Housekeeping means performing all the duties towards sweeping, polishing, vacuuming, maintaining orderliness, and removing waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards free from Hotel & property. In case of hotels, the housekeeping responsibilities include maintaining the Hotel to the best possible state in terms of cleanliness and keeping it at a highly desirable ambiance. It requires paying attention to details such as the layout of the whole workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of storage facilities, and maintenance. ​
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​The object of Hotel Housekeeping

• To keep up the hotel with classy interior decoration.
• To manage laundry and linen.
• To take care of the furniture, fittings, and fixtures of the entire hotel.
• To maintain the overall cleanliness of the entire hotel at all times.
• To perform cleanliness duties most efficiently and effectively.

The working area and department of housekeeping staff in hotel: The housekeeping department is responsible for keeping the following areas clean in the Hospitality industry...

• Public Areas as like Lobby & Lifts
• Sales & Admin Offices
• Banquets & Conference Halls 
• Guest Rooms
• Guest Bathrooms 
• Laundry Area  
• Uniform Room, Linen Room , and Tailor Room 
• Housekeeping Stores Room 
• Parking 
• Garden

Types of Cleaning Equipment & Chemicals 

• Manual Cleaning Equipment 
• Electric Cleaning Equipment 
• Chemicals & Materials 

​Manual Cleaning Equipment: To clean and tidy the surfaces area of the Hotel which manual equipment the housekeeping team used is shown below…

• Housekeeping Trolley
• Brushes
• Mops
• Scarifying Machine
• Dusting Cloths
• Dustbins
• Dustpans
• Abrasives
• Spray Bottles
• Janitor’s Trolley

​Electric Cleaning Equipment: Either AC power or battery power is required to operate this equipment. To clean and tidy the surfaces area of the Hotel which electric equipment the housekeeping team used is shown below…

• Polishing Machine
• Box Sweeper
• Vapor Cleaning Machine
• Scrubber
• Vacuum Cleaner

Chemicals & Materials: Without regular detergents & water, the housekeeping team uses these cleaning chemicals & materials for cleaning. To clean and tidy the surfaces area of the Hotel which electric equipment the housekeeping team used is shown below…

• Vinegar 
• Degreaser
• Laundry Cleaners
• Clean Air Sprays
• Floor Cleaners & Seales
• Water
• Bathroom Cleaners
• Surface Sanitizers
• Swimming Pool Cleaner
• Toilet Blocks

List of Supplies for Guest Room: Which amenities are supplies to the guest room for honorable guests from the hotel is shown below…

• Clothing Care
• Bedding
• Furniture
• Hospitality Tray
• Center Table Supplies
• Bedside Supplies
• Bedside Table Supplies
• Mini-Bar Supplies
• Writing Desk Supplies

List of Supplies for Guest Bathroom: Which amenities are supplies to the guest bathroom for honorable guests from the hotel is shown below…

• Towels
• Mirror
• Hair Dryer
• Slippers
• Bathroom Attachments (toilet paper, bath linen, bathrobe, floor mat, soap, a bathtub, towel holder, a basin, and shower & handheld shower) 
• Non-slip Foot-mat
• Dustbin
• Vanity Tray (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, hand and foot cream, shower cap, earbuds, and small manicure kit)

Items Provided on Request: Which amenities are supplies to the guest room & bathroom for honorable guests from the hotel is shown below…

• Extra blankets
• Pillow 
• Stationery items
• Comb
• Sanitary napkins
• Electric fan
• Iron
• Alarm clock
• Disposable razor
• Disposable diapers
• Hot water bag
• First aid medical kit
• Hearing equipment
• Crib or cradle

Classification of Housekeeping staff in the Hospitality industry: The general structure of housekeeping staff is as shown below...

• Executive Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager
• Housekeeping Supervisor
• Housekeeping Attendants/Room Attendants

Let us see the responsibilities at each level.

Executive Housekeeper / Housekeeper Manager: The Executive Manager or Housekeeper is the chief of the housekeeping department. The Housekeeping supervisor of Housekeeping report to him. Their responsibilities include −

• Evaluating employee performance, and handling their training, promotions, and transfers.
• Ensuring overall sanitation, comfort, and ambience of the hotel.
• Monitoring housekeeping equipment and hotel property.
• Organize flower arrangements for events.
• Training the new joiners and motivate the existing employees.
• Monitoring regular inventory of guest supplies and property.
• Presenting the estimate of the required budget to the General Manager of the hotel.

​Housekeeping Supervisor: The supervisors report to the Assistant Housekeeper. Their positions and their respective responsibilities include...

Linen Room Supervisor:

• Checking repaired linen from the tailor room.
• Suggesting linen replacements if required.
• Inspecting linen and sending it to the laundry.
• Checking linen from laundry and sending it for ironing.
• Maintaining linen influx and outflux register.

Floor Supervisor:

• Inspecting rooms for readiness and reporting to the front office for the same.
• Issuing keys to the room attendants.
• Creating VIP facilities and providing special supplies such as hot drinking water, baby-sitting provision.
• Coordinating floor operations and tray clearance with room attendants.

​Uniform Room Supervisor:

• Keeping track of the number and condition of uniforms.
• Providing clean, ironed, and fresh uniforms to the hotel staff.
• Suggesting procurement of any uniforms required.
• Checking repaired linen from the tailor room.

Public Area Supervisor:

• Ensuring banquet and conference halls are well kept and ready.
• Ensuring the concerned operating staff is available as per the schedule.
• Ensuring that cleanliness is maintained at all times in public areas such as lobby, lifts, parking, swimming pool, coffee shop, conference hall, banquet hall, and restaurant.

Night Supervisor:

• Ensuring the operating staff working at night is following all cleaning SOPs.
• Supervising hotel area at night and ensuring cleanliness in all areas of the hotel.
• Ensuring the provision of guest supplies such as water, extra bed, fans, and towels.

Housekeeping Attendant/Room Attendant

​Guest room Attendant: 

• Reporting to the floor supervisor.
• Making guest-room beds.
• Cleaning the guest rooms, guest bathrooms, and corridors.
• Replenishing the hotel cleaner’s trolley with supplies and linens for the next shift staff.
• Changing the linen of the guest room and guest bathrooms.
• Topping up the guest supplies.

Uniform & Linen Room Attendant: 

• Giving and taking back the uniforms from the staff.
• Collecting uniforms of staff at the end of every shift and maintaining them to be used for the next time.
• Maintaining the shelves of uniforms and linens clearly.
• Keeping the track of linen count before and after laundry.
• Segregating the dirty linen according to its type and sending it to the laundry.
• Stacking towels, bed sheets, pillowcases, table napkins separately into different sections of shelves

Night Shift Attendant: 

• Performing housekeeping duties during the night.
• Reporting any hotel safety issues to the night supervisor.

​Public Area Attendant: 

• Keeping these areas smelling fresh and clean.
• Reporting to the public area supervisor.
• Keeping the parking, lobbies, guest rooms, lifts, and corridors in the best-maintained status.

Qualities and Skills of Housekeeping Staff:

• Speak clearly in the audible voice of moderate pitch.
• Have a clean and pleasant appearance.
• Be well-groomed with a high degree of personal hygiene.
• Speak in a friendly but sincere tone.
• Conduct themselves with a cooperative attitude.
• Be able to retain and pursue the demand of the guest until it is fulfilled.
• Respect each hotel guest they are dealing with. They must conduct themselves confidently and courteously.
• Maintain polite eye contact while interacting with the hotel guests.
• Be a good team player.
• Have good listening skills to avoid any miscommunication.
• Be a good team player.
• Be sincere and physically fit.

Rules and Restriction of Housekeeper:

• Eat only during meal hours, not while cleaning.
• Never use guest bathrooms.
• Never answer the guest room phone
• Enter the floor with a clean and tidy uniform, in a properly groomed manner.
• Never use a guest room for an unauthorized person.
• Only use the service lifts.
• Never use guest room phones or floor desk phones for making private calls.
• Not walk by stamping the feet, run, or jump in the hotel premises.
• Familiarize themselves with the faces of guests. This is especially important for security purposes.
• Stand outside the guest room while speaking to the guest to respect their privacy.
• Speak to the other working staff only when necessary.
• Always keep the room doors open while cleaning.