HOUSE KEEPING (its very important for 1sem exams)

house keeping
Theory topics for the exam:,of hotel based on clientele locationsizes (helps in organization chart)
Topic 1 – hotel industry and overview.
Important subtopics – classification of hotel based on clientele, location,size(less than 100 rooms - small hotel, 100-300 rooms - medium hotel, above 300- less than 600 - large hotels, more than 600 - very large hotel)
Important key terms
1. Back of the house
2. Back to back
3. Chain hotel
4. Amenities
5. Checking out
6. Cleaning supplies
7. Floatels
8. Front of the house
9. Hospitality
10. Hotel
11. Inventory
12. King size bed
13. Lounge
14. Motels
15. Operational dep.(house-keeping is an operational non revenue making dep.)
16. Orientation
17. Parlour
18. Re-furbishment (imp.)
19. Sofa bed
20. Turn down service (Evening service): It is also referred to as evening service, refer to the notes Question asked - difference between turn down service and second service
Difference between:-
Turn Down Service:
This service is given in the evening by the second or evening shift to all the rooms except DND and double locks rooms, out of order rooms and which guest has refused.
It includes services like removing the bed cover, giving triangular fold over bed sheets. Putting a rose bud and breakfast hanger and goodnight hanger over the triangular fold, filling in the water jugs , Cleaning ash trays mopping bathroom floor, putting one’s bedside lamp on, drawing the curtains, this service is not charged. It is also called evening service as it is done in the evening shift.
Second service:
1) This is an extra service given anytime during the day on request or complaints from the guest only .Thus, this service is not given to all the rooms unless demanded or requested.
2) As per policies of the hotel this could be charged .Ex. Floor to clean or dustbins to empty.
CHAPTER 2
HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT:
A) General info. And the role and the duties of HK department (role includes Ch.1 notes which were on lab server )
B) Duties and responsibilities include not only cleaning but other responsibilities like linen, uniform, guest laundry , gardening and horticulture, flower arrangement, lost and found records, baby sitting, training the staff, purchase of right equipments and training the staff in using them, refurbishment and renovation etc.
C) Organization of small and large hotels:
If hotel chart is asked, draw chart with more sub departments.
Duties and responsibilities: all of them. Valet boy is also called runner.
Desk housekeeper: desk housekeeper is considered to be a nerve centre of HK as desk House keeper is considered to be a coordinator between the sub-departments i.e. The floor and public area .It also coordinates amongst the departments like front office , maintenance security . The desk housekeeper is also required in taking the complaints/ requests of the guests and passing on to the required sub- departments promptly. In addition the desk housekeeper is responsible for maintaining the files and records, also looks after the lost and found articles, storage and records. She is also called control desk supervisor.
D) Personal attributes
E) layout of housekeeping department and service pantry


F) IMPORTANT SUB-topic
Co-ordination of other Dep (Front office, maintainance,security) Study from book. Very important**
Important Key Terms (pg no. 55-57)
Amenities
Chief engineer
Check in
Check out
CMMS
Deep cleaning
Departure room
D N D card
Double lock
Floor pantry
Hat checker
Job description
Job specification
Linen
Par-Stock
Out of order rooms
Preventive maintenance
Room status discrepancy
Resident manager
Rooms division manager
Room status report (This is prepared by housekeeping and sent to front office on that basis the front office prepares a discrepancy report.)
Scanty baggage
Schedule maintenance
Stay-over guest
Sleep out
Upholstery
WC-water closet
Organisation chart


· Night Report :( This is the report prepared by Front office staff in the night which has a list of occupied rooms + expected departures on the next day. ,)
· The reports prepared by FO are night report and discrepancy report and HK prepares status report(on that basis FO staff prepares discrepancy report)
· Change of room is different than on change room-( on change room is a check out room which being serviced after the guest checks out)
GRA: A gra prepares 12-16 rooms in a day. Maximum upto 18 rooms.
A Floor Supervisor look after upto 60 rooms (maximum 3 floors).
Work order is sent from housekeeping to mantainance department which states maintainance complaints occurred on floors, public areas. It is done done in triplicates two copies sent to ma ntainance and one copy remains with housekeeping as a record. Work order is also called mantenanace order slip or M.O.S.
CHAPTER 3 ( pg numbers 60-101)
a) Equipments: manual and mechanical
Study vacuum cleaner and diagram, write the advantages and disadvantages.
· The other name of back pack vacuum cleaner is piggy back ,back vac
The cylindrical vacuum cleaner is used by GRA to clean the rooms. The other name for it is suction vacuum cleaner.
· Carpet is wall to wall, but a rug is a small piece of carpet.
Difference between rug and rag.
Rag is a small piece of disposable cloth
Difference between:
Hydro-extractor and high pressure washer
Hydro extractor works on the centrifugal force concept and it works on electricity
High pressure washer is used to clean facade area [an area with sculptures and statues to clean embedded dust in grooves and crevices. This is used for outdoor area as it splashes with high pressure and detergent and water (sand acts as an abrasive.)]
Draw and label and explain the GRA’s trolley, which is also called chamber maids trolley
Janitors trolley is smaller than a GRAs trolley it is without linen and it has 2 containers, one for clean and for dirty water and it has mop wringer attachment to squeeze mop hygienically
B) Cleaning agents.
Important questions -Floor sealers and types. Ph scale, water detergent, reagents, abrasives and toilet cleaners.
· Soft water is below 60 ppm, hard water is above 60 ppm. Water is a neutral solvent having 7 Ph.
C) Linen is categorized into 3 categories:
1) Room linen: bed and bath linen.
* Now a day’s duvet is used instead of bed cover. It is filled with soft feather.
2) F and B linen: also called napery. It includes napron or throw-over. Table cloth (made up of damask material). Runner etc.
3) Health club linen
IMPORTANT KEY TERMS:
1. Abrasives
2. Aerosols
3. Anti-septic(diff. Between anti-septic and disinfectant is important)
4. Bactericidal
5. Baize cloth
6. Bath sheets
7. Beeswax
8. Bio degradable
9. Breakfast hanger – it is also called breakfast knob card.
10. Buffing
11. Builders
12. Burnishing
13. Caustic alkali
14. chamois leather
15. Cleaning agents
16. Cleaning equipments
17. Supplies
18. Coverlet
19. Crib
20. Crinkle sheets
21. Damask
22. Disinfectants
23. Dustette
24. Dust ruffle
25. Dutch wife
26. Duvets
27. Flannelette
28. Floor pantry
29. Galvanized iron
30. Guest amenities
31. Guest essentials
32. Guest expendables
33. Guest loan items
34. Guest supplies
35. Hard water
36. Soft water
37. House linen
38. House rules
39. Impregnation
40. Jeweller’s rouge
41. Johnny mop
42. Lacquer
43. Lint
44. Mini-bar
45. Naprons
46. Napery
47. Ph scale
48. Precipitated whiting
49. Sanitation
50. Shams
51. Shellac – is secretion of female Indian insect ( do not read the information given in keyterms regarding this)
52. Shoe mitts
53. Spirit of salt
54. Sterilization
55. Surfactants
56. Tent cards
57. Terrazzo
58. Upholstery
59. Vanity unit – asked in theory as well as practical exam
60. WC
61. Wicker
62. Loofah pad ( bath sponge used for scrubbing body )
63. Disinfectant strip.
· Drugget is a mat placed at the entrance
· Gargle glasses are also called as tooth glasses
· Pouffe also called ottoman: it is a backless cushioned sitting. (Seen near dressing table).
· Diff between terrazzo and granolithic flooring ( pg no . 600 and 601 old book )
· Silvo: contents : ferric oxide(jeweller’s rouge) + ammonia + calcium carbonate(precipitated whiting)
· Brasso: bathbrick+ turpentine
· Mansion cream is bees wax + shellac + turpentine
· Min cream is water based polish.
· Difference between Bleach and bleu.(refer to detergent additive notes)
Diff. Between lacquer and French polish
(Lacquer is shellac+alchacol used on wood or metals for better appearance and preventive measure where as French polish is shellac +methalyted spirit used only on wood)
5 types of soils- dust, dirt, tarnish, stain and foreign material. Question asked is diff between dust and dirt, tarnish and stain. (pg no.274)




Types of Flooring
Pg no. 588 to 596
Important:-
Marble, Slates, Sandstone, concrete, granolithic, vitreous flooring, ceramic tiles, mosaic (pattern tiles) , brick, terracotta, terrazzo
Wooden flooring – plywood, parquets, wood mosaic, cork wood
Wall finishes (page 612- 621)
A) Different Paints
Water base, distemper, whitewash, emulsion paints, cement paints, solvent paints, oil paints etc.
B) Wallpapers,
C) Plastic as wall covering, wood as wall covering.
Key terms- pg no. 633
Abrasives, black lead, ductile, EPNS( electroplated nickel silver ), feldspar, glass paper, kaolin, jewellers rouge, malleable, tarnish, dado, acoustic, parquet , black lacquer
Difference between Skirting and Dado


Skirting is of smaller height than dado as it covers up upto six inch height from the base of the wall.
Dado covers up a wall upto quarter or half height from the base of the wall. ( explanation on dado is in the keyterms on page633 )
Use of Computers
Pg no. 718- 723( it includes key terms.)
Advantages
· Coordination between departments becomes efficient and prompt
· Human labour is reduced
· All records are stored in one small computer. Thus saves storage place
· Accounts can be compared.
· It is used in budgeting and forecasting
Disadvantages –
· Dependence on electricity.
· Security issues.
· Installation and maintenance cost is high
· Cleaning goes clockwise or anti-clockwise.
· Cleaning of the room includes dusting of the furniture, making the bed, sanitising the bathroom)
· Placement of different guest supplies + key terms. (pg no.267- 272 including the keyterms)
· Hotel room is divided into five major areas
1. Vestiblue area (this is the passage outside the bathroom generally enclosed thus it is used for changing purpose)
2. Storage area (luggage rack and wardrobe)
3. Working area (writing table)
4. Relaxation area (coffee table and couch or sofa chair, generally near the window)
5. Sleeping area (bed)
· Shoe horn is the type of guest supplies which is used by the guest to fit in the shoes in the feet. It is with a long handle.




To carry for practical exams- Complete uniform, all theory matters to be learnt,
all work cards, layouts of the hk dept, layout of the hotel housekeeping department , service pantry , organisation charts, career options, vacuum cleaner picture, GRA trolley, manual equipments pictures , types of guest supplies(info in the book under four categories), lay out of the rooms- single, double ,twin and suite ,status of the rooms, types of rooms. Book covered with black chart paper and plastic cover with appropriates pictures. (With clearly written name and roll number )


Theory topics and page numbers : new book-
Name of topic page number
1) The hotel industry and overview + key terms (1-15)
2) The role of the house keeping department chap 1computer notes
3)The house keeping department +key terms (16-57)
a) Imp of house keeping
b) Responsibilities of housekeeping department
c) Organisation structure
d) Housekeeping personal
e) Personal attributes oh housekeeping staff
f) Layout of the department
g) Co-ordination with other departments
h) Housekeeping in other institutions (*doesn’t include professional housekeeper, management process, minimum requirements, special requirements subtopics)
4) Housekeeping inventories key terms (142-203)*exclude subtopic-pg(197,198)
a) Leaning equipments
b) Cleaning agents
c) Guest supplies (imp for practical exam)
5) Linens key terms


Difference Between
i)bleaching and bluing agents
ii) Disinfectants and antiseptics-(*answer in key terms)
Photo activated bleaches works on a Chemical reaction, contains caustic soda-which is highly alkaline in nature, it converts oxygen to nascent form when activated by sunlight. They are used as stain removers from white cloth.
Blueing agents –This are optical brighteners or fluorescent brighteners which work on a physical reaction, it absorbs ultra violet light and reflects it back as blue light creating a illusion of whiteness ,thus it is used on white clothes for better appearance
Quats-these are synthetic detergents also known as disinfecting detergents or sanitizers which are quaternary ammonium compounds having good germicidal and anti-static properties, these are available in cleaning gels,airfreshners and fabric conditioners, these are used on floors ,walls equipments and areas which come in contact with food


5) Composition, care and cleaning of diff surfaces+key terms (204-226)
6) Guest supplies-* important from practical exam point of view also (191-192)
7) Hotel guest rooms (227-237, key terms are important )
a) Types of guest rooms
b) Layout of the guest rooms
c) Guest room status
d) Placement of guest supply+key terms * important from practical exam point of view (267-272)




8) Cleaning of guest rooms/the cleaning organisation
A) Types of soil pg273-285
b) Nature of soil
c) Standards of cleaning
d)the science of cleaning
e) Terminology of cleaning
f) Principles of cleaning
g) Cleaning procedures
i) Frequency of cleaning
j)organisation of cleaning (difference between block and team cleaning is asked)
k) Spring cleaning (difference between spring cleaning and deep cleaning is asked. spring cleaning is done in off season)
l) Features that ease cleaning
(Diff between dust and dirt & Diff between stain and tarnish is asked in the exam)
9) Types of flooring, wall coverings and key terms (588-596,612-621)
10) Use of IT in housekeeping departments and key terms (718-724)


Important key terms –bidet (pg 314-old book), vanity counter (pg 209-old book)
Additional notes on control desk (when a question asked on duties and responsibilities of desk supervisor also mention the following point’s pg323)
The housekeeping control desk is a central hub of the housekeeping dept. This is an area in the dept where all information is received and from where messages are dissipated to housekeeping and the other staffs present in various parts of the hotel. Thus the desk control maybe considered the nerve centre for to and fro communication in housekeeping dept. main function-smooth coordination between housekeeping and other dept’s.
Apart from maintaining the intra and interdepartmental channels of communication, it is a control desk which receives messages from inhouse guests over telephone. in most hotels this is an area where housekeeping employees report for work; collect the respective keys; peruse the logbook ;get their briefing and collect it at the end of their shift.
The main physical feature visible in most control desk area is the key cabinet on the wall where all floor master keys and store keys are kept under a lock and key themselves. Another common feature here is a large notice board displaying notices and general information, cleaning schedules, VIP lists, work crews and groups and so on. Most important role is maintaining various important records and registers and forms.
Needless to say the control desk is manned round the clock for efficiency and smooth communication.
The various records, registers which are maintained by desk housekeeper are:
1. Key register
2. Log book
3. Memo book
4. Maintenance register