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Operating Standard No. 53 · Housekeeping

The Bed Standard

Five steps for a bed made the same way in every room, linen checked before it goes on. A marked sheet gets found at midnight, when nobody can change it.

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Who
Room attendants, checked by the floor supervisor
When
Every departure, and every linen change on a stay-over
You need
Clean linen, a reject bag, the guest’s pillow choice from the PMS
Measured by
  • Every sheet held to the light first
  • All four corners mitred
  • Pillow choice in the PMS followed

5 steps

  1. 01

    Strip and check

    Strip the bed one layer at a time and shake each sheet over the bed, so nothing of the guest’s goes to the laundry. Check the protector and mattress for stains, and turn it as the monthly chart says.

    Say this

    “214 stripped. Earring found in the sheet, to lost property 09:50.”

    Common mistake Pulling every layer off in one bundle. A ring, a phone or a hearing aid leaves for the laundry inside the sheets.

  2. 02

    Hold to the light

    Before a sheet or pillowcase goes on, open it and hold it up to the window. Any mark, hole, hair or yellowing goes in the reject bag with a tag for the laundry. Never turn a marked sheet over.

    Say this

    “Reject: king sheet, small mark in the centre. Room 214, Ana.”

    Common mistake Putting the marked side face down. The guest finds it at midnight, turning back the duvet.

  3. 03

    Corners tight

    Lay the bottom sheet centred, tuck it under at the head and the foot, and mitre each corner at 45 degrees. Run the flat of your hand across it: no creases, and no ridges from the protector underneath.

    Say this

    “Bottom sheet centred, four mitred corners, smooth.”

    Common mistake Making the bed from one side to save walking round. The far side is always looser and comes untucked in the night.

  4. 04

    Duvet and pillows

    Fill the duvet cover from its two top corners, shake it out and leave an equal overhang each side. Set the pillows the guest chose in the PMS, or four by default, open ends facing away from the door.

    Say this

    “214, Mrs Kim: two firm pillows, no feather. Set.”

    Common mistake Putting out feather pillows from habit in a room flagged for allergy. The guest sneezes all night and blames the room.

  5. 05

    Eye-level check

    Crouch at the foot of the bed until your eyes are at mattress height and look along it. The top must be flat, the overhang equal on both sides within 2 cm, and the throw folded square across the foot.

    Say this

    “Eye-level check done: flat, overhang equal, throw square.”

    Common mistake Judging the bed from standing height. Ridges and a sloping overhang only show at mattress height, as the guest lies down.

The desk card

When the Bed Isn’t Right

Six faults guests notice and photograph, with the reason behind each. Most are fixed by changing the order of a single movement.

What you seeWhy it happensThe fix
Creases across the middleSheet not pulled tight at the footTuck the foot first, then the sides
Uneven overhangDuvet filled from one endFill from two corners, check both sides
Sheet rides up at nightCorners tucked, not mitredMitre all four, tuck 20 cm under
Grey or yellow linenOld stock still in useReject it, tag it, tell the linen room
Flat, lumpy pillowsNot plumped before casingPlump, case, then plump again
Lint on the pillowcaseClean linen left open on the trolleyKeep clean linen covered

Brief one row a day. On the first morning the supervisor makes one bed with the team, the wrong way and then the right way, and checks that row in every bed inspected that day.

The Standards Library.

No. 54 · Housekeeping

The Replenishment Standard

Five steps for counting, charging and restocking the minibar and room amenities. A wrong charge found at checkout costs more goodwill than the item earned.

Read the standard

No. 55 · Housekeeping

The Lost Property Standard

Five steps from the moment an item is found to the day it goes home. When the guest calls, the item should be in your hand in under five minutes.

Read the standard