How hard is it to be a housekeeper at a hotel?

Hotel housekeeping requires a significant amount of manual labor involving bending, pushing and pulling. Previous experience in the field bodes well for chances of hire, especially if they're familiar with managing multiple rooms and floors within a day.


Is housekeeping in a hotel hard?

Housekeeping is a physically demanding and very tiring job. It can be classified as "moderately heavy" to "heavy" work because the energy required is approximately 4 kilocalories per minute (4kcal/min).

How many rooms should a housekeeper clean per day?

On average, housekeepers clean 13 to 15 rooms a day, but it can be as high as 30 at some hotels. And they're expected to clean them all in one eight-hour shift.


What it's like to be a hotel housekeeper?

As a Hotel Housekeeper, you dust and clean hotel rooms as well as the common areas in the hotel where you work. Your responsibilities include restocking supplies, delivering items to guests' rooms, and moving your cart of cleaning supplies and equipment from room to room in the hotel.

Is hotel housekeeping stressful?

Housekeeping employees suffer high levels of job stress, leading to burnout and to having higher expectations from the hotel.


Housekeeper Training Video



How do housekeepers clean so fast?

Make Every Movement Count

Professional cleaners don't circle a room more than once. Taking their place before the bathroom sink, they'll spray and wipe the mirror, scrub the sink, wipe down counters and polish fixtures before they move one inch to the right or left.

What is the biggest risk of being housekeeping?

Common housekeeper dangers and injuries

Slip and fall accidents from wet or cluttered surfaces. Chemical exposure from cleaning agents. Infectious disease from waste disposal. Knee injuries.

How long should a housekeeper take to clean a room?

Although the amount of time given to housekeepers to clean rooms can vary depending on where they work, it's common to have 20 to 30 minutes per room. Consequences for not finishing in the allotted time can include being written up and being forced to work extra hours.


What are the top 3 skills a housekeeper should have?

Examples of housekeeping skills
  • Time management skills. Housekeepers often work on their own or they may work with a small group of other housekeepers and must complete a set number of cleanings each day. ...
  • Communication skills. ...
  • Flexibility. ...
  • Undergo housekeeping training.


What hotel pays housekeepers the most?

Top companies for Hotel Housekeepers in United States
  • IHG Hotels & Resorts. 4.1 $30.40per hour. 3,649 reviews32 salaries reported.
  • The Williamsburg Hotel. 2.5 $21.19per hour. ...
  • McMenamins. 3.3 $20.69per hour. ...
  • Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. 4.2 $18.68per hour. ...
  • Marriott Vacations Worldwide. 4.1 $18.30per hour. ...
  • Show more companies.


How can I be a faster hotel housekeeper?

Here are my favorite speed cleaning tips for fast and efficient housekeeping!
  1. Get your daily routines down. ...
  2. Dress for success! ...
  3. Stay focused. ...
  4. Keep cleaning supplies in convenient location. ...
  5. Clean as you go. ...
  6. Clean in a logical order. ...
  7. Lighten your load.


Which room should be cleaned first in hotel?

Clean bedroom areas first

For minimal bacterial transfer, start cleaning in the bedroom and then clean the bathroom area. This helps improve sanitation and overall cleanliness.

What is the golden rule of housekeeping?

Clean from the top down

Don't fight gravity when you clean. You'll lose. Working from high to low almost always works better in cleaning situations. When you're cleaning the entire house, start on the top floor and work your way down to avoid tracking through rooms you have already cleaned.

Can you listen to music as a hotel housekeeper?

Yes, it is up to management to decide what is acceptable and not. Generally, you can as long as it's not loud enough to disturb guests. It should not distract you from doing work either. You may use ear buds, preferably wireless, but please do pay attention to your surrounding.


Is hotel housekeeping a good career?

Yes, housekeeping is a good job.

There is always a need for housekeepers, and it is an industry with a low barrier to entry, minimal startup costs, and low overhead when compared to other types of companies.

How many rooms does a housekeeper clean per shift?

An average housekeeper is expected to clean about 15 to 20 rooms in a typical shift, which means he or she must maintain a fast working pace, which creates additional dangers. The worker may be required to scrub floors on their knees because many hotels do not provide long-handled mops.

What are your weaknesses in housekeeping?

Sample Answer: My biggest weakness is that I am a perfectionist. I am always striving to do my best and sometimes this can be a weakness because I may spend too much time on a task. However, I am working on improving this by delegating tasks to others when I am unable to complete them myself.


How can I make my housekeeping job easier?

You can make cleanup a little bit easier for housekeeping by scanning your room before you leave for any bottles of water or other beverages that still have liquid inside them. Even if there isn't a bin for recyclables in your room, empty all containers you're leaving behind of liquids (down the bathroom sink works).

How do you train a housekeeper?

7 Tips for Training New Maids & House Cleaning Employees
  1. Cover Basic Training With Strategic Team Scheduling.
  2. Concentrate on Soft Skills.
  3. Give Your Employees the Power to Upgrade Customer Service.
  4. Focus on Building Long-Term Clientele (and Lucrative Relationships)
  5. Use Positive Reinforcement Training Tools.


How long is a housekeeping shift?

As a Hotel Housekeeper, you typically work eight to 10-hour shifts during the day, when hotel guests are out of their rooms for activities, or they are checked out of their rooms.


How long is a housekeeper shift?

The average hotel housekeeping worker is required to check and/or clean between 12 and 20 rooms in an eight-hour shift. That allows for only 20 to 30 minutes for room at best, since time to restock the cart and traveling between floors must be considered as well as breaks in the hotel housekeeper's shift.

What is the 1 minute rule for cleaning?

The rule is simple: If a task can be completed in one minute or less, it should be done immediately, like washing a dish, answering an email or picking up a few things on the floor.

What are the signs of poor housekeeping?

Signs of poor housekeeping
  • Cluttered or poorly organized work spaces.
  • Untidy or dangerous storage of materials (e.g. dangerous stacking of materials or overcrowded shelves)
  • Dusty/dirty floors or work surfaces.
  • Storage of items no longer needed or used.
  • Blocked or cluttered aisles and exits.
  • Broken furniture and equipment.


Do and don'ts in housekeeping?

Five Do's and Don'ts When Working as a Hotel Housekeeper
  • Do: Treat All Guests With Kindness. ...
  • Don't: Invite Friends and Family to the Property. ...
  • Do: Behave Like a Professional at All Times. ...
  • Don't: Permit Room Access to Anyone But the Registered Guest. ...
  • Do: Put in 100% Effort During Every Shift.


What can poor housekeeping result in?

Poor housekeeping results in untidiness, disorder, poor storage of items around the household and wasted cleaning products. Additionally, Clutter and disorder reduces productivity, leading to even poorer housekeeping practices.