The Complete Hotel Cleaning Checklist
A practical daily, weekly and monthly cleaning guide for New Zealand hotels, motels and accommodation providers
A clean hotel creates an outstanding first impression, enhances the guest experience and helps protect guests and staff from the spread of illness. Consistent housekeeping and public area cleaning also protects your facilities, extends the life of furnishings and supports high guest satisfaction.
This checklist is suitable for hotels, motels, resorts, lodges, serviced apartments and boutique accommodation throughout New Zealand.
Daily Cleaning Checklist
Reception & Lobby
☐ Vacuum entrance mats and carpets
☐ Mop hard floors
☐ Clean entrance doors and glass
☐ Wipe reception counters
☐ Sanitise EFTPOS terminals
☐ Clean reception desks
☐ Dust lobby furniture
☐ Clean coffee tables
☐ Sanitise high-touch surfaces
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Restock hand sanitiser stations
☐ Remove fingerprints from glass and stainless steel
☐ Arrange brochures and displays neatly
Guest Rooms
☐ Strip and replace bed linen
☐ Make beds to hotel standard
☐ Vacuum carpets and rugs
☐ Mop hard floors
☐ Dust all furniture
☐ Wipe bedside tables
☐ Clean desks and workstations
☐ Clean mirrors
☐ Wipe wardrobes externally
☐ Clean televisions and remote controls
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Check lighting
☐ Restock tea, coffee and guest amenities
☐ Inspect room for maintenance issues
Guest Bathrooms
☐ Clean toilets
☐ Sanitise toilet seats
☐ Clean hand basins
☐ Clean taps
☐ Polish mirrors
☐ Clean showers and shower screens
☐ Remove soap residue
☐ Sanitise grab rails where fitted
☐ Restock toilet paper
☐ Refill soap, shampoo and conditioner dispensers
☐ Replace towels
☐ Mop floors
☐ Check ventilation
Corridors & Hallways
☐ Vacuum carpets
☐ Mop hard floors
☐ Dust skirting boards
☐ Clean handrails
☐ Clean lift buttons
☐ Wipe door handles
☐ Spot clean walls
☐ Empty corridor rubbish bins
☐ Clean windows where accessible
Public Toilets
☐ Clean toilets and urinals
☐ Sanitise toilet seats
☐ Clean basins
☐ Polish mirrors
☐ Refill soap dispensers
☐ Restock toilet paper
☐ Refill paper towels
☐ Empty sanitary bins
☐ Mop floors
☐ Check odours
Restaurant & Bar Areas
☐ Wipe tables
☐ Clean chairs
☐ Sweep and mop floors
☐ Sanitise bar tops
☐ Clean menus
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Clean beverage stations
☐ Restock paper products
Conference & Meeting Rooms
☐ Vacuum carpets
☐ Wipe tables
☐ Clean chairs
☐ Sanitise presentation equipment
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Clean whiteboards
☐ Arrange furniture neatly
Staff Areas
☐ Clean staff kitchen
☐ Wipe benches
☐ Clean sinks
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Vacuum or mop floors
☐ Restock paper towels
Gym & Recreation Areas (where applicable)
☐ Clean gym equipment
☐ Sanitise benches
☐ Vacuum or mop floors
☐ Empty rubbish bins
☐ Clean mirrors
☐ Restock sanitiser and wipes
Outdoor Areas
☐ Sweep entrances
☐ Empty outdoor bins
☐ Clean outdoor furniture
☐ Remove litter
☐ Clean entrance pathways
☐ Inspect smoking areas
Throughout the Day
☐ Patrol public toilets regularly
☐ Empty bins before they overflow
☐ Clean spills immediately
☐ Restock washroom consumables
☐ Clean high-touch surfaces
☐ Maintain hand sanitiser stations
☐ Respond promptly to guest requests
☐ Record completed inspections
Weekly Cleaning Tasks
☐ Machine scrub hard floors
☐ Deep clean guest rooms
☐ Shampoo carpets where required
☐ Wash internal glass
☐ Dust high surfaces
☐ Clean skirting boards
☐ Wash rubbish bins
☐ Remove marks from walls
☐ Deep clean restaurant seating
☐ Clean conference rooms thoroughly
☐ Clean lifts
☐ Inspect dispensers
☐ Clean ventilation grilles
Monthly Cleaning Tasks
☐ Deep clean carpets
☐ Pressure wash entrances
☐ Machine scrub lobby floors
☐ Deep clean washrooms
☐ Clean curtains and blinds where required
☐ Polish stainless steel fixtures
☐ Inspect flooring
☐ Review cleaning chemical stock
☐ Inspect cleaning equipment
☐ Service vacuum cleaners
☐ Service floor scrubbers
☐ Review housekeeping procedures
☐ Audit guest amenities
☐ Inspect emergency exits
☐ Clean ceilings and ventilation systems
High-Touch Surface Checklist
These surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly throughout the day.
☐ Door handles
☐ Lift buttons
☐ Reception counters
☐ EFTPOS terminals
☐ Room key cards and key card machines
☐ Television remote controls
☐ Telephones
☐ Light switches
☐ Tap handles
☐ Flush buttons
☐ Handrails
☐ Guest room desks
☐ Coffee machines
☐ Bar counters
☐ Conference tables
Hotel Cleaning & Housekeeping Tips
✔ Prioritise guest rooms with departing guests to minimise check-in delays.
✔ Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces between every guest stay.
✔ Inspect each room for maintenance issues while cleaning.
✔ Use colour-coded cleaning equipment to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
✔ Follow the manufacturer's recommended contact time for disinfectants.
✔ Keep public areas clean and welcoming throughout the day.
✔ Empty rubbish bins before they become full.
✔ Maintain fully stocked washrooms and guest amenities.
✔ Schedule deep cleaning during quieter occupancy periods.
✔ Record housekeeping and public area inspections to maintain consistent standards.
Recommended Colour-Coding System
Red – Toilets and sanitary areas
Yellow – Guest bathrooms and wet areas
Blue – Guest rooms, reception, conference rooms and general public areas
Green – Kitchens, bars, restaurants and food preparation areas
Separate cloths, mops, brushes and buckets should always be used for each area to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Recommended Cleaning Equipment
- Microfibre cleaning cloths
- Colour-coded cleaning cloths
- Colour-coded flat mops
- Commercial vacuum cleaners
- Wet & dry vacuum cleaners
- Walk-behind floor scrubbers
- Neutral floor cleaner
- Food-safe sanitiser
- Food-grade degreaser
- Glass cleaner
- Washroom cleaner
- Multi purpose disinfectant
- Stainless steel cleaner
- Hand soap
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Bin liners
- Disposable gloves
- Wet floor signs
- Grill brushes
- Squeegees
- Scrubbing pads
- Extendable dusters
- Housekeeping trolleys