Hotel housekeeping supplies: the complete checklist

Housekeeping is the department guests notice most and think about least. A room that is spotless and ready on time depends on hundreds of small items being in the right place: a stocked cart, the right cloth for each surface, enough linen bags and bin liners for a full house. This checklist covers what a hotel or serviced-apartment housekeeping team needs, and how to plan stock so a busy weekend never empties the store room.

Key takeaways

• Equip every room attendant with a complete, standard cart so every room is cleaned the same way.
• Colour-code cloths and tools by area to prevent cross-contamination.
• Plan stock on occupancy: par levels per room, per floor and in the main store.
• Choose durable commercial tools; replacing cheap tools often costs more.

Carts and trolleys

The housekeeping cart is the attendant's workstation. A good cart is easy to push on carpet, quiet in corridors, and has a place for everything so attendants do not walk back to the store room.

• Housekeeping carts with compartments for linen, amenities and tools, and a bag for soiled linen.
• Janitorial carts with mop buckets and wringers for public areas.
• Linen trolleys and laundry bins for moving linen between floors.
• Large wheeled bins for collecting waste from each floor.

Cleaning tools for rooms and public areas

Choose commercial-grade tools that hold up to daily use, and colour-code them so the tools used in bathrooms never touch kitchenettes or minibars.

• Microfibre cloths in several colours, by area.
• Mops, flat mops and buckets with wringers.
• Floor wipers, squeegees and scrubbing brushes.
• Dusters and extendable poles for high surfaces.
• Wet-floor signs for public areas and corridors.

Bins, liners and waste

Every room, corridor and back-of-house area needs a bin of the right size, and every bin needs the right liner. Running out of liners is one of the most common housekeeping shortages.

• Room bins and bathroom pedal bins with lids.
• Corridor and lobby bins, including recycling bins where your waste contractor collects them.
• Bin liners in each size you use, ordered by the carton.

Paper products and dispensers

Paper products are used in every room and public washroom. Choose dispensers and refills from the same range so refills always fit.

• Toilet rolls and facial tissues for rooms.
• Hand towel rolls or folded towels and their dispensers for public washrooms.
• Kitchen rolls for back-of-house and kitchenettes.

Uniforms and personal protection

Housekeeping uniforms need to be comfortable for physical work, easy to wash and smart enough to be seen by guests. Add gloves and other protective items that your safety procedures require.

• Tunics or polos and trousers in breathable, durable fabric.
• Aprons with pockets.
• Gloves and comfortable non-slip shoes.

Planning stock with par levels

Par levels are the amount of each item you keep at each point: on the cart, in the floor pantry and in the main store. Set them from your occupancy at peak, count regularly and reorder when stock falls below the reorder point. This keeps a full house from emptying the store and avoids overstocking in quiet months.

Sourcing housekeeping supplies on DEPORI

DEPORI lists cleaning tools, janitorial carts and bins, commercial paper products and uniforms from verified suppliers in the UAE. Send one request for quote with your full list to several suppliers, compare price, minimum order and delivery side by side, and pay through DEPORI, with your payment held until the order is delivered.

DEPORI does not sell cleaning chemicals, so detergents and disinfectants come from your chemical supplier.

Common questions

What should be on a housekeeping cart?

Clean linen, guest amenities, colour-coded cloths, a duster, bin liners, toilet rolls, a bag for soiled linen and the tools needed to clean each room the same way.

Why colour-code cleaning cloths?

Using a different colour for each area, such as bathrooms and kitchenettes, prevents cross-contamination and makes the right tool easy to find.

How do hotels plan housekeeping stock?

With par levels: a set amount of each item on the cart, in the floor pantry and in the main store, based on peak occupancy and reordered when it falls below a reorder point.

Does DEPORI sell cleaning chemicals?

No. DEPORI covers cleaning tools, carts, bins, paper products and uniforms. Chemicals come from your chemical supplier.