REMOVAL OF RUBBISH FROM GUESTROOMS

To ensure every time a guestroom is serviced all rubbish and waste from the waste basket/bins is removed and either discarded or recycled in the correct manner as per the hotel standard in a safe and hygienic manner.  Under no circumstances are any items or personal belongings of any guest to be discarded unless it is under the direction of the guest staying in the guestroom to do so.

STEPS	HOW/ STANDARDS
Occupied Room:	Newspapers are to be laid or folded neatly and placed on coffee table or bench area so the guest can have easy access to them. If the Guest chooses to keep all newspapers from previous days then ensure the latest date is on top.  Do not remove them unless advised or requested by the guest themselves. Any paperwork belonging to the guest that is laid out on the desk or table is not to be removed or discarded.  Ensure paperwork remains in the same location and just straighten them up if they are in a slightly disorderly fashion.  They must be left so the guest can refer to them as to where they had last left them with in their room for easy reference. Other guest items within the room are not to be removed unless they are in the waste basket/bin, as even if you think it should be in the bin the guest may actually like to keep them for their own personal use. Any personal belongings, such as clothing, pillows, bags, etc are not to be removed from the room and can only be tidied up so it is in an area as to where the guest has left the item.  Clothing should be neatly hung arranged and over a chair.
Checkout room	Once you have entered the guestroom carefully check all areas collecting all rubbish, whilst separating any possible recycling materials and lost property from the rubbish.  Start from the furthest point within the room and work your way around it.  Recyclable materials would consist of paper, cardboard, cartons, plastic, glass, bottles or cans.  These items should be separated and placed in the appropriate recycling storage containers in the back of house service area. Remove all newspapers, but be careful with expensive or specialist magazines, as they would be considered as lost and found items and you would need to follow the standard operating procedure for “Lost and Found”.  This will ensure if the guest does enquire about the item after they have departed the property then it will be recorded in housekeeping in the Lost and Found log and will be able to be returned to the guest. Any paper items of importance, such as air tickets, receipts, paperwork, etc. which are still in the guestroom need to go to Lost and Found in the housekeeping office. With shopping bags, check first if there are any items left inside and if so take them out and treat them as lost and found before disposing of any of the shopping bags. Opened packaging of food and drink items can be discarded into the rubbish or if the item is recyclable can be emptied and then placed with the other items to go into the recycling containers or area.  Any intact packages or bottles which have not been opened must be logged into the housekeeping office as lost and found items. All alcoholic beverage items must be logged into the housekeeping office as lost and found.  Any items that have been partially opened and used will be decided by the housekeeping supervisor, as it will be subject to the size of the bottle and the type of alcoholic beverage.  For example; a partially used 375ml opened beer can/bottle would be poured down the sink and the bottle recycled but a bottle of spirit alcohol the same size would be logged as lost and found and stored in the lost and found area within housekeeping. Any broken glass items need to be wrapped in newspaper/paper and be discarded in the normal rubbish to prevent any injuries.  Ensure you are very careful when handling such items and use a brush and dustpan to prevent yourself from touching the sharp objects from when they are to be discarded. If you find a syringe or sharps object then ensure the standard operating procedure for “Handling of syringes, sharps & blood” is followed to prevent any possible injury occurring. If you are in doubt about whether to discard something then before disposing of any items from a guestroom then check with the housekeeping office or your immediate supervisor.  This is easier than having to retrieve an item after it has been discarded in within the rubbish.