Hotel Cleaning Checklist: 6 Steps to Clean a Hotel Room

If there is one thing that riles hotel guests, it’s a dirty, unkempt hotel room. Everyone loves a beautiful, spotlessly clean place to spend the night or day. No matter how beautiful the lobby is or how impeccable your customer service is, cleanliness remains a top priority. If the rooms are not kept tidy, it is very likely that you will get bad press, angry customer reviews, and negative ratings.

Keeping your hotel clean boils to down to one critical item: a checklist. Without a hotel cleaning checklist, it is almost impossible to keep track of areas that have been cleaned and those that are yet to be touched. You can, however, avoid this nightmare by following these six steps in our hotel cleaning checklist:

Step #1: Dust the high areas in the hotel room.

To dust high areas that are out of easy reach, you will need a step stool or a step ladder. You will also need a dust wand with a long handle that can reach the high areas in the room.

As you dust, make sure to reach every place in the room by continually moving the ladder. This stage of cleaning should involve dusting the sprinklers and smoke detectors. You should also dust above door jams, the armoires’ tops, and the air vent grates.

Step #2: Clean the lighting fixtures.

Take extra precaution when cleaning the lights in the hotel room. You may use a dry rag or a dust wand to keep the bulbs dust-free. Do not spray clean a lamp, shade or light bulb when it is plugged into an electricity source.

Simply wipe off dead insects and contaminants surrounding the lighting fixtures. To finish, dust off wall-mounted lights and ceiling-mounted plastic globes and glass.

Step #3: Clean the baseboards, doors, walls & windows.

Use a step ladder to remove draperies and sheers from their curtain rods. Next, take a glass cleaner to clean the outer and inner side of your windows. You should also remember to clean the frame and track of the window. Take out the window sheers and wash them at the laundry.

The next step is to inspect the drapery tracks and hooks to make sure all is working correctly. If there are repairs that need to be done, this is the time to do it.

To finish this phase of the cleaning, get an all-purpose cleaner and wash the walls, starting from the bottom to top to prevent streaks. Once clean, dry the walls with a clean, dry cloth. Of course, do not forget to clean the closet, pictures, doorknobs, luggage racks, etc.

Step #4: Clean the furniture & beds.

The bed is one of those places where you cannot afford to compromise on quality cleaning. Everything must be spotlessly clean. After all, this is where guests retreat at the end of the day.

To clean the bed, remove the bed cover, linen, blankets and the mattress pad. Using a vacuum cleaner, clean the top of the bed and the carpet under the bed. Next, dust the headboard to get rid of any contamination. It’s important to replace the pillows if you notice any hint of dirt, or a whiff of dust, on it.

Once you are satisfied, all is clean and dust-free, remake the bed using fresh linens, bed cover, blankets and mattress pad. The next stage involves inspecting the upholstery for stains and rips. Vacuum the furniture and the upholstery as well. If you feel any of these should be repaired or replaced, go ahead and do as you deem appropriate. To clean laminated furniture, an all-purpose cleaner would do a perfect job.

Other items in the room you must leave spotlessly clean include lamp bases, backs of furniture, the television, and telephone handsets.

Step #5: Clean the bathroom.

If there is one place that could be a haven for germs and bacteria, it is the bathroom. This is the one place in a hotel room that could make a guest really upset. Besides the bedroom, the bathroom is the next critical place in a room. You want to keep it spotlessly clean and dry.

To do this, use a step stool or a step ladder to dismount the shower curtain. Use an all-purpose cleaner to clean the hooks thoroughly. While at it, inspect the curtain rod to see if it is rusted and replace it if necessary.

Next, wash the shower curtain at the laundry and then re-hang it. The last step involves cleaning the bathrooms walls with a cleaner, then scrubbing and wiping the floor with a rag.

Step #6: Clean the carpets & floor tiles.

When cleaning the floor, avoid abrasives or harsh chemicals. To protect yourself, it is important always to wear gloves and protective eyewear before you start cleaning. A soft bristle brush and a general cleaner are recommended for cleaning the floor.

Once this is done, rinse with water and then dry it using a clean cloth. Next, vacuum the carpets and clean their edges using crevice equipment. If you notice any stain, remove them by applying a spot treatment cleaner.