A hotel housekeeper is a hotel employee who is in charge of keeping the rooms and other areas of the hotel clean. Before applying for a job, hotel housekeepers should have a high school diploma or equivalent, though this is not always a requirement. The majority of hotels will train a new housekeeper.
A hotel housekeeper is usually in charge of cleaning rooms every day, with a particularly thorough cleaning after guests check out on their final day. Cleaning rooms on a daily basis may entail making beds, replacing used towels with fresh ones, cleaning and disinfecting the bathroom and replenishing the hotel’s toiletries, vacuuming the carpet, and removing trash. A hotel housekeeper will change the sheets on the bed and polish the furniture when a guest checks out. The housekeeper will also take any misplaced items to the lost and found.
When a hotel housekeeper cleans, he or she takes inventory of the room and checks to see if everything is in working order. For example, if a light bulb burns out, she may be responsible for replacing it or contacting maintenance to repair a light fixture. Hotel housekeepers may also be in charge of keeping the rest of the hotel clean, such as vacuuming the carpeting in the stairwells, hallways, conference rooms, and lobby, among other places. It’s also possible that the furniture or windows will need to be cleaned.
Some hotel housekeepers work in the hotel’s laundry room. They may only work in the laundry department, or they may work there in addition to their cleaning responsibilities, depending on the size of the hotel. The hotel housekeeper will be responsible for efficiently washing and drying sheets, towels, and other linens that require cleaning, as well as restocking linen carts.
To apply for a job as a hotel housekeeper, simply fill out an application. Because housekeeping is a physically demanding job, it’s a good idea to be in decent physical shape. Furthermore, hotel housekeepers must be discreet and capable of respecting the privacy of hotel guests, but hotel housekeepers rarely interact with guests directly. Hotel housekeepers are typically full-time employees who may be required to wear a uniform. Housekeepers who perform well in their jobs may be promoted to supervisory or managerial positions in the industry.