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Safety and Security in the Hospitality Sector

Safety and Security

Safety and security are two major responsibilities of hotel managers. Guests expect to sleep, meet, dine and entertain in a facility that is safe and secure-and are entitled to reasonable care under law. Housekeeping personnel can help meet this guest expectation and, in some cases, make the difference in the property’s safety and security system. In hospitality safety refers to the actual conditions in a work environment. Security refers to the prevention of theft, fire, and other emergencies. Continue reading “Safety and Security in the Hospitality Sector”

Managing an On-Premises Laundry

Guidelines for Large or Small operations

Doing the laundry at home or at the Laundromat may not be your favorite chore, but it is not a difficult one. Once a week, sort a basket of wash, select a detergent and the proper washing setting, and then dry and fold the items. But imagine doing laundry every day by the truckload, and you begin to have an idea of the scope of a lodging property’s laundry. Add to the sheer volume of wash the responsibilities of making it look, smell, and feel good and getting it to the right place at the right time. Then consider that linen (sheets, towels, tablecloths, and other items) is a housekeeping department’s second-largest expense, and you will understand why good laundry management is essential to the success of a lodging operation.

Some properties do not operate on-premises laundries. These properties contract with an outside laundry service that provides them with clean linen on a scheduled basis. The linen supply may be owned by the property or rented from the laundry service. Continue reading “Managing an On Premises Laundry – Guidelines”

Managing Expenses – in Housekeeping

Since Housekeeping is not a Revenue-generating department, the executive housekeeper’s primary responsibility for achieving the property’s financial goals is managing expenses.  In addition to salaries and wages, inventoried items are the key area for the executive housekeeper’s exercise of cost control measures.

The Budget Process Continue reading “Managing Expenses – in Housekeeping”

Beds, Linens and Uniforms

Beds

One item remains the hotel’s biggest draw: the bed

Beds, Linens and Uniforms

Most beds consist of springs, which provide resiliency and support: the mattress, which lies on top of the springs and provides extra padding; and the frame on which the springs and mattress rest. When carefully chosen, these items work together to provide a durable, comfortable bed that can be maintained and changed easily. When beds are poorly chosen, the hotel is stuck with beds that sag, are difficult to change, must be replaced often, and that guests will complain about. Continue reading “Beds Linens and Uniforms – Hotel standard linen”

Cleaning Ceilings, Walls, Furniture and Fixtures – Best Practice Methods

Ceilings, Walls, Furniture and Fixtures

Executive housekeepers can make cleaning and maintaining ceilings, walls and furnishing most efficient – and contribute to property safety – by keeping up with new products on the market and making sensible purchasing recommendations.

The best RULE OF THUMB for the care of ceilings, wall, furniture and fixtures is easy to remember:

Always follow the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning procedures. Failing to follow care recommendations from the manufacturer can mean wasting valuable time researching effective cleaning methods that could be just a phone call away. It may also lead to costly damage or even the total loss of expensive items. In addition, the wrong cleaning methods could negate warranties that protect the property against faulty products. Continue reading “Cleaning Ceilings Walls Furniture and Fixtures”

CLEANING PUBLIC AREAS – BEST PRACTICE METHODS

Public area and Other Types of Cleaning

Most people – including guests – trust first impressions. In a hotel, a guest’s first impression often revolves around what he or she sees and experiences in the property’s public area. Spotless and well-kept public areas signal guests to expect the same level of care and attention in their guestrooms.

To a large extent, the responsibility for cleaning public and other functional areas rests with the housekeeping department.

Establishing and maintaining housekeeping procedures for public areas is just as important as it is for guestrooms, but much more standardized. The housekeeping needs of public areas vary considerably among properties because of architectural differences, front entrance space, corridors, elevators, public restrooms, swimming pools, exercise rooms, activities and guest traffic. These and other factors affect scheduling routines, requiring many of the cleaning tasks to be performed at night or on a special-project basis. Continue reading “Cleaning Public Areas – Best Practice Methods”

GUESTROOM CLEANING – BEST PRACTICE METHODS

Guestroom Cleaning

No other feature or service provided by a property will impress the guest more than a spotlessly clean and comfortable guestroom. The condition of the guestroom conveys a critical message to guests. It shows the care that the property puts into creating a clean, safe and pleasant environment for its guests. This places a big responsibility on the housekeeping department. After all, the guestroom is the main product that a property sells. Housekeeping plays a greater role than any other department in ensuring that this product meets the standards that guests need to expect.

To maintain the standards that keep guests coming back, room attendants must follow a series of detailed procedures for guestroom cleaning. A systematic approach can save time and energy – and reduce frustration. In this respect, guestroom cleaning procedures not only ensure quality for the guests, but ensure efficiency and satisfaction for the employee performing the task. The sequence of room cleaning consist of preparatory steps, actual cleaning tasks, and a final check. Room inspections are also an integral part of the overall process of guestroom cleaning. Continue reading “Guestroom Cleaning – Best Practice Methods”

TYPICAL HOUSEKEEPING POSITIONS – HOW TO PLAN AND ORGANIZE POSITIONS

Typical Housekeeping Positions

ROOM ATTENDANT
Basic Function
Performs routine duties in the cleaning and servicing of guestrooms and baths under supervision of an inspector.

LINEN AND UNIFORM ATTENDANT
Basic Function
Stores and issues uniforms, bed linen, and table linen; also takes inventory and maintains linen room supplies as well as blankets, pillows, duvet inners

EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER

REPORTS TO: Resident Manager or Assistant Manager or the Owner

JOB SUMMARY
Supervises all housekeeping employees, has the authority to hire or discharge, plans and assigns work assignments, informs new employees of property regulations, inspects housekeeping personnel work assignments and requisitions supplies. Continue reading “Typical Housekeeping positions – How to organize positions”

Deep Cleaning Products and Best Practice Methods to Clean Guestrooms and Public Areas

Below is a link to the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention –

with guidelines and important information for Cleaning and Disinfecting your facility

Please CLICK HERE

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE and then the back arrow to get back to this page

We supply products for use during Deep Cleaning of Guesthouses, Bed and Breakfasts, Lodges and Hospitality venues – see below

The Products are published on our website under the section Absolute Essentials

CONTACT US WITH YOUR ENQUIRIES on info@accafrica.co.za

Continue reading “Deep Clean Products for Guestrooms and Public areas”

HOUSEKEEPING – MANAGING INVENTORY

THE Executive Housekeeper is responsible for two major types of inventories.

Recycled inventories are those items that have relatively limited useful lives but that are used over and over again in housekeeping operations.

Recycled Inventories include linen, blankets, pillows, duvets, uniforms, guest loan items, and some machines and equipment.

Non-recycled inventories are those items that are consumed or used up during the course of routine housekeeping operations.

Non-recycled inventories include cleaning supplies, small equipment items, and guest supplies and amenities. Continue reading “Housekeeping – Managing Inventory – Linens, Guest Toiletries”