7 Essential Hotel Housekeeping & Cleaning Supplies

Clean rooms = happy guests

Your hotel could have breathtaking views, an indoor pool and a world-class kitchen, but if a guest finds a stain on the carpet in their room, that’s all they’re going to remember.

At Walmart Business, we know it’s critical to outfit your staff with the hotel housekeeping supplies and tools they need to clean thoroughly and efficiently. By keeping these items stocked, you’ll set your cleaning staff (and your hotel) up for success.

Essential hotel housekeeping supplies

Hotel cleaning supplies have two competing priorities. On one hand, they should be as versatile as possible, allowing staff to solve as many cleaning challenges as possible with the same product. That boosts efficiency and saves money.

On the other hand, they still have to do a great job. All-purpose cleaning spray can clean glass, but it may also leave messy-looking streaks. Specialized glass cleaner works better. 

Choosing the right hotel cleaning supplies means finding the smallest possible array of supplies and tools that will leave your hotel rooms sparkling clean.

Vinegar

Vinegar may be the most versatile and cost-effective cleaning agent in a housekeeper’s arsenal. Distilled vinegar from the grocery store serves well, but cleaning vinegar ordered from wholesalers has a slightly higher acetic acid content (6% as opposed to 5%). That makes it more powerful, but not so strong as industrial vinegar, which is so acidic it will damage surfaces.

What makes vinegar so versatile is its ability to dilute with water or mix with other cleaning agents such as dish detergent and baking soda. In various dilutions and combinations, these basic elements can clean floors, unclog pipes, descale kettles and everything in between. However, you should never mix vinegar with bleach or other chemical cleaners, as they can release dangerous fumes.

Scouring powder

Liquid solutions are often easier on surfaces than their powdered counterparts, but a good scouring powder can achieve a deeper clean more quickly and without scratching. 

When mixed with a little water, they can be left to sit on sinks, showers, countertops, tiles, stoves or toilets for a few minutes while cleaning staff work elsewhere in the room.

Over the next few minutes, the powder will break down grime on the surface. When staff return, they’ll barely need to scrub before they wash the powder off with water. 

Be careful to avoid mixing scouring powders with products containing ammonia or acid.

Microfiber cloths

Microfiber cloths are woven from synthetic fibers 200 times thinner than a single human hair. The density of the weave gives these cloths special properties that allow them to outperform cotton cloths in almost every way.

Microfiber cloths are lighter, more durable, more absorbent and faster drying than standard cotton cloths. They’re also positively charged, which makes them attract dirt and grease for more effective cleaning—even without chemicals.

Microfiber works great on any surface, but it shines when cleaning glass. It’s so streak-resistant that it’s often used to clean eyeglasses. Just be sure to launder it separately from the rest of your cleaning cloths, as it will attract dirt from them and grow less effective over time.

Cleaning gloves

Gloves provide a layer of protection against hotel cleaning supplies that can be hard on skin—to say nothing of how they protect against the dirt itself. 

Reusable rubber or latex gloves typically offer more protection, but they can accumulate dirt and grime over time. Disposable gloves are always clean, but they must be replaced frequently.

Vacuum cleaners

Vacuum cleaners are the fastest and easiest way to pull dust and debris out of carpets. Cordless vacuums are increasingly popular hotel housekeeping supplies. They’re much easier to use and maneuver than vacuums with cords, but they have to be recharged periodically, and their batteries will degrade over time. 

If you opt for a cordless vacuum, keep an eye on how long each one can last before recharging. Make note of any gradual changes in charge time. That will help you stay ahead of failing batteries.

Steam cleaners

High temperature steam cleaners, also known as dry steam cleaners, are flexible and effective. By heating water in a closed chamber, they produce steam without moisture, so you can clean tile, grout, countertops, bedding, upholstery and even leather without risking water damage. It also means no streaks on glass.

Steam cleaning is incredibly thorough for removing grime, debris and carpet stains. It’s also great at getting what you can’t see. Allergens caught in fabric and lingering  odors will all go up in steam. Plus, it has a limited environmental impact because it avoids the use of chemicals. 

Housekeeping carts

A cart is the fastest and easiest way to transport hotel housekeeping supplies from room to room.

Look for carts that balance total capacity with compact size. The more storage space, the more efficiently your housekeeping staff can work. With a big enough cart, they’ll never need to stop back at a supply closet.

But the downside of all that storage space is that the cart can become cumbersome. It can occupy too much space in the hallway, gumming up the flow of traffic for guests and other workers. Keep the measurements of your hallways in mind, and look for carts that suit that space.

It’s also important to consider materials. Plastic carts are lighter and easier to move, but they won’t last as long as metal and they won’t biodegrade.

Stay supplied with Walmart Business+

Whether you need drain cleaner or breakroom snacks, Walmart Business+ can help you save with everyday low prices and free shipping*. Your purchases of $250+ earn you rewards**, and you can monitor your costs using our powerful budgeting tool, Spend Analytics.

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