Operating assets

Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies are categorized under operating assets and are included in the property’s operating budget. Cleaning supplies comprise the chemical necessary to perform myriad cleaning jobs throughout the property and the nonchemical utensils needed to apply, scrub, rub, cleanse, wipe, etc. the chemical onto all types of surfaces. There are several hundred manufacturers of cleaning chemicals, each of which markets and sells countless products. The responsibility of selecting and using the right chemicals rests with the executive housekeeper.

Housekeeping Chemical
The three major purposes of chemical used in the housekeeping department are to remove dirt, to destroy harmful microorganisms, and to preserve and beautify furniture, fixtures, and surfaces. Chemical cleaners are manufactured to remove soils from surfaces through chemical action. The stronger are chemical is, the better it will get the job done. The strength of cleaning chemicals is measured on the pH scale. In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity and basicity of a solution; a low pH indicates a high concentration of hydronium ions, while a high pH denotes a low concentration. The scale goes from 1 to 14,1 indicating a very acidic solution very alkaline solution, and 7 a neutral solution. For example, a very acidic solution should near pH 1; pure water is neutral, giving a pH of 7; and a solution highly alkaline should be to pH 14. Cleaning chemical that have been enhanced with alkalis or acids to strengthen cleaning powers can be dangerous to humans and often cannot be used on certain surfaces neutral cleaner can be used for all types of jobs, but its cleaning power is limited.The executive housekeeper should have adequate knowledge of the department on selecting cleaning chemicals appropriate for each type of cleaning job performed regularly in housekeeping department.
Cleaning accessories
The number of nonchemical cleaning supplies in the housekeeping inventory can be substantial, ranging from broom to wringer. Upright brooms are sold under several denominations, such as warehouse, household, lobby, porter, and whish brooms. In all cases, upright brooms should be heavy duty and have wire bands to help retain their shape. Push brooms usually consist of a combination of horse hair and synthetic fibers. For durability, the broom block should be attached to the handle by a sturdy metal brace. Wet mops also come in a variety of forms: four-ply cotton-synthetic fiber blend mops have good absorption; mops with looped ends are mote durable than cut-ended. Some brands feature mildew- and bacteria- resistant mops with scrubber headbands and double banding. Tight-twisted string-style eight-ply mops are specially designed for floor finishing applications. Mop bucket/wringers come in different shapes and forms as well. Dual-bucket systems consist of two overlapping buckets mounted on a mobile platform with casters; one bucket holds the cleaning solution and the other carries the rinse water for better sanitation. Heavy-duty plastic buckets are preferable to zinc ones as they are quieter, have no corrosion, and will not dent.

Guest supplies
Lodging companies provide their guests with guestroom items intended to make their stay as convenient and comfortable as possible. These items also raise the guest’ perceived value for the rate paid when occupying a room or rooms

Nonreusable supplies
Also called amenities, nonreusable supplies are items that guest are expected to use up or may take away with them when at the end of their stay. Table 5.2 and 5.3 are limited lists of bathrooms and guestroom amenities commonly supplied by lodging properties. Finding the right amenities for a property must be a calculated endeavor; the higher the room rate is, the more luxurious amenities should be. Conversely, rates paid by guests in economy properties do not allow providing them with extravagant supplies. But, in all cases, today’s travelers have come expect the best possible.

Table5.2 Sample Bathroom Amenity Items

After-shave lotion Cosmetics Nail clippersBath gel Deodorant PerfumeBath salts Fabric wash RazorBath soap Facial tissue ScissorsBody lotion Hand lotion Shaving creamBody powder Hand soap Shower soapCologne Mouthwash Suntan lotion |

Table 5.3 Sample Guestroom Amenity Items Bathrobe Flowers PostcardsCandy Fruit Sewing kitChocolates Laundry bags Shoe hornCoffee and tea Mints SlippersCookies Notepads StationeryCorkscrew Pens Matches |

Uniforms
Uniforms for section housekeepers, housepersons, and public areas attendants should be functional, good looking, and comfortable, with sleeves that allow ease of movement. Badly designed, unstylish uniforms can affect the worker’ morale and lower the property’s image. Because of turnover, smocks, shirts, and pants must be easily alterable and able to stand frequent washings. While 100 percent cotton uniforms are comfortable to wear, they usually shrink, wrinkle, and cost more. Polyester/cotton blends are wrinkle-, shrink-, and soil-resistant, less costly, and easier to wash. It is important to establish an adequate par of employee uniforms so that each worker is provided with a clean, fresh-looking outfit each day. The executive housekeeper should have on hand enough sizes of uniforms to fit all employees at any given time. The sight of large-framed employees clad in small-sized clothing and small-framed workers wearing large-sized uniforms should be avoided. In large properties, when the housekeeping department is in charge of keeping and maintaining uniforms for other departments, it is advisable to assign a specific employee to this particular task.

Linens
The category of linens encompasses bed sheets and pillowcases, described as bed linens, and towels and bath mats, described as bath linens. Other guestroom textiles (pillows, bedspreads, bed covers, mattress cover, etc.) have been described under the category of software. The management of linen inventories in lodging operation is always assigned to executive housekeepers. Expenses for linens in the rooms division budget is substantial, usually second only to the cost of salaries and wages. When the property has food and beverage outlets, such as banquets, restaurant, and coffee shops, the housekeeping department us usually in charge of laundering napkins and tablecloths. However, the expenses of the napery is not allocated to the housekeeping department budget but to that of the food and beverage department.

Bed linens
The fabric for bed sheets and pillowcases is usually a blend of 50 percent of the natural fiber cotton and 50 percent of the synthetic fiber polyester. Fabrics made solely of cotton are not recommended for commercial use because they are not as durable as those blended with synthetic fibers; in some cases, a 50/50 blend cotton/polyester can last three times longer than full cotton. Usually, sheets made with blended fabrics can withstand over 500 washings, while all-cotton sheets begin to deteriorate after 200 washings. Other advantages of cotton-only bed linen are that it absorbs more water, it shrinks and it wrinkles in larger proportion than do the blends. Because full-cotton fabric retain more water when being laundered, the drying time is greater, which means higher energy and labor costs. While fabric blends do not necessarily need to be ironed after washing, 100 percent cotton material must be pressed.