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Ultimate housekeeping operations management guide [+ checklists].

The success of your housekeeping practices directly impact the success of your hotel. If your guest rooms aren’t properly cleaned, it puts not only your property’s reputation in danger—it also puts your bottom line in jeopardy.

According to leading industry professionals, even a single negative review can lose your hotel close to 30 guests . And since modern travelers report that cleanliness is the most important factor in choosing where they’ll stay , your housekeeping operations are a cornerstone of guest satisfaction at your hotel. 

A couple of key ways you can maintain housekeeping consistency and prevent negative guest experiences is by following housekeeping management best practices and streamlining your hotel’s housekeeping operations. Having proper plans and processes in place to aid in risk prevention and maintain consistent cleanliness across your property goes a long way toward ensuring guest satisfaction and managing your hotel’s reputation. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of housekeeping management, why it’s so important, the ins and outs of staffing and staff management, the importance of checklists, and the benefits of utilizing a digital management solution. 

Integrating housekeeping apps can significantly enhance your team's efficiency, offering tools for better schedule management and task delegation.

To continue your learning, check out our comprehensive Hotel Operations Management Guide.

• Feel Free to Book a Demo Today

‍ Recommended Resources:

• 15 Best Hotel Housekeeping App(s) For Businesses In 2024
• 9 Best Hotel Work Order Software For Businesses In 2024
• 10 Best Boutique Hotel Maintenance Software To Maximize Process Excellence In 2024
• 10 Best Preventive Maintenance Checklist Software For Hotels To Optimize Process Efficiency

What is housekeeping management

The housekeeping management team is responsible for managing and maintaining all operations of the housekeeping department. The hierarchy of a housekeeping department’s organizational chart will look a little different from property to property, depending on the size of the operation and the general housekeeping needs of the hotel . But most of the time, hotels will have a housekeeping manager, an executive housekeeper , an assistant executive housekeeper, and various housekeeping supervisors for different segments of the department.

Some segments or different areas of a housekeeping department might include: 

• Linens/Uniform Supervisor
• Desk Control Supervisor
• Floor Supervisor 
• Night Supervisor 
• Public Area Supervisor 
• Horticultural Supervisor 
• Guestroom Supervisor 

An example of this structure might be that your housekeeping operations include a segment that handles public areas or linens specifically. For these segments, in addition to the executive housekeeping team, you may also have a Public Area Supervisor and a Laundry/Linens Supervisor to help delegate those areas of work. While your directors and executives oversee and manage the high-level operations of housekeeping across the property, individual-level supervisors will handle the details of specific operational segments and report that information up to the executive suite. 

The housekeeping manager will be responsible for delegating tasks to both executives and supervisors, overseeing productivity and consistency, maintaining organization and more. Some other key aspects of a housekeeping manager’s role include: 

• Hiring and firing within the housekeeping department 
• Ensuring the availability of necessary tools and cleaning supplies
• Inventory management such as linens and towels, toiletries, etc. 
• Optimizing labor by delegating responsibilities and tracking progress

Each level of housekeeping operations is crucial to maintaining efficiency and streamlining productivity—and the way to organize and effectively utilize each area of operations is to go in with a clear housekeeping management plan. Employing work order software can further streamline these processes, making task management and execution more effective.

Why is housekeeping management important?

Housekeeping practices are often closely tied with an organization’s safety culture—so, first and foremost, housekeeping management is critical to the health and safety of everyone who comes through the doors of your hotel. For properties with unique needs, such as boutique hotels, exploring specialized boutique hotel maintenance solutions can provide tailored support to uphold high standards of cleanliness and guest satisfaction. But housekeeping management is important for a multitude of reasons. Structuring your housekeeping operations and planning processes effectively reduces waste, increases efficiency, and aids in achieving and maintaining quality and brand standards across single properties and entire portfolios. 

Inefficient labor practices can lead to significant losses of time and money across your operation. Ineffective cleaning methods can cause wasted inventory and safety risks to both guests and staff. Slow housekeeping turnaround times can directly affect a guest’s travel timeline too, causing guest satisfaction and hotel reputation to suffer. This is where digital housekeeping management systems, like Xenia, come in. Utilizing preventive maintenance strategies within your housekeeping operations ensures that equipment and tools are always in top condition, further improving efficiency and reducing downtime. By helping to assign, track and measure housekeeping tasks, managers can improve operations and save money.

Housekeeping is one of the most frequent guest touchpoints. The cleanliness of guest-centered spaces is often their first impression of your property. Beyond that, when a guest needs additional towels or toiletries or requests turndown service, it’s the housekeeping team that they’ll interact with. Cleanliness is essentially at the core of guest satisfaction: and housekeeping is the catalyst, directly delivering guest experience. 

How many housekeepers per room do hotels need?

On average, over the course of a typical, eight-hour shift, a housekeeper will clean between 10 - 15 rooms per day. At some hotels, they’ll clean as many as 30 rooms per day . The amount of housekeepers per room your hotel needs will vary depending on available staff, the amount of part-time staff vs. full-time staff you have, the size of hotel rooms, housekeeping staffing needs for public areas and groundskeeping, and more. 

Industry recommendations suggest that for every 10 rooms in a three-star hotel the maximum number of staff needed is eight—in a four-star hotel the suggestion is twelve, and in a five-star hotel: twenty. Ultimately, the size of your housekeeping team depends on your operational needs, your organization’s brand and quality standards and your budgetary requirements. 

How many hours can housekeepers work per shift?

Generally, housekeepers work in shifts that are similar to an average 9 to 5 work schedule. They’ll often work in 8 - 10 hour shifts, cleaning anywhere between 10 - 15 rooms per shift, with a 30 minute break factored in. A maximum shift could be up to 12 hours, but to prevent injury and burnout in such a physically demanding job that produces such a high churn rate, it’s better to alternate staff and keep shifts shorter on average. 

How much should a housekeeper get paid hourly?

The average hourly rate for a housekeeper in the United States is $13/hour and can fall anywhere between $12 and $15 per hour. In more urban areas the pay rate will generally be higher. Salary.com reports that in Los Angeles, California for example, the average rate is closer to the high end of that range at $15/hour and can go as high as $18/hour depending on the hotel, while in a more rural area like Columbia, Tennessee the average is closer to $11.50/hour, below the national median. 

But these rates vary even more depending on where they’re being tracked and reported, and whether or not tips are being factored in. Tammy La Gorce from the New York Times News Service found in research that “a housekeeper in a New York City hotel can expect to make an average of $29.41 an hour, while one in Charlotte, North Carolina, might earn an average of $10 an hour.” That’s why, when hiring, it’s important to take a look at a variety of sources to find the average rates for housekeepers in your area and adjust your rates accordingly. 

Oftentimes housekeepers will make additional income from guest tips, but that isn’t always the case depending on the type of hotel, the cost of accommodations, and the length of guest stays. Etip research found that “only about 27% people tip all the time, 31% never do, and 42% sometimes tip.” Because of this, when guests do leave a tip, the average tip range varies pretty drastically. Housekeepers might see varies between $1 and $5 a night in tips. But general tip etiquette for housekeeping suggests that between $3 and $5 a night is the ideal tip guests should leave for satisfactory housekeeping services. 

Experts interviewed by HuffPost news pointed out the differences in tips at hotel types, suggesting that, while the general guideline for tips is $3 to $5 a day, at a five-star hotel located in high-rent areas and large cities such as New York, or Los Angeles, guests should expect to tip $5 to $10 per day. That doesn’t mean housekeepers can consistently expect to make these tips, but it does mean that pay rates and average tips at your property should be factored into your hiring plan, especially if your guests are good about tipping your team.

How to structure and train housekeeping teams

Housekeeping teams should be structured in order of responsibility, shift, and leadership hierarchy. Managers and executives will oversee supervisors, supervisors will oversee staff in individual department segments. Managers often prioritize the onboarding and training of housekeeping team members by level of necessary supervision. 

Make sure you’ve trained your executives and team supervisors appropriately in order for them to manage direct reports. From there, you can prioritize training for housekeeping staff depending on their skill level and subject-matter expertise. Some team members may require more general training, while others may require more technical or in-depth training to use specific machinery, tools, or cleaning chemicals. 

Training should be an ongoing initiative at your property to ensure that housekeepers are maintaining consistency and following necessary protocols. You can determine the level of ongoing training needed by regularly analyzing team performance. 

How to measure housekeeping performance

You can keep track of housekeeping performance at your property in a variety of ways. One of the best ways is by utilizing standardized checklists for housekeeping processes. Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and maintaining their adherence through accessible checklists keeps everyone on the same page and creates a clear paper trail for logging housekeeping procedures and understanding what’s working, where there’s room for improvement, and how you can further optimize operations. 

Digital task tracking is another great way to understand and analyze housekeeping performance. You can even use solutions such as Xenia that provide digital checklist features so your team can complete cleaning and inspections checklists on the go directly from their individual mobile devices. From there, those checklists are automatically logged within a digital system where they can be uploaded into customizable reports and examined in depth to help you spot patterns with assets, failed inspection items, and more. 

Additionally, you can regularly check the online reviews and complaints issued by guests. This can help you to understand if guests are dissatisfied with your property’s cleanliness practices, giving you a better understanding of where your housekeeping team might be falling short. 

Essential housekeeping checklists for hoteliers

You can utilize housekeeping checklists for a variety of procedures at your property. Some essential checklists we recommend using include the following: 

Room Cleaning Checklist 

A room cleaning checklist ensures your housekeepers are maintaining quality and cleanliness standards for every guestroom on the property. Room cleaning checklists include cleaning tasks such as sanitizing surfaces, vacuuming the carpets and rugs, stripping and remaking bedding, dusting decorations and furnishings, and mopping hard floors, amongst other things. This checklist helps ensure consistency across your property. 

Bathroom Cleaning Checklist 

A bathroom cleaning checklist helps you get specific about cleaning expectations for restroom spaces. This checklist could include tasks like wiping and sanitizing countertops, cleaning out the bathtub or shower, replacing soiled towels and used toiletries, checking drains and faucets, ensuring toilet functionality, and more. 

Lobby Cleaning Checklist 

The lobby of your hotel is typically the very first impression your guest has of your property—that’s why it’s crucial to make sure it’s clean and inviting. A Lobby cleaning checklist includes things like mopping hard floors, vacuuming rugs and carpets, dusting furnishings, wiping desks and hard surfaces, replacing publicly used toiletries such as tissue paper and hand sanitizer pumps, and more. 

Laundry Management Checklist 

A laundry management checklist helps you to manage laundry operations at your property. Laundry can be a whole operation in and of itself, so it’s important to outline necessary procedures for staff so everyone stays on the same page to maintain efficiency. A Laundry management checklist may include tasks such as collecting bedding and linens, sorting bedding and linens, transporting laundry to the appropriate facility for cleaning, cleaning and folding bedding and linens, and more. 

Benefits of Housekeeping Management Software

A housekeeping management software can make operations oversight simpler, reduce miscommunication, and streamline productivity in a multitude of ways. A user-friendly digital operations solution like Xenia has robust task management and communication tools for any use case while being simple enough for anyone to use—and quick to adopt and implement. 

Xenia’s user assignment features allow you to instantly see who’s actively clocked in and available for work so you can easily assign them to housekeeping tasks whether you’re in the office or across the property. And with digital checklists housed in one simple, accessible application, your entire team is able to find the procedures they need to follow whenever and wherever they are. When the team works through processes in Xenia, they’re automatically logged in the system too, creating an easy-to-follow audit trail for tasks that makes performance analysis and team communication easier than ever.

To top it all off, your team can even include photos and notes on checklist items for optimal clarity, and instant messaging keeps everyone connected from afar. If there’s a quick question or clarification needed, your team can reach you or any other team member with just a few taps of their fingers rather than tracking them down at your busy hotel or disturbing guests with noisy radio calls. And live room status updates ensure rooms are turned over efficiently, so everything is ready for your guests as soon as they check in.

And that’s just the beginning of how Xenia can help you manage your hotel operations. Visit our resources center to learn more about how we can take your housekeeping management to the next level, or book a free product demo any time! We’re here to help you optimize your workflow so you can focus on providing stellar guest experiences every time. 

Streamline Hotel Operations, Maintenance and Quality Assurance with Xenia

Xenia unifies daily operations, maintenance management and quality assurance to help General Managers ensure teams and facilities are effective and efficient.

Our customers love Xenia's robust use cases including:

Daily Operations

✔️ checklists & sops.

Create checklists, SOPs, Inspections and Data Logs to power accountability, training and staff clarity on every task.

📆 Recurring Tasks

Create recurring schedules for daily opening and closings, performance review meetings, inspections, cleanings and more.

📲 Chats & Announcements

Centralize team communications with in task chats, one-on-one chats, team messages and company wide announcements

💪 Team Accountability

Defeat pencil whipping and disorganized responsibility assessments by standardizing operations with Xenia. Chat with teams on any device, track time, collect photos, and ensure high quality work.

📊 Team Performance Reporting

Use Xenia's analytics dashboards to view staff work reports. Filter by asset, location, category or due date and export the report in PDF or Excel

Maintenance Management

🛠️ work orders.

Create work orders with associated team, asset, location, priority, category and due date. View live progress reports on each work order, chat with teams, and review resulting template submission, images and notes to improve operations.

🧰 Preventive Maintenance

Create a preventive maintenance calendar to ensure asset uptime is not compromised. Attach images, templates, videos and notes to every task and assign to a team or individual for completion.

Generate and attach QR codes to equipment and facility locations to enable fast and accurate inspections and data logs.

📁 Equipment Work History

View work history for every asset and sub asset in Xenia. Review performance data and enable corrective actions to improve your operation.

Quality Assurance

👍 brand standards.

Put your brand standards in a clear and operational checklist to be attached to work assignments.

🔎 Smart Inspection Workflows

Xenia's operations template builder has built in conditional logic into each step. This allows you to trigger actions based on a form response such as creating a corrective action on a failed inspection step, sending a notification to management for out of range meter readings, and much more.

✨ Corrective Actions

Operationalize inspections with fast work order assignment arising from a failed inspection step. All corrective data is stored in the checklist submission for auditing and accountability.

📋 Analytics and Reports

View live dashboard summaries of tasks, employee performance, template submissions and more. Filter, organize and export compliance reports to PDF and Excel formats to simplify compliance management.

Why use Xenia in your hotel operation?

Xenia is empowering hundreds of teams around the world to elevate their hotel operations management. When implemented, Xenia offers benefits such as:

🦾 Reduce Manual Operations

With Xenia, you can schedule recurring tasks and work orders in minutes. Assigned employees will receive notifications and can complete work on their mobile device.

💯 Standardize Processes & Increase Accountability

Build custom checklists, SOPs, inspections, log books, surveys, meeting agendas and more with Xenia. Attach these to tasks and work orders to clarify work and collect crucial data such as photos, notes, time stamps and more.

🤩 Minimize Negative Reviews

Xenia's operations platform increases brand standards and speeds up issue resolution to ensure a positive guest experience. When things do go wrong, Xenia provides a central data suite to identify the root cause and execute intervention plans.

⚡ Speed Up Work Order Resolution Time

Enable any team member to report issues, damage or guest complaints directly on their mobile device. The necessary team will be notified and can resolve the issue immediately.

🏨 Minimize Equipment Downtime

With Xenia's preventive maintenance calendars and work order management, teams can centralize their asset maintenance and ensure every issue is prevented or corrected in short order. This saves teams thousands each year in avoidable repair fees.

🔐 Secure Data Storage

All data in Xenia is securely stored in the cloud for analysis and reporting. We do not delete historical data to ensure that you have a clear view of improvement over time.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question? Find our FAQs here. If your question hasn't been answered here, contact us .

What is the role of housekeeping management in a hotel, and how does it impact guest satisfaction and hotel reputation?

Housekeeping management is responsible for overseeing the cleanliness and upkeep of the entire hotel, including guest rooms, public areas, and laundry services.

The housekeeping team ensures that rooms are thoroughly cleaned, linens are fresh, and amenities are well-stocked, contributing directly to guest comfort and satisfaction.

A well-managed housekeeping department plays a crucial role in maintaining high standards of cleanliness, which is often the primary factor guests consider when choosing a hotel.

Poor housekeeping can lead to negative reviews and loss of potential guests and bottom line.

Efficient housekeeping management not only ensures guest safety and satisfaction but also helps in maintaining the hotel's brand standards and overall image.

How do you determine the optimal number of housekeepers needed per room, and what factors influence this decision?

The number of housekeepers required per room depends on several factors: the size and layout of the rooms, the level of service the hotel aims to provide, the number of part-time versus full-time staff, and specific needs for public area and groundskeeping maintenance.

Industry standards suggest different staffing levels based on the hotel's star rating.

For example, a three-star hotel might need fewer staff per room compared to a five-star establishment, which requires more intensive and personalized services.

Moreover, the expected turnaround time for cleaning rooms and the physical demands of the job should be considered to prevent staff burnout and ensure high-quality service.

What are the essential checklists needed for effective housekeeping management in hotels?

Essential housekeeping checklists for hotels include Room Cleaning, Bathroom Cleaning, Lobby Cleaning, and Laundry Management checklists.

• The Room Cleaning Checklist covers tasks such as sanitizing surfaces, vacuuming, changing linens, and dusting, ensuring each guestroom meets cleanliness standards.
• The Bathroom Cleaning Checklist focuses on sanitizing countertops, cleaning showers or bathtubs, replacing towels and toiletries, and checking plumbing fixtures.
• The Lobby Cleaning Checklist is vital for making a positive first impression and includes mopping floors, dusting furniture, and maintaining cleanliness in public areas.
• Finally, the Laundry Management Checklist ensures efficient handling of bedding and linens, covering collection, sorting, washing, folding, and storage processes.

These checklists help maintain consistency and quality in housekeeping operations, directly impacting guest satisfaction.

How does a digital housekeeping management system like Xenia enhance hotel operations?

A digital housekeeping management system like Xenia streamlines hotel operations by providing tools for task assignment, progress tracking, and performance analysis.

The system allows managers to assign tasks to available staff members instantly, even remotely, ensuring efficient workload distribution.

Digital checklists ensure that all cleaning and maintenance procedures are followed accurately and consistently.

The software automatically logs completed tasks, creating an audit trail for performance analysis and helping identify areas for improvement.

What training and ongoing development are necessary for housekeeping staff to maintain high performance standards?

Effective training and ongoing development are crucial for maintaining high performance standards in hotel housekeeping.

The initial training should cover the hotel's specific cleaning procedures, use of cleaning equipment and chemicals, safety protocols, and customer service expectations.

Ongoing development can include regular refreshers on best practices, updates on new cleaning technologies or products, and training in specialized areas like eco-friendly cleaning methods.

Supervisors should regularly monitor housekeeping staff performance and provide feedback or additional training where needed.

Continuous professional development not only ensures consistent quality in housekeeping services but also contributes to employee satisfaction and retention

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Hotel Housekeeping Optimization: 10 Ways to Optimize the Housekeeping Department

What do room attendants want more than anything? To keep the guests satisfied. And what satisfies the guests? Clean rooms. More than 86% of all hotel guests worldwide cite room cleanliness as their top benchmark when leaving and reading reviews.

You already know just how reviews can make or break your business. Many hotels spend tens or even hundreds of thousands on improving the guest experience. But what if we told you that you could improve it with just a few changes?

Today, we’re going to talk about the function and importance of housekeeping management , plus give you a few tips on how to optimize housekeeping functions.

Table of Contents

What Are Hotel Housekeeping Operations?

Before moving on to various maintenance issues and their solutions, let’s establish what hotel housekeeping operations are.

Housekeeping operations refer to a set of tasks and responsibilities of the maintenance department. These include cleaning and preparing guest rooms, managing laundry services, replenishing room supplies, and of course, reporting to management.

As some of you might’ve noticed, these days, hotel guests are needier than ever. Research shows that nearly 50% of consumers cite “enhanced cleaning regimens” as the most important step hotels can take to make their stay more comfortable.

What Hotel Jobs are in the Housekeeping Department?

There are nearly 365,000 hotel housekeeping jobs in the United States. The number of jobs fell by 22% during the pandemic. However, in the next two years, it’s expected to bounce back.

So what does the average housekeeping department look like? In most hotels, the housekeeping team consists of a number of roles, each contributing to the smooth functioning of operations.

The most important roles in the hotel housekeeping department include:

Executive Housekeeper:/Housekeeping Manager: The executive housekeeper or the manager oversees the entire department. They’re there to set standards, manage the housekeeping staff, and ensure operations are running smoothly. Moreover, the housekeeping manager is responsible for maintaining cleanliness, coordinating with other departments, and implementing effective strategies.

Floor Supervisor: The floor supervisor usually works closely with room attendants to make sure the cleaning equipment is stocked and that the quality standards are met. In most hotels, floor supervisors assign tasks to housekeeping team members, conduct inspections, and provide training to maintain high-quality service.

Room Attendants: Hotel room attendants are probably the most important members of housekeeping teams because they’re responsible for the actual cleaning and preparing of guest rooms. They make sure the hotel rooms are sanitized properly, well-maintained, and equipped with all of the necessary amenities.

Laundry Attendants: A laundry attendant does what their job title suggests – handles the laundering of hotel linens, towels, guest clothes, and even staff uniforms. They’re there to make sure that clean and fresh linens are available for hotel guests and maintain the highest standards of cleanliness.

What are the Main Functions of the Housekeeping Staff?

Cleanliness is the most important factor impacting guest satisfaction . In turn, guest satisfaction is the biggest contributor to repeated visits.

That’s why we often say that the housekeeping department is the backbone of any hotel business. Not only does it look after the cleanliness of the entire hotel, but it also contributes to many other hotel departments.

Housekeeping staff members perform several critical functions to maintain cleanliness, organization, and guest comfort. These include:

• Getting the Check-In Room Ready

Room attendants play a vital role in preparing guest rooms before check-in. They ensure that the room is clean, properly sanitized, and stocked with amenities, making a positive first impression on guests.

• Handling Cleaning Procedures

Housekeeping staff performs regular cleaning tasks, including dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and disinfecting surfaces, to maintain cleanliness throughout the hotel. Room attendants focus not only on guest rooms but also on common areas, such as lobbies, hallways, and public restrooms.

• Maintaining Guest Supplies

It is the responsibility of the hotel housekeeping staff to ensure an adequate supply of guest amenities, such as toiletries, towels, and linens. Monitoring inventory levels, restocking supplies, and ensuring the comfort of the guests go a long way in guest satisfaction.

• Managing Laundry Services

The staff members also handle the collection, sorting, washing, drying, folding, and delivery of hotel laundry. The attendants ensure all occupied rooms have fresh linens and their laundry delivered each morning.

• Reporting to Hotel Management

The efficiency of the housekeeping department depends on communication. That’s housekeeping departments often provide regular reports to the front desk and management. Things like room status, inventory levels, and maintenance issues are just some of the things talked about. Daily communication with management facilitates efficient decision-making and problem-solving.

What are the 7S of Good Hotel Housekeeping?

The most basic and fundamental approach for productivity in the hospitality industry is the 7S of housekeeping: Sort, Systematize, Sweeping, Standardize, Self-discipline, Sustain, and Safety.

The general concept of the 7S is to optimize the physical workforce for efficiency and effectiveness . You can accomplish this by identifying and storing the cleaning equipment, maintaining orderliness in the storage rooms, and sustaining the new order.

The 7S of good hotel housekeeping is actually the expanded version of the 5S principle. By following the 7S of good housekeeping, hotel housekeeping managers can ensure the safety of workers in the most efficient manner.

The framework outlines the most important elements of good hotel housekeeping:

The principle of “Sort” emphasizes the importance of organization and decluttering. In hotel housekeeping, sorting involves systematically assessing and categorizing items to determine their necessity and relevance. By eliminating unnecessary items and clutter, housekeeping staff can optimize space utilization and create a more efficient and visually appealing environment.

Example: Implement a regular inventory review process to identify and remove outdated or unused cleaning supplies, linens, and guest amenities. This helps reduce clutter and streamline operations.

2. Systematize

Systematization refers to the development and implementation of standardized processes and procedures in housekeeping operations. By establishing clear guidelines, protocols, and checklists, hotels can ensure consistency, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery.

Example: Develop standardized cleaning checklists and room inspection protocols that outline specific tasks, quality standards, and frequencies. This enables housekeeping staff to follow a systematic approach, resulting in thorough and consistent cleaning.

3. Sweeping

“Sweeping” represents the regular cleaning and maintenance of floors, carpets, and surfaces throughout the hotel. It involves the removal of dust, dirt, and debris to create a clean and welcoming environment for guests.

Example: Implement a daily cleaning schedule that includes sweeping and mopping all common areas, including lobbies, corridors, and public spaces. Regular sweeping ensures a tidy appearance and promotes guest satisfaction.

4. Standardize

Standardization is a vital principle in hotel housekeeping, focusing on establishing and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and service. Standardization ensures that all areas of the hotel consistently meet predefined quality criteria, creating a positive and memorable experience for every visitor.

Example: Create and communicate clear cleanliness standards to the hotel housekeeping staff, including specific guidelines for room cleanliness, public areas, and amenities. Regular training and performance evaluations can help maintain and reinforce these standards.

5. Self-discipline

Self-discipline emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility and commitment to maintaining cleanliness and professionalism. It involves fostering a culture of accountability, attention to detail, and pride in one’s work among hotel housekeeping staff.

Example: Encourage housekeeping staff to take ownership of their assigned tasks and maintain a high level of self-discipline in adhering to cleanliness standards. Provide recognition and rewards for exceptional performance to motivate and reinforce self-discipline.

The principle of “Sustain” focuses on the long-term maintenance of cleanliness and organization in hotel housekeeping. It involves creating processes and systems to ensure that high standards are consistently upheld over time.

Example: Implement regular room inspections, audits, and performance evaluations to monitor and sustain cleanliness standards. Conduct refresher training sessions and encourage open communication to address challenges and identify areas where you have room for improvement.

Safety is a crucial aspect of hotel housekeeping operations. It involves identifying and mitigating potential hazards to create a safe environment for guests and staff. Ensuring compliance with safety regulations and promoting a culture of safety is paramount.

Example: Provide appropriate safety equipment, such as gloves and non-slip footwear, to the housekeeping staff. Conduct regular safety training sessions to educate staff on proper handling of chemicals, safe lifting techniques, and other relevant safety practices.

What are the Hotel Housekeeping Manager’s Duties?

The role of a hotel housekeeping manager is multifaceted, encompassing various responsibilities to oversee and optimize housekeeping operations. Some of the key duties of a housekeeping manager include:

• Staff Management : The housekeeping manager is responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising the housekeeping team. They ensure that staff members are adequately trained, motivated, and equipped with the necessary skills to perform their duties effectively.
• Inventory Control : The housekeeping manager manages hotel inventory levels for cleaning supplies, linens, and guest amenities. They establish protocols for stock monitoring, ordering, and storage to ensure a sufficient supply of essentials without excess waste or cost.
• Budgeting and Cost Control : Housekeeping managers develop and manage the department’s budget, keeping in mind the need for quality cleaning products, staff wages, and equipment maintenance. They seek cost-saving opportunities, identify areas of potential waste, and make informed decisions to optimize resources and minimize expenses.
• Quality Control : The housekeeping manager establishes and maintains quality control standards to ensure that cleaning tasks are performed to the highest level of satisfaction. They conduct regular inspections, implement feedback mechanisms, and provide ongoing training to maintain consistency and excellence in service delivery.
• Scheduling and Resource Allocation : Effective scheduling is crucial for managing housekeeping operations. The manager creates work schedules, assigns tasks, and optimizes staffing levels based on hotel occupancy and guest requirements. They ensure that staffing allocations are efficient, providing adequate support during peak periods and adjusting staffing levels during slower times.
• Coordination with Other Departments : Housekeeping is an integral part of overall hotel operations, requiring close coordination with other departments. The manager collaborates with front desk staff, maintenance personnel, and other relevant departments to ensure seamless communication, resolve guest issues, and maintain a cohesive guest experience.
• Continuous Improvement : The housekeeping manager strives for continuous improvement in housekeeping operations. They stay updated on industry best practices, new technologies, and emerging trends, identifying opportunities for innovation and efficiency enhancement. They actively seek feedback from guests and staff to implement improvements and ensure that every guest’s experience is at a high level.

The role of a housekeeping general manager is pivotal in creating a well-organized, efficient, and customer-centric housekeeping department. Their duties encompass a broad spectrum of responsibilities that directly contribute to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and overall success.

What Are the Biggest Challenges for Your Housekeeping Team?

Housekeeping teams face several challenges that can impact their efficiency and performance. It is important to understand and address these challenges to optimize the housekeeping department. Some common challenges include:

• Time Constraints : Cleaning agents often face tight time constraints, particularly during high occupancy periods when there is a quick turnaround between guest check-out and check-in. Limited time may lead to rushed cleaning tasks, compromising thoroughness and attention to detail.
• Staffing and Workload Management : Proper staffing and workload allocation are crucial for maintaining efficiency and quality. Insufficient staffing levels or uneven workload distribution can lead to burnout, reduced productivity, and compromised satisfaction.
• Language and Communication Barriers : In many hotels with a diverse workforce, language barriers may arise , affecting effective communication among housekeeping staff members. That can easily lead to misunderstandings, errors, and challenges in delivering consistent service.
• Maintaining Quality Standards : Consistently maintaining high-quality standards throughout the hotel can be challenging, particularly when dealing with a large number of guest rooms and common areas. Ensuring attention to detail, adherence to cleanliness protocols, and consistent service delivery requires ongoing training, supervision, and quality control measures.
• Guest Requests and Complaints : Housekeeping staff must respond to guest requests promptly and address any complaints or issues that arise. Managing guest expectations, coordinating with other departments, and resolving conflicts require effective communication and problem-solving skills.
• Multitasking and Time Management : Housekeeping departments often need to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. Cleaning multiple rooms, responding to guest requests, and handling manual equipment are just some of them. Effective time management, prioritization, and multitasking skills are essential to ensure efficient operations and meet guest expectations.

By recognizing these challenges and implementing strategies to address them, the housekeeping department can improve the efficiency, productivity, and overall performance of their room attendant teams.

What is Hotel Housekeeping Software?

Hotel software is a technological solution designed to streamline and optimize housekeeping department operations. It digitizes and automates various aspects of housekeeping management, including task assignment, inventory control, communication, and performance tracking.

The software offers features such as:

Task Management

The software enables efficient task assignment, tracking, and completion. It enables the executive housekeeper to assign specific cleaning tasks to room attendants, monitor progress in real-time, and ensure the timely completion of tasks.

Inventory Control

Housekeeping solutions help manage hotel inventory levels by providing real-time tracking of cleaning supplies, electrical equipment, linens, and guest amenities. It facilitates automated reordering, ensures stock availability, and minimizes the risk of shortages or excesses.

Communication and Collaboration

The software provides a centralized platform for communication among housekeeping staff, allowing them to exchange messages, request assistance, and report issues. It promotes effective collaboration and allows both large and small hotels to streamline communication.

Performance Tracking and Analytics

Hotel software offers performance-tracking features that allow the executive housekeeper to monitor individual and team performance. It provides insights into key performance indicators, such as task completion rates, response times, and guest experience scores. These analytics help identify areas for improvement, track progress, and make data-driven decisions to optimize housekeeping operations.

Mobile Accessibility

Many housekeeping solutions offer mobile accessibility, allowing staff members to access the software on their smartphones or tablets. This enables them to view task assignments, update statuses, and talk to their colleagues in other departments while on the go, improving efficiency and responsiveness.

Integration with Other Systems

Housekeeping software can integrate with other management systems, such as property management systems (PMS) and guest messaging platforms. This integration facilitates seamless data flow and communication between departments, enhancing overall operational efficiency and guest experience.

Implementing hotel software brings numerous benefits, including:

• Streamlined Operations: The software automates manual processes, reducing administrative tasks and freeing up time for housekeeping staff to focus on delivering exceptional service.
• Improved Efficiency: Task assignment and tracking features help optimize workflow and ensure timely completion of tasks, minimizing room turnaround time and enhancing operational efficiency.
• Enhanced Communication: Centralized communication channels enable effective collaboration, enabling every housekeeping attendant to communicate and address issues promptly, resulting in improved responsiveness and client satisfaction.
• Inventory Management: Real-time inventory tracking prevents stockouts and overstocking, ensuring a sufficient supply of cleaning materials, linens, and guest amenities. This reduces costs and eliminates unnecessary waste.
• Performance Monitoring: The software’s performance tracking and analytics provide valuable insights into room attendant and team performance, enabling the general manager to identify strengths, weaknesses, and training needs. In turn, this fosters a culture of continuous improvement and empowers staff to deliver their best.

By adopting the right software solution, a hotel can transform its housekeeping department into efficient, well-organized teams that consistently deliver outstanding service.

10 Tips for Optimizing Your Housekeeping Department

We’ve explored the challenges of the housekeeping department. We’ve discussed the benefits of properly organizing room attendants and other department members. And we’ve even explained the role of technology in the housekeeping department.

Now, it’s time to help you optimize your housekeeping department and enhance your hotel business in the process.

1. Set and Optimize SOPs

Standard Operating Procedures – or SOPs for short – have been around since the mid-20th century . They represent a specific set of practices that should be initiated and followed when specific circumstances arise.

Develop comprehensive hotel SOPs covering room cleaning protocols, inspection processes, and quality control measures. Regularly review and refine these procedures to ensure they align with evolving hotel industry best practices and guest expectations.

How Can the Housekeeping Department Do It?

Your hotel staff can handle this task with relative ease. Simply Implement a room cleaning checklist that includes specific tasks, required supplies, and quality standards to ensure consistency and thoroughness.

2. Standardize the Quality of Cleanliness

According to research from the University of Singidunum, 85% of hotel guests believe that a vast majority of hospitality industry establishments offer “ average quality services .” That includes cleaning rooms, house areas, conference halls, ground floor, and common areas.

Establish and communicate cleanliness standards throughout the hotel, including guest rooms, public areas, and amenities. Train housekeeping staff to adhere to these standards and conduct regular inspections to maintain consistent quality.

Implement a room inspection program where supervisors assess cleanliness based on predetermined standards, providing feedback and coaching to ensure continuous improvement.

3. Invest Time in Inventory Management

Hotel inventory management refers to the process of ordering, storing, and distributing a hotel’s assets.

Efficient hotel inventory management ensures that cleaning equipment, linens, and guest amenities are readily available when needed. Regularly track room inventory levels, implement automated reordering systems and establish proper storage protocols to prevent shortages or excesses.

One of the newest ways of measuring hotel performance in terms of inventory is TRI or the Total Room Inventory method . It allows hotels to measure their property’s performance and optimize sales strategies.

Moreover, utilize barcode or RFID technology to track inventory in real-time, check room status, and receive automatic notifications when guest supplies need to be replenished.

4. Coordinate With Other Departments

Cross-departmental cooperation is one of the hardest aspects of business collaboration in general. High levels of cross-departmental collaboration are present in over 98% of high-performing organizations . Hotel departments are no different.

Effective communication and collaboration with other hotel departments are crucial for seamless operations. Foster strong relationships and establish regular communication channels with the front desk, maintenance, and guest services to address guest requests, coordinate room availability, and resolve any issues that may arise.

Hold regular cross-departmental meetings to discuss upcoming events, room availability, and guest-specific requirements to ensure all departments are aligned and prepared

5. Invest in Hotel Management Software

In recent years, the need for management software has increased significantly. So much so that in the next five years, the market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 6.6% and reach nearly $1.2 billion in value . For a good reason.

Investing in a comprehensive software solution, such as HelloShift, can greatly optimize housekeeping operations . HelloShift offers features like guest messaging, contactless check-in, staff collaboration, and housekeeping management in one user-friendly platform.

The software streamlines communication, automates task assignments, and provides real-time updates for efficient and effective housekeeping operations.

HelloShift’s housekeeping management module allows supervisors to assign tasks, track progress, and communicate with the team in real time. It also integrates with other hotel management systems, ensuring seamless data flow and collaboration.

6. Train and Reward Housekeeping Staff

Did you know that 6 out of 10 employers don’t train employees? Even if you’re running a small hotel, you simply can’t afford to have a single housekeeping attendant who is untrained and unmotivated.

Invest in ongoing training programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of your housekeeping staff. Provide them with the necessary tools and resources to excel in their roles. Recognize and reward exceptional performance to motivate and encourage a culture of excellence.

Conduct regular training sessions on cleaning techniques, time management, and customer service to enhance the skills of the housekeeping team. Implement an employee recognition program to acknowledge and reward outstanding performance.

7. Plan and Schedule Regular Deep Cleaning

We keep talking about uncleaned rooms and their impact on the guest’s experience. Every staff member on your team needs to know about it too.

First, you need to realize that a vast majority of cleaning time is spent on just a couple of tasks.

In fact, studies have discovered that housekeeping teams spend 66% of their time on just 5 tasks. If you don’t want to waste time, you need to figure out how much of it each cleaning task takes.

Only then you’ll be able to single out the most demanding tasks and handle each during a deep cleaning day.

Set a quarterly deep cleaning schedule, targeting specific areas each time. Communicate the schedule to the housekeeping team and ensure sufficient resources and time are allocated for these thorough cleaning sessions.

8. Create a Checklist for the Maintenance Department

Collaborate closely with the maintenance department to address any repair or maintenance issues promptly. Create a maintenance checklist that outlines common areas of concern, such as faulty plumbing, lighting, or room amenities.

Regularly review the checklist and communicate with the maintenance team to ensure timely resolution of issues.

You need to establish a system where housekeeping staff can easily report maintenance issues through a digital platform or communication tool. Maintain a log to track reported issues and their resolutions.

9. Handle the Documentation Requirments

After the pandemic, the American Hotel & Lodging Association came up with the Enhanced Industry-Wide Hotel Cleaning Guidelines , to keep the rooms clean and guests care-free.

Read the guidelines carefully, and make sure that every hotel worker – from the front desk worker to the deputy housekeeper – knows why they are important. That way, there’s a better chance they’ll abide by the see guidelines.

But that’s just a part of the job. Maintaining documentation will also ensure accountability, help identify trends, and provide data for continuous improvement.

Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation related to housekeeping operations. That includes incident reports, inventory records, and even cleaning logs.

Implement digital documentation tools or software that allows easy and centralized record-keeping, simplifying data entry, retrieval, and analysis.

10. Consider Opt-Out or Opt-In Cleaning

Your guests have certain preferences when it comes to their hotel rooms. Some want their room cleaned on a daily basis, while others prefer to do it on their own.

In response to changing guest preferences and environmental considerations, consider implementing opt-out or opt-in cleaning programs. Opt-out cleaning allows guests to indicate if they prefer not to have daily housekeeping services, conserving resources and minimizing unnecessary disruptions.

You can offer your guests the option to select their housekeeping preferences during check-in. That’s where HelloShift can help. Our platform allows you to communicate with guests before, during, and after their stay from a single dashboard.

How HelloShift Can Help Your Hotel’s Housekeeping Department

Optimizing your hotel’s housekeeping department is essential for delivering outstanding guest experiences and maintaining operational excellence. By implementing the strategies discussed in this article, you can elevate the efficiency, profitability, and client satisfaction of your housekeeping operations.

HelloShift offers a comprehensive solution that combines guest messaging, contactless check-in, staff collaboration, and housekeeping management in one platform.

Unlock the potential of your housekeeping operations and elevate your hotel’s success with HelloShift. 

Hotel guests receive automated, routine messages, consult hotel digital guidebook , and pre-checkin via their mobile device. Hotel teams use HelloShift to work together across buildings, floors, shifts, and departments with up-to-date visibility into room status via the Housekeeping app.

Go digital with Guest Messaging, Contactless Checkin, Website Chat, Staff Collaboration, Housekeeping Management and more.

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Introducing Mobile Rooms Reorder with ALICE Housekeeping

Hotel housekeepers are expert jugglers. The housekeeping team is responsible for managing and completing room cleaning tasks which change not just daily and hourly – but even by the minute. To uphold the hotel’s service standards, rooms must be cleaned and ready as new guests arrive at the hotel and current guests return after an outing. So how can hotel staff guarantee exceptional service in the face of constant change?

Housekeeping managers want to change room assignments in real-time as new information is received from the front desk or through the reservation system. To accomplish this, the team needs both:

• Hotel operations technology to support staff when they are walking the floors – like ALICE Housekeeping
• Rooms reorder functionality available on mobile to reprioritize and assign rooms to staff that is accessible while on the floors not just on a desktop

ALICE’s new Mobile Rooms Reorder functionality enables housekeeping managers to easily assign rooms while away from their desks using a mobile device. Here are just three scenarios where Mobile Rooms Reorder saves the day:

1. Same Day Reservation

At the start of a housekeeping shift, the manager assigns staff a list of rooms for cleaning in a prioritized order. Rooms that need turnover service for new guests arriving are likely given priority. But what about a new guest that books in the morning to arrive the same day? And the housekeeping shift has already started?

Mobile Rooms Reorder with ALICE Housekeeping allows immediate notification of brand new reservations to managers and other team members who can add the room assignment and move it up in the priority list to ensure guest satisfaction.

2. Early Arrival Request

Travel plans and timing are often in flux, which means hotel guests may unexpectedly arrive early for a new reservation. Whether the guest calls ahead or simply shows up early, the housekeeping team is responsible for cleaning the room promptly to avoid a delay and limiting the guest’s wait time.

Guest check-in time may be at 3 pm, but now the Presidential Suite needs to be fully serviced by noon for a VIP guest. ALICE Housekeeping empowers the housekeeping manager to reorder assignments to ensure the highest priorithttps://www.aliceplatform.com/housekeepingy rooms are given to the next available staff member using their mobile device – even while walking the property floors.

3. Extra Deep Clean Required

No two rooms are the same when it comes to room cleaning time. Some rooms may be left practically spotless by guests while others are trashed. What happens when a housekeeping room attendant comes upon a super dirty room? The turnover cleaning is going to take much longer than average.

Without hotel technology, the delayed room cleaning can throw the entire staff schedule out of whack. While the attendant may be able to immediately radio a supervisor, the supervisor then has to get to a computer or paper log for the day, assess options to reassign the attendant’s remaining rooms, and then communicate the new assignments to the rest of the team. But then another unexpectedly dirty room might start the whole process over again.

With ALICE Housekeeping and Mobile Rooms Reorder, the manager can rearrange schedules on their smartphone or tablet immediately – and the staff gets notified in real-time.

Housekeeping managers do not have time to manually update schedules and then efficiently communicate the changes to the team. Mobile Rooms Reorder is a game-changer for lean hotel teams who strive to deliver seamless service amongst the typical chaotic scheduling and reprioritization of room cleanings.

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Safely Schedule Housekeeping in Advance!

We are very excited to release one of our most requested features, the scheduling module . Which means it’s time to stop using spreadsheets and put all of the information directly into the app. With it, housekeeping teams can save time , decrease stress , and eliminate confusion by scheduling staff weeks in advance.

Here is what you can do with it:

• See weekly schedule overviews, not only for a single day
• Schedule remotely and weeks in advance
• Automatically allocate rooms with the touch of a button using our smart algorithms to ensure equal distribution of work.
• Create schedules within the app based on live information regarding room statuses

This new module also arrives at an important time when health and safety are paramount. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, you can also strictly adhere to new health guidelines. Stagger staff’s shifts in advance so that employees minimize contact with each other and guests.

Create Staff Work Schedules Weeks in Advance

Most operation management apps only let you organise work for a single day. Which is fine, until managers want to know which rooms are scheduled for any time in the future. Or they want to check when certain team members are available. Or they want to create a plan for the entire week. By the same token, housekeepers who can only see their schedule for that day don’t know which rooms they need to clean until the day of, so they are unable to plan their time efficiently.

Time to refine the process. When managers can create the entire week’s schedule in seconds, they can plan more appropriately and eliminate last minute surprises . On the other side, housekeepers can see their entire schedule for that week and beyond displayed on their personal device. This allows them to plan their work ahead of time.

Assign Rooms to Housekeepers for Future Weeks

Normally, housekeeper managers assign rooms to their teams the day of, meaning they have to allocate some time every day to create the schedule. In order to do that correctly, they have to reference other documents or recall from memory who is available, sick or on vacation. Since this is a scattered process, housekeepers often receive an inappropriate amount of work, either too much or too little.

Time to schedule it just right. When managers can schedule housekeepers into the future, they no longer need to make it a daily morning ritual. All that’s required is for managers to glance at the schedule to see staff availability and if there needs to be any small corrections based on updates from the PMS (ex: last minute cancellation). Housekeepers, in return, can be given a more appropriate workload and minimize the chance of miscommunication (i.e. being scheduled on a day off).

Automate Housekeeping Room Assignment

This situation goes hand in hand with one of previous problems, over- or understaffing your housekeeping teams. By manually allocating which rooms are to be cleaned by certain housekeepers, you run the risk of accidentally overworking one team member while another doesn’t have enough to do.

Let us calculate it for you! First, you assign each room status (stay over, departure, arrival) and room type (two-bedroom apartment, double room, honeymoon suite) a specific number representing how long it takes to complete in minutes. Then, with a click of a button, we will divy it up between the housekeepers that you have assigned for the day. If you prefer manually allocating rooms, you will still be able to override any suggestions, giving you complete scheduling control.

Get started with our scheduling module!

Want to find out more about this tool and how it can help you save time and administration overhead? Or interested in how weekly scheduling works with our other tools to help you manage your property? Schedule a demo and make sure that last minute changes never disrupt your workflow or affect your quality of service.

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Housekeeping Management System

Transform your housekeeping operations with our state-of-the-art Housekeeping Management System. Streamline tasks, improve communication, and enhance guest experience with increased efficiency, cost savings, and detailed data tracking and analysis.

Benefits of Housekeeping Management System

Enhanced guest experience

Housekeeping management systems help ensure rooms are cleaned and maintained to a high standard, enhancing the guest experience and helping to build a positive reputation for the hotel or resort.

Improved communication

With a housekeeping management system, staff can communicate and coordinate tasks in real time, reducing misunderstandings and improving the overall service quality.

Data tracking and analysis

Housekeeping management systems often provide detailed data and analytics, helping hotel managers make informed decisions and track the success of their housekeeping operations.

Increased efficiency and productivity

Housekeeping management systems streamline and automate housekeeping tasks, reducing manual labor and increasing the speed of cleaning processes.

Housekeeping Management System: Streamline Operations Seamlessly

As a hotel owner or manager, you understand the importance of maintaining a clean and organized property. A housekeeping management system can help you streamline your operations and improve the overall guest experience.

With a housekeeping management system, you can improve the efficiency and productivity of your housekeeping staff, reduce costs, and enhance the guest experience. So, if you're looking to streamline your hotel operations, consider implementing a housekeeping management system today.

The Most Comprehensive Housekeeping Software You Need

Our Housekeeping module seamlessly integrates with FrontDesk for easy use. It displays current room information on a single screen in an organized table format and provides simple point-and-click controls for direct table management.

The module also allows unlimited management of housekeeping staff and enables room assignment based on blocks/floors or status for efficient work division.

With this system, housekeeping staff can efficiently manage tasks such as room assignments, inventory management, and guest requests. The result is improved guest satisfaction, increased efficiency, and reduced operational costs.

Features at a Glance

Frequently asked questions.

Yes, our housekeeping management system is designed to be user-friendly and easy to use, with intuitive interfaces and straightforward processes.

A housekeeping management system streamlines operations by automating tasks, reducing manual effort, and providing real-time updates on room status and assignments, leading to improved efficiency and productivity.

The cost of a housekeeping management system can vary depending on the features and size of the system. Some systems may have a high upfront cost, while others offer a monthly subscription model.

Some common features of our housekeeping management system include room assignments, task scheduling, real-time room status updates, inventory management, and reporting.

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The role of technology in hotel housekeeping

• Happyandclean
• May 3, 2023
• Uncategorized

Technology has transformed every aspect of the hospitality industry, including hotel housekeeping. With the advancement of technology, hotel housekeeping has become more efficient and effective than ever before. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the role of technology in hotel housekeeping.

The Role of Technology in Hotel Housekeeping

• Automated Room Assignment

One of the most significant advancements in hotel housekeeping technology is the automated room assignment system. This system automatically assigns rooms to the housekeeping staff based on the occupancy level and the room type. This ensures that the staff is allocated to the right rooms at the right time, reducing the time and effort required for manual room assignment.

• Electronic Housekeeping Report

The traditional paper-based housekeeping report is being replaced by an electronic housekeeping report. This system allows housekeeping staff to update the status of the room, such as cleaning or maintenance required, directly into the system. This ensures that the front desk staff and management are aware of the room’s status in real-time, reducing communication gaps and misunderstandings.

• Mobile Devices

Mobile devices are becoming an integral part of hotel housekeeping technology. Housekeeping staff can use mobile devices to access the electronic housekeeping report, update the status of the room, and communicate with other staff members. This system allows for real-time communication and reduces the time required to complete tasks.

• RFID Technology

RFID technology is being used to track and manage housekeeping supplies and equipment. RFID tags are placed on cleaning supplies, linens, and equipment, and a reader is used to track their movement. This system ensures that the inventory is managed efficiently and reduces the chances of theft and loss.

• Robotic Housekeeping

Robotic housekeeping is another significant advancement in hotel housekeeping technology. Robots can be programmed to perform routine cleaning tasks, such as vacuuming and dusting. This system reduces the time and effort required for manual cleaning and allows housekeeping staff to focus on more complex tasks.

In conclusion, technology has transformed hotel housekeeping, making it more efficient, effective, and streamlined. Automated room assignment, electronic housekeeping reports, mobile devices, RFID technology, and robotic housekeeping are just a few examples of how technology is being used to improve hotel housekeeping. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative solutions to make hotel housekeeping even more efficient and effective. So, the next time you stay in a hotel, take a moment to appreciate the technology that makes your stay comfortable and enjoyable.

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Housekeeping Vocabulary: 113 Common Words and Phrases

Learning English for housekeeping is important when you’re in an English-speaking country or an international hotel.

From room vocabulary to cleaning equipment and instructions, this post will get you started.

We will go over the 113 most common English vocabulary words and phrases that you’ll need for housekeeping work.

Room Assignment Sheets

Cleaning instructions, problems and complaints, safety and emergencies, how to learn english vocabulary for housekeeping, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

This is a beautiful piece of wood that stands up vertically against the wall at the head of the bed for decoration. The name is pretty easy to remember, as it’s a board by your head.

This is the soft cushion on top of a bed, on which people sleep.

This is a hard box that’s the same size as the mattress of a bed. It has springs inside, it’s covered in cloth and sits underneath the mattress. (Note: Beds with box-springs are most common in the United States, Canada and Australia.)

Imagine a bed wearing a skirt. That’s where “bed skirt” got its name. It’s a thin sheet with short, decorative fabric that hangs down along all of the edges to cover the gap (space) between the floor and the box-spring. Here’s a quick video that shows how to put a bed skirt onto a bed, by placing it between the box-spring and the mattress.

Fitted sheet

This is the first sheet to go on a mattress, and has round, “fitted” corners. It’s made to fit the shape of the mattress. These sheets can be tricky to fold, so here’s a funny video with Martha Stewart that teaches how to fold a fitted sheet.

The sheet that goes on top of the fitted sheet is called a flat sheet.

Bedspread / Comforter

The thicker blanket that goes on top of the flat sheet and covers the bed is called a bedspread or comforter. Both words are commonly used. In this Ikea catalog it’s called a bedspread, while this Target catalog uses the word comforter.

Pillows are soft rectangles that make your head comfortable while you sleep. The fabric that covers a pillow is called a  pillow case .

Night table

The small tables on either side of the bed are called night tables.

Alarm clock

This is a small digital clock that can also be used to set an alarm.

On a night table you’ll often find a lamp, which is a small light so people can see at night. It has a light bulb inside, which needs to be replaced every now and then when it “burns out” and no longer produces light. On some lamps, the light bulb is covered by a lampshade to make it look prettier. (You can see here that the Pixar lamp has a light bulb, but it doesn’t have a lampshade.)

The alarm clock, lamp and other electronics are plugged into electric outlets, found on the walls. The part at the end of the cord with two electric prongs is called a plug . You put the plug in the socket (on the wall) to “plug in” the device. 

Garbage bag / Liner

The plastic bag put inside empty trash/garbage cans can be called a garbage bag or liner.

Mints are small, flavored candies that make your breath smell good. They are made with spearmint or peppermint. Sometimes housekeepers in hotels leave these on the pillows after they clean.

This is a small, plastic container—usually lined with a plastic bag—where guests can put ice (from the ice machine in the hallway).

In a bedroom, this is where clothes can be hung and stored. Clothes are hung on hangers .

Luggage rack

This is a small surface where guests can put their luggage (suitcases), to keep it off the floor. In hotels, luggage racks usually fold up, so they don’t take up space while not in use.

A dresser, desk or counter might have drawers that pull out so guests can store items inside. When cleaning rooms, it will be important to open drawers to make sure guests have not forgotten any items.

Lost and found

If you do find items left behind by guests, the hotel should have a lost and found. This is an area to store items that belonged to guests and were found in the hotel. When guests lose something, they will ask if you have a lost and found.

The thermostat is a small device on the wall which tells you the room’s temperature. It’s also used to change the temperature in the room and make it warmer or cooler.

Smoke detector

These are circular, battery-operated devices used to warn people of fires. They are usually put on the ceilings in rooms. If smoke detectors sense (detect) smoke, a loud alarm will sound.

Guests use this small, square cloth to wash their face. It can also be called a  washcloth .

This is a small towel that guests use to dry their hands.

A bath towel is a larger towel that guests use to dry themselves after taking a shower or bath.

This mat is larger than a hand towel. Guests put it on the floor before taking a shower or bath to keep the floor dry when they get out.

Toilet bowl

The bowl-shaped part of a toilet, filled with water, is the toilet bowl. You can see it when you flip open the  toilet lid , which covers the toilet bowl when closed.

Toilet seat

This is the horseshoe-shaped part of a toilet, where people sit.

Toilet handle

To flush a toilet, you press this handle (lever). The toilet handle is attached to the  toilet tank —the large, rectangular, covered part of a toilet that sits against the wall.

Toilet paper

This is the roll of thin, soft paper used to clean oneself after going to the bathroom. After cleaning the bathroom, housekeepers will often fold the toilet paper like this  to show that they have cleaned. Type “fancy toilet paper fold hotel” into a Google image search for some fun results .

This tool has a stick handle connected to a rubber cup base, and usually sits upright on the floor next to the toilet. It’s used to fix plumbing (system of water pipes) problems in toilets.

Bathroom vanity

A vanity  is a North American word for a dressing table, which usually has a mirror and drawers. A bathroom vanity is similar, but will also have a sink— like this .

These are thin, square pieces of pottery used to cover floors or walls. They have a smooth, shiny surface ( like these ) which are okay to get wet. That’s why they are most common in bathrooms and kitchens.

Shower curtain

Regular curtains hang in front of windows to keep the light out and for privacy (so people cannot look in from outside). A shower curtain hangs in front of the shower to keep the water inside the shower/bath and to give people privacy.

Shower head

Water comes out of the shower head when the shower is turned on. In North America, the shower head is usually attached to the wall, at the height just above someone’s head.

In a bathtub or sink, water comes out of the faucet.

This is where water exits the sink or shower. Showers/bathtubs have a drain on the floor, and sinks also have a drain underneath where the faucet pours water. The verb to drain means to let water out gradually (little by little). For example, after taking a bath, you  drain  the bathtub by letting the water leave down the drain.

When guests do not want to get their hair wet when taking a shower, they can use a shower cap to keep their hair dry. Many hotels provide shower caps for their guests.

Air freshener

This is used to make the air smell clean, and is usually something that you spray into the air.

Cart / Trolley

Most housekeepers have a cart or trolley to store their cleaning materials and basic supplies. It’s a shelf on wheels, so the cart can hold essential items and easily be pushed from room to room. Laundry carts  are bins on wheels, in which you can put towels, sheets and other laundry items.

A sponge is a small rectangle of soft material that’s used for cleaning. It can absorb (soak up) water, so you’ll use it with water and a cleaning product.

This is an old cloth used for cleaning.

Microfiber cloth

This type of cloth is very, very soft, and traps a lot more dirt than regular cloths and rags. It’s spelled microfibre in many English-speaking countries outside of the United States.

This tool has a fluffy, feather-like end for cleaning dust (and often spider webs!), usually in high places. When you dust surfaces like tables, however, you’ll likely use dusting spray and a rag/cloth instead.

A broom is used to sweep  the floors in order to clean away any dust or other tiny items. It has a long handle with a brush at the end. You sweep the dust into a  dustpan , which you can then pick up and empty into a trash can.

A mop is kind of like a broom, except it’s used to wash floors. Attached to the long handle will either be a large sponge or thick, loose strings that can soak up water. You usually use a bucket of water when mopping the floors.

After you dip a mop into a bucket of water, you’ll use a wringer to wring out  (squeeze/twist out) extra water from the mop before putting it on the floor.

Vacuum cleaner

This is a cleaning machine that sucks up dust and dirt from the floors. It’s usually used on carpeted floors and some rugs, and it must be plugged in to work. Some vacuum cleaners have vacuum cleaner bags that need to be replaced when they are full. Other vacuums have a section that collects the dust and dirt, and needs to be emptied when it’s full.

Steam cleaner

This is a machine that uses hot steam (water vapor) to clean various surfaces. Some steam cleaners look like vacuums and are used to clean floors. Others are handheld  (are held in your hand), and used to clean a variety of surfaces, such as windows, tiles, mirrors and more.

Lint roller

Has a cat ever sat in your lap when you were wearing a black sweater? The cat probably left lots of cat hair on your sweater. A lint roller is a sticky, circular “brush” that you can roll over fabrics (like sweaters, couches, blankets, etc.) to remove hair and lint (short, tiny fibers from fabrics).

Window / Glass cleaner

This is a liquid substance used to clean surfaces like windows, glass and mirrors. It’s almost always sold in a spray bottle so that you can easily spray the cleaning product onto the surface. Windex is a brand of window/glass cleaner sold in the United States, Canada and Germany, and it’s easily recognized by its blue color.

When washing windows or mirrors, you might use a squeegee to smoothly scrape off any dirt and the window cleaner without leaving smudges (marks) on the windows.

Furniture polish 

This is a cleaning liquid that you spray onto furniture and then rub with a cloth. Tables, desks, beds and chairs are all furniture —basic items that make a room livable. Not all furniture polishes can be used on the same surfaces. For example,  Pledge furniture polish  can be used on wood, laminate, stainless steel, leather, marble, granite and plastic surfaces.

If a cleaning product is labeled multi-use , that means it can be used on multiple (many) surfaces (like Pledge furniture polish above), or for various uses. Be sure to read the label to know which surfaces the cleaning product is meant for.

Non-toxic cleaning products are not poisonous, so they are safe to use. Be very careful with toxic cleaning products, like our next word, bleach.

This is a chemical used to clean and disinfect (kill bacteria) certain surfaces like sinks and drains. It’s also used to make linens (cloths) whiter. You’ll want to wear a face mask when cleaning with bleach. A face mask helps protect you from breathing in dangerous chemicals. And be careful—if you get bleach on your clothes, it will turn them lighter!

Drain cleaner

This is a chemical liquid that you pour down drains to help keep them clean and unclogged (unblocked).

Toilet bowl cleaner

This liquid is used to clean the inside of toilet bowls. You’ll spread the cleaning product around and scrub with a toilet bowl brush .

Latex gloves

These are rubber gloves that you’ll wear over your hands to protect them while cleaning. 

Room status

This means the current situation in the room. Will a guest check out (leave) today? Is a guest sleeping over for another night? Many of the terms below are possible room statuses.

This means no one is in the room. Its opposite, occupied , means that someone is staying in the room.

Checked out

This means that the guest has settled (paid) their bill at the front desk and left the hotel. Some hotels use “checked out and gone” for this same status.

The guest has not yet checked out, but they are expected (due) to leave by the check-out time that morning. Other schedules might use “checking out today” for this room status.

The guest will be staying over another night and is not due to check out.

The guest is still staying in the room, but the bed was not slept in the night before.

A guest has left the hotel without paying their bill and without correctly checking out.

Do not disturb (DND)

Guests might place a “do not disturb” sign on their door handles, meaning they do not want to be bothered (disturbed). Do not knock on the door to clean their room.

No service today

The room does not want service today.

The time that you enter the room to begin cleaning. If you’re working somewhere that uses the 12-hour clock, be sure to use “a.m.” if it’s in the morning and “p.m.” if it’s in the afternoon or night. For example, 1:30 p.m. is an hour and a half after noon (13:30).

The time that you leave the room when you are finished cleaning.

Remarks / Comments

This is a place for you to write any additional notes or comments about a certain room.

Maintenance issues

These are problems that need to be fixed by the hotel’s maintenance employees. Such problems might involve the lights, electrical outlets, sinks, toilets or showers, for example.

This is where you sign your name. When you sign a room assignment sheet, you’re usually agreeing that all of the information you wrote is correct.

To press the lever on a toilet that makes clean water flow in.

Flush the toilet after cleaning the toilet bowl.

To clean something by rubbing it hard.

Scrub the bathtub using a sponge and the cleaner in spray bottle #4.

To wipe (up)

To clean by rubbing with a cloth; to move something over a surface.

Wipe the counters with a clean cloth.

To replace something with another.

Change  the sheets on the bed. (Put new sheets on the bed.)

Change  the toilet paper when you clean the bathroom. (Replace the used toilet paper roll with a new one.)

To wash with plain water and no soap.

After you scrub the shower,  rinse  it with water to completely remove the cleaning product.

To clean by rubbing in order to make something smooth and shiny.

Use a cloth and furniture polish to polish the table and desk.

To clean with water and soap.

Bring the dirty linens to the laundry room where we will wash  them.

To release (squirt out) very small droplets of a liquid.

Spray  the mirrors and windows with window cleaner, then wipe them with a clean cloth.

Fold  the clean towels neatly and set them on the shelf in the bathroom.

To clean a floor with a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum  the carpet and rugs in every room.

To wash a floor with a mop.

After you sweep the floors,  mop  them using hot water, floor cleaner and a mop.

To disinfect

To kill germs and bacteria.

Disinfect  (sanitize) the counters with this disinfecting spray.

To clean by removing dust.

Remove the newspapers and magazines, and then dust  the coffee table.

To remove something; the opposite of “fill.”

Empty  (take out) the trash once you’ve finished cleaning.

To look carefully.

Open the desk drawers and  check  for forgotten items.

To throw out

To put in the trash/garbage.

Throw out  any trash you find on the counters.

To make something clean and organized.

Tidy up  (straighten up) the bookcase when you clean the master suite.

To replace; to fill again.

Refill  the mini-fridge with soda and water.

To turn off

To stop something by pressing an “off” button or turning a switch.

Don’t forget to turn off  the lights when you leave the room.

To remove a plug from an electrical outlet.

Make sure to  unplug  the iron after using it.

The floor is wet in the bathroom.

~ is dirty / ~ isn’t clean

The sink is dirty.

~ is broken / ~ doesn’t work

The hair dryer is broken.

~ is empty / full

The garbage is full! It looks like it hasn’t been emptied in days!

There’s hair on / in ~

There’s hair on the bed pillow. Are these really clean sheets?

There’s a bad / weird odor (smell)

There’s a really bad smell  out on the patio.

The water is too hot / cold

The water in the shower is too hot.

The toilet is clogged (does not flush)

The toilet is clogged in room 204. We need a plumber ASAP (as soon as possible)!

~ is overflowing (flowing over the edge/top of something)

The plumber never came, and now the toilet is now overflowing! Help—there’s water spilling onto the floor!

~ is dripping

The faucet is dripping in the kitchen sink.

~ is stained

The carpet in our room is stained; it looks really dirty.

I spilled ~

I’m so sorry, I just spilled red wine on the carpet. Do you have any carpet cleaner I can use to get the stain out?

There’s no electricity / The power went out

The power went out in our room—what’s going on?

Out of order

(Note: this is sometimes abbreviated as “ ooo ” in housekeeping forms/guides)

The vending machine in the lobby is out of order . Is there another nearby?

Emergency action plan

This is a guide that tells what action to take in case of an emergency, such as a fire, crime or health problems.

This is the loud sound that will go off when there is a fire. The loud alarm and blinking lights will alert people of the fire.

Fire exit door

These are doors that should be used when there’s a fire to get people out faster. They are clearly marked as a “fire exit.”

To evacuate

To evacuate means to leave quickly and go to a safer place. During a fire, for example, everyone should evacuate the hotel.

First aid kit

This is a set of items used to treat physical injuries. Items in a first-aid kit often include band-aids (adhesive bandages), medical gloves, gauze, bandages, cloth tape and aspirin.

Hazards are dangers or risks. For a safe workplace, you should pay attention and eliminate any hazards you see. Possible hazards in hotels include harmful cleaning chemicals, cleaning carts blocking a hallway, wet floors (someone could slip and fall), electrical cords that someone could trip over, etc.

Severe weather

When weather can be dangerous, it’s called severe weather . Depending on where you work, this could include floods (lots of rain), tornados, thunderstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards (strong winter storm) or extreme heat.

Now that you’ve seen the most essential English words and phrases for housekeeping, it’s time to start practicing and incorporating the language into your English vocabulary.

Here are some resources to help you practice and learn more English for housekeeping: 

Hotel product websites

Hotels need to buy all of the items inside and replace them when needed. This means there are many companies that produce (make) items just for hotels. Their websites are a perfect place to practice and learn vocabulary for housekeeping because each product (item) comes with a picture.

• National Hospitality :  On this American company’s site, you’ll want to check out categories like “Bath,” “Bedding,” “In-Room” and “Housekeeping” first.
• American Hotel :  This is a great website to learn the names of cleaning products and tools. If you’ll be working in the United States, these are the same brands and terms that you’ll likely see at your hotel.
• Hotel Supplies : This is a UK website, so start here if you want to work in the UK or Europe.

Flashcard apps to practice vocabulary

A good way to learn the new vocabulary you’ll see here today is with flashcard apps. These apps are often more convenient to use than making flashcards yourself.

Here are a few of my favorite options: 

• Quizlet: This app makes flashcards easy to make and share. You can also browse decks created by other learners. You’re able to add audio and images to flashcards, as well.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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• Anki : Anki is a powerful app that lets you create completely personalized flashcards with text, images, audio and video (if you want). You can also find decks made by other users. Click here to see our review of Anki. 

Housekeeping training videos

Some hotels have put their training videos online. These are really useful because you can see what actions the people are doing while they are talking about that specific cleaning task.

• This training video from Resort Realty Outer Banks teaches housekeepers how to clean a bedroom.
• They also have a video for cleaning living and game rooms ,  cleaning a kitchen  and cleaning a bathroom .
• This 10-minute training video from Fairfield Inn & Suites begins with a description of a housekeeper’s cart and then teaches how to clean various rooms.

Hotel housekeeping training manuals

• Housekeeping learner’s manual :  You can use this housekeeping learner’s manual to learn hotel vocabulary, and so much more. Here are a few of our recommendations:

Page 35 – A helpful chart of types of cleaning solutions

Page 54 – An image of a housekeeping cart, and a list of items usually found on the cart

Page 60 – Steps for changing/making a bed

Page 71 – A room inspection (check) report

Sample room assignment sheets

These two sample room assignment sheets are useful to begin understanding the columns and terms.

• Room Attendant Sheet :  This sample comes from a company called Set Up My Hotel. Notice the “Codes” section at the bottom of the sheet. This tells you to write short codes (abbreviations) in the chart, like “S/O” for “Sleep Out” and “DND” for “Do Not Disturb.”
• Room Assignment Sheet :  Go to pages 20-23 of this PDF to see some sample room assignment sheets. The final column, “Initial,” wants you to write the initials of your name instead of a signature. This means the first letter of your first name and the first letter of your last name. For example, Mickey Mouse would write “MM” for his initials, and Edgar Allan Poe would write “EAP.”

Resources to practice and learn cleaning instructions

When working in housekeeping, you’ll often be given specific cleaning instructions, such as how to clean unoccupied vs. occupied rooms. These resources can help you identify different housekeeping responsibilities and cleaning instructions.

• Guest Room Attendant Rubric : This is actually a rubric for a competition, but many statements on these three pages are useful. Start at the “Safety and Sanitation” section of page 1 and then work your way through the rest of the document.
• Hotel Housekeeping Tutorial : This site can serve as a handy checklist for hotel housekeeping tasks. It covers cleaning unoccupied vs. occupied rooms , laundry and linen maintenance, preparing your cleaning supplies and more.
• Room Attendant Job Description :  On this job description, look at the “duties and responsibilities” section. Can you do each of the tasks? Do you know what all of the words mean?

Now you’ve seen the most essential vocabulary in English for housekeeping, seek out opportunities to practice so you can grow your confidence and get more comfortable using these new words and phrases. 

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

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• Automatic housekeeping assignments

You can use the Auto Assignment tab to automatically allocate the housekeeping assignments to available housekeeping employees. Housekeeping assignments are allocated based on factors such as occupancy, room status, cleaning status, location and room points.

The Housekeeping Assignment Report can be printed from this page by clicking Actions , then selecting Print . When printed from this screen the report will show assignments for all employees.

Property Statistics: The Auto Assignment tab displays the following property statistics:

• Occupancy – The current day's occupancy.
• Rooms Sold – The total rooms sold/occupied the previous day.
• Vacant Dirty Light
• Vacant Dirty Full
• Vacant Inspect
• Vacant Pickup Full
• Vacant Pickup Light
• Occupied Dirty Light
• Occupied Dirty Full
• Occupied Inspect
• Occupied Pickup Full
• Occupied Pickup Light
• Occupied Dirty None
• Due Out – The current day’s total of occupied rooms that have check out date that is same as the current hotel date.
• Vacant/Clean – The total includes all rooms with the Vacant/Clean and Vacant/Turndown status.
• VIP – The total includes all VIP people (not rooms) who are currently in-house and who are due to check out on the current hotel date. Reserved or Pre-Registered guests will be added if the Arrival Date is is the current hotel date.
• Turndown - The current day's total of arrivals or in-house guests that have turndown service requested on their guest stay record.
• Arrivals – The total includes all guests who are due to arrive on the current hotel date.
• Occupied/Dirty None

To automatically allocate the housekeeping assignments:

• Select Housekeeping > Housekeeping Assignment .
• Click the Auto Assignment tab.
• The Shift value is compared with the day of the current Hotel Date.

• Select Scheduled Employees: This option is enabled when the Scheduled check box is selected. If the Today’s Home Section is not specified, the Scheduled home section data is updated here.
• Assign Home Section/Auto Assign: This option upon selection, defaults data with the updated information from Auto Assign screen on the Housekeeping Assignment screen. This data refers to the employee assigned with Homes sections.
• Assign Scheduled Shift and Home Section: Select this option to assign the scheduled shift(s) to the Today’s Shift field for the selected employee(s). Note:  You must select the scheduled home section if the Today’s Assigned Home Section field is blank. By default, the values are saved and updated.
• Assign Today’s Shift: Select this option to select the code of the shift from the Today’s Shift column. The selected values are updated to the Today’s Shift field for the selected employee(s). Note:  You can select multiple shift codes.
• Clear Housekeeping Assignments: Select this option to remove the housekeeping assignments assigned for the selected employee (s). The application also removes the values in the Today’s Assigned Home Section and Today’s Shift fields. Note:  The setting of the Preserve Current Assignments checkbox is ignored in such case.
• In the Assignment Details section, you can optionally specify this information by Building, Wing, Floor, and Section for the rooms selected: Sort Priority Specify the sort order for the following, based on which the rooms are selected for housekeeping assignments. Points Adjustment You can specify the room points that must be adjusted for each building, wing and floor. The value that you specify in this field is added to the value in the Room Points field. This cumulative value is factored to calculate the Employee Total Points , which is then used to allocate assignments for the employees selected as available. Rooms Adjustment You can specify the number of rooms that must be adjusted for each building, wing and floor. The value that you specify in this field is added to the value in the Total Rooms field. This cumulative value is factored to calculate the Employee Total Rooms , which is then used to allocate assignments for the employees that are available.
• Lower Room : Specify the highest housekeeping sort order. When this is not specified the lowest room in the range is the room with the lowest housekeeping sort order.
• Higher Room : Specify the lowest housekeeping sort order. When this value is not specified, the highest room in the range is the room with the highest housekeeping sort order.
• Building : Select the building code. The rooms associated with this building code are displayed in the Employee summary section. The building codes are displayed only if the Manage Inventory by Building check box is selected in the Property Configuration screen.
• Rooms per Housekeeper : Specify the maximum number of rooms that must be assigned to one housekeeping employee.
• Points per Housekeeper : Specify the maximum number of points that must be assigned to one housekeeping employee. Note:  The value specified can be a Whole or a Decimal number. However, the specified value type must be same as it is specified in the Housekeeping Points fields on the Room Configuration screen
• Click Actions , then select Auto Assign to start the assignment process.
• Adding employees
• Using work orders
• Assigning rooms to housekeepers
• Automatic turndown assignments
• Adjusting room points
• Changing room service type
• Housekeeping home section - An overview
• Room status update
• Manual Hold

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• Guidelines and Guidance Library
• Core Practices
• Isolation Precautions Guideline
• Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline
• Environmental Infection Control Guidelines
• Hand Hygiene Guidelines
• Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDRO) Management Guidelines
• Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) Prevention Guideline
• Tools and resources
• Evaluating Environmental Cleaning

Transmission-Based Precautions

At a glance.

Transmission-Based Precautions are the second tier of basic infection control and are to be used in addition to Standard Precautions for patients who may be infected or colonized with certain infectious agents for which additional precautions are needed to prevent infection transmission.

Recommendation details

Use contact precautions for patients with known or suspected infections that represent an increased risk for contact transmission..

• Ensure appropriate patient placement in a single patient space or room if available in acute care hospitals. In long-term and other residential settings, make room placement decisions balancing risks to other patients. In ambulatory settings, place patients requiring contact precautions in an exam room or cubicle as soon as possible.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately, including gloves and gown. Wear a gown and gloves for all interactions that may involve contact with the patient or the patient's environment. Donning PPE upon room entry and properly discarding before exiting the patient room is done to contain pathogens.
• Limit transport and movement of patients outside of the room to medically-necessary purposes. When transport or movement is necessary, cover or contain the infected or colonized areas of the patient's body. Remove and dispose of contaminated PPE and perform hand hygiene prior to transporting patients on Contact Precautions. Don clean PPE to handle the patient at the transport location.
• Use disposable or dedicated patient-care equipment (e.g., blood pressure cuffs). If common use of equipment for multiple patients is unavoidable, clean and disinfect such equipment before use on another patient.
• Prioritize cleaning and disinfection of the rooms of patients on contact precautions ensuring rooms are frequently cleaned and disinfected (e.g., at least daily or prior to use by another patient if outpatient setting) focusing on frequently-touched surfaces and equipment in the immediate vicinity of the patient.

Use Droplet Precautions for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by respiratory droplets that are generated by a patient who is coughing, sneezing, or talking.

• Source control: put a mask on the patient.
• Ensure appropriate patient placement in a single room if possible. In acute care hospitals , if single rooms are not available, utilize the recommendations for alternative patient placement considerations in the Guideline for Isolation Precautions. In long-term care and other residential settings, make decisions regarding patient placement on a case-by-case basis considering infection risks to other patients in the room and available alternatives. In ambulatory settings , place patients who require Droplet Precautions in an exam room or cubicle as soon as possible and instruct patients to follow Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette recommendations.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately. Don mask upon entry into the patient room or patient space.
• Limit transport and movement of patients outside of the room to medically-necessary purposes. If transport or movement outside of the room is necessary, instruct patient to wear a mask and follow Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette.

Use Airborne Precautions for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by the airborne route (e.g., tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox, disseminated herpes zoster).

• Source control : put a mask on the patient.
• Ensure appropriate patient placement in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) constructed according to the Guideline for Isolation Precautions. In settings where Airborne Precautions cannot be implemented due to limited engineering resources, masking the patient and placing the patient in a private room with the door closed will reduce the likelihood of airborne transmission until the patient is either transferred to a facility with an AIIR or returned home.
• Restrict susceptible healthcare personnel from entering the room of patients known or suspected to have measles, chickenpox, disseminated zoster, or smallpox if other immune healthcare personnel are available.
• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately , including a fit-tested NIOSH-approved N95 or higher level respirator for healthcare personnel.
• Limit transport and movement of patients outside of the room to medically-necessary purposes. If transport or movement outside an AIIR is necessary, instruct patients to wear a surgical mask, if possible, and observe Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette. Healthcare personnel transporting patients who are on Airborne Precautions do not need to wear a mask or respirator during transport if the patient is wearing a mask and infectious skin lesions are covered.
• Immunize susceptible persons as soon as possible following unprotected contact with vaccine-preventable infections (e.g., measles, varicella or smallpox).

The following are examples of signs for Contact, Droplet, and Airborne Precautions that can be posted outside patient rooms:

English materials

Contact Precautions

Droplet Precautions

Airborne Precautions

Spanish materials

Medidas de Precaución por Contacto

Medidas de Precaución por Gotitas

Medidas de Precaución por Transmisión Aérea

Infection Control

CDC provides information on infection control and clinical safety to help reduce the risk of infections among healthcare workers, patients, and visitors.

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The 8 best carpet cleaners for your home, according to experts

Area rugs and wall-to-wall carpets cozy up your space but trap more dirt than hard floors. When a treatment spray isn’t powerful enough to remove mud, pet hair and stains, you should consider investing in a carpet cleaner. These appliances come in various designs (including upright, handheld , steamers and shampooers), so narrowing down the best model for your needs can be challenging. To find the best carpet cleaners to shop, we spoke with three cleaning experts for their guidance and recommendations.

SKIP AHEAD The best carpet cleaners in 2023 | What are the different types of carpet cleaners? | How to shop for carpet cleaners  

Selected. Our top picks

How we picked the best carpet cleaners

We interviewed experts who clean houses professionally and have extensive knowledge about flooring or provide home restoration services. They suggest keeping the following criteria in mind while shopping:

• Portability: We split our top carpet cleaners into two categories: upright and handheld. The former is more powerful and better for large areas, while the latter is smaller, lighter in weight and better for spot cleaning , according to our experts. Either way, the weight and dimensions are important for ease of use and maneuverability.
• Suction power: When considering a carpet cleaner, you should make sure it is strong enough to lift dirt and clean various messes. “Look for machines with strong suction power and robust agitation,” says Ryan Knoll, owner of home cleaning company Tidy Casa. The suction strength is usually measured in amperes or air watts—the higher, the better. Agitation is the speed and power that the brush attachment moves to clean up messes.
• Heat : You should also take into account the heating capabilities of your carpet cleaner, according to Knoll. “Some carpet cleaners come with built-in heaters, which can be great for loosening up stains and debris,” he says. “Look for machines that mention ‘heated cleaning’ or have an onboard water heater.” The ideal temperature for thoroughly cleaning carpets is around 140 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, as this “is hot enough to help with cleaning but not so hot that it risks damaging most carpet fibers,” says Knoll.
• Extras: The best carpet cleaner models come with accessories and cleaning formulas, according to our experts. Some also offer warranties to protect your purchase.

select Have allergies? Here’s how a vacuum with a HEPA filter can help

The best carpet cleaners in 2024.

We rounded up top upright and handheld carpet cleaners recommended by our experts. Additionally, we included appliances with at least a 4-star average rating from at least 500 reviews on Amazon. 

Best upright carpet cleaners

Bissell proheat 2x revolution pet pro carpet cleaner.

• Good for pet owners
• Temperature regulation
• Nothing to note at this time

Four of our experts recommend the Bissell ProHeat line because of its powerful suction and ease of use. For pet owners in particular, the full-size Pet Pro upright model “comes with a pet-specific cleaning solution and a pet hair basket to keep carpets free from fur and odors,” says Will Cotter, owner of FreshSpace Cleaning , a home cleaning service that offers carpet cleaning. This model also has dual brushes, a sprayer that dispenses the included stain formula, a tank that maintains hot water temperatures and handheld attachments to tackle stains on various surfaces, plus its express mode cleans and dries carpets in under 30 minutes, according to the brand. 

Weight: 17.5 lbs. | Dimensions: 15 x 12.5 x 43.5 in. | Tank capacity: 1 gal

Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Washer

• A lot of attachments
• Somewhat large

Cotter also recommends the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe carpet washer, which he says is affordable, easy to use and efficient, making it a reliable choice for everyday cleaning. In addition to its spinning brush that breaks up dirt and stains, it also has strong suction and a built-in dryer to remove moisture afterward, according to the brand. This carpet washer comes with an eight-foot hose, designated attachments for stairs, upholstery and crevices, and a sample bottle of cleaning solution.  

Weight: 18.5 lbs. | Dimensions : 21.9  x 14.6 x 23 in. | Tank capacity: 1 gal

Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner

• Nozzle tool

Angela Brown (founder of Savvy Cleaner , a company that trains and certifies house cleaners, and a  professional house cleaner with over 30 years of experience) recommends the Hoover PowerDash due to its lightweight design that’s great for both maintenance and spot-cleaning. While it weighs less than other upright carpet cleaners on this list, it still has a deep-cleaning roller brush and a heated dryer. Each order includes a nozzle tool and a trial-size cleaning solution.

Weight: 12.5 lbs. | Dimensions : 15.25 x 10.13 x 43.5 in. | Tank capacity: .5 gal

Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Commercial Carpet Cleaner

• Good for large areas
• Large water tank

If you’re looking for professional-grade results or if you plan on using your carpet cleaner for commercial jobs, both Brown and Cotter recommend Rug Doctor. The Mighty Pro X3 uses water jets, vibrating brushes, a large 3.9-gallon water tank and professional-grade suction to break down stains, suck up dirt and dry carpets in one pass, according to the  brand. While it’s larger than most residential models, its big wheels and folding handle are designed to improve its maneuverability. Each order includes enough deep-cleaning solution to wash over 720 square feet of carpet. 

Weight: 47 lbs. | Dimensions : 21 x 12.5 x 27.5 in. | Tank capacity: 3.9 gal

Best handheld carpet cleaners

Bissell little green portable carpet and upholstery cleaner.

• Good for upholstery

Brown recommends the Bissell Little Green cleaner because it’s portable and great for stairs, upholstery and small messes. The 48-ounce tank has a handle so you can move it from spot to spot, while the 4-foot hose has a textured attachment for scrubbing stains and a sprayer that dispenses the cleaning formula (trial-size bottle included). It also has enough suction to remove both dirt and moisture as well as a self-cleaning function so you can rinse the hose after every use, according to the brand. 

Weight: 9.6 lbs. | Dimensions : 9.29 x 19.02 x 13.39 in. | Tank capacity: 48 oz.

Bissell Pet Stain Eraser PowerBrush

• Rotating brush
• Best for small areas

The Bissell Pet Stain Eraser has a 4.1-star average rating from over 10,000 reviews on Amazon. It removes pet messes, dirt stains and odors on fabrics. It has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that runs for up to 20 minutes without any cords, making it especially portable and convenient to use. It won’t wash an entire carpet or fully dry a spot treatment, but its rotating brush scrubs away stains while its suction and concentrated spot and stain formula removes excess dirt. Each order includes two 8-ounce bottles of solution and an interchangeable scrubber tool.

Weight: 4.4 lbs. | Dimensions : 16 x 6 x 8 in. | Tank capacity: 8 oz. 

Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner

Brown recommends the Rug Doctor spot cleaner for a powerful but compact model, which comes with a one-year limited warranty. It’s more portable than its upright counterpart and is designed to deep clean dirt, stains and pet messes from various surfaces, including carpet, car upholstery, pet beds and mattresses. With a sprayer and silicone rubber bristles at the end of its hose, the base also has wheels and a retractable handle to improve portability.

Weight: 18.96 lbs. | Dimensions : 16.02 x 10.94  x 15.63 in. | Tank capacity: 64 oz.

Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner

Knoll recommends the Bissell SpotClean because it’s simultaneously effective yet compact and easy to use. According to the brand, it combines a 96-ounce tank, a 5-foot hose with a scrubber, and cleaning formula to remove odors, stains and dirt. It also weighs less than 15 pounds and has a handle so you can move it wherever you need it. 

Weight: 13.2 lbs. | Dimensions : 10 x 14 x 14 in. | Tank capacity: 96 oz.

select Everything you can clean with a steam cleaner (and it’s a long list)

What are the different types of carpet cleaners , upright carpet cleaners .

Like their name suggests, upright carpet cleaners have an upright design that looks almost like a vacuum cleaner. According to our experts, their larger size often results in better suction and efficiency. While upright cleaners are more expensive and more difficult to maneuver than handheld cleaners, they are great for cleaning large carpeted areas, says Cotter.

Handheld carpet cleaners

While not as powerful as upright cleaners, these are more portable and great for spot-cleaning small areas due to their lightweight designs and compact tanks, says Knoll. They tend to be less expensive, too. As a result, while they’re not ideal for washing wall-to-wall carpets, they’re a great option for people with area rugs, carpeted stairs or a lower budget, according to our experts. 

How to shop for carpet cleaners

Once you’ve decided between an upright or a handheld carpet cleaner, our experts recommend using the following criteria to help you pick a brand and a model: 

Portability

Whether handheld or upright, you’ll need to take your carpet cleaner out of storage and move it from room to room, so check the machine’s weight and overall dimensions before purchasing. While handheld models are inherently compact, some upright models offer smooth-rolling wheels and elongated hose attachments to boost portability, according to our experts.

Tank capacity

Brown says that larger water tanks are often measured in ounces or gallons, so they reduce the number of trips to refill and empty, so they’re ideal for larger carpeted areas. However, larger tanks are also heavier and harder to transport, so a small-capacity tank is common for handheld units. 

Heat and suction

While carpet steamers and shampooers differ (we explain how below), most carpet shampooers use some heat to loosen up dirt and dry the carpet faster. According to our experts, machines that use heat are more effective and efficient. Similarly, “stronger suction makes for better dirt and moisture extraction,” says Brown.

Cleaning solutions

Most residential machines apply a cleaning solution to your carpet before agitating (or scrubbing) the carpet fibers and sucking up the residue, according to our experts. Most of the models on this list come with a cleaning solution (a trial-size bottle, at the very least), but if not, be sure to find one that’s compatible with your machine. 

Attachments

Brown recommends looking for models with an assortment of attachments to allow for more versatility when cleaning your home. Hoses, brushes and stair tools allow you to clean upholstery, stairs [and] pet beds,” she says. 

Brown recommends choosing a carpet cleaner with a solid warranty. Additionally, check the warranties on both your carpet cleaner and your rug before cleaning since misuse may void both of them. For example, if you clean houses professionally, choose a commercial model, as consumer cleaning machines often aren’t protected if toted around, says Brown.

Frequently asked questions

As opposed to renting a machine or calling in a professional, owning a carpet cleaner is convenient and cost-effective, according to our experts. You can spot-clean or shampoo your rugs (or upholstery) as needed with one purchase, which is especially practical for households with pets, kids or heavy traffic.

Carpet shampooers apply a cleaning solution and agitate it with bristles or a beater before extracting it again, while carpet steamers use hot water vapor to sanitize your carpet, says Bailey.

Carpet shampooers are easy to use and result in deep-cleaned, fluffy carpets, according to our experts. While “steam cleaning is incredibly powerful” and “doesn’t require any shampoo or other chemicals,” it’s best completed by professionals due to the high temperatures and costly machines, says Saunders. Steam cleaners may also leave a carpet damp, says Knoll. For those reasons, we only included carpet shampooers.

Most carpet cleaners provide suction, fans and heat to dry materials after washing them, according to our experts. That said, Bailey recommends placing a fan in the room after shampooing your carpet to speed up drying time and prevent the possibility of mold growth.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Will Cotter is the owner of FreshSpace Cleaning and has managed cleaning companies in the US since 2016, many of which have offered carpet cleaning services to customers. 
• Angela Brown is a professional house cleaner with 32 years of experience and the founder of Savvy Cleaner , the training and certification program for house cleaners and maids. She is also an author, a podcaster and the host of the daily show Ask a House Cleaner. 
• Ryan Knoll is the owner of Tiny Casa , a home cleaning company that services over 600 homes monthly in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. 

Why trust Select?

Maria Cassano is an e-commerce writer, editor and consultant who has covered home improvement content for over seven years. You can find her work in publications such as Bustle, CNN, Allure, Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, Food & Wine and The Daily Beast. For this article, she interviewed five experts who work with carpet cleaners on a regular basis.

Cory Fernandez is a commerce writer at NBC Select. He contributed to this article. 

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Maria Cassano is a writer, editor, and consultant who specializes in e-commerce. You can find her work in dozens of publications, including Bustle, CNN, Allure, Elite Daily, The Daily Beast, Food & Wine, Better Homes & Gardens, and Real Simple.

Baltimore Orioles | Orioles designate reliever Mike Baumann for…

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Baltimore orioles | preakness 2024: seize the grey goes wire-to-wire, outruns mystik dan in 149th running, baltimore orioles, baltimore orioles | orioles designate reliever mike baumann for assignment, activate grayson rodriguez from il to start saturday vs. mariners, 28-year-old right-hander was out of minor league options: ‘it’s the hardest part of this game’.

Baltimore made the move Saturday morning to make room on its 26-man roster for Grayson Rodriguez, who was reinstated off the injured list to start the club’s late afternoon game against the Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day IL on April 30 with right shoulder inflammation , but the injury was minor enough that he did not need to pitch in rehabilitation games before rejoining the Orioles’ rotation.

Baumann was one of several pitchers in Baltimore’s bullpen with no more minor league options, decreasing the club’s roster flexibility and making the decision on how to create space for Rodriguez a challenging one.

“It’s been a really tough morning,” manager Brandon Hyde said before Saturday’s game. “Mike has been with us for a while. Think about the first half he had for us last year, how many games he helped us win, how good he was. He threw the ball really well last night. On top of all those things, just the incredible person he was, unbelievable teammate, first-class pro in every single way and so well-liked by guys in our clubhouse.

“It’s been a gloomy morning.”

It’s not a surprise that Baumann was the odd man out given the success of the Orioles’ other relievers and the decision to likely move to a six-man rotation soon . But with a veteran relief corps on one of baseball’s best teams — the Orioles (28-14) are on pace to win 108 games — comes challenging choices such as letting Baumann go.

Baltimore will hope to pass him through waivers — or trade him before that process begins — but it’s almost certain his next outing is in a different uniform.

“It’s the hardest part of this game,” reliever Danny Coulombe said. “Me and Mikey are really close. I think we all know how talented he is. There’s no doubt in my mind that there might be better opportunities out there for him. I wouldn’t be shocked in two or three weeks if he’s closing for somebody, you just never know. It’s tough to see, a huge loss to us in the clubhouse and on the field, too.

“He’s a great pitcher, but this is the business we’re in.”

The right-hander has been in the organization since they drafted him in the third round in 2017, pitching 127 1/3 innings with the Orioles since his MLB debut in 2021. He was one of Hyde’s most-trusted relievers last season after the club transitioned him from a starting pitcher into a bullpen arm. He appeared in 60 games last year — fourth most on the team behind Yennier Cano, Coulombe and Cionel Pérez — despite spending a month in the minors to recharge after his heavy workload. Baumann’s 10 relief wins were most by an Oriole since Brad Brach in 2016.

After posting a 3.76 ERA in 2023, the 28-year-old has experienced an up-and-down season so far, although his 3.44 ERA is more than respectable. What made the decision additionally difficult was the fact that Baumann has found his groove recently, recording a 1.04 ERA over his past 8 2/3 innings. With a plus curveball and a mid-90s mph fastball, Baumann matched up well against right-handed batters. Now, the Orioles’ bullpen has four left-handers, potentially posing a challenge against right-handed heavy lineups.

But there were seemingly no other options than to DFA him. Craig Kimbrel, Jacob Webb, Albert Suárez, Cole Irvin, Pérez and Coulombe aren’t able to be sent to the minors, while Cano (2.14 ERA) and Keegan Akin (2.84 ERA) are pitching too well to option.

“It’s going to be tough,” Hyde said on managing the bullpen without flexibility like the organization has had in the past. “It made a decision like this morning very, very hard. Just the way the rules are in place with only being able to carry 13 pitches, having guys that are out of options — you have to make tough decisions.”

Rodriguez carried his strong second half of 2023 into 2024 before his minor shoulder injury, winning four of his six starts with a 3.71 ERA. His start Saturday will be his first since April 29, and Hyde said the fireballer will have a “shorter leash” Saturday with Suárez and Irvin available in long relief. Irvin will likely rejoin the rotation later this month when the club moves to a six-man rotation.

Hyde has largely managed his bullpen this season in a similar way to last year despite the lack of flexibility. The large number of days off have allowed that, but now that the club is in the infancy of a 43-game in 45-day stretch, Hyde expects to alter the way he handles his relievers.

“You definitely have to keep in mind recovery, times that they get up, all those types of things I’m very conscious of. I am already, but especially when you roll into a long stretch,” he said. “You want to keep as many people as fresh as possible [and] a 6-man [rotation] makes it even harder. Not having optionable guys and wanting to keep this group together through this stretch, I’m going to be very aware of usage.”

Hyde hopes to be able to lean on his starters more once the Orioles move to a six-man rotation with each starter receiving an extra day of rest between starts, but he won’t risk their health to do so.

“I’m never going to sacrifice anything to try to get them through an extra inning if we feel like it’s not going to be responsible for them or putting them in harm’s way in any single way,” he said. “A lot goes into pulling a starter — from pitches to stressful innings all those type of things.”

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