HRM

1. The Different
Public Areas of
the Hotel

2. ENTRANCE
The entrance lobby provides the hotel its first
impression for the guests. When entrances are
not cleaned and maintained daily, they easily
acquire a neglected look which is very unappealing
to an arriving guest. In these areas, the
maintenance of floors is very important as this is
the inlet point for dust and dirt trekked in by
guest’ shoes.

4. Flooring And Mats
One doormat or runner should be placed just outside the entrance to
prevent most of the dirt being brought inside by guests. Another must
be placed just inside the entrance to remove any remaining dust from
shoes and do not leave any footprints on the floor. The following are the
maintenance tasks:
 Doormats and runners must be vacuum- cleaned daily to remove
dust and grit.
 In the rainy season and during times of heavy traffic (peak season)
cleaning the mats twice a day or more often may be required.
 The floor at the entrance has to be moppedfrequently throughout
the day.
 Plants at the entrance should be watered when required.

6. Doors
Most often, entrances to the main property have glass or wooden
doors. Glass doors easily develop steaks as guests place their
fingers on the surface. This is the reason why doors are usually
cleaned thoroughly early in the morning when the entrance lobby is
relatively free from traffic. The following are the cleaning tasks for
doors:
 Glass doors should be cleaned twice a day but during heavy traffic,
the frequency may have to be three of four times a day. A glass-
cleaner pr a vinegar-and-water solution may be used for a glass that
is not too soiled.
 Dirt, grease, and scuff mark (from shoes knocking against the
threshold) on the door frames should be damp- dusted with an
alkaline detergent and water, re-wiped with clean water.
 Wooden doors should be damp-dusted once daily. A neutral
detergent should be used with water for damo-dusting once a week
to avoid the build-up of layers of dust.
 Brass knobs and handles should be polished weekly, and in case of
lacquered brass, only damp-dusting is sufficient.
 Lights and lighting fixtures should be checked daily and cleaned
weekly.

8. LOBBIES
These are a common meeting point for guests near
the reception. Some are carpeted, while others
have hard floorings. These may have ceiling,
elaborate chandeliers, and other features that
make cleaning difficult. In some hotels, these
features are cleaned by contractors.

10. Daily Cleaning
Task to be done daily should be scheduled to provide less
inconvenience to guests.
 Ashtrays, sand urns and wastepaper basket should be emptied
and damp-dusted if required, as often as twice or thrice a day.
 Flower arrangements should be attended to daily and indoor
plants watered as required.
 Glass surfaces and windows should be cleaned with a glass-
cleaner daily.
Periodic Cleaning
Some cleaning tasks shoulded on a periodic basis. It can be once a
week, once in a month, every six months, or once a year. Here are
tasks which are usually carried out on a periodic basis:
 High-level dusting to clean ceilings and other hard-to-reach
areas like tops of fans and corridors should be done once a week.
Very high ceilings may be dusted once a month.
 Elaborate chandeliers may be brought down and cleaned once in
six months.
 Upholstered furniture should be suction-cleaned once in six
months.

11. FRONT DESK
It is the center of activity in the ‘front of the house’ since
all guest registrations, enquiries, and other concerns of
guest are made here. So as not to interrupt the flow of
business, cleaning in this area should be made during non-
peak hours.
Specific Cleaning Tasks:
 Empty wastepaper baskets are as and when required in
the day.
 Damp-dust the task, taking care to wipe under the
telephone wires and computer cables. The front panel of
the desk should be damp-dust and a neutral detergent
should be used to remove scuff marks from guests’ shoes.
 All the railings and fixtures should be damp-dusted. If
made of brass, they should be polished according to a
schedule.
 Damp-dust all the telephones with a disinfectant solution
and wipe with dry duster twice a day.

13. ELEVATOR
These should also be cleaned daily and a more through
cleaning may be made on a periodic basis. These should
be cleaned at daytime when least used and should be
taken out of service for cleaning.
Here are the following task:
 Damp-dust the steel doors, inside and out, using a
neutral detergent solution and the wipe clean using
water. Dry with clean duster.
 Damp-dust the inside wall panels, and control panel.
A neutral detergent may be used for the purpose
and the residue should be removed with a duster
dampened with clean water.
 Suction- clean elevator floor if carpeted. If it is
hard flooring, mop the floor.

15. STAIRCASES
Dividing staircases half lengthways and cleaning one
half at a time is the correct way of cleaning them. This
is to prevent dirty footprints on the wet floor and as
safety precaution so that there are no accidents
because of slipping on wet steps. In cleaning
staircases, acre should be taken that dirt and debris
do not fall downwards throught the gaps in banisters
and railings. Any sweeping should be directed towards
the wall. Here are the following specific tasks:
 Carpets should be suction-cleaned daily and any
stain should be attended to immediately.
 Hard-floored staircases should be suction-cleaned
and then damp-moped.
 The vertical risers of each step should also be
cleaned.

16. GUEST CORRIDORS
Long corridors should also be divided half lenghts so
that the other half can be used while the other is
cleaned. Appropriate cautionary signs should be used
to indicate that cleaning is being carried out. Most
hotels have carpeted corridors which should not only
be attractive but should withstand everyday wear and
tear. The cleaning tasks for corridors are as follows:
 The carpet should be vacuum-cleaned daily and may
be shampooed every six months (as a special project
during off season).
 Wall skirting or baseboards along the corridors
should be cleaned.
 Any finger mark or smudge on the walls should be
spot-cleaned. Thorough cleaning may be done once a
week.

17. PUBLIC RESTROOMS
These refer to washrooms and toilets meant for use by the general
public, and not restricted to guests registered at the hotel. Sanitary
fittings like water closet (toilet), urinals, bidets, and vanity units, or
was basins are commonly found in washrooms. Public restrooms need to
be cleaned thoroughtly twice a day at the minimum; when there is
increased guest traffic, the frequency of cleaning will be higher.
Cleaning vanity units/ wash bins and bidets – Bidets are cleaned
the same way as wash basins. Refer to 10 handout 2 for the procedures
of cleaning vanity units.
Cleaning WCs,shower cabinets, and baths – The process of
cleaning these areas are same as when cleaning bathrooms in
guestrooms. The weekly cleaning of WCs involves the use of an alkaline
detergent or acid cleaners when WCs are heavily soiled and stained.
Cleaning urinals – These may require the more frequent use of
acid cleaner. Toilet cleaner should be applied to all the inner surfaces
of the inner surfaces of the urinal and allowed to stand for 10minutes.
Any debris from the drainage channel should be removed. Clean the
surrounding surfaces, walls, and outer part of the urinals while the
cleaner is left to sit. Use toilet brush to scrub the urinal bowl
thoroughly and flush to rinse away the cleaner.

18. BANQUET HALLS/
MEETING ROOMS
These may be used for dinners, conferences, exhibitions,etc.
Usually during these events, the hotels provides audio-visual
aids and other presentation devices, as well appropriately
arranged tables and chairs. The cleaning process includes daily
and weekly cleaning tasks which are as follows:
 Sweep and mop the floor area well before the event. If the
area is carpeted, a vacuum cleaner should be used. Spot
clean carpet if stains are present.
 Assemble and arrange the furniture and audio-visual
equipment required. This is done with the expertise of the
maintenance department.
 Damp-dust or suction- clean the furniture.
 Table cloths, chair covers, and decorative bos should be
replaced if dirty.
 Lighting fixtures should be checked.
 Spot-clean walls in case of stains; otherwise may be washed
periodically.

19. DINING ROOMS
These need to have visual appeal and should meet sanitation
standards. The housekeeping works in conjunction with the
service staff where daily cleaning is done by the service
staff and thorough weekly cleaning is taken by the
housekeeping department. Housekeeping is also in-charge for
the supply of clean table linen and for the collection of dirty
linen. Here are the following tasks in cleaning dining rooms:
 Vacuum the carpeted areas,moving out the dining chairs to
clean under the tables; spot clean any stain.
 Damp-dust furniture daily; vacuum upholstered furniture
and polish wooden furniture once a month.
 Wipe all glass surfaces with a glass-cleaner.
 Spot- clean all walls.
 Check and clean lighting fixtures.
 Follow regular schedule of pest control.

20. LEISURE AREAS
Leisure areas in hotels are intended for the recreation and relaxation of
guests. These include health clubs, saunas and solariums, swimming pool, spas,
and changing areas.
Health Club – It is an exclusive area where guests exercise and work out in
using exercise equipment. These equipment may include treadmills, bench
presses, rowing machines, cycling machines, dumbbells, etc. Flooring area
should be non-slippery and not be polished to a very high shine. The walls
usually have mirrored panels. It has also shower cubicles and lockers. The
cleanliness of the entire area is the responsibility of the housekeeping
department. The following are the tasks of the department:
 Switch off and then damp-dust equipment.
 Damp-dust all furniture.
 Clean all glass surfaces including windows and mirrors.
 Remove any stain from walls.
 Check and damp-dust all lighting fixtures.
 Sweep and mop or suction-clean floors.
 Remove soiled linens and replaced them with fresh ones.

21. Saunas and Solariums
Saunas are steam-bath cubicles made of wood or glass. Solariums
are enclosed glass areas for the enjoyment or therapeutic use of
sunrays.
 Cleaning saunas
The inside of a sauna is warm and moist over long periods making
it prone to molds. Moss may also collect outside where there is a
lot of moisture. Bleach may be added as cleaning agent to water
and a nylon scrubber may be needed in cleaning saunas.
Concentrated solution of bleach should be used in badly affected
areas. After cleaning with bleach, the sauna should be rinsed
thoroughly with cold water to remove all residual bleach. The sauna
is left open to dry and a deodorizer may be used to counteract the
smell of the bleach.
 Cleaning solariums
It primarily involves the cleaning of the glass panels. A
proprietary glass-cleaner or solution of vinegar and water may be
used.

22. Swimming Pools, Spas, and Changing Rooms
For hygiene purposes, regular cleaning and disinfecting of pools is important. If not
cleaned to a regular schedule, swimming pools may become carriers of waterborne
infections.
Spa bath are small pools of warm water with temperature maintained at a maximum of 39
degree Celsius. Jacuzzis are small pools in which alternate jets of warm water bring about
therapeutic effects. These are cleaned in the same way as swimming pools.
Any repair and maintenance work needed in the swimming pools is done by the engineering
and maintenance department. The daily cleaning however, usually comes under the
responsibility of the housekeeping department. Here are their tasks:
 Skimming the surface of the pool water for floating debris, using a skimmer net
attached to a long pole.
 Cleaning any glass surface.
 Emptying wastepaper baskets.
 Damp-dusting any furniture.
 Sweeping and mopping floor surfaces.
 Suction-cleaning any carpeted area.
 Spot-cleaning the walls.
 Checking and cleaning lighting fixtures.
 Removing soiled linen and replacing with fresh ones.
 Replenishing toiletries.
The primary concerns in cleaning pools are: water clarity which results from effective
filtration to remove all particulate matter and water chemistry control which implies the
chemical safety of the water that involves the maintenance of a neutral pH to control the
growth of bacteria in the pool water.