Housekeeping may be defined as the ‘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, hospital and the surroundings’.

The term Housekeeping outside the hospitality, hospitals refers to the management of daily duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping,  bill payment, etc. These daily recurring tasks may be performed by any members of the household, or by other persons like butlers or maids who are hired for the purpose.

Housekeeping is about presenting a clean, sanitary, and welcoming environment, putting your brand’s best foot forward at all times. Nevermind fancy amenities or attractions, you need to ensure your guests feel comfortable first and foremost.

Housekeeping in a hotel essentially comes down to being an invisible task. If a guest never raises a complaint about the condition of their room or their service, then you’ve got your housekeeping right. In a way, housekeeping is about making a guest feel like they’re checking into a room that’s being stayed in for the very first time – it’s ‘their’ room.

This doesn’t just happen – it takes strategy, planning, great execution, and communication. You can’t afford for rooms not to be ready in time, to be under-prepared, or overlooked by mistake.

he main responsibility of anyone performing housekeeping duties is to ensure there is no evidence of previous guests, and that every room is completely clean from top to bottom. This includes the room itself, the bathroom, and any wardrobe or storage areas.

Daily housekeeping tasks typically include:

• Cleaning guest rooms of dirt, dust, marks, stains, smells etc
• Cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms
• Removing rubbish and debris from rooms
• Removing dirty towels and linen
• Removing used amenities
• Replenishing supplies such as rubbish bags, bar fridge, snacks
• Making beds, replacing linen and towels
• Cleaning and tidying common areas such as hallways or entrances
• Ensuring all extras and add-ons that were included in the booking are ready for the arriving guests

A general routine is to strip the room first, removing anything that is dirty or has been used. No one wants to check-in to a room that has a wet bath towel hanging on the rack!

Next, you should do an inventory check to ensure all items that need replacing are gathered before the next guest arrives. Commonly, you’ll need to replace all the free goodies you have provided in the room as well as towels and linen.

After this you should be ready to clean. Ensure you have all your supplies readied and bring everything into the room together. This will save plenty of time.

Once the room has been thoroughly cleaned, put all the new items into place. Do a final check to make sure the arriving guest has everything they need and was promised upon their booking.

• Proven experience as a Cleaner or Housekeeper
• Ability to work with little supervision and maintain a high level of performance
• Customer-oriented and friendly
• Prioritization and time management skills
• Working quickly without compromising quality
• Knowledge of English language
• High school degree

Frequently asked questions

What does a Housekeeper do?

Housekeepers maintain cleanliness in the work and home environment. They often find employment with hotels, but they may also work for residential facilities or individual homes.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a Housekeeper?

Housekeepers are responsible for cleaning and reporting any safety hazards to the homeowner or manager in charge. They must complete tasks like vacuuming, sweeping, emptying trash cans, dusting shelves, cleaning windows, and mopping floors. Some Housekeepers change linens, wash dishes, and do light ironing and laundry.

What makes a good Housekeeper?

A good Housekeeper must be responsible, hard-working, trustworthy, detail-oriented, flexible, honest, and reliable. They must stand, squat, kneel, bend and be on their feet for long periods. Another quality that makes a good housekeeper is having strong communication skills and adhering to standard policies and procedures.

Who does a Housekeeper work with?

Housekeepers work with residential property owners, guests, and other housekeeping and maintenance staff. They often report to a Housekeeping Manager or Housekeeping Supervisor.

Strategy is important in all walks of life. Sure people can become successful through luck, but generally it helps to be prepared. Housekeeping is no exception.

You need to know your rooms and amenities inside out to be an efficient housekeeper. You need to know how long it takes to completely turn a room over. This way you can calculate, based on how many rooms you have, how much time each day should be dedicated to housekeeping – and how many people. Once you’ve worked this out, you can set up an effective routine and schedule according to guest check-in/check-out times.

Here are some more general tips and tricks for effective housekeeping:

• Treat the job as if the guest is visiting your actual home (in some cases they probably are) – having a sense of pride will ensure you or your staff do the best job possible
• Clean bedroom areas before bathrooms areas to improve overall sanitation
• Use mattress and/or pillow protectors to prevent costly and time consuming damages
• Keep up with training and regulations – OH&S is crucial and so is keeping up to professional standards, especially in COVID times
• Regularly assess processes and time management to maintain a high degree of excellence

Pay close attention to inventory management too – Are there ways you can save time or money when it comes to room supplies? For example, reducing the selection of snacks if most guests seem to prefer particular options over others.

Most of all your housekeeping should be governed by three principles: prioritization, preparation, and sustainability.

It may be obvious but it’s important that you equip yourself with the right tools and supplies. Not all cleaning products are made equal and the same applies to electronics such as vacuum cleaners. To achieve a 5-star experience for your guest, you need to research and test different products to get it perfect.

You need to consider the gloves you use, the brands and types of cleaners, the deodorisers and air fresheners, vacuums, brooms and dusters, scrubbers, polishers, and even the equipment trolley or cart you use. Understanding what works best may be trial and error but once you have it set you can adjust budgets and plans accordingly.

Here are some more room cleaning tips you may find useful:

• Let nature help you – open windows and doors before or even during your clean to bring fresh air into the room, removing odours and stopping the smell of chemicals from lingering
• Don’t forget to vacuum the furniture too!
• Never skip hard to reach areas – it doesn’t take long for dust to build up or mould to take hold
• Sanitise all areas, especially items such as phones or remotes that are touched the most
• Hard floor areas need two cleans – sweeping and mopping
• Pay special attention to kitchen and bathroom drains, as well as fittings
• Always check areas in the bathroom that are not immediately visible – stains and scum don’t take long to spread in wet areas
• Always dust and clean light fixtures

And never forget to remove all your supplies from the room when you’re done. Guests might raise an eyebrow when finding the room extras include mould killer.

• 85% of guests cite cleanliness as their main focus when reading reviews
• Make your housekeeping ‘invisible’ to the guest
• Housekeeping needs to present a clean, sanitary, and welcoming environment
• A general routine is to strip the room, clean the room, replace supplies, and ready it for the next guest
• Treat the job as if the guest is visiting your actual home
• Your housekeeping should be governed by three principles: prioritisation, preparation, and sustainability
• Pay close attention to inventory management
• Research and test different products to get it perfect
• It helps to implement housekeeping software that has the ability to lighten the load with built-in automation
• The ‘best’ tech products on the market make it fast, simple, and affordable