Hotel Maids Reveal Cleaning Secrets We’ve All Been Dying To Know!

When it comes to cleaning, no one does it quite as the hotel maids do! Why is that, you wonder? Well, for starters, they’ve got loads of experience and professional training in the cleaning field, and in addition to that, hotel maids know all the secrets there are to getting a room sparkling clean!

Now, you’re probably wondering what these cleaning secrets are and how you can start using them today. Luckily, we’ve done all the research for you and gathered up some must-know information for any homeowner that wants to achieve professional cleaning results! Read on to find out what secrets hotel maids have to share about cleaning to perfection!

‘There is a Lot More to Vacuuming Than You Think!’

For the average homeowner, vacuuming floors can be a frustrating affair. This is because no matter how much time you spend on the task, the results are less than satisfactory. For hotel maids, on the other hand, a quick and effective vacuuming session is a given. What are the secrets behind this? Here are some tips they were happy to share:

• • Always make sure that the bag/canister is either empty or less than half full; vacuuming is 50%-70% less effective if the bag is over half full
  • Before you begin, move ‘obstacles’ out of your way in order to move around freely and vacuum efficiently; these include shoes, stools, area rugs, floor lamps, etc.
  • Maneuver the vacuum head in different angles as you go over an area; this ensures that all the dirt and debris is picked up (even if lodged deep within a carpet’s weave)
  • Always use the right vacuum head attachments; for example, different types of carpet fibers require special attachments for a safe and effective clean
  • Never vacuum up large debris as this will hinder the performance of the appliance and stall you further

‘Clear Clutter, then Clean’

You can’t expect ‘cleaning perfection’ if you’re attempting to clean a surface or area without getting rid of clutter first. In these cases, you are simply cleaning around clutter, leaving behind many ‘missed spots’. As a hotel maid, one of the first tasks carried out is removing anything that is considered to be a clutter. Some examples include books/magazines, phone chargers, dirty plates/bowls, and other items left out of place. Once you’ve cleared a surface by putting things where they belong, cleaning efficiently will be a breeze!

‘Pick up Dust, Don’t Unsettle it!’

To do this, you need to have the right dusting tool. Feather dusters, or even regular dust rags for that matter, tend to unsettle dust while merely picking up 30%-40% of it. For many homeowners, however, the lack of efficiency with these dust tools is outweighed by the convenience of using them. It’s quick and definitely gets your furniture cleaner than it was before. Of course, for hotel maids, this is not good enough. They know that using the right dusting tool is key to achieving satisfactory cleaning results. Moreover, different types of surfaces require suitable dusters to pick up dust efficiently. For example, microfibre dust cloths are great for cleaning various surfaces such as electronic screens and metal, while electrostatic dusters are more effective in dusting wooden surfaces.  

‘Always Clean from Top to Bottom’

Hotel maids are trained to clean rooms quickly and efficiently. This means doing tasks in a systematic manner to avoid messing up an area that has already been cleaned. Therefore, regardless of what room you are cleaning, top to bottom is the way to go! As you clean off ceiling fixtures, wall-mounted fixtures and top shelves, dirt, and dust will be transferred to lower surfaces. In fact, if you observe hotel maids when they’re cleaning up a room, you’ll see that the floor is the last thing they clean. Moreover, as you move about, dirt gets spread around, making it rather pointless to clean the floor before the rest of the room.

‘Let Cleaning Products Sit’

Stain removal (particularly in bathrooms) doesn’t necessarily require a lot of elbow grease. The reason why most homeowners spend a lot of time and energy in cleaning up stains is that they don’t give the cleaning product enough time to act. When you apply a cleaning agent to a stain and start scrubbing at it immediately, you may be able to remove it, but you end up using twice the amount of time and effort. Hotel maids don’t make this mistake because they know the secret is in the sitting time! For example, before you start cleaning your bathroom, you should pour toilet cleaner into the bowl and allow it to sit while you go about doing other tasks. Even 10 minutes of sitting time will make cleaning your toilet bowl easier and much more effective!

‘The Warmer the Water, the More Effective the Clean’

Floors, counters, stovetops, wall tiles, and many other surfaces can be cleaned with room temperature water; however, it’s been proven that warm (or hot) water is significantly more effective in removing stubborn stains and hardened dirt/debris. This is because heat helps to loosen grime while also killing bacteria. In fact, hot water helps to enhance the cleaning power of many products, including homemade cleaners that contain vinegar, castile soap, and/or baking soda. While there are some cases wherein cold water is recommended over warm water (such as washing certain fabrics), for regular cleaning tasks like wiping counters and washing bathroom floors, hotel maids advise warm or hot water for better results.

Now that you know the secrets, we bet you’re eager to put them to the test. Well, hotel maids everywhere are sure that you won’t be disappointed when you do!