When it comes to the world of housekeeping, there are several key terms and jargons that are used on a regular basis. Understanding these terms can be helpful for anyone who is new to the industry or looking to expand their knowledge base. One common term is "turn-down service," which refers to the process of preparing a guest's room for the evening. This typically involves tidying up the room, replacing any used towels or linens, and leaving a small treat or note for the guest to enjoy. Another important term is "deep cleaning," which is a more intensive form of cleaning that involves thorough scrubbing and disinfecting of all surfaces. This type of cleaning is typically done on a less frequent basis, such as once a month or every few months. Other housekeeping jargons include "inventory control," which refers to the process of managing and restocking supplies such as toiletries and cleaning products, and "maintenance request," which is a guest's request for any repairs or maintenance needed in their room. By understanding these key terms and jargons, housekeeping professionals can provide better service and ensure a clean, comfortable environment for their guests.

Key Terms / Jargons Used In Housekeeping Department

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Key terms used in the hotel Housekeeping department

When it comes to the world of housekeeping, there are several key terms and jargons that are used on a regular basis. Understanding these terms can be helpful for anyone who is new to the industry or looking to expand their knowledge base.

One common term is “turn-down service,” which refers to the process of preparing a guest’s room for the evening. This typically involves tidying up the room, replacing any used towels or linens, and leaving a small treat or note for the guest to enjoy.

Another important term is “deep cleaning,” which is a more intensive form of cleaning that involves thorough scrubbing and disinfecting of all surfaces. This type of cleaning is typically done on a less frequent basis, such as once a month or every few months.

Other housekeeping jargons include “inventory control,” which refers to the process of managing and restocking supplies such as toiletries and cleaning products, and “maintenance request,” which is a guest’s request for any repairs or maintenance needed in their room.

By understanding these key terms and jargons, housekeeping professionals can provide better service and ensure a clean, comfortable environment for their guests.

List Of Key terms used in the hotel Housekeeping department

Housekeeping Status Report: A report prepared by the housekeeping department to indicate the current status of each room, based on a physical check.

Preventive maintenance: A systematic approach to maintenance in which situations are identified and corrected regularly. This will help to control costs and keep larger problems from occurring.

Room Status Discrepancy: A situation in which the housekeeping department’s description of a room status differs from the room status information at the front desk.

Routine maintenance: Activities related to the general upkeep of the property that occur regularly, This also requires minimal training or skills to perform.

Schedule maintenance: Activities related to the general upkeep of the property that are initiated through a formal work order.

DND Card: A do not disturb card is hung outside the room to inform hotel staff or visitors that the occupant does not wish to be disturbed.

Double Locked (DL): An occupied room in which the deadbolt has been turned to prohibit entry from the corridor. Only a grand master key or an emergency key can open it.

DNCO (Did Not Check Out): The guest made arrangements to settle his or her account (and thus is not a skipper), but has left without informing the front office.

Turn down Service: A Special service provided by the housekeeping department in which a room attendant enters the guest room in the early evening to restock supplies, tidy the room, and turn down the covers of the bed.

Deep cleaning: intensive or specialized cleaning undertaken in guest rooms or public areas, often conducted according to a special schedule or on a special project basis.

Area inventory List: A list of all items within a particular area that need cleaning by or the attention of housekeeping personnel.

Frequency Schedule: A schedule that indicates how often each item in an area is to be cleaned or maintained.

Non-recycled inventories: Those items in stock that are consumed or used up during routine housekeeping operations. Non-recycled inventories including cleaning supplies, small equipment items, guest supplies, etc.

Recycled inventories: Those items in stock that have relatively limited useful lives but are used over and over in housekeeping operations. Eg: Linen, uniforms, major machines, etc, and guest rentable objects. 

Par Number: A multiple of the standard quantity of a particular inventory item that represents the quantity of the item that must be on hand to support daily routine housekeeping operations.

Floor Par: The quantity of each type of linen that is required to outfit all rooms serviced on that floor.

Master Key: A Key that opens all guest room doors that are not double locked.

Grand Master / Emergency Key: A Key that opens all guest rooms and doors even when they are double locked.

Guest room key: A Key that opens one guest room when it is not double locked.

Room inspection: A detailed process in which guest rooms are systematically checked for cleanliness and maintenance needs.

Amenity: A service or item offered to guests or placed in guestrooms for convenience and comfort, at no extra cost.

Back of the house: The functional areas of the hotel in which employees have little or no guest contact, such as the engineering and maintenance department, laundry room, and so on.

Back to back: Describes a heavy rate of check-outs and check-ins on the same day, so that as soon as the room is made up, a new guest checks into it.

Make up: Servicing of the room while a guest is registered in the room.

On-change: The guest has departed, but the room has not yet been cleaned and readied for re-sale.

Buffing: To smooth the floor with a low speed floor polishing.

Burnishing: Polishing the floor with a high-speed floor machine to achieve an extremely high gloss.

Capital budgets: These allocate the use of capital assets that have a life span of considerably over one year, these are assets that are not normally used up in day-to-day operations.

Cleaning supplies: Cleaning agents and small cleaning equipment are used in the cleaning of guestrooms and public areas in the hotel.

Luggage rack: A furniture item provided in guestrooms for placing the guest’s luggage on.

Linen chute: A passage in the form of a tunnel for sending soiled linen from the floor pantries of all floors to a central place near the laundry, from where it can be collected by the laundry staff.

Mitering: A method for contouring a sheet or blanket to fit the corner of a mattress smoothly and neatly.

Vacant and ready: The room has been cleaned and inspected and is ready for an arriving guest.

Out-of-order: The room cannot be assigned to a guest. A room may be out-of-order for a variety of reasons including the need for maintenance, refurbishing, and extensive cleaning. (Out Of Order Vs Out Of Service )

Lockout: The room has been locked so that the guest cannot re-enter until a hotel official clears him or her.

Hand Caddy:  A portable container for storing and transporting cleaning supplies and equipment.

Check-out:  A room from which the guest has already departed/vacated/checked out.

Due out: A room in which the guest is due to check out that day.

Stayover: The guest is not expected to check out today and will remain at least one more night.

Occupied: A guest is currently registered to the room.

Sleep-out: A guest is registered to the room, but the bed has not been used.

Skipper: The guest has left the hotel without making arrangements to settle his or her account.

Sleeper: The guest has settled his or her account and left the hotel, but the front office staff has failed to properly update the room’s status.
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