Preparing for Commercial Housekeeping Jobs

Getting a position or a contract to clean a hotel, office building, restaurant or other commercial property may be a goal when you are looking for a steady position. However, it is important to know the differences not only in cleaning residential and commercial property but also the differences in cleaning various kinds of commercial businesses. For instance, with hotel housekeeping, it is very important to keep the appearances of a hotel’s specific motif and make guests feel as if they were away from home. It also involves dealing with items such as linens that multiple people use, so they have to be properly sanitized.

There can be similarities to housekeeping jobs in office buildings in that sanitization and disinfection are very important. However, this cleaning may involve sensitive machines, so employees need to know safe ways of cleaning these machines so that they are not damaged. Also, it is important to sanitize furniture and bathrooms since multiple users can pass along germs, especially during cold and flu season. Furthermore, floors not only need to be cleaned in the most effective ways depending upon the materials from which they are made, but they should also not be a work hazard.

Keeping a pristine and clean appearance is just as important as the actual disinfection for housekeeping jobs with industries such as restaurants and healthcare. In either case, unsanitary conditions can be very harmful and sometimes fatal. Especially with hospitals, housekeeping staff must know how to dispose of hazardous products so that they cause no harm to patients who are probably already susceptible to germs and infections. With restaurants, an unsanitary appearance can do just as much damage to the establishment’s reputation as will any illness or harm resulting from unsanitary conditions.

Residential Housekeeping Jobs

Cleaning private homes may not be exactly the same as cleaning commercial buildings, but it is still important to know how to properly disinfect and sanitize the home. Furthermore, it may be necessary to clean up after children and/or pets that can make cleaning difficult. Also, housekeepers who work in private residences may have to consider other factors such as confidentiality agreements and private homeowners who may worry about outsiders in their homes. Still, whether working as a private housekeeper or as part of a service that works under contract, it is crucial to do the job as requested by the client.

Green Housekeeping Jobs

Another factor housekeepers have to consider these days is the kind of products they use in their work. More people are beginning to follow the green movement, so investing in green or organic products can be a smart business move and a way to drum up business. Using organic products is a smart calculation because potential clients may feel more comfortable knowing they are not exposed to harmful chemicals. Furthermore, they may also enjoy working with a business that makes a conscientious effort to use products that contribute to environmental sustainability.

Salaries for Housekeeping Jobs

There are many factors that will affect what type of salary a housekeeper draws. These factors can include experience, contractual versus private work, whether the housekeeper works in a commercial or residential building and even regional factors like city and/or state. Of course, there are also other factors such as whether or not you own or manage the business and how many employees work under you. Also, if you are a manager or owner, chances are you have a degree, which can also affect how much you can make per year.

For instance, if you are manager for housekeeping jobs, your yearly salary can range from between $23,000 to $55,000 per year. This is actually close to the yearly average within a few industries including timeshares and resorts, hotels and other cleaning services. However, you have one of the best chances of starting out at a higher average salary, then you can look into housekeeping management opportunities in the healthcare sector. The salary range for this particular field tends to be between $28,000 and $57,000 a year. Of course, these salary ranges will depend upon whether you work for a company or if you are self-employed.

Another thing you may want to consider when you think about the salary for housekeeping jobs is where you work. There are some cities in which you have a better chance at drawing a higher salary than others. These cities include: