Basic Principles of cleaning in Hotel Housekeeping Department
Regardless of the type of the hotel or size of the hotel, the housekeeping department should follow the certain basic principles in cleaning or basic cleaning rules to follow in any kind of cleaning activity, whatever the nature of the surface, material or the soil.
The room attendants or room maids must follow these cleaning principles or cleaning rules in order to consistently produce spotless cleaning of the guest rooms and public area without damaging the surface or the area in which they are cleaning.
Below is the list of Housekeeping Basic Principles of Cleaning:
- All soils 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 processes.
- The cleaning process should be efficient, using a minimum of equipment, cleaning agents, labor & time.
- The simplest cleaning method should be tried first, along with using the mildest cleaning agent.
- Always use the cleaning methods least harmful to the surface should be used.
- The cleaning should proceed from high area to low wherever possible.
- Always start with the cleaner surfaces & 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 an area or polishing the floor, the cleaner should walk backward while cleaning in front of him.
- Use of the suction/vacuum cleaning should be preferred over sweeping wherever possible.
- Sweeping should be done before dusting, and dusting before suction cleaning.
- The noise levels while cleaning should be kept as low as possible.
- Try to remove stains as soon as they occur using the correct methods.
- The cleaner should take all safety precautions while cleaning.
- The cleaning agents & equipment should be stacked neatly to one side after each use.
- 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, & stored properly.
- Cleaning agents should be replenished & stored properly.
- All waste needs to be discarded & the working area should be always left neat & tidy.
HYGIENE AND SAFETY FACTORS IN CLEANING
Hygiene Factors
- Grooming & Personal Hygiene to be maintained
- Equipment hygiene to be maintained – all equipments to be washed, rinsed & dried after use
- Workplace hygiene – pantry to be kept clean at all times
- Colour coded dusters to be used
- WC duster to be kept separately in the chamber maid’s trolley
- Cleaning solution to be changed frequently while cleaning
- Use of wringer
- Brooms should not be used especially in hospitals
- Cleaning agents to be prepared freshly. Never top up a disinfectant solution. Bacteria will survive a disinfectant, may multiply in solution which has deteriorated. If a solution is stored and used later, it may spread germs rather than kill them
- Use of sanibins in public area toilets
- Garbage not be touched a bare hand
- Telephones need to disinfected
Safety Factors
- Use of protective gears
- Ladder to be checked of its stability & durability before using
- Caution board to be used in public areas
- Appropriate equipments to be used while cleaning
- While lifting heavy items, weight should not fall on the backbone ( bend from the knees and not back )
- Avoid lifting the heavy weight; help should be taken wherever possible
- Cleaning agents to be stored in the labeled bottles; instructions should be written on the bottles
- Proper training to given to cleaners in terms of use of equipments & cleaning agents
- First aid kit to be maintained and kept available
- Fire exit should never be blocked by keeping equipments/ furniture in front of it
- At the time of the fire, elevators should not be used
- Ensure that the cigarette butts are fully extinguished before they are trashed
- Dispose off rags after using any solvent as they can increase the risk of fire
