UNIT 6-EQUIPMENTS AND CLEANING AGENTS

CLEANING EQUIPMENTS
The housekeeping staff needs to clean various guest rooms, guest bathrooms, and a number of
public areas in the hotel. The staff needs to take the help of various cleaning equipment while
trying to keep the hotel premises to the highest standard of appearance.

Advantages of Cleaning Equipment

The cleaning equipment is advantageous in multiple ways −

 Equally effective for general as well as tougher cleaning tasks.

 High cleaning capability.
 Reduce work fatigue and increase productivity.
 Save the time of hotel housekeeping staff.
 High maneuverability. They can reach any corner or height of the room, which is otherwise
difficult to reach.
 Eco-friendly, widely available, and easy to operate.
 They give protection from injuries occurring while cleaning when they are handled by using
proper instructions.

Classification of Cleaning Equipment

There are broadly categorized as follows −

A. Manual Cleaning Equipment: As the name suggests, they are used manually to keep the
surfaces clean. Some commonly used manual equipment’s are −
1. Brushes- These may be designed to remove dry or wet or ingrained dust and dirt from the
hard or soft surfaces. Three main types of brushes are used in the cleaning surface. They are
as follows:
 Hard Brush- Hard brushes have bristles that are fairly stiff and well spread out cleaning
equipment. They are most suitable for the removal of heavy soil and litters from the
carpets and for cleaning of rough surface.
 Soft brush- Soft brushes may have bristles that are fairly flexible and set close together.
These are used for removal of loose soil and litter on hard smooth surfaces.
 Scrubbing brushes- Scrubbing brushes have short, coarse bristle designed for use on
surface that have become stained and heavily ingrained with dirt. These brushes should
only be used to remove stubborn heavy soiling small areas that are difficult for
scrubbing machines to access. Cleaning equipment like Brushes are also classified on the
basis of their functions:
a) Toilet brush – Used for cleaning of W.C.
b) Bottle brush – These are used for overflow vents in wash basin and tubs.
c) Flue Brush – These are used for cleaning chimney.
d) Feather brushes – These are used for light dusting.

Care and cleaning of brushes- Brushes should be generally tapped on the hard surface to loosen
the dirt and debris after the cleaning process. Frequent washing with water is avoidable.
Brushes should be washed in warm and soapy water.
2. Brooms- Sweeping brooms consist of long bristles gathered together into handles. The
bristles of the brooms are made of grass, corn or coconut fiber. Depending on the type
brooms are used for removal of dirt and dust in the large areas. Brooms are classified into
three main categories.
 Soft bristled brooms- These types of brooms are made of corn fiber or grass. This is used
for smooth floor.
 Hard / coarse- bristled brooms- These types of brooms are used for hard surface
especially outdoor rough areas.
 Wall broom- These are also called ceiling brooms. They have a soft head or long handle
made up of canes. These brooms are used for removal of cob webs.

Care and cleaning of the brooms

 Brooms should be shaken free, of dust and fluff. Never store them standing on their
bristle or the bristle will bend out of the shape.
 Soft brooms should not be use in wet surface.

3. Wet /damp mop- These mops are used in conjunction with buckets for the removal of dirt
adhering to a surface. The mop heads can be made of cotton, sponge or any other fiber
capable of absorbing moisture well. Wet mops can be classified into four types. They are as
follows
 Do-all mops- These mops consists of stand of twisted cotton, fixed to a circular metal
plate, which is in turn is fixed to a stock.
 Kentucky mops- These mops consists of cotton stand fixed to a length of cotton fabric,
which is in turn instead into flat metal stock. They are available in weights ranging from
330 g to 670 g.
 Sponge mop- These consists of cellulose sponge fixed to a replaceable lever controlled
head, hinged for wringing out and attached to long handle. Using sponge mop is one of
the easiest ways to wash hard floor.
 Squeegee – A squeegee consist of long metallic handle and a wooden or rubber blade to
remove excess water from the surface being cleaned. It is effective when followed by
damp mop.

Care and cleanings of the mops and cleaning equipment –

Take mops outdoors after use and shake well to remove excess moisture. Then these mops can
be washed. Detachable heads are easier to clean and maintain. However drying is the most
important part of this mop because if the mop has not been dried properly it will be easily
affected by bacteria.

4. Dry mops-Dry mops are also called dust control mops, these cleaning equipment’s are
designed to remove the soil and debris from the floors walls and ceilings without raising.
These mops generally consists of handle to which a metal frame is attached

Care and cleaning of this mops-

Shake mops well after use in the outdoors. The mop heads should be easily detachable , so that
it can be washed in hot water with detergent.

5. Clothes-Various types of clothes are used by the housekeeping staff as duster. For efficient
and correct uses different colors of duster are used. Dusters can be divided into many types
according to the uses. Those are as follows-
 Mitts- They are used for dusting and buffing. Soft absorbent plain or checked cotton
material or yellow flannelette of up to 15 sq. cm is ideal for dusters.
 Swabs and wipes- These are all purpose clothes made of soft absorbent materials. They are
used for wet cleaning and damp dusting of the entire surface above floor level. They are
also use for cleaning sanitary fittings such as bath tubs and wash basins.
 Floor cloth- Floor cloths are bigger, thicker, and made from coarser cotton material than all-
purpose swabs.
 Scrim-This is loosely woven linen materials cleaning equipment used for cleaning mirrors
and windows.
 Glass cloths- Glass clothes are made of linen tow yarns and do not leave behind lint. They
are used for wiping mirror, and drinking glass.
 Rags and polishing clothes- Rags are disposable clothes usually obtained from the swing
room or brought by the sack by tailor. They are used for applying polish or strong cleaning
agent and are disposed when dirty.
 Chamois leather- Real chamois leather is the skin of chamois goat and antelope, but now
various cheaper imitations are available. Chamois leather can be used for cleaning of
windows, mirror when dry, it is used for polishing cloth for silver and other metals.
 Dust sheet- Dust sheet are made of thin cotton material. The size is the single bed sheet
size. Discarded bed sheet and curtains from the linen room is ideal dust sheet. They are
used for covering floor furniture during spring cleaning.
 Druggists – They are made of coarse linen, fine canvas or clear plastic. They may be the size
of a carpet square or runner. They are placed on the floor in the door way to prevent
excessive dirt being trekked in or out during bad weather and during the redecoration
process.

6. CONTAINERS- Work becomes much easier and efficient if the staff is given suitable
containers to carry transport and to carry store supply and other items. The various types of
containers used by the housekeeping staffs are as follows:
 Buckets- These maybe made from plastic or galvanized iron. Plastic buckets are more
popular now a day as they are lighter in weight easy to clean.
 Basin and bowls- They are used to carry small amount of water, cleaning solution and
powder for cleaning small areas.
 Dust pan- These are used in conjunction with brooms or brush for gathering dust. They may
be made of plastic or metal.
 Sani bins- They are metal or plastic bins with lit. They are kept in the toilet for disposing of
used toilet roll and sanitary towels. They should be lined with paper or plastic bag.
 Dustbins −They are used to collect daily garbage produced in the hotel.
 Spray bottles- They are light weight containers that delivers a fine mist of water or cleaning
solution through a fine nozzle specially during the spray cleaning.
 Hand caddies- Also called cleaners box. These are originally made of wood or metal. But
now a day are made of plastic. They consist of a box with handle and a fitted tray. They are
used by the room attendant for carrying cleaning supplies.
 Chambermaid’s Trolley/Housekeeping Trolley −This trolley is large enough to keep all the
guest room and guest bathroom supplies in an organized manner. It makes the
housekeeping staff to move it around and carry large number of items in one go while
keeping and cleaning the guest rooms.
 Janitor’s trolley − It is a trolley that stores cleaning supplies such as detergents, spray
bottles, dustbin, mop, and dusting cloths, all in a compact manner. It can be moved around
easily. It fulfills the challenge of modern day housekeeping in hotels.
 Mop Wringer trolley − A mop bucket cart (or mop trolley) is a wheeled bucket that allows its
user to wring out a wet mop without getting the hands dirty. The mops are squeezed
between two surfaces to remove dirty water from it.

B. MECHANICAL CLEANING EQUIPMENTS

The various pieces of mechanical equipment used in the housekeeping department are usually
powered by electricity or gas. The staff should be well-trained in the operation of this
equipment since incorrect usage will not only lead to inefficient cleaning but may also become
a safety hazard.

1. Vacuum cleaners/ Suction cleaners: It debris and soil and/or water from a surface by
suction. All vacuum cleaners work on the same operating principle. In all types, motor
drives an impeller, which sucks in air through an inlet, create a difference in pressure
between the air within and outside the machine. Air drawn in from the inlet passes through
and out of the machine. Air drawn in from the inlet passes through and out of the machine.
Usually the air is sucked in together with soil, debris or water. The dust is collected into a
container provided, which may be within the body of the machine (as in cylindrical and
canister models) or on the outside in the form of a bag (as in upright models). The dust-
collecting apparatus in the heavy duty models used in hotel properties usually consists of 2
types of dust bags. The inner bag is made of disposable paper and the outer one is made of
fabric.
Types of vacuum cleaners: Various types of vacuum cleaners are available.
a) Dry vacuum cleaners: These are used for removing dust and small pieces of debris from
floors,
upholstery, furnishings, walls and ceilings. Those using a flexible hose come with
attachments, such as a floor-cleaning head, a power head, a crevice-cleaning head, an
upholstery-cleaning head, a dusting head and extension tubes. Many variations of the dry
vacuum cleaner are in use:
 Electric brooms: These are very lightweight vacuums without a motor-driven beater brush.
They are used only for light vacuuming and for touch-ups on carpets and hard floors. In
other words, they come in handy when a full vacuuming is required.
 Dustette: These are small, lightweight vacuum cleaners used for cleaning curtains,
upholstery edges, mattresses, computers and music systems. They clean by brushing and
suction and are very easy to handle. The may be carried in hand or strapped to the back
of the operator.
 Backpack vacuums: These are very efficient to clean high, hard-to-reach areas. The
vacuum unit in these machines can easily be strapped to the back of the operator. These
machines have hand-held wands that come with various attachments for flexibility in
cleaning. They are ideal for use on curtains, drapes and ceiling corners. These vacuums
are also referred to as piggyback vacuums.
 Upright vacuums: These vacuums are the ones more frequently seen in hotels. The main
body of the vacuum lies horizontal on the floor and is driven by a single motor. The dust-
bag is outside the machine’s main body. There is a belt-driven beater brush to facilitate
removal of dust from thick-pile carpets. In an improved variation, there is a dual-motor
system – one motor drives the beater brush and the other provides the suction. The
machine also has a built-in hose for cleaning corners and upholstery. This machine is
most suitable for use on large carpeted areas.
 Cylindrical vacuums: These have no rotating brushes and work by suction only. The term
‘suction cleaner’ is generally used for these kinds of vacuum cleaners. A filter-cum-diffuser
is fitted at the outlet which removes fine dust and micro-organisms from the flow of air
passing through the outlet. The filter-cum-diffuser also reduces air disturbance and noise.
The dust-bag is inside the cylindrical body of the vacuum cleaner. A flexible hose along with
the different attachments is used to clean a variety of surfaces. These are the type
commonly used by GRAs in guestroom cleaning.
Pile-lifter vacuums: These vacuum cleaners are used to groom long-pile carpets. They lift up
the carpet pile that has become packed down and restore their vertical orientation. It is
especially useful before shampooing the carpet, more so if the soiling is heavy.
 Centralized vacuum: In this type of unit, suction is generated at one point in the building.
Meanwhile, soiling can be removed at vacuum points somewhere else in the building by
suitable nozzles connected to detachable flexible hoses. The collected dirt is then
conveyed by a network of pipes to a central container. This unit is expensive to install
and is generally done at the building construction stage. The advantages of this kind of
system are :
2. It is extremely hygienic, since all the dust is carried away from the point of cleaning.
3. Maintenance costs are usually lower.
4. Operative fatigue is lower.
5. There are no frayed flexes to repair and no individual machines to go wrong.

 Wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners: These are extremely useful in hotel housekeeping

operations. They can pick up spills and excess wash water when on the wet mode. When
on the dry mode, they help in removal of dust and debris. In hotels, these machines are
 usually used in their wet mode to pick up spills. They are also required when large areas
of floors are being stripped of polish and cleaned. They have a flexible hose with
attachments such as a squeegee head. The waste water collects in a tank that needs to
be emptied after use. A variation of this is the large tank-type vacuum cleaners. These
are also called canister-type or industrial vacuum cleaners. They can be used for dry and
wet pick-up or both. The waste water is scooped up by a squeegee attachment through a
nozzle and travels back into the tank. They are used for cleaning large areas when time is
a constraint. They are ideal for cleaning lobbies, banquet halls and restaurants.
Care and storage:
 Vacuum cleaners will give maximum cleaning efficiency when they are maintained well.
Housekeeping staff need to be trained in the care and maintenance of the machines.
 The wheels of the machine need to be oiled periodically.
 After use, the dust bags should be checked and emptied.
 If the machine is operated with the dust bags full, cleaning will not be operated, the
machine may heat up too much and the bags may get damaged.
 Wipe the casing daily and check the hose and flex before use.
 Clean the attachment heads after each use.
 Check the filter after use.
 If the machine is meant for dry suction only, never use it to clear even a little amount of
water, else the dust bags will get damaged.
 In-case of wet vacuums, the bucket should be washed, rinsed and dried.
 The squeegee should be wiped clean and replaced whenever necessary.
 The hose needs to be rinsed out, the casing and wheels wiped and the filter checked
after use. The wheels need oiling periodically.
 The hoses should be stored hanging on hooks. The tubes and attachment heads of a dry
vacuum cleaner should be stored in boxes, drawers of shelves. The hoses and
attachment heads of wet vacuum cleaners should be stored off the ground on a rack, in a
well-ventilated place.

1. Floor maintenance machine (scrubbing and polishing machines)

These are designed for scrubbing, buffing and burnishing, scarifying and spray
maintenance.

Scrubbing: The bristle tips of a brush or the surface of a pad abrade and cut the soiling
to remove it.

Buffing: The bristle tips of a brush or the surface of a pad create a high-gloss finish on
the floor surface. In case of a surface on which a polish has been applied, it will involve
generation of a local heat to harden waxes and resins.

Burnishing: The tips of a brush or the surface of a pad abrade and cut the floor surface
to create a smooth surface with a glossy finish. In case of a polished surface, it will
involve the removal of a surface layer of polish.
 Scarifying: The bristle tips or edge of a cutting tool, cut into impacted soiling and remove
it by means of a chisel-like action.

Spray cleaning: This is similar to spray cleaning, but the term is applied to the
maintenance of floors where a buff-able or semi-buff-able polish has been applied and
the bristle tips of a brush or the surface of a pad remove both soiling and the surface
layer of polish to leave a smooth, glossy surface. Resins and waxes in the maintenance
product form part of the restored finish. These machines consist of one large or several
small brushes that revolve and scrub the floor. Water and detergent are released from a
tank attached to the machine. These machines can be used for shampooing carpets,
polishing floors and spray maintenance. Such general-purpose machines are preferred
in many establishments as the machine can be put to greater use due to its versatility. In
some machines, colored, abrasive nylon pads replace the scrubbing brushes.
 For normal-speed machines:
 Beige pads are used for buffing;
 Green pads are used for scrubbing; and
 Black pads are used for stripping.

The lighter the color of the pad, the lesser abrasive is the action. These machines may come
with or without the suction capacity to pick up water. If the machine is one without a
suction action, then the machine will have to be used in conjunction with it while scrubbing.
The usual attachments for these machines are brushes, drive discs, colored nylon pads, a
water tank, a shampoo tank and a sprayer.

2. Wet-extraction systems: These machines are used to restore the surface appearance of
carpets, upholstery and curtains. They remove the more deeply embedded soilage not
easily removed by suction cleaning. They are also useful in the application of soil-
retardant finishes on carpets.

Types of wet-extraction systems: There are various types of wet-extraction systems.

 Hot-water extraction machines: These are machines with no rotary action. They
carry a tank for hot water and detergent, which are used for deep cleaning carpets.
The hot water and detergent are shot into the carpet from high-pressure spray
nozzles. The dirt is thus flushed to the surface and this, along with the soiled water is
removed by suction into a container in the machine.
 Solvent extraction machines: These machines are primarily used for cleaning
upholstery and curtains and to a lesser extent for carpets.
3. Carpet shampoo machines: These machines, as indicated by the name, are designed for
the deep cleaning of carpets that are heavily soiled.

Types of carpet shampoo machines: There are 4 broad groups of these machines:
 Steam-extraction machines: Though these machines are universally called steam
extraction machines, there is in fact no generation of steam and the cleaning agents
 are simply hot water and detergent. Hot water containing the detergent is injected
at a prescribed rate and subsequently extracted by a wet vacuum system built into
the machine.
 Cylindrical-brush dry-foam machines: This system has a cylindrical brush that scrubs
that scrubs and picks up in one pass, the foam generated by the machine.
 Rotary-brush wet-shampoo machines: A rotary brush cleaner in conjunction with a
wet shampoo is employed for the cleaning of carpets here. The machine comes with
a range of accessories including vacuum and drying equipment.
 Small rotary-brushes wet-shampoo machines: This is also a rotary brush cleaner, but
employs 2 brushes instead of 1 and is somewhat smaller than the rotary-brush wet-
shampoo machine.
4. Scrubber-drier-sweepers: These machines remove debris, soiling and/or water. They are
suitable for large areas where mechanical sweeping, scrubbing and drying are required.
5. Power sweepers: These are self-propelled or manually propelled machines designed to
remove debris and loosen soiling from roads, pavements, carpets and large areas of
hard flooring. For e.g. High-pressure washers: This type of equipment is designed to
remove soiling by subjecting the surface to water, steam and/or sand under pressure.
Water under pressure physically dislodges the dirt. The process can be assisted by the
use of hot water, steam or sand.
6. Scarifying machines: Scarifying is the process by which heavy grease, mud, wet sawdust
and thick deposits are removed from the surface of floors. The process is employed
when simple scrubbing has been ineffective. Here dirt deposits are broken up by the
chisel-like action of a wire-brush cutting tool.

Storage, Distribution and Control of Cleaning Equipment

1. All housekeeping equipment must be stored under lock & key. When issuing equipment
for use, proper records must be maintained with information regarding:
 The items issued
 The attachments given along with them
 To whom they were issued
 The date and time of issue
 The area where they are to be used
 By whom they were issued
 The date and time of return
2. The signature of the personnel involved must be obtained on the document during both
issue and return. A card-index system is a useful method of collecting all the relevant
info about each piece of equipment being used in a particular establishment. This
system is of great value to the manager and supervisor for the following reasons:
3. It gives up-to-date info concerning the equipment.
4. It indicated the location of the equipment.
5. It indicates who usually operates the equipment.
6. It contains a record of what servicing has been carried out, costs, new accessories
supplied, and so on.
 7. When purchase of new equipment is being considered, this info can be used as a
reference to check on reliability.

Selection of Cleaning Equipment

It is the responsibility of the executive housekeeper to procure the ideal, most efficient
equipment for her staff to ensure maximum productivity. The choice of equipment to be
purchased is made after considering the following factors:

1. Safety in operation.
2. Suitability to the type of area, surface, work, amount of obstruction and cleaning
frequency.
3. Versatility to undertake various types of cleaning
4. Work performance in terms of capacity and machine and consumer reports on
performance.
5. Ease of handling in terms of size, weight and height of the machine and ease of
maneuvering and operating.
6. Portability in terms of ease of transfer between floors and the provision of wheels
and detachable parts and consumer reports on life expectancy.
7. Noise level which is a more important consideration for hospitals than hotels.
8. Availability of spare parts, easy servicing conditions and lead time after booking of
equipment.
9. Protective design which may feature a protective edging to prevent damage to wall
furniture and fittings and no sharp edges.
10. Ease of storage in terms of ease of dismantling detachable parts and storage space
required (compactness).
11. Cost as a sum of initial costs, operating costs, maintenance and depreciation, as well
as hiring considerations as opposed to purchasing..

CLEANING AGENTS
Cleaning agents are perhaps the most critical aids of housekeeping staff in their job to keep
their house neat and clean. Cleaning agents in general can be defined as natural or synthetic
substances that are used to assist the cleaning process. Cleaning is primarily the removal of dirt
and dust. The various kinds of cleaning agents used for housekeeping staffs are as follows:

1) Water: Water is referred as a universal solvent, and this is the prime agent in cleaning
process. However though an excellent solvent, water alone is not an effective cleanser to
meet the standards most hotels require. Water is supposed to be a surfactant (surface
active agent).
2) Detergent: Detergents may be made from a base of either pure soap or organic chemicals.
Properties of a good detergent:
 Good wetting power
 Good emulsifying power
 Good suspending power
 Detergents are of two types:
 Soapy Detergent: Soapy detergent is made from animal or vegetable fat and may be
used as a solid block for washing skin and clothes, as flakes for washing delicate
fabrics or as a powder for washing of soft fabrics. Soap is made by boiling fat with a
strong alkali. E.g. coconut oil provides a soap which is quick to lather, excellent at
cleaning.
 Synthetic detergent: synthetic detergent is made from organic chemicals derived
from petroleum. These are used extensively in housekeeping. They are used for
cleaning task and for washing up the floors. They may be in the form of a powder,
liquid, gel or crystals.
3) Abrasive: Abrasives are substances or chemicals that depend on their rubbing or scratching
action to clean dirt from hard surfaces. They are used to remove very stubborn stains from
various surfaces. E.g.
 Fines abrasives- Jeweller’s rouge (a pink oxide of iron used for shining silver)
 Medium abrasive-salt, scouring powder and paste.
 Hard abrasive- Sand paper, fine ash, pumice stone, steel wool, emery paper are
commonly used abrasive
4) Reagents: they are the compound which helps in cleaning by a chemical reaction, requiring
a distinctly low or high pH.
pH is a scale to measure the level of acid or alkali in a solution or substance. If a substance
when added to water increases the concentration of hydrogen ions (lowers the pH) it’s
called an acid. If a substance reduces the concentration of hydrogen ions (raises the pH) it’s
called alkaline or basic.

For ease of understanding we can view the pH scale as a range of 0 to 14.

 a pH of 7 is neutral
 a pH less than 7 is acidic
 a pH greater than 7 is alkaline or basic

Types of reagents: reagents may be acids or alkalis

A) Acid cleaners: Acids used as cleaning agents may vary from mild acid (pH-3), as acetic acid to
strong (pH-1) concentrated hydrochloric acid. Acids should be used in diluted form followed
by thorough rinsing. All, except citric and acetic acid should be used under supervision with
extreme caution and with the protection of rubber gloves. Acids are used for the removal of
metal stain. E.g.
 Citric acid, acetic acid, vinegar and lemon used for cleaning metal stain
  Dilute hydrochloric acid used in removing lime scale from sanitary ware
 Oxalic acid for removing stubborn water stains from hard floors and sanitary ware

B) Alkaline cleaners: Alkaline based cleaning agents are used in laundry and are particularly
good for removing grease. Very strong alkali materials are known as caustic materials and are
extremely corrosive and poisonous. They must be used under strict supervision e.g.

 Sodium carbonate (washing soda): it is used to soften water and remove light grease
marks.
 Sodium hydroxide (Caustic soda): Removing grease from grills and blocked drains
 Sodium hypochlorite (Bleach): Whitening and removing stains from hard and soft
surfaces
5) Organic Solvent Cleaners: These cleaning agents are used extensively for dry cleaning and
for stain removal. Solvents are useful for cleaning grease or polish from surfaces. Solvents
will evaporate and so they are ideal for cleaning windows, mirrors and picture frames. E.g.
Methylated spirits, turpentine, white spirit, acetone, used for removing stains from hard
and soft surfaces.
6) Glass cleaners: They are composed of an organic, water-miscible solvent (e.g. isopropyl
alcohol) and an alkaline detergent.
7) Disinfectants, Antiseptics & Deodorants
Disinfectants, antiseptics and deodorants are not strictly cleaning agents but are often used
during cleaning operations. Disinfectants kill bacteria, antiseptics prevent bacterial growth
and deodorants mask unpleasant smell by combining chemically with the particles
producing the offensive smell.

CLEANING Disinfectants Antiseptic Deodorants

AGENT
FUNCTION Kills bacteria Prevent bacterial Mask unpleasant
growth smell
EXAMPLE Phenyl Dettol Naphthalene balls

8) Laundry aids: Laundry aids are used as cleaning agents for guest clothes, staff uniform,
hotel linen etc. are:
AGENTS Bleaches Antichlor Sour Whitener Starch Softener
FUNCTION  Remove  Neutraliz Neutralize any  White Stiffening Soften
coloring e residual alkaline soap n the fabric the
matter chlorine residue the fabric fabric
by of bleach  Use
oxidizing  Especially with
or with white
reducing polyester fabric
action.
 Use with
white
 articles
only

EXAMPLE  Sodium sodium  Acetic acid Laundry

perborat thiosulfate  Oxalic acid blue
e, (with water
 Sodium having high
hypochlo content of
rite. iron)

9) Polishes: They do not necessarily clean but produce a shine by providing a smooth surface
from which light is reflected evenly. They do this by smoothing out any unevenness on the
surface of the articles. Polishes come in three forms liquid, paste & cream. They fall into
following categories –

 Metal polish
 Furniture polish
 Floor polishes (Spirit based, water based and oil based)
 Leather polish

10) Floor Seal: A floor seal can be either solvent or water based. It is applied to a floor surface
to form a semi permanent protective barrier which will prevent the entry of dirt, liquids, grease
stains and bacteria. Depending on the traffic they receive, they may last for up to five years
before replacement is necessary e.g.

 Oleo-resinous floor seal: consist of oil, resins and solvent and is used on wood, cork and
magnesite floors.
 One pot plastic: made up of synthetic materials and are used on wood, cork and
magnesite floors
 Pigmented sealers: contain color pigments which provide color and also strengthen the
sealer and are used on wood, concrete and stone floors.

Common/domestic cleaning agents

CHEMICALS USE
Borax (sodium borate)  To soft water
 Remove coffee & tea stain
Lemon Remove ink stain from wooded surface
Linseed oil Constituent of furniture polish
Methylated spirit Cleaning window panes and mirrors
Common salt (sodium Act as medium abrasive
chloride)
Vinegar  Remove stains and tarnish from
metals
 Remove streaks from glass surfaces
Selection of Cleaning Agents
The following points need to be considered while selecting cleaning agents.

 The type of surface, soil and composition of cleaning agents

 Mild cleaning agents are generally preferred for cleaning as they are less injurious
 Strong smelling agents like paraffin must be avoided due to the offensive smells they
lend to the environment
 Ease of use, saving of effort and time
 Toxicity or side-effects
 Shelf life and cost effectiveness

Storage of Cleaning Agents

 Ensure that the storage racks are sturdy. Heavier containers must be kept on the
bottom shelf.
 Label all containers neatly with a waterproof marker.
 Ensure that the lids are tightly secured.
 When dispensing cleaning agents, use appropriate dispensers and measuring apparatus.
 Avoid spillage; if a spill occurs, clean it up immediately.
 Follow a systematic procedure for rotating stocks.
 Organic solvents, strong reagents, polishes and aerosol-based agents should be kept
away from heat sources.

Distribution of cleaning agents

 Requisition – Area supervisor maintains & raises the requisition slip in duplicate when
required. First copy goes to the housekeeping store, where store in-charge issues the
agents as per the requisition and availability.
 Full for empty-empty containers of agents are replaced by the housekeeping store in-
charge when requested by the area attendant or supervisor.
 Topping up-All cleaning supplies are topped up on the regular interval on the basis of
average consumption of material for particular area.
 Dispensing unit-dispensing units are installed inside the housekeeping stores or floor
pantry, from where attendant can directly have their required amount of cleaning
agents. These dispenser are filed on daily basis or on frequent interval by the store
attendant or runner
Commercial cleaning agents: TASKI PRODUCTS
Product name Function
TASKI R1 Cleaning and sanitizing of Bathroom/Toilet surfaces
TASKI R2 Cleaning and sanitizing general hard floor
TASKI R3 Cleaning of Window glasses and mirrors
TASKI R4 Cleaning and Shining wooden furniture
TASKI R5 Air freshener for deodorizing working area, guest area, Lobby
TASKI R6 Toilet cleaner, for removal of lime-scale deposits and stubborn
stains
TASKI R7 For cleaning of Oil and Grease from Floors
TASKI R9 Cleaning of all fittings and walls in bathroom