A popular TikToker went viral with a video showing how she removed the covers and sheets from her hotel bed to help out the staff. Housekeepers often have a very limited time to clean each of the many rooms they're responsible for, and small efforts like this can make their day.
Commenters offered additional tips for those who want to make work easier for these underappreciated warriors.
Helping out housekeeping
In November, Nikki Pindor (@nikkipindor) posted a brief TikTok clip sped up to show her "disassembling the hotel bed cause someone said it makes it easier for the cleaning staff." The video would go on to gain over 2.1 million views.
She added that her parents used to make the bed before leaving their hotel, but that doesn't help anyone when staff must wash the sheets after each night. To do so, they have to pull the often tightly tucked linens from the bed and gather them up.
Removing them yourself and piling them on the bed or floor removes a step from housekeeping's tough daily routine.
As multiple commenters noted, housekeepers are often expected to clean each room in around 30 minutes, and sometimes less. This includes putting all the linens and towels into the laundry cart, remaking the bed, removing trash, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathroom.
According to Redditors who have done the job, it's tiring work that not everyone can handle.
"It is a physically demanding job," wrote u/bunnyrut. "If you have a bad back or have a hard time bending over and being on your feet for hours, then this is not the job for you."
"You've never worked this job before, so I can tell you right off the bat you won't be able to finish 13 rooms in 8 hours."
"At my hotel, we look for at least 2 rooms per hour ideally," said u/666AB. "We also don’t pay our housekeepers hourly; they’re paid per room. Around 6.50-7.50 each."
More tips to make housekeeping easier
Fellow TikTokers in the know offered additional tips to help out those who keep our hotel rooms clean and sanitary. Other than disassembling the bed, hotel stayers can take a couple more minutes to tidy up their own rooms:
- Put all used towels in a pile, either in the bathtub or on a counter.
- Throw away all used toiletries.
- Put all trash into a single can if possible, or as few cans as you can manage.
- Tie up the trash bags and leave them by the cans or by the door.
- Leave the comforter out of the sheet pile.
- Avoid rolling sheets into tight balls or putting towels and sheets into the same pile.
- Ask the front desk about their hotel's particular cleaning protocols to figure out how best to help.
- Remember to tip!
When not giving advice, many hotel workers thanked those who helped them out profusely.
TikToker @musi..es wrote, "as a housekeeper—yes it literally does help so much—you are an ANGEL."
"I’m a front desk agent, yes, this helps the housekeepers a lot, and they appreciate it so much!!!" @ashlee3333333 confirmed. "You’re so sweet!!!"
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