Each cleaning product is made for certain surfaces and types of dirt. Using it at the right dilution and for the right contact time cleans properly without causing damage. Colour-coded cloths keep cleaning in different areas separate.
Why it matters
The wrong product can scratch mirrors or etch marble, and rushed disinfecting leaves germs behind. Damage is costly, and poor hygiene makes guests ill.
Key ideas
Product types
Trolleys usually carry a neutral cleaner, glass cleaner, disinfectant, toilet cleaner and descaler. Each label shows where the product can be used.
Contact time
Also called dwell time, this is how long a disinfectant must stay wet to kill germs. Wiping it off at once mostly moves dirt around.
Colour-coded cloths
Separate colours for toilets, sinks and bedroom surfaces prevent cross-contamination, the spread of germs from dirty to clean areas. Colours vary by hotel.
Step by step
- 1
Read the label or your hotel's product chart first.
- 2
Dilute concentrates with the dispenser, never by guessing.
- 3
Pick the correct colour cloth for the area.
- 4
Apply the product and leave it for the full contact time.
- 5
Wipe, dry and close the bottle tightly.
Do
- Use a neutral cleaner on marble, because acid products etch natural stone.
- Keep every product in a correctly labelled bottle.
- Buff mirrors and chrome with a dry microfibre cloth.
Common mistakes
- Don't use scourers on glass, acrylic baths or polished metal.
- Don't add extra product; too much leaves a sticky residue.
- Don't use a toilet cloth anywhere else in the room.
The situation
The marble vanity in room 412 has water marks. A colleague says the bathroom descaler removes them fastest.
What a professional does
Descaler is acidic and can etch marble, so you use the approved neutral cleaner and dry the surface. If the marks remain, you report them.
Useful phrases
“Which product do we use on the marble?”
“This bottle has no label. Can we replace it?”
Pro tip
Spray onto your cloth, not the surface, when cleaning mirrors, screens and light switches.
Quick check
Why is spraying and wiping a toilet seat at once not enough?
Think about it, then show the answer
Disinfectant must stay wet for its contact time to kill germs.