7 hotel housekeeping cleaning secrets for a spotless finish at home

Ever wondered how hotel cleaners transform rooms from messy to magical? Or do you marvel at how high-touch surfaces, like mirrors or shower screens, stay fingerprint-less for days upon end?

We were curious too so we asked professional commercial cleaners for their best hotel housekeeping secrets to help you take your routine up a notch or two at home.

Discover the cleaning tips you need to employ to help your home sparkle like an experienced hotel housekeeper.

7 hotel housekeeping insider secrets for a spotless home

1. Try the top-to-bottom, left-to-right system

It turns out we’ve been cleaning every room in our home wrong all this time because according to Sofia Martinez, who is the founder and CEO of Sparkly Maid Austin, we should be using the top-to-bottom, left-to-right system.

‘Hotel housekeepers use this methodical pattern of cleaning that does not permit any spot to remain uncleaned and does not re-contaminate clean spaces,’ Sofia explains. ‘Start at the ceiling (think cobwebs and cleaning vents) and work downward towards the floors. Clean from left to right in each horizontal plane.’

So, for example, when you’re cleaning a bathroom, start at the top, by using a powerful handheld vacuum, such as the affordable BLACK+DECKER Compact Lithium Handheld Vacuum from Target, to get rid any cobwebs, then use a duster, such as the OXO Good Grips Microfiber Hand Duster available on Amazon for $11.99, to dust the top of your cabinets, gradually making your way down while working in a left-to-right fashion. ‘This avoids having to retrace and does not take unnecessary steps or effort,’ Sofia adds.

2. The four-cloth system

Using one cloth to clean can be an affordable and eco-friendly way to spruce up your space, but it’s also a surefire way to contaminate every room in your home.

Instead, Sofia says professional hotel housekeepers use the color-coded microfiber cloth system to prevent cross-contamination.

‘A blue cloth us for general surfaces and dusting,’ Sofia explains. ‘A yellow cloth is for bathroom surfaces (other than toilet), a red cloth is for toilet cleaning and a green cloth is for kitchen areas and food preparation surfaces,’ Sofia adds.

Microfiber clothes are an essential cleaning tool in any cleaning arsenal. But if you intend to invest in a set, it's well worth reading up about the common microfiber cloth mistakes – like using the cloth as one big sheet. 'Instead, fold the cloths into quarters to have eight clean sides, employing a new side as one gets dirty,' Sofia recommends. 'It prevents the transmission of germs while extending the usefulness of each cloth.’

When it comes to washing your microfiber cloths, make sure to skip fabric condition as using it will coat the fibers and stop the cloth absorbing liquid as well.

3. The spray-and-swipe mirror method

Struggling to get a streak-free shine on your mirrors? There are many mirror cleaning mistakes that could be ruining your shine. For example, using a dirty cloth or trying to make a paper towel do the heavy lifting and instead leaving lint and debris behind.

The good news is that there are many tricks available to help you clean a mirror without streaks. But according to Sofia, there’s one hotel housekeeper tip that's worth knowing about to boost your shine – and that’s by employing the minimum product and maximum technique method.

‘Spray very little glass cleaner onto a microfiber cloth (never onto the mirror) and work in overlapping horizontal strokes from the top,’ Sofia explains. ‘Finish up using a dry microfiber cloth in the same pattern. That technique wipes out those pesky streaks and lint.'

4. The pillowcase ceiling fan hack

If you have ceiling fans in your home, chances are they have gathered a thick layer of dust that they are spreading into the air, each time they circulate.

But instead of using soap and a microfiber cloth or tissue to rid the dust, it’s worth checking out the pillowcase ceiling fan hack.

‘Housekeepers clean ceiling fan blades by sliding a pillowcase onto each blade and pulling it off while using light pressure,’ Sofia says. ‘It contains all the dust within the pillowcase and does not send the dust flying onto surfaces below. It's the ultimate hotel housekeeper tip prevent the redistribution of the dust.’

5. Using a squeegee for pet hair

If you’re left wondering why is pet hair so hard to vacuum, you’re not alone. Of course, the best vacuums for pet hair can make light work of picking up your four-legged friend’s fur but there’s another more cost-effective hack that could work.

According to Polya Petrova, a cleaning professional at Fantastic Services, hotel cleaners rely on a squeegee to remove pet hair from fabrics and upholstery, such as the Mallory Ignition 8" Windshield Squeegee with 20" Handle you can pick up from Walmart.

‘We often rely on this unexpected tool to tackle stubborn pet hair on carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture,’ Polya says. ‘The rubber edge creates friction that lifts embedded hair more effectively than many vacuum cleaners. Simply run the squeegee across the fabric in firm strokes, and you’ll be amazed at how much hair it pulls up. This method is particularly useful in high-traffic areas or homes with shedding pets.'

6. Steam cleaning with essential oils

Keen to learn how to clean kitchen grease? Or tackle dirt and grime in stubborn spots? Instead of putting in some extra elbow grease, look to a steam cleaner infused with essential oils to refresh rooms.

'Adding a few drops of oils like eucalyptus, tea tree, or lavender to the water tank boosts antibacterial power and leaves a pleasant, long-lasting scent,' Polya says. 'Steam cleaners are highly effective on hard floors, grout, upholstery, and even curtains, creating that crisp, fresh hotel room feel.'

'The combination of heat and fragrance makes this an excellent method for deep-cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, too,' the expert notes.

However, according to Dan Fauzi, our resident vacuum tester and floorcare expert, you should never steam clean hardwood floors, even if they are sealed, as the heat can warp or crack the natural fibers.

7. The ‘final scan’ light test

It’s time for the torch on your phone to be put to much better use. ‘Hotel inspectors use a powerful flashlight and sweep the room from the bottom up once they have tidied up,’ Sofia explains.

‘Dramatic side lighting brings out the dust, smudges, and stains that overhead lighting hides,' the expert says. 'Quickly scanning the room around using the phone light from multiple directions helps in getting the missed spots before the guests (or relatives) do.’

Meet our experts

Sofia Martinez

Sofia has more than 15 years of cleaning experience in both residential and commercial settings. She's a big believer in using eco-friendly, non-toxic home essentials and environmentally responsible practices while delivering thorough, reliable cleaning to homes and businesses in Austin, Texas.

Polya Petrova

Whether it's in domestic settings or commercial spaces, sold, dirt and grime stand no chance against Polya who is a dedicated partner of the cleaning company, Fantastic Services. Polya has been a professional cleaner since 2017. In 2024, she took a leap and become a Fantastic Services franchisee.

Hotel housekeeping tips like these can help you achieve a spotless finish. But for more ways to create a sparkly clean home, discover the five dirty spots a cleaning editor can never unsee in a home (and how you can tackle them) or explore luxury cleaning tools for an impressively tidy home.