Cleaning and sanitation
Daily Hotel Room Cleaning Checklist
- Who checks
- Room attendant; housekeeping supervisor for training and spot checks
- When
- Daily when servicing an occupied (stayover) room
- Time
- ~25 min · 29 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
Cleaning a stayover room, where the guest is still in residence, is harder than cleaning a departure: the room holds their belongings, documents, medication, laptop. The main risks are not dust but privacy breaches, a "useless" piece of paper with important notes thrown away, or the same cloth used on the toilet and the glasses. This checklist locks in the process so the attendant does the same steps in the same order every time.
Use it for training new staff and for spot checks: the supervisor goes along with the attendant and marks whether each step is followed. The sections follow the order of work: entry, airing and trash, bed, dusting top to bottom, bathroom, restocking, floor, exit.
Room entry
-
1
The Do Not Disturb sign and DND status in the PMS are checked before knocking If the sign is out or the DND light is on, the room is skipped, noted on the attendant's sheet and reported to the supervisor per hotel standard.☐ Yes☐ No
-
2
The attendant knocks and announces "Housekeeping" twice before opening the door Knock, "Housekeeping," wait 5–10 seconds, repeat; open the door slowly and announce again.☐ Yes☐ No
-
3
If the guest is in, the attendant asks when it is convenient to clean Offers to clean now or at a time the guest chooses; does not start without the guest's agreement.☐ Yes☐ No
-
4
The cart is parked across the open doorway Cart placed across the doorway, open side facing the room, so no one can slip in unnoticed and the corridor stays clear.☐ Yes☐ No
-
5
Time of entry Record the start time on the attendant's sheet or in the app.
Guest belongings and trash
-
6
Guest belongings are not moved, except for neatly folding clothes per standard Documents, money, electronics and toiletries stay where they are. Suitcases and bags are never opened.☐ Yes☐ No
-
7
Only items in the trash bins are thrown away Papers, magazines, open bottles and food outside the bins stay in the room, even if they look like trash.☐ Yes☐ No
-
8
Used room service dishes are removed from the room The tray or cart is collected and returned to food and beverage, not left in the corridor.☐ Yes☐ No
-
9
All bins are emptied and fitted with new liners In the bedroom and bathroom; no leaks at the bottom of the bins.☐ Yes☐ No
Bed
-
10
Bed linen is changed according to the hotel program or at the guest's request Check against the linen change schedule (e.g., every 2–3 days) and the "please change my sheets" card on the bed.☐ Yes☐ No
-
11
Clean and soiled linen never touch Stripped linen goes straight into the cart bag, never on the floor, a chair or the clean set.☐ Yes☐ No
-
12
The bed is made to standard; the guest's sleepwear is folded and placed on the pillow Sheet tight, bedspread even; clothes left on the bed are folded and left in plain view.☐ Yes☐ No
Bedroom: dusting and wiping
-
13
Cleaning goes clockwise from the door and top to bottom High surfaces first (shelves, headboard, lamps), then desks and nightstands, floor last.☐ Yes☐ No
-
14
A separate cloth is used for the bedroom, not the bathroom one Color-coded cloths per hotel standard, e.g., blue for the room and mirrors, red for the toilet.☐ Yes☐ No
-
15
Door handles, light switches, remote controls and the phone are wiped High-touch surfaces are cleaned every day, even if the room looks clean.☐ Yes☐ No
-
16
Glasses and cups are replaced with clean ones or washed per hotel standard Used glassware goes on the cart to be washed in the floor pantry; washing glasses in the guest bathroom sink is not allowed unless the standard permits it.☐ Yes☐ No
Bathroom
-
17
Toilet cleaner is applied at the start and left for the contact time on the label Cleaner goes on first and works while the sink and shower are cleaned; contact time per the label.☐ Yes☐ No
-
18
Shower, tub and shower glass are cleaned and wiped dry Glass and chrome are buffed with a dry microfiber cloth, no drops or streaks.☐ Yes☐ No
-
19
Sink and shower drains are cleared of hair Remove the grate or stopper if removable and clear out the hair.☐ Yes☐ No
-
20
Used towels are replaced according to the hotel program Towels on the floor or in the tub are replaced; hung towels stay if the hotel runs a green program.☐ Yes☐ No
-
21
The bathroom floor is mopped last, from the far corner toward the door Floor dry or nearly dry on exit, no puddles by the shower tray or toilet.☐ Yes☐ No
Restocking
-
22
Amenities are topped up to standard; the guest's opened bottles are not thrown away New bottles are added when opened ones are less than a third full; dispensers are refilled.☐ Yes☐ No
-
23
Room supplies are restocked to the par list Toilet paper, tissues, tea, coffee, sugar, water, for the number of guests per the par list.☐ Yes☐ No
-
24
Minibar consumption is recorded and passed to the front desk Empty slots checked against the minibar list; consumption posted in the PMS or passed on before the guest checks out.☐ Yes☐ No
Floor and exit
-
25
The floor is vacuumed, including under the desk and around the bed Guest items on the floor are not moved; vacuum around them.☐ Yes☐ No
-
26
Room defects are reported to the supervisor or maintenance Burned-out bulb, dripping faucet, broken remote: a work order within the shift, so the guest never has to ask.☐ Yes☐ No
-
27
Before leaving, the room is checked from the door: lights, curtains and A/C per standard Lights off or left as the guest had them; curtains in their original position; window closed.☐ Yes☐ No
-
28
The room door is closed and checked with a firm pull on the handle After leaving, the attendant pulls the handle to confirm the lock has engaged.☐ Yes☐ No
-
29
Room status is updated on the attendant's sheet or in the app Exit time and "clean" status recorded so the supervisor can track progress on the floor.☐ Yes☐ No
This template is a starting point. Check the limits and wording against your local regulations, your company standards and the equipment manufacturers' instructions.
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/hotel-housekeeping-daily
Common violations
- Throwing away papers from the guest's desk. Notes, tickets, prescriptions matter to the guest, and the hotel, not the attendant, pays for the consequences.
- Using one cloth for the toilet and the glasses. It is a direct route to a stomach bug for the guest and a scandal if someone catches it on video.
- The room door is open, the attendant is in the bathroom and the cart is off to the side. That is how items go missing, and the hotel cannot prove no one else came in.
- Skipping a Do Not Disturb room without noting it on the sheet. If a guest has not come out for two or three days, it may signal a health problem, and the supervisor needs to know.
- Changing linen daily against the green program or, conversely, not changing it when the guest asked. Both cost money: unnecessary laundry or a complaint.
Frequently asked questions
A typical benchmark for a standard room is 20–30 minutes, and 30–45 minutes for a departure. The exact standard depends on room size and category and is set by the executive housekeeper based on the attendant's room quota per shift.
The attendant notes the room on the sheet; in the afternoon the supervisor contacts the guest through the front desk and offers service at a convenient time. The procedure for extended DND (e.g., more than 24 hours) should be written into the hotel standard.
It is better to replace used glasses with clean ones washed in a dishwasher. If the hotel allows washing on the floor, it is done in a dedicated sink in the floor pantry, not in the guest bathroom.
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