Impeccable hotel hygiene is important at any time but it’s even more vital in the age of Covid-19. A clean, hygienic hotel shows guests that you take their comfort and safety seriously and a dirty room or lack of hygiene facilities is a quick and easy way to a negative review.
All hotels should have a thorough cleaning rota in place but hygiene standards can slip, especially during peak busy periods. However, there’s no excuse to let bad hygiene ruin your guest’s experience or your business’s reputation, so see below for our top tips to maintain good hygiene in your hotel.
Kitchen hygiene
Good kitchen hygiene is essential to prevent cross contamination and the spread of bacteria. An outbreak of food poisoning is very serious and it could even lead to your hotel being permanently shut down. Proper handling of food is one of the more effective ways to prevent cross contamination, including:
- Cleaning work surfaces/utensils immediately after handling raw fish, raw meat, eggs and poultry.
- Using colour coded chopping boards to separate the preparation of raw meat, raw fish, cooked meats, salads and fruits, vegetables and dairy.
- Washing and disinfecting utensils regularly throughout the day (and always after preparing raw meat, poultry or fish).
- Cleaning work surfaces as you go.
- Proper food storage. This includes labelling all food with an expiration date and never storing raw meat or poultry above cooked meats or vegetables. Ready to eat foods should always be stored on the top shelf of a refrigerator, followed by unwashed produce, raw seafood, raw meats, and raw poultry on the bottom shelf.
Kitchen fridge and freezer maintenance
Most kitchen staff take great care to clean and disinfect all work surfaces throughout the day, but the refrigerator and cold storage room can be neglected. Fridge and freezer maintenance is vital to maintain good hygiene in your hotel kitchen and your refrigerator will be inspected as part of your assessment for a kitchen hygiene rating.
Stay on top of fridge and freezer maintenance by cleaning up any spills or leaks as soon as possible, as well as performing a deep clean once a month. Remove all shelves, drawers and compartments and wash them in hot, soapy water. If you have a walk-in fridge, cold room or walk-in freezer, sweep and mop the floor too. Any surfaces that can’t be removed should be wiped down with food-safe cleaning chemicals or disinfectants, including door handles and the outside of the fridge.
Staff training
Staff training is one of the most effective ways to maintain hygiene standards and ensure that everyone’s working at the same level. Make sure that staff are fully aware of your hotel’s cleaning practices, particularly any newer implementations like Covid-safe cleaning.
Staff training can cover a range of areas, including cleaning skills, use of equipment and products, presentation (bed making etc) and health and safety protocols. Proper staff training helps to improve employee and guest satisfaction and it ensures that your hotel is maintained to the highest standards.
Reception areas
Your hotel reception is usually the first area that guests will see, so it’s important to make a good impression. Your reception area should be tidy, clean and hygienic and guests will want to see that you’ve made the effort to make the space Covid-safe. You can improve the hygiene of your reception area in many ways, including:
- Set up hand sanitiser stations at entrances and other visible locations in the lobby.
- Create separate walking paths (using floor signs) to encourage social distancing.
- Disnifect all hotel keys/cards before handing them to guests.
- Ensure all desks and other surfaces are regularly wiped clean and disinfected.
- Regularly disinfecting phones, keyboards and any other other equipment.
Utilise technology
Technology has now infiltrated almost every area of our lives and hotel hygiene is no exception. Technology helps to streamline your hotel’s hygiene practices and it improves coordination between staff. Housekeeping software works in sync with your hotel’s front desk and allows you to keep track of cleaning practices throughout the building.
Features often include reservation information (so you can prioritise which rooms to clean), an overview of each room’s status (cleaned, uncleaned or in progress) and task management tools so staff can keep track of their workload. Housekeeping software can also give real time updates to staff smartphones or computers at the front desk so everyone is aware of each room’s status at all times.
Take reviews on board
A negative review can be disheartening but it’s important to take any guest feedback on board. Try not to take it personally (especially if all staff have been working hard). Sometimes small details are overlooked and guests are more likely to notice things as they don’t see the same rooms every day.
Take a look at any negative comments and think how things could be done differently. For example, were the linens not cleaned to a high enough standard? It might be time to switch your laundry supplier, or invest in new bedding. Or perhaps drawers or skirting boards were very dusty; make a note to add the cleaning of these areas to the general housekeeping checklist.
Create a checklist
A clear, concise checklist is one the easiest ways to stay on top of your hotel’s hygiene. Checklists ensure that nothing is missed and it makes the mental load easier for staff. Draw up different checklists for each area of the hotel, e.g guest’s rooms, bathrooms, the bar, reception area and any gym or leisure areas.
You can find a range of housekeeping checklist templates online. Most cover every area of cleaning and general presentation, from making hotel beds, to cleaning the bathroom, removing used towels, replacing amenities, dusting, cleaning mirrors, surfaces and more.
Dining areas
Hygiene is important in every area of your hotel but particularly in any dining areas where guests will be eating. Place hand sanitiser stations at the entrance to the hotel bar or restaurant (and in other prominent areas). Staff should also be fully trained in good hygiene practises, including regular hand washing and maintaining a clean uniform.
Ensure that all tablecloths in your dining area are spotless and make sure glasses and cutlery are polished. Maintaining these standards ensures that your dining room is welcoming and hygienic, and it gives a good first impression to guests. After all, nobody wants to eat in an establishment if the tablecloth is stained or cutlery is streaky.
If your hotel has a self service breakfast station or buffet, ensure all proper hygiene measures are in place, including glass screens. Regularly check the temperature to ensure all food being served is hot enough and replace any perishable foods that have been sat out for two hours or more.
Commercial refrigeration services in Gloucester – from the experts at Mitchell’s
Reliable refrigeration systems are essential to maintain good hygiene in your hotel, so if you’re in need of commercial refrigeration services, get in touch with the team at Mitchell’s. We’re proud to provide a comprehensive range of services for your hotel, including bespoke refrigeration systems, professional design and installation, and ongoing maintenance and support.
We can supply catering fridges, restaurant fridges, walk-in freezers, cold rooms, product display refrigerators and more. Our qualified engineers are also on hand when you need them so your equipment can be as efficient and hygienic as possible all year round. For more information about our refrigeration, or any of our additional building services, don’t hesitate to give us a call today or contact us online.