Hotel & Motel Management - October 15, 2007 - (Page 26)

26 Hotel Operations HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES H&MM October 15, 2007 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition BY STEPHANIE SKERNIVITZ, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR No suds in the cleaning bucket When cleaning rooms, suds and foam signal to housekeepers that they’re doing their job. “That visual impact gives the impression that they’re cleaning properly,” said Nabil Moubayed, g.m., Hotel Monaco in Chicago and regional eco champion for Kimpton Hotels. But what if the product is suds-free? Often, that’s the case with green products, according to Moubayed, whose hotel has been green for several years. The hotel discovered a nontoxic cleaning solution line from Sierra Environmental based in Seattle. “They sought us out and we used them as a test product,” he said. “Our biggest beneﬁt: No more complaints of itchy skin from our housekeepers.” But the hurdle was training employees to forget about the suds and bubbles. “You just won’t get chemical reactions with Sierra’s products,” he said. Now, 70 percent of Kimpton hotels use Sierra Environmental’s cleaning line. At Hotel Monaco, the staff uses four products: glass, toilet, shower and tile cleaners. When the hotel began using the product, it saw about $20,000 in savings. Veteran of green clean The Habitat Suites Hotel in Austin, Texas, has been doing the “green thing” in its hotel since 1991. Today, the cleaning product of choice is Biokleen, an orange oil-based product the hotel has used since 2002. The product, from Eco-Wise, is used for everything related to cleaning the hotel, according to Natalie Marquis, g.m. “The odorless product is simpler, more convenient and leaves less residue than more common cleaning agents,” she said. Biokleen is used as the hotel’s laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, stain remover and a furniture cleaner. Eco-Wise’s all-purpose cleaner has two options—kitchen and bathroom strength. “The staff loves Biokleen,” Marquis said. “One of the great beneﬁts is that they aren’t exposed to fumes and can clean without any upper respiratory problems.” Guests are equally satisﬁed with the aftereffects. “The clean lines of Onity’s new ADVANCE lock allow it to blend perfectly into the environment of the hotel, and become a design statement in addition to providing state-of-the art security for our guests. It provides an elegant look that is ideal for the 4-and 5-star hotel environment.” -Randy Lacy, VP / Operations Cannery Row Hotel, Monterey, CA Pacific Hotel Management's Cannery Row Hotel is one of over 22,000 properties around the globe who trust Onity to provide real solutions for their locking, guestroom security and energy management needs. As one of the world’s leading developers of facility management technology for the lodging industry, Onity serves our customers with reliable support through an extensive worldwide sales and service network that spans more than 115 countries. So, get real. Get Onity. Call us today at 1-866-86-ONITY or visit www.onity.com. BIOKLEEN Quotable “ www.onity.com • 1-866-86-ONITY CIRCLE NO. 128 Being green has really exploded in the last four years. Once the Marriotts, Hiltons and Hyatts start pushing, everybody will start doing it.” © Onity 2007, All Rights Reserved. NABIL MOUBAYED, g.m., Hotel Monaco in Chicago, a Kimpton property http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.onity.com http://www.onity.com http://www.onity.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - October 15, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - October 15, 2007 Contents Concord Sets Goal to Double Portfolio Leaders: Budgetel Brand Off and Running Pension Funds Put More Capital Into Hotels Perspective Letter to the Editor At Your Risk Consultant's Corner Sales Clinic On Finance Guest Column Trends & Stats Industry Leaders Say Healthy Times Will Continue Eco-Concious Hotels Looks for Certification Events Removing Chemicals, Suds from Housekeeping Products Handhelds Help Track Safe Activity People on The Move Awards Transactions Supplier News Ad/Editorial Index Bath Trends Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - October 15, 2007

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