11 cleaning tips for your hotel

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Since all customers want to stay in a hotel that is clean, tidy, comfortable, visually pleasing and properly organized or furnished, hotel cleanliness is one of the most crucial aspects of customer service. In this article we will share some tricks and tactics to keep your hotel in tip-top shape.

 

What is hotel cleaning?

First, it is important to describe and clarify the concept of hotel cleaning. Essentially, it describes the process of keeping a hotel spotless, tidy, welcoming, safe and aesthetically pleasing. Cleaning surfaces, disposing of trash and other dirt, changing linens and maintaining order are some of the key tasks.

Hotel maintenance is crucial, as no one wants to stay in a messy, disorganized or unclean hotel. For new visitors, beds should be freshly made, rooms should be logically tidy, the hotel should look presentable and health risks and hazards should be eliminated.

It is vital to realize that facility maintenance is really the job of the entire staff, as everyone must help provide a safe and secure environment. Although most hotels have dedicated staff whose main duties are to clean the hotel and prepare the rooms for guests, it is vital to realize that housekeeping is really the job of all staff, as everyone must help provide a safe and secure environment.

 

Create a strategy for the hotel’s housekeeping service

It is important to have a good approach to reality in order to get the most out of your hotel’s housekeeping staff. To do this, it is essential to know the amount of work that your housekeepers can do, which will allow you to always have the right number of people working in the department at any given time. There is not the same volume of work in low season as in high season, on weekdays as on weekends, etc., so the number of staff must be adapted to the situations in question.

The amount of work to be done will determine the number of hotel housekeepers you need per shift. This, in turn, will depend on how many rooms are in your hotel, how many need to be cleaned and prepared for new visitors, and how much cleaning is needed throughout the facility.

One of the best ideas for hotel maintenance is to calculate the time it takes for housekeeping staff to thoroughly clean and prepare a room. You can then calculate the number of rooms that can be roughly completed in a shift, which allows you to estimate the number of staff members needed to work a given shift.

 

Use your hotel’s PMS for cleaning

One of the most significant examples of hotel technology is the property management system, or PMS. These software programs essentially serve as all-in-one hotel management solutions, allowing customers to manage reservations, front desk operations, distribution, revenue management and other functions from one place.

The best hotel PMS solutions on the market also offer housekeeping services, allowing important hotel housekeeping activities to be managed online. This can include employee scheduling, as well as a function to monitor the current status of each hotel room, such as whether it is occupied, vacant or requires cleaning.

One of the best suggestions for hotel housekeeping is to use the hotel PMS to provide jobs to housekeeping staff based on the demands of the establishment and its visitors. Housekeeping staff can update their status as they complete tasks with the use of contemporary solutions that allow cell phones or tablets to connect to the PMS.

 

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The most important tool of the hotel cleaning staff is their cleaning cart

Providing workers with a professional cart is another one of the most important housekeeping tips. For hotel housekeepers, this is arguably the most important tool because it ensures that they have everything they need to do their job well.

Finding the right balance when it comes to providing the necessary tools is especially crucial. If we think about housekeeping staff, the items that are used in hotel rooms include linens, cleaning supplies, towels, toiletries and other things; so the right cart will be a maid’s cart. However, if we move to the kitchen or restaurant, the items to be collected will be plates, glasses, cups, food trays, etc.; so the staff will have to make use of a service cart or a cleaning cart. On the other hand, in the laundry, large quantities of sheets, linen and towels will need to be transported, so laundry carts must be provided for the staff.

In short, it is of vital importance to provide a professional cart suitable for handling the items in each situation. At Simex we have a wide range of trolley models designed to meet all kinds of needs. From service trolleys with a load capacity of up to 50kg with trays included, through waitress trolleys made of high resistance plastic and fixed and swivel wheels, to premium solid wood trolleys for room service or laundry trolleys with a capacity of up to 293 liters, at Simex you will find the professional trolley that best suits your needs.

 

11 recommendations to keep order in your hotel

In the following sections we will share some useful tips for maintaining order in your hotel, which will help you manage operations, organize your cleaning team and keep your hotel tidy, safe and attractive.

 

1. Make a proper plan before starting activities.

The truth is that careful preparation is the foundation of all effective hotel cleaning procedures. Your housekeeping department must take into account both the work to be done and the deadlines for completing it.

Cleaning products and other cleaning tools need to be carefully managed. Before the cleaning team runs out of towels, linens, toilet paper and cleaning supplies, new supplies must be procured. In addition, supplies should be organized and arranged for storage so that the cleaning staff can find everything.

Housekeeping staff should be able to access their daily tasks as soon as they arrive at the office and start working as soon as possible. Some hotel technologies, such as the use of hotel robots, are also beneficial to housekeeping departments because they ensure that some of the more routine and repetitive tasks are completed before staff arrive.

 

2. Using electronic checklists for the hotel housekeeping service

Efficiency is a primary goal for hotel housekeeping departments, and the best approach to achieving it is to describe what needs to be done and regularly monitor progress. Hotel housekeeping checklists have moved into the digital age, replacing notepads or printouts that were once used for this purpose.

Digital checklists offer a number of advantages, one of which is the ability to update data instantly for all users. Housekeeping employees can use handheld devices to mark when a task has been completed and by whom. As a result, there is more clarity, less hassle and fewer inaccuracies.

 

3. Using green items instead of conventional ones to increase sustainability.

Customers are increasingly concerned about sustainability and environmental friendliness, and people working in the hospitality industry are under more pressure than ever to act ethically and reduce the impact of the travel and tourism industry on the environment and local communities. Again, there is a balance to be struck in this situation, especially in the post-COVID era when visitors are likely to be more aware of hygiene concerns. However, there are often eco-friendly substitutes for harsh chemicals that still provide the same benefits, and hotel toiletries can also emphasize sustainability.

 

4. Improve and Automate Your Housekeeping Approach

Your hotel’s housekeeping program plays a crucial role in overall performance, but it needs to be improved. For example, if you have an excessive number of staff working in shifts, you run the risk of paying people who don’t accomplish anything beneficial to the business. Conversely, you run the risk of not completing a crucial task if you don’t have enough employees working shifts.

Using the data you already have is the key to optimizing scheduling. How long does it take to prepare a room and clean it? When the amount of occupancy reaches a certain point, how many staff are needed? Your PMS or other software should have access to all of this information, and the best solutions will also automate schedules using this information.

 

5. Make sure the cleaning team communicates well.

Another area that needs constant improvement is the communication skills of the hotel’s housekeeping staff, as this can have a big impact on performance. Employees will be able to know what to do and when through internal communication, for example, so the team must be well organized to achieve the best results.

Writing, in-person verbal interaction, telephone and electronic communication are examples of communication skills. The housekeeping team must also learn customer service skills because there will likely be occasions when they interact directly with hotel visitors.

 

 

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6. Address housekeeping problems and spot trends.

The next step is for housekeeping managers and, in general, hotel managers to take the time to recognize housekeeping problems, monitor guest complaints and look for patterns or trends.

Sometimes a member of the housekeeping team makes a mistake or fails to perform a task, which may cause a guest to complain or ask for something to be done. However, common problems or complaints could be a sign of more serious problems with housekeeping procedures that need to be addressed.

 

7. Pay attention to hotel furnishings.

Hotel furnishings are crucial in determining how guests are treated. To prevent guests from having a bad experience and other problems, hotel housekeeping staff should pay special attention to furnishings in guest rooms and public areas.

Housekeeping staff should vacuum and clean sofas, chairs, tables and other furniture, in addition to the more obvious tasks, such as changing linens, to keep them looking decent.

 

8. Establish a cooperative environment where rules are maintained.

In order for guests to enjoy their stay in rooms and common areas and feel safe, hospitality professionals must establish strict standards. It is crucial to maintain these standards once they are established and not let them move.

To do this, hotel housekeeping workers must be trained to know these standards and always maintain them. Hotel housekeeping staff must take pleasure in the facility and be well equipped to meet guest demands promptly and courteously, while acting to prevent problems from arising.

 

9. Find innovative ways to improve operations

One of the top tips for hotel maintenance is to never settle for current performance. There are almost always ways to improve housekeeping procedures, so be willing to experiment with different strategies and find original solutions that will help you run your business more efficiently. Keep an eye on performance and look for areas that could be improved. Use digital technology to improve organization and efficiency. Create routines that allow you to wash full loads and use as little electricity as possible. To free up staff time for complex activities, invest in systems that can automate some of the more predictable or repetitive operations.

 

10. Keep an eye on laundry-related equipment.

Many typical hotel housekeeping tasks rely on specialized machinery, such as washers and dryers. Therefore, you should pay close attention to this equipment to maximize your housekeeping service.

Regular maintenance can be helpful in detecting small problems that, if ignored for too long, could develop into major difficulties. Hotels should also be aware of when repairs are necessary. Of course, there are times when purchasing new equipment to replace defective or outdated machinery will be better and cheaper.

 

11. Educate staff members about pests.

Finally, if certain pests become a problem, a hotel’s reputation can be greatly affected. Housekeeping staff should receive training to help discourage these pests, as no hotel guest wants to see fleas, cockroaches, mice or rats. A large part of this training would emphasize cleanliness, orderliness and excellent hygiene practices.

One of the most important aspects of providing a satisfactory guest experience is the cleanliness of the hotel, as guests want to feel that they are staying in a place that values cleanliness and orderliness. The following hotel maintenance tips should help you keep your hotel clean, tidy and presentable at all times.

 

At Simex we are specialists in hotel equipment and have a wide range of products designed to suit any style or design. Bathroom accessories, bins, water dispensers, outdoor heaters, hair dryers, safe boxes, mini-bars, closet hangers, luggage racks and a long etcetera, in our website you will find everything you need to equip your hotel in an aesthetic and functional way.