CLEANING EQUIPMENTS
Efficient cleaning and maintenance are dependent upon
high-quality cleaning equipment, correctly using.
Though only 5-10%
of the overall cost incurred on cleaning is accounted for by cleaning
equipment and
agents, selecting the ideal equipment plays a major
role in the cleaning process. There will often be several
ways of
carrying out any particular cleaning task and different types of
equipment that can be employed for
it. It is the executive
housekeeper’s responsibility to select the most appropriate piece
of equipment
according to the hotel’s requirement. Most types of
cleaning equipment fall under the category of recycled
items, but a
few large pieces of items may be considered as fixed assets. The
correct choice of quality
cleaning equipment could save costs due to
breakdowns, reduce fatigue and also ensure overall efficiency
in operations.
Equipment used in the cleaning of surface, furniture and
fittings in a hotel building include both manual and
mechanical
equipment .
Manual Equipment
Manual equipment can include all types of equipment that
clean or aid in the cleaning process by directly
using manoeuvre,
operation and energy of employees.
Brushes
These may be designed to remove dry or wet and/or
ingrained dust and dirt from hard or soft surfaces.
Basic parts of a brush: The basic parts of a brush are
as follows -
Bristles:
These may be of animal, vegetable or manmade origin.
Horsehair, nylon and polypropylene are commonly
used to make
bristles for cleaning brushes. In general, the finer, softer
bristles are best for smooth and
hard surfaces. The harder the
bristles, the softer the surface on which the brush should be used,
exception
beingtoilet brushes and brushes found on all-purpose flour
machines. Bristles, if not maintained properly,
have a tendency to
bend, splay or fall out of the stock. Bristles should be closely set
in tufts and the stock
well covered with tufts.
Head stock:
This is the part of the brush into which the bristles
are inserted. The stock may be of wood, metal, or
plastic. A good
brush is one that has a sturdy stock.
Handle:
Brush handles may be detachable or non-detachable.
Detachable handles must be fixed firmly in place on
the stock when
the brush is in use.
Types of brushes:
Three main types of brushes are used for cleaning
surfaces.
Hard brushes:
Hard brushes have bristles that are fairly stiff and
well spaced out. They are most suitable for the removal
of heavy soil
and litter from carpets and for cleaning rough surfaces.
Soft brushes:
Soft brushes have bristles that are fairly flexible and
set close together. These help to remove loose soil
and litter on
hard, smooth surfaces. Such brushes may be designed to dust carpets
and furniture, too,
especially those made of cane, wicker and bamboo.
Scrubbing brushes:
Scrubbing brushes have short, coarse bristles designed
for use on surfaces that have become stained and
heavily ingrained
with dirt. These brushes should only be used to remove stubborn,
heavy soiling from small
areas that are difficult for a scrubbing
machine to access. Long handled scrubbing brushes, called deck
scrubbers or T-scrubbers, are useful for cleaning larger areas as
well as corners.
Brushes are also classified on basis of their
function:
Toilet brushes: These are WC brushes, radiator brushes
and Johnny mops.
Bottle brushes: These are used for cleaning overflow
vents in wash basins and tubs.
Cloth scrubbers: These are used for scrubbing clothes.
Deck scrubbers: These are used for cleaning large
areas.
Carpet brushes: These are used for brushing carpets.
Upholstery brushes: These are used to loosen out dust
embedded between the fabric fibres in
upholstered chairs and sofas
Feather brushes: These are brushes with feathers, for
light dusting.
Hearth brush: These are used for cleaning heavy soiling
and removing ash out of fireplaces.
Flue brush: These are used for cleaning chimneys.
Brooms
Sweeping brooms consist of long bristles gathered
together and inserted into a handle. The bristles of a
broom may be
made of grass, corn or coconut fibres. Depending on the type, brooms
may be used for
removing dust or dirt in large areas.
Types of brooms:
As with brushes, brooms may be classified into 3 main
categories:
Soft-bristled brooms:
Soft bristled brooms such as corn-fibre brooms, grass
brooms and whisk brooms are used on smooth floors.
A good soft broom
has comparatively fewer split ends and any splits that do form are
short.
Hard/Coarse-bristled brooms:
Brooms such as yard brooms and coconut fibre brooms are
used on course surfaces, especially outdoors.
Wall brooms:
These are also called ceiling brooms or Turk’s heads.
They have a soft head and long handle, usually made
of cane. These
brooms are used to remove cobwebs as well as dust from cornices,
ceilings and high ledges.
Mechanical Equipment:
All kinds of brooms raise and dissipate dust, so that,
with the advent of the more hygienic process of
vacuum cleaning,
brooms are used less often for cleaning purposes in hotels.
Box Sweepers
These are also called carpet sweepers and are used for
sweeping up dust and litter from soft floor
coverings as well as rugs
and carpets. They are ideal for the removal of spills and for light
cleaning of small
carpeted areas. A box sweeper consists of a
friction brush that revolves when the equipment is pushed
manually
over the carpet bottom to facilitate emptying after use. Choose
sweepers with a wide base that is
low enough to be pushed under
furniture and that will clean close to a wall. In sweepers meant to
clean
hard floors as well as soft floor coverings, the brush can be
lowered to the floor to sweep.
Dry Mops
Also called dust control mops, these are designed to
remove soil and debris from floors, walls and ceilings
without
raising and dissipating dust. These mops generally consist of a
handle to which a metal frame is
attached. The mop head is either
inserted into the frame or stretched over it, according to the type.
Types of dry mops: There are
4 principle types of dry mops:
Mops with impregnated fringes:
These mops consist of dense cotton fringes, approximately 15 cm in
length, inserted into a metal frame of 15-120 cm length. These mops
are usually pre-impregnated or will
require impregnation by soaking
in or spraying with mineral oil or a synthetic impregnating fluid.
The dust
is held onto the mops by the oil.
Impregnated mop sweepers:
These mops consist of a double-hinged frame and are thus called
‘V-sweepers’ of ‘scissor-action sweepers’. The mops can be
pre-impregnated or may require impregnation
before each use.
Following impregnation, sufficient time must be allowed for the
mineral oil to cure the
fibres; else the mop will leave a film of oil
on the cleaned surface due to improper curing. To be effective,
an impregnated mop must also be manoeuvred correctly. It should be
worked in long, even strokes in a
continual movement, keeping the mop
head in contact with the surface all the time. This way, maximum dust
collection and minimum dust dissipation is ensured.
Static mops: These mops
consist of acrylic, nylon or polyester strands fixed to a backing
stretched over a
metal frame. When in use, the fringes splay out to
form a large surface area, holding dust by means of a
static charge
that builds up on the fringe. Static mops are more easily maintained
than impregnated mops.
Disposable mops: These mops
consist of a handle with a soft pad at the end, onto which a cheap
cotton or
synthetic material is affixed. The material has properties
enabling it to attract and hold dust. The fabric is
held in place by
clips or a special tape and is usually purchased in large rolls, from
which the desired
amount can be cut. The fabric is disposed off after
each use and replaced immediately. Although very
expensive due to
constant replacement of the head, they are extremely hygienic and are
particularly
suitable when infection control is required.
Wet/damp mops:
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 fibre capable of absorbing moisture well.
Types of damp mops: There are
4 types of damp mops available:
Do-all mops: These mops
consist of strands of twisted cotton fixed to a circular metal plate,
which in turn
is fixed to a stock.
Kentucky mops: These mops
consist of cotton strands fixed to a length of cotton fabric which is
in turn
inserted into a flat metal stock. They are available in
weights ranging from 330g to 670g. The strands may
be stitched
together or unstitched. The former are less likely to tangle, can be
laundered more easily and
are likely to last longer than unstitched
mops.
Foss mops: These consist of a
dense cotton fringe inserted into a heavy metal stock. They are
available in
a wide range of weights.
Sponge mops: These consist of
cellulose sponge fixed to a replaceable, lever-controlled head,
hinged for
wringing out and attached to a long handle. Using a sponge
mop is one of the easiest ways to wash a hard
floor. Short handled
sponge mops are also available for cleaning windows.
Squeegee: A squeegee consists
of a long metallic handle and a wooden or rubber blade to remove
excess
water from a surface being cleaned It is effective when
followed by mopping with a damp mop. A smaller
version called the
window squeegee is used for wiping away water from windows after
washing.
Cloths
Various cloths are used extensively in wet and dry
cleaning by housekeeping staff. For efficient and correct
usage,
cloths may be colour-coded and the staff well-trained.
Types of cloths: A variety of
cloths are available for specific purposes:
Dusters and cloth mittens: These are meant for dusting
and buffing. Soft, absorbent plain or checked cotton
material or
yellow flannelette of up to 15 sq. Cm is ideal for dusters. When used
for damp dusting, they
must be sprayed with a fine mist of water or
dusting solution. Cloths may be impregnated with a mineral oil
instead. Dusters must be folded several times into a hand-sized pad
before use so as to provide a number
of clean surfaces and avoid
spreading dirt again to a clean surface instead.
Swabs and wipes: These are
all-purpose cloths made of soft, absorbent material. They are used
for wet
cleaning and damp dusting of all surfaces above floor level.
They are also used for cleaning sanitary fittings
such as bathtubs
and wash basins. Wipes include loosely woven or knitted cotton
cloths and non-woven
cloths. Synthetic sponges may also be grouped
under this category. They are available in various sizes and
shapes.
Sponges are better than cloths for washing walls, woodwork, glass
and upholstery.
Floor cloths: Floor cloths
are bigger, thicker and made of coarser cotton material than
all-purpose swabs.
They are used to wipe WC pedestals and remove
spills from floors.
Scrim: This is a loosely
woven linen material resembling fine sackcloth. Scrim, because of its
high
absorbency and lint-free nature, is often used instead of
chamois leather for cleaning windows and mirrors.
Glass cloths: Glass cloths
are made up of linen tow yarns and do not leave behind lint. They can
therefore
be used for wiping mirrors and drinking glasses. These
must not be confused with fabrics made from glass
fibres
(glasscloth).
Rags and polishing cloths:
Rags are disposable cloths usually obtained from the sewing room or
bought
by the sack from tailors. They are used for applying polish
or strong cleaning agents are disposed off when
dirty. Polishing
cloths need to have a fleecy napped surface and pieces of flannel
are ideal.
Wet cloths: Wet cloths need
to be very absorbent and of a manageable size, so that they can be
wrung out
by hand easily during cleaning. They are used for mopping
large floor areas.
Chamois leather: Real chamois
leather is the skin of the chamois goat antelope, but now various
cheaper
imitations are available. These simulated chamois leathers
are usually skivers, that is, split sheepskin.
Chamois leather can
be used wet for cleaning windows and mirrors; when dry; it is used
as a polishing cloth
for silver and other metals. It is also ideal
for wiping squeegee blades.
Dust sheets: Dust sheets are
made of any thin cotton material, being about the size of a single
sheet.
Discarded bed sheets or curtains from the linen room are
ideal for use as dust sheets. They are used to
cover floors,
furniture or other articles during spring cleaning or decorating.
Druggets: These are made up
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
doorways to prevent excessive dirt being tracked in or out
during
bad weather and during redecorating projects. They are sometimes
placed in the passage between
the kitchen and dining area to catch
spills and debris.
Hearth and bucket cloths:
These are made up of thick fabrics and used to protect the carpet and
flooring when a fireplace is being cleaned or placed under buckets
to prevent marks on the surface they are
kept on. They also catch
splashes of water.
Polish applicators
These are usually oblong in shape for efficiency of
application. The polishing head should slide out from the
metal or
plastic casing to enable easy replacement.
Types of polish applicators:
There are 3 kinds of polish applicators:
a) Natural lambswool, with a built in polish reservoir
or tray.
b) Synthetic wool, with a built in polish reservoir or
tray.
c) Solid-wax pressurized applicators.
Containers
Work becomes much easier and efficient if the staff is
given appropriate containers in which to carry,
transport, collect
and store supplies and other items.
Types of containers: The
various types of containers used are:
Buckets: These may be made of
plastic or galvanised iron. Plastic buckets are more popular these
days as
they are lighter in weight, quieter to use and easier to
clean. Buckets to be used with mops may have one
or two sections and
may have a wringer device that can be detached for easy cleaning.
Twin buckets on a
low trolley enabled the brush to be rinsed more
effectively each time. Larger buckets should have castor
wheels which
must be kept free of hair, fluff and dust. Buckets should be
thoroughly washed, inside and out,
every time they are used and then
allowed to dry before being stored.
Basins and bowls: These are
used to carry small amounts of water, cleaning solutions and powders
for
cleaning small areas.
Dustpans: These are used in
conjunction with a broom or brush for gathering dust. They may be
made of
plastic or metal, plastic ones being the usual choice these
days. Dustpans with long handles that eliminate
stooping are ideal.
In order that the dustpans are effective, the edge in contact with
the floor must be thin,
sharp and flat. They should always be emptied
after use and occasionally washed. They should never be
stored
resting on their flat edge, as it will wear out and warp so that the
pan becomes inefficient. Store
dustpans suspended from a hook or
lying horizontally, sideways.
Dustbins : The housekeeping
department is concerned about following areas:
a) In guestrooms: These bins may be made of plastic or
wood. Some properties also use jute or wicker
bins. Individual
dustbins in guestrooms may be lined with a disposable inner lining
made of recycled paper
or plastic. These bins must be emptied and
wiped daily. They should be washed once a week.
b) In the service rooms: These are used to collect waste
from guestrooms, brought in by the room
attendants’ carts. The
carts contain a sack called the trash bag for guestroom trash. There
should be 2
types of bins in the service room, a metal bin for
disposing of ash from guestroom ashtrays and a plastic or
thick paper
bin for other types of trash. The latter can be incinerated directly.
c) In public areas such as guest corridors and lobbies:
These bins may have a creative design since
they are constantly on
view. They should be emptied daily.
d) In waste-collection areas: These are usually located
outside the main building and are hidden from
view. These bins should
be kept covered and emptied t least every alternate day
Sani-bins: These are metal or
plastic bins with lids. They are found in toilets for the collection
of soiled
sanitary towels. They should be lined with plastic or paper
bags for easy cleaning. The bins must be
emptied and wiped daily for
reasons of hygiene. Disposable paper bags (sani-bags) should be
provided in
the guests’ toilets for wrapping sanitary towels,
before disposing in the sani-bin. Some metal sani-bins may
be
provided with incinerators, but these are not available in India yet.
Spray bottles: These are
lightweight containers that deliver a fine mist or cleaning solution
through a fine
nozzle, particularly used for spray cleaning. It is
essential that the nozzle is properly adjusted and free from
any
blockage. The nozzle must be kept clean, by spraying clean, pure
water through it after every use.
Polish applicator trays:
These are used in conjunction with a polish applicator mop for
polishing floors
with a liquid polish. They should be labelled with
the kind of polish that they hold. Cleaning them after use
is difficult. Pour any excess polish back into the polish container.
Soak the tray in a small amount of solvent
used to remove that
particular type of polish. Wipe with rags and store.
Hand caddies: Also called
‘cleaners’ boxes’, these were originally made of wood or metal
but are
nowadays usually made of plastic. They consist of a box with
a handle and fitted tray. They are used by
room attendants for
carrying cleaning supplies from room to room for guestroom cleaning.
After each shift,
they must be cleaned and topped up with replacement
supplies for use in the next shift.
Carts and trolleys:
These are more useful than hand caddies when a large
amount of supplies and items are to be carted or
replaced. They are
ideal for the efficient removal and carriage of smaller pieces of
cleaning equipment,
cleaning agents, linen and rubbish. They
eliminate the time wasted in assembling equipment at the work
location or moving them from one place to another. The various kinds
of carts and trolleys that may be used
in the housekeeping department
are discussed here.
Maid’s cart/Room attendant’s cart: Also called a
room attendant’s trolley, maid’s cart or chambermaid’s
trolley,
this is perhaps the most significant piece of equipment in the
housekeeping department. It is like a
giant tool box; stocked with
everything necessary to service a guestroom effectively such carts
available are
now made of metal, but sometimes wooden carts may be in
use. The cart should be spacious enough to
carry all the supplies
needed for a GRA to complete half a day’s room assignments. Since
the cart is large
and may be heavily loaded, it must be easily
manoeuvrable as well. The ideal cart would have fixed wheels
at one
end and castor-wheels at the other. The cart should be well organised
so that the GRAs do not have
to waste time in searching for supplies
or make frequent trips back to the supply room. Also if the cart is
not stacked neatly, it will look very unsightly when in the guests’
view. There is usually one such cart for
each room section and it is
stored in the floor pantry along with other housekeeping supplies.
Fig 7.6 shows
an organized room attendant’s cart.
Mechanical Equipment:
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 these equipments
since incorrect
usage will not only lead to inefficient cleaning but
may also become a safety hazard.
Vacuum cleaners/ Suction cleaners:
Vacuum cleaners remove 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,
creating 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.
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.
Dustettes: 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 :
It is extremely hygienic, since all the dust is carried
away from the point of cleaning.
Maintenance costs are usually lower.
Operative fatigue is lower.
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.
Incase 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.
Floor maintenance machine
(scrubbing and polishing machines)
These are designed for scrubbing, buffing, 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 buffable or semi-buffable 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, coloured, 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 colour 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, coloured nylon pads, a water tank, a shampoo
tank and a sprayer.
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.
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.
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.
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 eg.
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.
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
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
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:
It gives up-to-date info concerning the equipment.
It indicated the location of the equipment.
It indicates who usually operates the equipment.
It contains a record of what servicing has been carried
out, costs, new accessories supplied, and so on.
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:
Safety in operation.
Suitability to the type of area, surface, work, amount
of obstruction and cleaning frequency.
Versatility to undertake various types of cleaning
Work performance in terms of capacity and machine and
consumer reports on performance.
Ease of handling in terms of size, weight and height
of the machine and ease of manoeuvring and operating.
Portability in terms of ease of transfer between
floors and the provision of wheels and detachable parts and
consumer
reports on life expectancy.
Noise level which is a more important consideration
for hospitals than hotels.
Availability of spare parts, easy servicing conditions
and lead time after booking of equipment.
Protective design which may feature a protective
edging to prevent damage to wall furniture and fittings
and no sharp
edges.
Ease of storage in terms of ease of dismantling
detachable parts and storage space required (compactness).
Cost as a sum of initial costs, operating costs,
maintenance and depreciation, as well as hiring
considerations as
opposed to purchasing.