Guest Safety comes first

Hospitality Lexis had a conversation with the Executive Housekeeper Rinku Mandal about the housekeeping services in The Lalit Mumbai

Hospitality Lexis/ Print edition December 2019 

The housekeeping ensures that the rooms are clean, well presented and that details are not forgotten. In the age of online reviews and Instagram, everyone visiting must have the best possible experience. Returning clients and personal recommendation are key to growing and maintaining a business, our housekeeping staffs are precious jewels. These can be addressed through training the staff so that they have the necessary skill to succeed in keeping in mind the privacy of the guest.

There are certain set slandered and procedures in Housekeeping which are followed by the housekeepers not only it helps to maintain the high standard of cleaning but also helps to maintain the privacy of the guest, eg:-

1- Corridor conduct--Associates should not speak loudly on the soft floor. They must restrain themselves from doing any act which can create a guest disturbance. Few activities are always advisable to be done after 9 AM eg preparing of room verification report, checking of laundry and minibar.

2- Entering a guest room procedure—associate should follow the complete procedure ( three-ring with announcing housekeeping) before entering the guest room.

3- Room cleaning should be processed in the absence of guest, in case of guest returns during the cleaning then associates should seek permission for the continuation of the cleaning the room. Guest personal belongings should not be touched/removed, electronic items if found unlocked, should not be surfed/scrolled etc.

4- Associates are strictly prohibited to enter in the guest room if it shows DND(do not disturb) DND process to be followed (as mentioned in the sop).

The key factors for sustainability within the housekeeping department are, the best practices adopted by the department and guest participation leading to guest satisfaction; a key element of any green program is guest’s reaction and participation. Common Key Factors are:

Energy: Best practices

a. A solar photovoltaic system- Also known as Solar PV System; a system composed of one or more solar panels combined with an inverter and other electrical and mechanical hardware that use energy from the sun to generate electricity.

b. A polyester layer used to coat windows for heat rejection.

c. Updating the heating system used in hotel swimming pools can save money, switching to an air-to-water heated pump from a conventional heating system.

d. Changing to LED bulbs

e. Installing programmable thermostats.

Water: Comprehensive water reduction efforts have shown considerable benefit.

a. Water can be aerated, reduced in pressure, and recycled as a means to reduce water waste.

b. One of the most popular ways that hotels have reduced water consumption is replacing current appliances with water-efficient ones, including laundry facilities, toilets, showers, and faucets.

c. Installing low flow showerheads

d. Water-saving notices in bathrooms, that encourage customers to regulate their water use are also effective.

Keep Out Chemicals

a. Over the years there has been an increased awareness of indoor air pollution and toxicity of cleaning solutions. The most important part of a cleaning policy is to relook indoor air pollution caused by chemicals. Several paints and sealants contain harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), while vinyl floors, carpets, foam coatings etc. can expose guests and staff to ‘red list’ chemicals.

b. While purchasing cleaning products, hotels must pick biodegradable solutions that are least harmful, this will keep guests and cleaning staff safe from exposure to these chemicals.

c. The water run-off from hotels can pollute water sources if toxic cleaning solutions are used.

d. Pesticides and fertilisers used within the hotel premises must be used minimally and safely

Clean Green

The hospitality sector has to maintain high standards of cleanliness, this means constantly making and ensuring surfaces are spotless and clean at all times. This pressure demands that effective cleaning options that work efficiently are picked for the job. There is a misconception that cleaning products only work when full of chemicals, however, there are many effective green alternatives available in the market today. When picking cleaning solutions, the products must be tested stringently for how well they work.

We at The Lalit Hotels test the chemicals before approving them for use in the hotel premises.  Since these chemicals come in concentrated form, which needs to be diluted with water, the overall cost incurred is less. Apart from that, they also contribute to lesser usage of plastic, as lesser storage cans are required. They also help reduce the storage space for chemicals.”

Plastic is one of the defining inventions, yet there’s no denying its negative impact on our environment. The low production cost and versatile range of applications make plastic a convenient comfort in the modern-day.

At the same time, the throwaway nature of these single-use products adds up to being one of the top sources of pollution throughout our oceans. The hotels have already started using a number of alternatives to plastic that includes paper, bamboo and lemongrass.

As part of “switch-out no plastic” campaign, the hotels now offer biodegradable straws instead of plastic ones, whereas the rooms have glass cups and filtered water instead of plastic bottles.

Lalit Hotels has taken a step ahead by tying with the NGO for recycling the used soap and distributing the repurposed soap bar to the underprivileged children from various communities in our country.

Hotels have been raising their standards of eco-friendliness to accommodate their duty to the world around as much as to the demanding guests. These efforts to ‘green up’ have led the industry across the globe to move towards resource efficiency with the use of renewable energy, Today, green housekeeping is an important aspect of sustainability.

Hotels that really mean business when it comes to sustainability and is interested in more than just ‘greenwashing’ are taking steps to relook their housekeeping. Having a ‘green cleaning policy’ has now become a standard in the industry.

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