The housekeeping cart is an essential tool to assist the housekeepers in their everyday tasks. An adapted cart will assure efficiency during the working hours.
But what are the most important characteristics to consider when choosing housekeeping carts ?
1. Ergonomics and comfort of the team
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), light and maneuverable equipment helps prevent trauma.
The weight : when choosing the cart, weight is a significant criteria. A fully loaded cart can weight more than 330 lbs! Ideally the cart by itself should weight no more than 110 lbs.
The wheels : the choice of wheels is determined by the type of floor in the corridors and the size of the cart. A standard cart normally has 2 fix and 2 swivel wheels. However, the length of the corridors, the turnings and the storage space might require that there be 4 swivel wheels. Having the wrong wheels reduces the weight distribution and the maneuverability.
The motorized wheel: To reduce physical effort expended and injuries to the housekeeping team, a motorized solution may be the best option. See below for a case study on the use of motorized wheels: https://www.tente.com/en-/solutions/productivity/mercura
” The electric drive increases the level of satisfaction of our staff and improves our service »
Anne Elise Choux, Operations Manager Starling Hotels & Conference Centers Geneva
The layout & accessories : drawers, doors, dividers…everything must be considered to avoid useless and uncomfortable movements. The correct height reduces the need for the housekeeper to repeatedly bend and/or lift heavy weight.
The handle : The handle should be at a height between 2 to 3 feet from the base.
The protection bumpers: Additional bumpers may be needed to avoid damaging walls or the cart itself. It is important that accessories (e.g. cart handles) fit within the circumference of the main bumper at the base of the cart.
2. For the organisation and process
The cart should be adapted to represent both your organisation and processes. Listed below are criteria to consider.
The size of the main body of the cart: the size should be chosen according to the number of rooms the housekeeper needs to clean during the shift. Some hotels have a storage room on every floor. In this case it might be more convenient to choose a light, compact cart. On the other hand, some hotels have only one linen room for the whole property. If that is the case, it maybe better to choose a bigger cart to enable the housekeeper to stock as much as clean linen as possible.
Overall dimensions: it is important to verify that the overall sizes of the cart fit the elevators and the storage room.
The accessories to speed up the process: once validated the sizes it follows the choice of the layout and the accessories. Below are some suggestions of what might need to be added to the main structure:
- Guest room amenities storage
- Garbage recycling system
- Storage of paper items
- Transport of dirty/clean glasses
- Transport of broom sticks, vacuum cleaner, cleaning equipment
- Transport of dirty linen on the main cart or on a separate cart?
- Doors or lockable lids for security reason
What about the aesthetics? The brand and management of some hotels require that the corridors are tidy and that the carts are discrete. It’s important to evaluate which are the possible options to improve the aesthetics of the carts (e.g. decor, painting, logos..). But remember, this choice should not compromise the sturdiness of the cart.
3. A long term investment
To buy new housekeeping carts represent a big investment for the hotel. This is why it is very important to be sure about the choice.
The material used to manufacture the cart is perhaps the best indicator of a high quality cart. Plastic carts will have a shorter lifetime (approximately 5 years) compared to aluminium (approximately 15 years). The initial cost of the plastic cart will be much lower but if you need to replace it after few years, the actual operating cost becomes much higher.
How a cart is built contributes to the quality of the cart. The diagram here below can give you an idea of the main important aspects :
- Fixation points for the folding bag holders: these parts are constantly put under pressure because of the weight of the dirty linen and because of the turnings. For this reason, they need to be very sturdy.
- The profiles and main body: best if it’s a single fabrication.
- The shelves: best if fixed. Detachable ones are more fragile.
- Make sure that the folding bases are sturdy enough.
- Make sure there are corner bumper at the correct height.
All those characteristics together will guarantee that you are investing in the right solution for your property.
With Mercura you will collaborate with our specialists to ensure the creation of the ideal cart to meet your hotel’s needs. Please contact the headquarters at info@mercura.com for further assistance.
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