Refreshing Your Guest Rooms: The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid

Refreshing Your
Guest Rooms
The Top 10
Mistakes to Avoid
BEDROOM I BATHROOM I SPA
DINING & KITCHEN I SOFT FURNISHINGS

Pitfalls to avoid #10
Not using
Flame Retardant fabrics

Since the introduction of the 2005 Fire Safety Order (RRFSO), the onus is placed on your establishment's Responsible
Person to ensure that any item they buy complies with the hazard associated with the building's end-use.
Fabrics used in most public buildings are identified as a potential fire hazard and as such they are required to
be certified as flame retardant.
Why use fire or flame retardant fabrics:
• They burn slowly / self-extinguish and so limit the spread of fire
• They help reduce the heat build up and so prevent rapid fire development (also known as flashovers)
Click here to see how effective flame retardent are, against untreated fabrics.
https://youtu.be/3-SkBcFstL8

The different types of flame retardant fabrics:
• Inherent fabrics are woven by using a yarn that has been scientifically
modified to reduce its flammability
As a result, the flame retardancy will last the life of the material, giving
you the certainty that the fabric always meets legal requirements
• Coated fabrics are fire retardant because a "topical" treatment is
applied to the reverse of the fabric to reduce flammability
There are a wide range of FR treated fabrics available but it is important
to note that the treatment will diminish over time and isn't suitable for
washing

Not using
Black out Curtains

Why use Black-out Curtains / Blinds:
• To provide your guests with the perfect night’s sleep
Your guests will rate your establishment based on the
quality of their night’s sleep.
Using black-out curtains will ensure their sleep is not
disturbed by the drawn out daylight.
• To provide more privacy
The thicker material of black-out curtains blocks any light
inside being seen by anyone on the outside. This makes
them ideal for bathrooms and bedrooms.
• To save on your energy bills
The thicker lined blackout material helps to retain heat in a
room when it is cold. It will also reflect heat out of a room
when hot.

Not measuring for your
curtains accurately

Measuring for curtains is a lot trickier than it looks.
A few things to bear in mind:
• Is your floor levelled?
• Are your windows recessed?
• Are you using a pole or a track to hang your curtains?
There are a lot of different parameters to take into account
when measuring for curtains.
We always recommend hoteliers to get their curtains measured
professionally, either by the company who will produce their
curtains or a professional fitter.
Measuring curtains – drop required (length)

Not following a consistent
colour scheme

DO
• Define a colour scheme and
use it throughout your soft
furnishings, linen, bathroom
towelling and decoration
items
• Purposely clash different
prints with nuances of the
same colour scheme
• Consider embroidering your
white towelling and bed
linen in the same colour
scheme
DON’T
• Stick to the same fabric pattern
throughout your room
• Forget that your guest rooms
need to exhale a relaxing
atmosphere
• Choose the style of your rooms
without thinking of your primary
audience: Business / Private
guests

Not taking care of your
bed linen as a
professional

The 5 most commonly made mistake when washing bed linen in-house
1. Not pre-treating the bed linen
Not pre-treating your sheets, could lead to embedding any stains or grease
marks further into the fabric, making the stains harder to remove after
washing
- Inspect your bed linen for grease marks that may occur from
products such as sun cream and makeup
- Use a gentle enzyme based cleaner to pre-treat any stains
2. Mixing white bed linen with white towels
- Sheets and towels are very different in weight and need to be washed in
different ways to avoid not washing the linen properly, resulting in stains
not being removed
- Towels may produce a lot of lint, which can coat your bed linen with lots of
tiny fibres

3. Using harsh detergents
Hotel sheets are changed more often than normal sheets
meaning they won’t get as dirty, so there is no need for
harsh detergents. Using a gentle detergent means that
you can maintain the quality of your bed linen
and prolong its lifespan
4. Using fabric softener
Fabric softeners are made from oils and waxes and can
leave a film on your bed linen clogging the pores of your
cotton bed sheets. Over time this will damage your linen,
and when washed regularly the quality of the sheets can
quickly depreciate
5. Drying your bed linen for too long
Over drying your bed linen can cause it to shrink and can
damage them over time. We recommend that you dry
your bed linen on a low heat for the shortest possible
time to minimise any damage

Not thinking about
the little touches

Did you know?
Source: UK Hotel Guest Survey – Berendsen 2015

Not caring for your duvets

Storing your Duvet
• Invest in a good quality storage bag with a zip to keep out any
dust or moisture
• Whilst in storage, it is vital that the duvet is stored in a dry
place, preferably somewhere like a linen cupboard
General care
• When not in storage, keep your duvets regularly aired to
freshen it up
• Safeguard your duvet from stains with a duvet protector
Optimise the life expectancy of your duvets by following the right steps

Washing your duvet
• Before washing your duvet, always check the care label:
depending on what filling your duvet has may depend on
how you care for it
• If necessary, wash your duvet on a delicate wash. As a
rule of thumb, wash your duvet on a temperature of
around 30 degrees Celsius
• Opt for a mild detergent and avoid using bleach or fabric
softener
• Once washed, thoroughly dry your duvets. Set your
tumble dryer to a medium heat and dry it for
approximately four hours. Feathered duvets may take a
little longer to dry than synthetic duvets

Underestimating the
importance of your pillows

Did you know?
Within two years of usage,
1/3 of a pillow’s weight is
made up of dead skin, dust
mites, oil and dirt

Does Your Pillow Need Replacing?
Place the pillow on a hard flat
surface like a table, fold it in
half and push out any air.
Release the pillow
The pillow unfolds
back to its original
shape
The pillow fails to
spring back to its
original shape
It has lost its
support and
comfort and
needs replacing
You still have
some more usage
out of it
Feathered Pillows Synthetic Pillows
Place the pillow on a hard flat
surface like a table, fold it in
half and place a small weight
on it (approx. 300g)
The pillow quickly
springs back to
shape, pushing off
the weight
You still have
some more usage
out of it
The pillow fails to
spring back to its
original shape
It has lost its
support and
comfort and
needs replacing

Concentrating on only
some areas of your
establishment

Looking After Your Common areas
• First impressions matter
Do you need to refresh the soft
furnishings in reception, in the
hallway or in the corridors?
• Think practically
Hard wearing and easy to wash fabrics
are a must; darker colours are more
forgiving

Not taking your audience
into account

Who Are Your Guests?
• Business guests
• Private guests
A few things you need to think about
• The overall décor of your rooms needs to appeal to your audience
• Parents with youngsters will appreciate little touches from black out
curtains to extra cellular blankets
• Business guests who travel often will appreciate a quiet and
comfortable room

Refreshing Your Guest Rooms: The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid

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Refreshing Your Guest Rooms: The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid