housekeeping staff and time frames

[ChrisandShelley]

My husband is usually the one to post here, but this question falls more in my area. As new innkeepers we kept the former housekeeper who we believed was doing a fantastic job. In the beginning,as we were new and overwhelmed, we were thankful to just hand it over to her. She does a fantastic job and the rooms are immaculately clean. However, as time has gone on, we began to suspect that she was taking longer than was necessary and maybe she was leaving some things that she should have been able to complete, like laundry not folded or left in the washer, etc.. But again, we are new and really have no idea! I spoke about this with a friend and former innkeeper and she was appalled at how much time it is taking her and how much we are shelling on housekeeping.
So, my questions for you all are:
1. How much time to you expect a housekeeper to take to clean a standard room and bath. (No jacuzzi tub)
2. Does this time include doing all laundry? Do you expect them to have all laundry done, folded , put away?
3. What all duties do you assign to your help? For example, cleaning common areas or cleaning up breakfast dishes?
4. How much do you do yourself and how many rooms does your Inn have? (I struggle with thinking it is "bad" or "lazy" if we don't so much on our own but it was called to my attention that it is also important to have some down time and avoid burnout! But I still struggle with finding this balance. Should I hire more done or just do more myself??)
I would really appreciate your input! I'm afraid I'm being taken advantage of here but I also don't want to get rid of a good, honest, reliable cleaning person.
Thanks!!

 

[Morticia]

Oh, welcome to my world! A housekeeper in a hotel is expected to get thru 13+ rooms in a 6-7 hour shift. We give our housekeeper 4 hours to clean 7 rooms. Only one of them has a standard tub, the rest are showers.
No laundry unless it is to fold up, but no running the machines. I want her to focus on the rooms.
Yes, there are common room cleanings to do like dusting and vacuuming. Dusting and vacuuming in the hallways, etc. Watering plants.
No breakfast dishes, the kitchen belongs to Gomez! And I generally have the dining room cleaned before the housekeeper gets in.
So, how long does it take to clean a room by yourself? 20 minutes to do a 'fluff' but here that also means a full cleaning of the bathroom, making the beds and vacuuming. (No dusting unless something has been spilled.)
A full room turnover is about 45 minutes. At first most of them take an hour. We explain they have to pick up the pace...
NEVER feel like you should be doing more. That is Gomez's worst fault. He feels guilty for sitting down while the housekeeper is working so he goes and does half her work. Which means she doesn't get the full hours and she slows down! You need the downtime. YOU make money by being friendly and helpful and gracious. Let someone else do the grunt work so you can focus on the money-making aspects.
That said, another inn had their housekeeper cleaning 9 rooms and 8 bathrooms and doing all the laundry. Very experienced, she could do all that in about 7 hours/day. Every day!
We only have the housekeeper in for 5 days. The other 2 days we do it ourselves to make sure the corners are being seen to and the shower doors are being cleaned properly.
It's hard at this point but you should probably follow the housekeeper around for a day. Say you've been so overwhelmed by learning everything but now you have some time so could she show you how she does things so you understand. Or, if you feel things are being left undone ask why.
We pay $12/hour which is middle of the road around here.

 

[JimBoone]

Don't know if I'm much help, but here's my two cents worth.
Mom & pop motel, 8 rooms, 16 beds, never had any hired help, no food served, most of our years Maxine did everything, I worked a job and helped evenings and weekends, but mostly a weekend business with scattered guests during the week. Gotten older, daughter is helping this year.
Weekend when we are busier, 2 of us working on a room, probably around 30 minutes (hour total), but that can be more or less depending on how guests left the room, how we feel, etc.
Is housekeeper lazy, should you do more, are you paying too much, just me, but seems to me only you can decide. I think of it as a balance how much do I want my free time VS how much I can or want to pay someone else. Should you push your housekeeper harder, again your choice, a balance between someone who you feel does a good job and is reliable VS saving money or not getting good work or a reliable person, any manager has to weigh those choices.

 

[Morticia]

Ah, you also have suites. So there is kitchen cleaning to do, restocking, etc. And if both beds are used more cleaning.
And, I see you have mini fridges in each room. And bathrobes. All of that takes time.
If I had all of that and wanted it all cleaned properly AND the housekeeper was also doing the laundry I'd guess you've got a 6 hour day when it's a full strip on every room.
And how many times does your housekeeper find the daybed has been used? More cleaning.

 

[Lee2014]

1. How much time to you expect a housekeeper to take to clean a standard room and bath. (No jacuzzi tub)
A change over--For one person 45 minutes for the regular rooms. Two of us can whip through a room in 10 to 20 minutes. We make the bed(s) together. One does the dusting, sweeping, mirrors, washing glass tops, polishing wood, check doors and drawers, etc while the other does the bathroom. All of them have tubs except one room has a shower.
2. Does this time include doing all laundry? Do you expect them to have all laundry done, folded , put away?
The laundry is usually done by whoever walks through and notice that the washers are done. Folding is often done in the evening as we talk over the day. Our helpers live at the inn during the weekend.
3. What all duties do you assign to your help? For example, cleaning common areas or cleaning up breakfast dishes?
Everyone does everything! Cleaning, shopping, pool, lawns, flower beds, emergencies, check ins & check outs. My aunt and I only do breakfast but the rest pitch in with clean up. We each have our preferences and loudly proclaim them, but we all can do what needs to be done.
4. How much do you do yourself and how many rooms does your Inn have? (I struggle with thinking it is "bad" or "lazy" if we don't so much on our own but it was called to my attention that it is also important to have some down time and avoid burnout! But I still struggle with finding this balance. Should I hire more done or just do more myself??)
So far we have done everything, but painting the pool, the roof, repair the gutters, exterior painting, putting in the new water main, and repairing the awning. The manager/owner should walk in the maid's shoes from time to time… We rent out eight rooms and a two bedroom cottage.

 

[user 26]

To know how long it takes and what needs doing, you need to clean the rooms yourself. Then you can judge. How 'fit' is your housekeeper? Does she need breaks in between the rooms? Does she have an efficient system? (this can be complicated) You may need checklists.
But I must say ... if your housekeeper is reliable and the rooms are immaculate ... these are very important things in her favor!
Do your guests comment on how clean the rooms are? (or are not?)
Just having some of the chambermaids I hired show up was a struggle!

 

[Jcam]

we say 20 mins for a service (ie guest is staying on) 45 for a change - I want it properly clean
Laundry is all sent out to just to be brought down and bagged up - DH and I tend to bag and it all goes in a large hamper outside as a bag is filled - approx 20 bags per pick up.
Weekday chamber maid does lounge if she has time or like yesterday was a quiet day no check in's till 5pm so DH and I did it.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Agree on 30 - 45 minutes depending on the room, how many beds, whether there is a kitchenette.
Yes, she also dusts and vacuums the common room, front porch and breakfast room. She also waters the potted plants., empties the dishwasher, puts out the cookies and will fold laundry if she notices the dryer is stopped.
We also empty the dishwashers and rotate and fold the laundry as needed.

 

[JBloggs]

Do you have stairs that she/he must haul everything up?
I have never heard of any B&B housekeepers doing laundry. And they usually don't have anything to do with the kitchen. Strictly guest rooms, and if you are lucky to help clean guest areas.
Getting them to show up is 50% of the battle. A terrible worker is 100% better than an excellent worker who doesn't show up.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Do you have stairs that she/he must haul everything up?
I have never heard of any B&B housekeepers doing laundry. And they usually don't have anything to do with the kitchen. Strictly guest rooms, and if you are lucky to help clean guest areas.
Getting them to show up is 50% of the battle. A terrible worker is 100% better than an excellent worker who doesn't show up..

The laundry equipment is kept in the same pantry as the cleaning supplies, clean glasses and inn dishwasher. She passes through that room several times a shift. It makes perfect sense for her to rotate the laundry is she is there and the machines have stopped.

 

[Generic]

Do you have stairs that she/he must haul everything up?
I have never heard of any B&B housekeepers doing laundry. And they usually don't have anything to do with the kitchen. Strictly guest rooms, and if you are lucky to help clean guest areas.
Getting them to show up is 50% of the battle. A terrible worker is 100% better than an excellent worker who doesn't show up..

We hired out for 3 hours a day. She never could figure out how I fold a towel. I use a cordless vacuum to avoid the hauling problem... funniest bit, she hauled up the charger on the first day

 

[OnTheShore]

Our problem is more getting the cleaners to spend enough time in each cottage! They tend to go too quickly and thus are not as thorough as they could be....
We figure about 2 hours 20 minutes for one person to turn-over a one-bedroom cottage with 4 beds, living room, full kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor deck. They do not have to do laundry. They do have to get themselves and all their equipment and supplies to the cottage (sharing the golf cart with the rest of the crew...).

 

[MtnKeeper]

Basic rooms - 40 minutes.
Jacuzzi rooms - 60-70 minutes.
Stocked closet on each floor with a vacuum. When they strip a couple rooms, they take them down to the laundry room and put in a load. If they have time (they don't always have several rooms to do), they fold laundry and put in more. If not, it waits until next day and they fold then. Some days it's just one housekeeper for a 6 hour shift, some days it's 2. If they aren't' going to have a busy day or 2 are on, they also do the dishes and clean up the kitchen. They also reset dining room and vacuum the common areas. They both want 6 hours a day so if I took out laundry and dishes then some days they'd be leaving after just 3 hours which doesn't give them enough money. So it's a win/win, I do less laundry and dishes and they get a larger paycheck. Some days when it's quiet they even polish the wood on the pool table and one loves to garden so tomorrow she's coming in when we only have one room and she'll touch that up and then head out to the garden for a few hours. Pay $12 hour plus all tips.
If you explain when you hire them that their day will vary and everything that they could be doing, then typically they don't have an expectation of just doing rooms. I even had a girl who was so good that she'd clean for a few hours on Saturday and then she'd stay and do check-ins so I could go off for the day with my kids. My new one doesn't like to talk to people she's a total introvert so that doesn't work anymore.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Basic rooms - 40 minutes.
Jacuzzi rooms - 60-70 minutes.
Stocked closet on each floor with a vacuum. When they strip a couple rooms, they take them down to the laundry room and put in a load. If they have time (they don't always have several rooms to do), they fold laundry and put in more. If not, it waits until next day and they fold then. Some days it's just one housekeeper for a 6 hour shift, some days it's 2. If they aren't' going to have a busy day or 2 are on, they also do the dishes and clean up the kitchen. They also reset dining room and vacuum the common areas. They both want 6 hours a day so if I took out laundry and dishes then some days they'd be leaving after just 3 hours which doesn't give them enough money. So it's a win/win, I do less laundry and dishes and they get a larger paycheck. Some days when it's quiet they even polish the wood on the pool table and one loves to garden so tomorrow she's coming in when we only have one room and she'll touch that up and then head out to the garden for a few hours. Pay $12 hour plus all tips.
If you explain when you hire them that their day will vary and everything that they could be doing, then typically they don't have an expectation of just doing rooms. I even had a girl who was so good that she'd clean for a few hours on Saturday and then she'd stay and do check-ins so I could go off for the day with my kids. My new one doesn't like to talk to people she's a total introvert so that doesn't work anymore..

We had a young woman who would paint, garden and once, even helped put the new grill together.

 

[ChrisandShelley]

Thank you all so much for the feedback... it seems in line with what I was thinking. I have cleaned rooms myself and it usually takes me less than an hour. This girl can spend 2 hours!
Now the problem is how to communicate with her and get her to speed things up a bit. I can give her a little slack because she is so dependable and that is worth a lot .... however, we cannot afford to pay out so much.
So, wish me luck!

 

[GoodScout]

"You are doing a great job, but I need for you to be able to turn our rooms over more quickly. Let's discuss how we can do that."
You certainly have some ideas. Your housekeeper may have some ideas you haven't thought of.
Good luck.

 

[Morticia]

Thank you all so much for the feedback... it seems in line with what I was thinking. I have cleaned rooms myself and it usually takes me less than an hour. This girl can spend 2 hours!
Now the problem is how to communicate with her and get her to speed things up a bit. I can give her a little slack because she is so dependable and that is worth a lot .... however, we cannot afford to pay out so much.
So, wish me luck!.

Definitely compliment on the things being done correctly.
Then, what Phineas said!
I had one person who was taking the pictures down off the wall to dust them. Every. Day.

 

[MtnKeeper]

Thank you all so much for the feedback... it seems in line with what I was thinking. I have cleaned rooms myself and it usually takes me less than an hour. This girl can spend 2 hours!
Now the problem is how to communicate with her and get her to speed things up a bit. I can give her a little slack because she is so dependable and that is worth a lot .... however, we cannot afford to pay out so much.
So, wish me luck!.

I believe you have 6 rooms - how can she get them all turned over if she's spending so much time? That means she could take up to 10-12 hours to do them all? Do you have to do rooms when it's busy or does she pick it up. My two ladies know that when it's a day to flip lots of rooms they have to move it and just let me know if they can't do common areas, etc. and we'll do that.
Two hours I would expect if I had cottages that had a kitchen they had to clean and get to and from a cottage. But if it takes more than 1 1/2 for a room (and that's for a large room with a jacuzzi tub that has to be filled and sanitized) then I'd be losing my mind. Now when it's quiet and we don't have much to do, I tell them to spend more time and dust and vacuum everything again, do all baseboards, etc. The stuff that can't always be done when there are lots of rooms to flip. But beyond that, they have to do them at their regular speed and then go on to the common areas, etc. I agree that she's milking it and you need to speak to her.