Departures and stayovers
Housekeeping usually distinguishes between departure rooms (a guest has checked out, and the room needs a full clean and change) and stayover rooms (a guest is staying on and needs a lighter service). A departure clean includes stripping and remaking the bed with fresh linen, cleaning the bathroom thoroughly, replacing towels and amenities, dusting, vacuuming and checking everything works. Stayover service may be daily or on request, depending on the property's policy.
Timings vary by room size and standard, but many hotels plan on roughly 20–40 minutes per departure room for an experienced room attendant.
Room checklists
A clear, room-by-room checklist keeps standards consistent across the team:
- Bed stripped and made with fresh linen; mattress protector checked
- Bathroom: toilet, basin, shower or bath, screens, mirrors, floor and amenities
- Fresh towels, bath mat and amenities replenished
- Dusting of surfaces, headboards, lamps, TV and remote
- Kettle, cups and tea tray cleaned and restocked
- Bins emptied, floors vacuumed, under-bed and wardrobe checked
- Windows, curtains and blinds checked; lights and appliances tested
- Lost property logged and stored
Public areas and back of house
Reception, lounges, corridors, lifts, stairs, public toilets, restaurants and bars need cleaning through the day as well as a thorough clean overnight or early morning. Back-of-house areas – staff rooms, linen stores and kitchens – affect hygiene and staff morale. Kitchens follow food safety schedules; see restaurant and pub cleaning.
Linen and laundry
Most hotels use a commercial laundry or linen hire service, which supplies clean sheets and towels and collects used ones. Smaller guest houses often launder in-house. Either way, keep enough stock – usually several sets per bed – to cover turnover and laundry cycles. Duvets and pillows need periodic washing or replacing; see washing pillows and duvets.
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Deep cleaning programmes
Alongside daily cleaning, rooms should be deep cleaned on a rolling schedule – for example, each room every few months – including moving furniture, cleaning high and low areas, descaling bathrooms, cleaning curtains and checking mattresses. Carpets and upholstery need regular extraction cleaning; see commercial carpet cleaning. Quieter months are the natural time for bigger projects.
In-house or outsourced housekeeping?
Many hotels employ their own housekeeping team; others outsource room cleaning to specialist housekeeping contractors, often paying per room cleaned. Outsourcing can help with recruitment and seasonal peaks, but the hotel still needs to set standards, check quality and manage the relationship. Ask contractors about training, supervision, room inspection processes and how they handle peaks and last-minute changes.
Small B&Bs and guest houses often use a local commercial cleaning company or a changeover cleaning business – similar to those serving holiday lets – for busy days and deep cleans.
Standards, reviews and inspections
Guests increasingly judge cleanliness through photos in reviews, so the details matter: hair in plugholes, dust on headboards, marks on mirrors and stained grout all show up. Many properties use a short standard checklist for every room plus a longer periodic list, and keep a log of deep cleans by room number so nothing is missed.
Quality schemes such as star ratings and visitor accreditation look closely at housekeeping standards, and local authority food hygiene inspections cover kitchens and breakfast rooms. Linen, towels and mattress protectors should be replaced when stained or worn rather than just washed. A professional carpet and upholstery clean in quiet months keeps rooms looking fresh between refurbishments.
