Housekeeping

Terminologies

Acute Hazard

Something

that could cause immediate harm.

For example, a chemical that could cause
burns on contact with the skin is an acute
hazard

Amenity

A service

or item offered to guests or placed

in guestrooms for convenience and comfort,
and that at no extra cost.

Chronic Hazard

Something

that could cause harm over along

period; for example, a chemical that could
cause cancer or organ damage with
repeated use over a long period.

Deep Cleaning

Intensive or specialized cleaning undertaken in guestrooms or

public areas. Often conducted according to a special schedule
or on a special project basis. Involves moving heavy furniture,
high dusting, turning mattresses, vacuuming draperies and
curtains, and other cleaning functions not normally performed
in the day-to-day servicing of a guestroom. Synonymously with
general cleaning.

Double - Locked

An occupied room for which the guest has refused

housekeeping service by locking the room from the
inside with a dead bolt. Double-locked rooms cannot
be accessed by room attendant using a standard
pass key.

Early Makeup

A room

status term indicating that the guest

has reserved an early check-in time or has
requested his/her room to be cleaned as
soon as possible.

Emergency Key

A key

which opens all guestroom doors, even

when they are double-locked.

Face Fibers

Yarns

which form the pile of the carpet.

Face Weight

The

measure of a carpets pile. Equal to the

weight of the face fibers in one square yard
of a carpet.

Finish

A liquid

applied to floors that dries to a

protective coating and enhances the
appearance of the floor. Finishes come in
wax-based or polymer types.

Floor Par

The

quantity of each type of linen that is

required to out-fit all rooms serviced from a
particular floor linen closet.

Guestroom Key

A key

which opens a single guestroom door if

it is not double-locked.

Hand Caddy

A portable

container for storing, holding, and

transporting cleaning supplies Typically
located on the top shelf of the room
attendants cart.

Hard Floor

Floors made from natural stone or clay. These floors

are among the most durable of all floor surfaces, but
also the least resilient. Types of hard floors include
concrete, marble, and terrazzo, ceramic tile, and
other natural stone.

HAZCOMM Standard

Hazard

Communication Standard; OSHAs

regulation requiring all employers to inform
employees about possible hazards related to
chemicals they use on the job.

House Rule

Any

published company-wide rule for which

violation can result in immediate discharge.

House Setup

The

total number of each type of linen that is

needed to outfit all guestrooms one time.
Also referred to as one par of linen.

Housekeeping Status Report

A report

prepared by the housekeeping

department which indicates the current
housekeeping status of each room, based on
a physical check.

Linen Room

Area in a hospitality operation which is often considered the

headquarters of the housekeeping department. This is the area
where the employee typically reports to work, receives room
assignments, room status reports, and keys; assembles and
organizes cleaning supplies; and checks out at the end of
his/her shift.

Master Key

A key

which opens all guestroom doors

which are not double-locked.

Mitering

A method

for contouring a sheet or blanket to

fit the corner of a mattress in a smooth and
neat manner. The results are sometimes
referred to as square corners or hospital
corners.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

A form

containing information about a

chemical that is supplied by the chemicals
manufacturer.

Occupancy Report

A report

prepared each night by a front desk

agent which lists rooms occupied that night
and indicates those guests expected to
check out the following day.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act)

A broad

set of rules that projects workers in

all trades and professions from a variety of
unsafe working conditions.

pH Scale

A scale

that measures the acidity or alkalinity

of a substance to the scale, a pH of 7 is
neutral, acids have values of less than 7 to 0,
and alkalies have values of more than 7 to
14.

Pile

The

surface of a carpet; consists of fibers or

yarns that form raised loops that can be ut or
sheared.

Pile Distortion

Face

fiber condition such as twisting, pilling,

flaring, or matting caused by heavy traffic or
improper cleaning methods.

Preventive Maintenance

A systematic approach to maintenance in which situations are

identified and corrected on a regular basis to control costs and
keep larger problems from occurring. Preventive maintenance
consists of inspection, minor corrections, and work order
initiation.

Primary Backing

The

part of the carpet to which face fibers are

attached and which holds these fibers in
place.

Resilient Floors

A type

of floor that reduces noise and is

considered easier to stand or walk on. Types
of resilient floors include vinyl, asphalt,
rubber, linoleum, and wood.

Room Attendants Cart

A lightweight,

wheeled vehicle used by room

attendants for transporting cleaning supplies,
linen, and equipment needed to fulfill a block
of cleaning assignments.

Room Inspection

A detailed

process in which guestrooms are

systematically checked for cleanliness and
maintenance needs.

Room Status Discrepancy

A situation

in which the housekeeping

departments description of a room status
differs from the room status information at
the front desk.

Room Status Report

A report which allows the housekeeping department

to identify the occupancy condition of the propertys
rooms. Generated daily through a two-way
communication between housekeeping and the front
desk.

Rotary Floor Machine

Floor care equipment that accommodates both brushes and

pads to perform such carpet cleaning tasks as dry foaming
cleaning, mist pad cleaning, rotary spin pad cleaning, or bonnet
and brush shampoos. On hard floors, these machines can be
used to buff, burnish, scrub, strip, and refinish.

Routine Maintenance

Activities related to the general upkeep of the property that

occur on a regular (daily or weekly) basis, and require relatively
minimal training or skills to perform. These activities occur
outside of a formal work order system and include such tasks
as sweeping carpets, washing floor, cleaning guestrooms, etc.

Scheduled Maintenance

Activities

related to the upkeep of the

property that are initiated through a formal
work order or similar document.

Secondary Backing

The

part of a carpet that is laminated to the

primary backing to provide additional stability
and more secure installation.

Turndown Service

A special service provided by the housekeeping

department which a room attendant enters the
guestroom in the early evening to restock supplies,
tidy the room, and turn down the guest bed.

Area Responsibility Plan

A document that geographically defines physical

areas of a facility and assigns responsibility for
cleaning among the various departments of a hotel
or hospitality organization, usually developed from
the division of work document.

Bed and Bath Linen

Items

such as sheets, pillowcases, hand

towels, bath towels, washcloths, and cloth
bath mats.

Bedding

All

bed linens such as sheets and

pillowcases, and all blankets, shams, dust
ruffles, pillow quilts, comforters, coverlets,
mattress pads, and bed spreads.

Buffing

The

act of polishing the surface of a floor with

a low-speed (175-350 rpm) floor machine.

Burnishing

The

act of polishing the surface of a floor with

a high-speed (350+ rpm) floor machine to
achieve an extremely high gloss (wet look)
surface.

Daily Work Assignment Sheet

Form

that indicates special work tasks

required for a given day and are assigned to
a specific worker.

Damp Mopping

The

use of a damp (not wet) mop for spot

cleaning of spills and overall cleaning of light
dirt from floors. This technique is not
intended to remove heavily embedded dirt or
old floor finish.

Dilution Ratio

Comparison of the amount of water that is, or must

be, added to a specific cleaning agent that is
recommended for a specific cleaning task. For
example, a 20:1 dilution ratio means 20 parts water
to a 1 part cleaning agent.

Guest Essentials

Guest supplies that are essential in guestrooms but

that the guest would not normally be expected to use
up or remove upon departure. Examples include
water glasses, ice buckets, and cloth hangers.

Guest Expendables

Guest

supplies that guests would normally be

expected to use up or take away upon
departure. Examples include stationery, toilet
tissue and soap.

Guest Loan Items

Guest supplies not normally found in a guestroom

but available upon request. Examples include hair
dryers, razors, ironing boards, and irons. Guest
signs a receipt and specify a time that the item may
be picked up by the housekeeping department.

Guest Request

Any

special request not normally included in

the regular servicing of a guestroom, such as
for extra towels, hair dryers, razors roll-away
bed or baby crib.

Guest Supplies

Supplies

specifically needed because guests

are staying in a hotel.

Housekeepers Report

A report made daily to the front desk by the housekeeping

department and signed by a manager indicating the correct
status of all guestrooms. Compilation of all results obtained
from afternoon room checks conducted on the entire
guestroom. Specifies what rooms are ready for occupancy,
occupied by guests, and/or on-change, etc.

Maintenance Checklist

Document

used as a guide in the

performance of a maintenance inspection.

Maintenance Work Request Form

A three-part document used for repairs; is

transmitted to the engineering department. Form
allows for the control and processing of work and the
recording of man-hours and materials involved in the
repairs performed.

Padding

A layer

of material placed under carpet to

increase resiliency. It can be made from a
number of natural and synthetic materials.

Room Inspections

Periodic

inspections of guestrooms to ensure

that standards of cleanliness and servicing
are being maintained.

Spray Buffing

The

application of a finish solution while

polishing a floors surface to retouch worn
spots and to restore a glossy look to the
floors surface.

The End