Cleaning and Sanitizing in Hospitality

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Cleaning and Sanitizing in Hospitality: Servicing Restrooms

In the hospitality and service industry, the cleanliness of the restroom is equated to the **cleanliness of the entire operation. **

Aside from the obvious benefit of having a clean restroom, we will also receive fewer customer complaints and bolster customer trust by showing that we take hygiene seriously.

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to: perform proper spot-disinfection and cleaning of high-touch surfaces; and perform general restroom servicing. Ready? Let's begin.

Before Cleaning

Put-on your disposable cleaning gloves and protective eyewear before opening the restroom door slightly and announcing yourself.

Place the "Restroom Closed" sign on the side of the door and wait for the restroom to empty before entering.

Inspect the restroom for for spills, dirt, stains, or any biohazard that may need to be reported before you start cleaning.

Which of the following are correct pre-cleaning activities? There can be more than one answer.

Restroom Cleaning and Maintenance

Lightly spray disinfectant on urinals, toilets, sinks, and surrounding areas. Allow the recommended dwell time so the solution can kill off harmful bacteria and germs.

Check soap dispensers, tissue dispensers, paper towels, and disposable toilet seat containers and restock as needed.

Use a duster to clear dust and debris from air vents and ensure proper air circulation.

Spray general purpose cleaner on a cloth or sheets of disposable paper towels and wipe the mirrors.

Spot-disinfection and Cleaning of High-touch Surfaces

Spray disinfectant on a cloth and spot-clean high-touch surfaces including toilet flush handles, door handles, faucet handles, soap dispenser, and countertops.

Flush urinals twice, and flush toilets thrice to make sure they are well-rinsed before cleaning...

... then apply cream cleanser to a cleaning pad or scrubber and scrub the insides of the urinal and bowl.

Don't forget to flush the toilets and urinals after scrubbing to rinse off the excess cleaning solution!

Remove the trash liner and tie it up at the top before lifting it out of the trash bin. Place it in your cleaning cart's trash receptacle.

Lastly, you need to mop the floors. Start at the corner farthest from the door and work your way to the exit. Make sure to keep the mop in front of you to avoid stepping on wet floor.

After mopping, leave the door open and place the "Caution: Wet Floor" sign in the middle of the door way.

Check back in after a few minutes and once the floor has adequately dried, remove the wet floor sign and close the door. You are officially done!

Servicing Dining Areas: Ensuring safety and cleanliness

As important as cleanliness is for all areas of our establishment, it is even more so in dining areas because unsanitary practices can cause food poisoning, and food poisoning can be fatal.

Let's begin!

First, wear disposable gloves then remove the used plates and utensils and place them in the appropriate receptacle in your cleaning cart.

Next, take the used paper towels and napkins off the table and put them in their respective receptacles in your cleaning cart.

Use a disposable paper towel to wipe off crumbs, chunks, and other leftovers from the table and into the appropriate bin.

Dip a cleaning cloth in soapy water and wring it before wiping the entire table surface in a circular motion.

Finally, spray a disinfecting mixture of water and bleach into a separate cleaning cloth before wiping the entire table surface again. Let the solution stand for at least 10 seconds. The ratio should be 1 to 3 tablespoons of standard household bleach for every quart of water.

For carpeted floors, use a broom or vacuum to rid it of crumbs, dirt, and other unsanitary elements.

Since hard floors can get quite slippery during cleaning, make sure to place cones or "Caution: Wet Surface" signs around the area to prevent accidental slips as you work.

To get rid of the dirt, bacteria and excess grease typical of dining room floors, you need to dip your mop in a solution of water and bleach. Add 1 cup of bleach for every 5 gallons of water.

Mop the floors of the dining area starting from the corner farthest to the door. Make sure to keep the mop in front of you as you work your way out to avoid stepping on wet areas.

Servicing Public Areas: Cleaning, Dusting, and Removing Hazards

Making sure our establishment is safe and clean is an obligation to our customers.

By staying vigilant when it comes to maintenance and cleaning, we lay the foundation for good customer experience.

If we do it right, we will also get fewer customer complaints, and more recommendations.

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to perform standard cleaning and servicing of public areas including: Lobbies and Waiting Rooms Corridors and Walkways

Servicing Lobbies and Waiting Rooms

Entrance, lobby, and waiting room floors must be swept and mopped if they are hard surfaces, or vacuumed if they are carpeted, at least twice a day, or as needed.

Spot-clean hard-to-remove dirt and stains by spraying all-purpose cleaner on the area before scrubbing.

Not only does this keep our establishment clean and presentable, it also protects customers from slipping and tripping hazards e.g. spilt drinks, misplaced items, etc.

Check for misaligned carpets and furniture, then straighten them out. Vacuum carpets at least twice per week to keep them clean and extend their lifespan. Doing this also benefits customers and workers by improving air quality.

If the trash is past the halfway point and nearing full, tie up the trash liner at the top and dispose of it before placing a fresh liner on the empty bin.

Select the correct cleaning activities when servicing lobbies and waiting rooms. There can be more than one answer.

Servicing Corridors and Walkways

Because they are high-traffic areas, corridors and walkways must be cleaned at least once a day.

Hard floors should be swept and mopped, and carpeted corridors must be vacuumed, all from end-to-end.

Light fittings, artwork frames, and fragile decor should be dusted with a feather brush and/or duster.

Light bulbs should be checked and replaced if necessary.

Lastly, check for visible smudges in corridor walls and doors then wipe them off with a wet cloth.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing What's the difference?

Cleaning is concerned with the removal of visible dirt, soil, and/or stains. A clean-looking surface isn't automatically sanitary.

Sanitizing or disinfecting, on the other hand, is concerned with killing germs and bacteria invisible to the naked eye. Only after proper sanitation will a surface be truly clean and safe to touch.

Which of the following are correct pre-cleaning activities? There can be more than one answer.

Select the correct cleaning activities when servicing lobbies and waiting rooms. There can be more than one answer.