tasks properly. The reasons can be summed up as follows;
1. Some managers do not understand their roles as managers.This happens most often
with newly appointed managers who have been promoted from within as a reward for
outstanding service. For example, the section housekeeper who has been doing an
outstanding job as a room attendant is rewarded by being promoted to the position of
supervisor, although he or she is given no supervisory training. Having been physically
very busy in the act of cleaning guest rooms, the person is now in-charge and such feels
out of the place. The new supervisor has been moved from a realm in which he or she
was very competent to a position in which he or she has little experience or no
expertise.
Failing to understand this new role, the new supervisor does someone else’s work. For
this reason supervisory training is an absolute must when promoting first-line workers
into positions requiring managerial performance such as supervising.
2. Managers who enjoy physically doing work are sometimes reluctant to let go of such
tasks. Again this is mater of training. The new manager needs to be reminded that doing
the task is not what he or she is being paid to do. A new manager may need to reminded
that, by doing physical work that should be delegated, situations requiring management
decision may go unnoticed because the manager is too busy to observe, evaluate and
direct operations.
3. Less competent people fear the consequences of being outperformed. There are
managers who refuse to delegate routine tasks for fear that their own incompetence
will be magnified. Surprisingly enough, their incompetence will be managing the
activities of others, not in their ability to perform the task that they do not delegate.
These people are uneasy because they fear that a stronger person will eventually be
able to perform their jobs. What some managers forget is that they cannot be promoted
themselves until someone is available and competent enough to replace them.
4. Some managers feel that delegation is an all or nothing situation. This may occur in
spit of the fact that there are several degrees of delegation. Imagine the situation in
which a manager needs to investigate a situation, decide if action is needed, and, if so,
and task the appropriate action. This task, or portion of it, may be delegated to another
person, depending upon the degree of training and demonstrated ability of the person.
Here are several degrees of delegation, anyone of which might be used, depending
upon the skill level reliability of the subordinate.
Investigate and
(a) Report back
(b) Recommend a course of action
(c) Advice of intended action
(d) Take action and keep manager informed
(e) Take action
5. Some managers feel that if they do not do the task themselves, it will be done
properly. This is synonymous with the often heard phrase, “if you want something done
right, do it yourself”. Sometimes it is ego that prompts this type of attitude encourages
inaction on the part of the employees and a feeling that they are not trusted with
important matters. More importantly, it is counter-productive to the creation of good
morale-building environments. Many managers fear the possibility that some sub-
ordinate will rise to the occasion of being able to replace the manager. Said another
way, some managers keep themselves in the position of being indispensable. Other
managers recognize that until someone is capable of replacing them, they themselves
cannot be promoted. What is important to remember is that until the manager train
people to act in his or her behalf and delegates as much as possible to sub-ordinates,
the manager need not think of promotion, vacation or even becoming ill, lest the
operation crumble.

S1 HK Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

S1 HK Notes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

S1 HK Notes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MODULE-1

ROLE OF HOUSEKEEPING IN HOSPITALITY OPERATION

IMPORTANCE OF HOUSE KEEPING

AREAS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF HOUSEKEEPING

FRONT OF THE HOUSE AREAS BACK OF THE HOUSE AREAS

JOB DESCRIPTIONS OF HOUSEKEEPING PERSONNEL

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop and monitor an annual housekeeping budget and plan.

Assistant House keepers, Laundry Manager, Horticulturist, Floorist

1. Evaluates performance of staff

Duties and responsibilities

1. Evaluates performance of supervisory staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Inspect staff turnout of the team assigned.

Room Attendants and housemen on a given floor.

1. Evaluates performance of room attendants and housemen in her charge.

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Inspect staff turnout of the team assigned.

All room attendants and housemen at night.

1. Evaluate performance of room attendants and housemen in her charge.

PUBLIC AREA SUPERVISOR

Public Area Supervisor

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Inspect staff turnout of the team assigned.

Public area Housemen and Cloakroom Attendants.

1. Evaluates performance of public area housemen and cloakroom attendants.

1. Engineering—On matters of maintenance and safety on guest floors.

Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Inspect staff turnout of the linen and uniform team.

Linen/Uniform room attendants and helpers

1. Evaluate the performance of linen/uniform room attendants and helpers.

1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in the linen room.

LINEN/UNIFORM ROOM ATTENDANT

Linen/Uniform Room Attendant

1. Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Issue uniforms to all hotel employees on a one-to-one basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Attend daily briefings at the beginning of a shift.

Housemen on a given floor

1. May enter guest rooms.

1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in guest rooms.

a) To support the room attendants with heavy work and

Executive tasks as assigned by the floor supervisor.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Attend daily briefings at the beginning of a shift.

14. Clean the swimming pool deck areas.

1. May enter guest rooms.

1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and safety in guest rooms

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop, recommend and monitor an approved annual budget and plan.

Head gardener, Gardeners.

1. Evaluates the performance of staff

1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance and water supply.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Engineering—On matters of maintenance of gardening equipments, water supply, and plumbing

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Engineering—on matters of maintenance of gardening equipment; water supply; and plumbing

1. Linen/Uniform Room Supervisor