Other Mechanical Equipments

 General purpose floor machine :


1. SCRUBBING MACHINES: The bristle tips of brushes or surface of abrasive pads cut into the dirt and remove it.
2. BUFFING MACHINES: Bristles or brushes or surface abrasive pads create a high gloss finish to the floor. The heat generated by the revolving brushes help in the absorption of wax polishes and fixes or hardens the waxes and resins.
3. VURNISHING MACHINES: The brush/bristles cut the floor surface to create a smooth surface with a glossy finish.
4. SPRAY CLEANING/SPRAY VURNISHING MACHINE: These machines have one large or several small brushes/bristles/abrasive pads that revolve or scrub the floor. The water and detergent are released from a tank attached to the spray cleaning machine. They are used on the floors where buffable polish can be applied. It can be used for shampooing carpets, polishing floors and spray maintenance. If the no suction capacity to pick up dirty water, a wet vacuum cleaner must be used in conjunction with/along with the scrubbing machine. Usual attachments are brushes, colour abrasive pads, a water yank, a shampoo tank and a sprayer. Coloured abrasive [ads show different abrasive strength. Beige pads are used for buffing, green for scrubbing and black for striping the floor. The lighter the colour, the less abrasive the action.
5. SCARIFYING MACHINE: The bristle tips or the edge of a cutting tool cuts into impacted soilage, removing it by the means of chisel like action.
6. CARPET SHAMPOOING MACHINE:
a. Steam Extracting.
b. Cylindrical dry foam machine.
c. Rotary brush.
d. Wet shampoo machine.
e. Small rotary wet shampoo machine.
7. HIGH PRESSURE JET CLEANERS: The dirt or soil is removed for subjecting the surface to water, steam/sand under pressure.
8. ROAD SWEEPERS: Single two three brush machines are present on road streets. It can have a weight of 65 kg or more. It is used along with a scarifying machine, where the dirt impacted. The loosened dirt is removed by the sweeping action of brushes. They are ride on machines.










 Points to be considered while purchasing a vacuum cleaner :


1. QUALITY OF EQUIPMENT: Ascertain the history of their use in other establishment. Test for its performance and ease of use. The suction power should be sufficient to dislodge/loosen the dirt as well as remove the dust and small debris. The suction power must be directed where required. Vacuum cleaners used between 3.5-12 Amps. This is usually displayed on the vacuum cleaner. However, some 12 amp vacuum cleaner. This is because the power does not indicate the effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner; only how much electricity is consumed. How much of the power generated is converted to air flow, determines the effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner. Thus, in addition to power, effectiveness also depends upon the design of the motor, the manner in which the system filters dirt. The height adjustment on carpet and floors and how the vacuum cleaner is maintained. Some surfaces like curtains, upholstery and other delicate fabrics require less suction power. Some vacuum cleaner can be switched to a lower suction power and other have a device on the wand or hose pipe to reduce the suction power.
2. DUST BAG: Efficiency of the dust bag. It must trap the dust as the stream of air passes through it. An HEPA can remove the majority of harmful particles including mould, spores, dust, dust mitre, pet dander and other irritating allergens from the air. True or absolute HEPA filters are able to trap at least 99.9% of the particles. They are more expensive than other HEPA filters. Check on the lifetime easy availability of dust bags. Dust bags are part of the ongoing part of the vacuum cleaner and should not be too expensive as the bags have to be changed frequently. Dust buckets may be used instead of dust bags. However cleaning dust buckets causes the dust to fall on the operator and the area around. If the dust bucket is not closed or sealed properly when the vacuum cleaner is in use, the dust can be blown out of the bucket and into the room through the outlet vent. A dust bag full indicator does not directly affect the effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner, but helps in reminding the operator to clean out the bags. Sanyo vacuum cleaners have a dust press system that compresses the dust, thus enabling it to store twice the amount of dust as other vacuum cleaner.
3. NOISE: It is environmental pollution that can affect the quality and well-being of life. Noise is measured in decibels (dB) sounds higher than 80dB is considered potentially dangerous. Tyson vacuum cleaner has noise as one of its disadvantages as some models reach above 90dB. Current models of vacuum cleaners have an installation around the motor for reducing the noise generated by the exhaust air-flow of the vacuum cleaner. It thus, acts like a silencer. Sounds louder than 80dB and length off time of exposure determine the amount of damage.
4. PRODUCTIVITY: In terms of square feet the vacuum cleaner in an hour. Air flow is measured in litres/sec or cubic feet/min (CFM). The air flow is what carries the dirt along and the better vacuum cleaners have higher l/s ratings. A poorly engineered and constructed vacuum cleaner will not have much air flow, no matter how powerful the motor is. A turbo brush is air driven while a power brush (electro brush) is driven by an electric motor. Turbo brushes work well for low to medium pile carpets, but high pile or wall-to-wall carpets probably require power brush for deeper cleaning. Washing efficiency of extractors and wet vacuum cleaners in terms of the pressure with which they inject the cleaning fluid. They come in pressure of 11PSI (pounds/square inch) to 100PSI. Similarly, the solution recovery is equally important in terms of time taken to lift the dirt and solution and to complete the task.


5. ATTACHMENTS: The most common vacuum cleaner attachments that come with the cleaner are:
a) Extensions wands or telescopic tubes: They increase the reach of vacuum cleaner to ceilings and under furniture with greater ease.
b) Crevice tools: It is narrowed at one end to clean along baseboards or skirting boards, in corners and other small areas that are missed by the normal path of vacuum cleaners.
c) Upholstery brush: The bristles are loosened hair, crumbs, etc. that get lodged between the fibres of the upholstered furniture.
d) Stair cleaning tool: Makes cleaning of the rise and treads of the carpeted stairs easier.
Others attachments may be available but may not be included with the cost of the vacuum cleaner.
E.g. 1) Blind attachment: It is slotted allowing for both sides for each slots or vein to be vacuumed at the same time.
2) Ceiling fan attachment: They are bent allowing for easy access to the top of the fan blades.
Acquiring useless attachment for the establishment is a wasteful expense and also takes up storage space. E.g. buying blind attachments when the establishment does not use blinds.

6. APPEARANCE: As the vacuum cleaner is often used in areas frequented by guests, it should have a good appearance.
7. STURDINESS OF EQUIPMENT: Vacuum cleaner with a hard shell outer case is sturdy and is protected knocks and careless handling by operators. Chrome handles for durability with venal grip for comfort and sealed needle bearings.
a) Anti-swallow guard & belt guard helps to prevent broken belts.
b) If the technology used in the vacuum cleaner is sophisticated and complex then trained skilled personnel are required for its operation. Some hotels do not put equipments like wet and dry vacuum cleaner to multiple users. You need to change ports or reset the machine to change from dry vacuuming to wet vacuuming. In case of an error, most often the motor gets burnt out incurring a cost of almost 40% of the original cost of the vacuum cleaner.
8. EASE OF USE:
a) Telescopic wands/ extension tubes
b) Variable suction indicator
c) Dust bag status indicator
d) Power head v/s Turbo head
e) Blower
f) Retractable cord
g) Lighted head to see small sharp area on the floor
h) Easy access power switch on the handle or on the main unit which can be conveniently operated by your foot.

9. WEIGHT/SIZE: The size matters. The vacuum cleaner should be light enough to carry or push from room to room. In spite of the wheels the vacuum cleaner may need to be carried. E.g. Upstairs ways/when storing it away, if the wheels have a smooth motion and the centre gravity of vacuum cleaner is nearer to the floor then it will be easy to push around. A slim body vacuum cleaner with a casing large enough to cover the dust bags and a motor compartment is a good choice.
10. PORTABILITY: Provision of wheels and detachable parts make it easier to transfer the vacuum cleaner from room to room and between floors. It is especially useful when the hotel is spread out over a large area. E.g. Motels. It reduces operator fatigue.
11. MAINTENANCE: Routine cleaning of attachments and casing and storage in specific containers or books makes for maintenance.
12. ESTABLISHMENTS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: Type of floor – tiles, carpeted outside pebble roads.
a) Dry vacuum cleaners used for cleaning different types of hard floors (calister type).
b) Upright vacuum cleaners used for cleaning mainly carpeted floors.
c) Back packs are useful for vertical surfaces, stairs, soft furnishing and hard to reach areas like airline seats, car interiors, etc.
d) Ride-on sweepers for sweeping road and open premises of the establishment. They operate on petrol, diesel batteries. Their productivity is 10 times more than manual sweeping. They come fitted with vacuum attachments.
e) Foot fall or traffic. For example: Airport hotels or resort hotels.
f) Client’s cleanliness requirements.
g) Budget
h) Level of automation required.
13. AFTER SALES SERVICE: It is of great importance. Terms and conditions for after sales service and availability of spare parts should be checked before selecting an equipment or company. It is important to deal with suppliers who understood the kind of problems faced by Housekeeping department when machinery breakdown, rather than deal with suppliers who may after a 5% discount but also not respond to calls regarding the effective working of the machinery once the sale has been completed. Thus, the kind of security the contract offers and the equipment distributor’s willingness to support in case of eventuality is important. Most equipment dealers do not spend enough time training the actual users. An arrangement with the machinery dealers with regard to this matter would be beneficial.
14. USER FRIENDLY EQUIPMENT: The biggest problem faced is the lack of trained personnel as cleaning is considered a menial job in India. Most of the employees take it as stop-gap arrangements. Turnover rate of cleaning personnel is very high and very often people without any experience or knowledge of this job are employed. Because of this situation the machines are badly operated which results in malfunction & damage to the equipment. The usual complaint is that nobody cleans the equipment after use. School drop outs working on these machines look on these equipments as tedious and time consuming. E.g. A broom requires no cleaning after used while these machines need cleaning and need to store it. The machines are high heavy, making it more uninviting to the workers.
15. WARRANTY: It is a promise either written or implied that the material or workman ship of a product is defect free or will meet a specified level of performances over a specified period of time. Thus, it is a protection plan that protects the buyer against major repairs & breakdown for a given period. Warranties are assigned to specific items and do not include breakages or malfunction due to operator negligence. The warranty must bear the rubber stamp, the date of purchase and sign of the authorised dealer or else the warranty is not valid. It is valid on the date mentioned on the card for the time specified by the company.
16. CARE & STORAGE OF VACUUM CLEANER:
i. Change the dust bag whenever required preferably after the indicator shows. In wet vacuum cleaner, empty out the dust bucket after use.
ii. Clean the attachments in soap & water whenever required. Clean bristles after every use. Remove hair, any particles lodged between them after every use.
iii. Check the hose pipes for cut or break to reduce the suction power of vacuum cleaner.
iv. Check the electric cords for frayed edges and untangle knots.
v. Telescopic tubes/wands should be checked for rusting (if metal) which will prevent it to be used effectively.
vi. Remove any fibres/hair from the wheels. Oil the wheels to keep it moving smoothly.
vii. Store the vacuum cleaner and attachments in dry and clean area. The attachments should be stored in boxes/compartments if provided. The pores and hose-pipes are hung on hooks. The casing should be wiped with a damp duster after use. It should be regularly serviced. Free servicing offered during the warranty period should be utilised.




Areas of Responsibility of Housekeeping Department

 Baby Sitting: If a guest makes a request for this facility, room maids may undertake to do babysitting after their regular shift or professional baby sitters are arranged for by the H.K department. The guest is charged for this facility by the hour.
 Lost & Found: Any guest article found in the guestrooms or public areas is kept in the possession of the H.K department till a guest makes a claim for it. Perishables are kept for 6 months to a year.
 Contract Services: Laundry, landscaping pest control, cleaning from outside of the hotel building, car washing, painting, of the building, shampooing of carpets, dry-cleaning of upholstery, are some of the cleaning and maintenance services that are outsourced by the H.K department.
 Refurbishment and Decoration: Refurbishments implies complete renovation when soft and hard furnishings are changed, colour scheme and decor may be changed. Sometimes even structural changes are brought about. It is undertaken every 3-5 years, floor wise. Redecoration, on the other hand is done on a basis as and when required.
 Any Special Decoration: Parties hosted by the hotel for e.g. Independence Day party, Christmas party, New York party, anniversaries of the hotel, food festivals, etc. all require special decor. This decor is looked after by the H.K department in co-ordination with food service department and maintenance department.
 Purchase: The executive housekeeper is responsible for the purchase of cleaning agents, cleaning equipments, linen, guestroom essentials, complimentaries, uniforms, etc. All large chain hotels may have a central purchase department through which room supplies are obtained on monthly or quarterly basis.
 Budgeting: Annual budget is presented by the executive H.K in January for the forthcoming financial year. The factors to be considered while drawing up of a budget are: Previous year’s budget+10% inflation+ refurbishment plans+any other capital expenditure+expected occupancy for the year.
 Duty rotas/Roasters: Shift timings and weekly day-off of all housekeeping employees is decided by the executive housekeeping.
 Interview, Selection, Induction, Training and Performance Appraisals: The executive housekeeper is responsible for the final selection and training of all the H.K staff. Performance appraisals are drawn up annually for permanent employees, quarterly on probation and monthly for industrial training.