Hotel cleaning equipment: the four essentials functions of the PDIR process cleaning

A regular and efficient cleaning routine is hugely important within the hotel and hospitality sector in particular. In fact, it is essential. And that applies to outside and inside areas, including the rooms and corridors. A well-thought-out concept, a regular schedule and suitable machines and cleaning agents are what's required to get it right. The PDIR cleaning process is a very good place to start.

The PDIR cleaning process

When it comes to keeping hotels and restaurants clean and ensuring that they retain their value, the four types of cleaning in the PDIR process come highly recommended. The acronym "PDIR" is based on the first letters of the following cleaning functions:

Preventative

Preventative cleaning: Removing dirt in the outside area before it is brought inside the building

Daily

Daily maintenance cleaning: Routine cleaning to maintain the level of cleanliness

Interim

Intermediate cleaning: Cleaning that helps keep time-consuming deep cleaning to a minimum

Restorative

Deep cleaning: Thorough, time-consuming cleaning of floor coverings

Effective organization is key

PDIR cleaning really comes into its own when the timings of all four types of cleaning are coordinated as part of a well-organised process. As long as this cleaning system is used regularly, savings can be made on the time, materials and staff resources allocated to daily maintenance, whilst ensuring that the building retains its value.

Preventative cleaning: Keeping outside areas spotless

Preventative cleaning is a concept that directly addresses dirt in outdoor areas. Thoroughly cleaning the outdoor areas can help cut down on the amount of dirt tracked into a building by up to two thirds. It is imperative to remember the pavement and the portions of the road adjacent to the entry area.

Not to mention parking lots, entrances to other hotels, and the common areas in front of stores, eateries, and bars. Additionally, there are the hotel's exterior spaces like patios and balconies, where a lot of dirt can quickly gather and find its way into the guest rooms, stairwells, and hallways.

Given that there is the option of using (vacuum) sweepers and high-pressure cleaners when required, preventative cleaning requires less time and hard work than is needed to clean rooms.

Outside area: Sweeping and high-pressure cleaning

The size of the outside area to be cleaned will determine the type of (vacuum) sweeper to be used. For small to medium-sized areas, the best option is a push sweeper or a vacuum sweeper with traction drive (petrol, diesel or battery-powered). For bigger areas spanning 1,000 m² and more, ride-on sweepers with a large container volume and hydraulic high container emptying are recommended.

Stubborn stains and soiling, for example caused by moss, lichen, remnants of tar or chewing gum, bird droppings and leftover food, can be removed using a high-pressure cleaner.

Entrance area: Entrance mats and spot cleaning

An effective system for catching dirt also falls within the scope of preventative cleaning. Large mats should be placed on the inside and outside of the entrance area (spanning the length of at least four strides) to remove dirt from shoes and bind it together so that it cannot be spread around. The surface structure of the mat bristles should be more abrasive on the outside, whilst inside mats can have a softer texture.

If any dirt does make its way into the building despite these measures having been taken, it can be removed in no time through a spot cleaning process. An electric broom or vacuum cleaner is perfect for this.

Product recommendation for outdoor cleaning

Municipal Equipment

Sweepers & Vacuum Sweepers

High Pressure Cleaner

Electric Broom

Daily maintenance cleaning: ensure hygiene and a flawless image

Daily maintenance cleaning is part of the routine in a hotel, helping to achieve the desired level of cleanliness and thereby ensuring that guests and employees feel happy and at ease. It is also a necessity that avoids permanent damage being caused by dirt being left to stick onto surfaces, meaning it lengthens their service life quite considerably.

Maintenance cleaning of textile floor coverings

Upright brush-type vacuum cleaners have proven to be especially effective at cleaning textile floor coverings and carpets on a daily basis. The carpet brush in the suction head is powered by a separate motor. It reaches right down into the base of the pile, driving the loosened dirt towards the suction channel and straightening the pile out at the same time. This avoids any damage being caused to the floor covering. Stains caused by coffee, tea, red wine or tar also have to be immediately removed using a stain remover in order to give an overall impression of cleanliness. Universal Stain Remover RM 769 is ideal for this, with the option of applying it to any textile floor coverings and upholstery.

Maintenance cleaning of hard and resilient floor coverings

When it comes to cleaning resilient and hard floor coverings, such as linoleum or tiles, manual wiping systems are a popular choice. But if the area to be cleaned covers more than 100 m², it may make financial sense to use a compact scrubber drier and walk-behind scrubber. One benefit here is that using a machine guarantees a deeper clean than doing everything by hand. On top of that, scrubber driers immediately suck up loosened dirt, making the process a great deal more hygienic. A disc brush is used for smooth floor coverings, whilst a roller brush is used for rough surfaces. FloorPro Wipe Care RM 780 makes for an ideal cleaning agent since it generates little foam and does not pose a risk of slipping once cleaning is complete.

Wider coverage you could consider Karcher Ride-on scrubber. Karcher has all the solution.

Maintenance cleaning of wet floor

Toilet often has large fluid volumes which are difficult to remove without a wet vacuum cleaner. Moisture damages the floor and may cause accidents due to the slipping hazard. These challenges are fun to tackle with our wet vacuum cleaners. Whether you're using them to deep clean floors or remove spilled liquids, it doesn't matter – all of our wet and dry vacuum cleaners eliminate small to large fluid volumes quickly and reliably. If you need a machine primarily for wet vacuum cleaning, our standard class vacuum cleaners are the right choice for you.

If the cleaning job does not require wet cleaning, maintenance cleaning can also be carried out using a dry vacuum or electric broom

Frequent touch point : Thermal disinfection

Maintenance Cleaning: Thermal disinfection
Germ-free through heat: thermal disinfection is a highly effective cleaning method for efficiently reducing the number of germs on temperature-resistant hard and exterior surfaces. The objects and surfaces to be cleaned are heated using water steam. Germs that cause illnesses in people cannot survive above 70 °C. Almost all harmful or dangerous germs, viruses and bacteria are sensitive to temperature and can be reliably killed and removed in this way.

Steam cleaners and steam vacuum cleaners from Kärcher, as well as the corresponding accessories, are tested by an independent laboratory regarding their effectiveness in disinfecting surfaces, and have been proven to effectively remove bacteria* and viruses**. They are therefore ideally suited to routine disinfection, such as sanitising floors as well as worktops and work surfaces in kitchens, canteens or restrooms.

* According to EN 16615, PVC surface, test device SG 4/4 and SGV 8/5, test germ: Enterococcus hirae ATCC 10541.
** According to EN 16615, PVC surface, test device SG 4/4 and (SGV 8/5 through conclusion by analogy), test germ: MVA, murine norovirus, adenovirus (except hepatitis B), under low organic load.

Maintenance cleaning of window and surface

Whether you choose to use the handheld WVP 10 window- and surface vacuum cleaner as a window vacuum or to clean tiles, mirrors, display cabinets, counters or any other smooth surface is incidental. Most importantly, you will achieve streak-free cleaning in any position, even overhead if required. This is ensured, among other things, by the high-speed motor which can deliver much higher suction performance than is common in conventional household vacuum cleaners. Not only is the machine battery powered, lightweight and robust, it also impresses with its clever details, such as the 200 mm dirty water tank which is simple and quick to empty and can be cleaned easily in the dishwasher. It also features a manually adjustable spacer for perfect results right up to the edges. The WVP 10 is supplied together with a battery (30 min runtime), cleaning agents, a battery charger, a spray bottle and a microfibre wiping cloth. The WVP 10 Adv version also features a second exchangeable battery, as well as replacing the simpler charger with a quick charger. Thus, the WVP 10 Adv surface vacuum cleaner enables almost uninterrupted working.

Maintenance cleaning in kitchen

The HD 7/10 CX F high-pressure cleaner is specifically designed for commercial kitchens. It has a food-grade high-pressure hose and abrasion-resistant grey wheels that leave no tracks. Together with the FR 30 ME surface cleaner, it is indispensable in a top-ranking restaurant.

For wider area without food related you could consider hot water pressure cleaner. Karcher has all the solution.

Product recommendation for Indoor cleaning

Scrubbers & Scrubber Driers

Floor Cleaning Agent

Note: Maintenance Cleaning dosage:
6.295-174.0 - 0.5-1%
6.296-050.0 - 0.5-3%

Floor Cleaning Agent

Note Maintenance Cleaning Dosage
6.295-082.0 - 3-5%
6.294-997.0 - 0.5-2%

Vacuums

Stain Remover Detergent

Steam Cleaners & Steam Vacuum Cleaners

Electric Broom

Window Vacuum

Intermediate cleaning on a textile floor

Intermediate cleaning: employing effective methods to minimize downtime

Intermediate cleaning is always required every now and then – even when maintenance cleaning takes place on a daily basis. It helps to cut back on the amount of deep cleaning required, which is both time-consuming and thus costly, and also to maintain a high standard of cleanliness.

It is vital to select the right method so as to avoid restricting guests and causing downtimes in hotel operations, for example. In other words, a cleaning method needs to be selected that does not involve the floor covering getting excessively soaked to ensure that people can walk on it again soon after cleaning. This is important above all in corridors in hotels.

If intermediate cleaning is taken care of every so often, the amount of time and effort spent cleaning on a daily basis will drop massively.

Hard and resilient floor coverings: One-step method

Hard and resilient floor coverings can be kept clean in no time through intermediate cleaning as part of a one-step method. This involves the cleaning agents being applied using a scrubber drier. The surface is scrubbed and the loosened dirt is sucked away in the same step. The following parameters should be taken into account:

Selection of the necessary brush system (roller or disc) depending on the surface texture in question
Use of the correct brush or pad material (hard or soft) depending on the type of dirt involved
Use of an appropriate volume of the most effective cleaning agent depending on the amount of dirt involved

Roller technology is much more efficient than disc engineering thanks to the high level of contact pressure and the high speed of the brushes, which also have a self-cleaning function.

Textile floor coverings: iCapsol method

The iCapsol method is perfect for the intermediate cleaning of textile floor coverings. Machines with roller technology are used with the addition of the special iCapsol cleaning agent to encapsulate the dirt on the fibres. For this to work, a thin layer of the cleaning agent has to be sprayed on the floor before the area is treated with a contra-rotating roller machine. The floor covering only gets a slightly damp in the process, meaning that it is soon ready to walk on again. The cleaning agent encapsulates any dirt loosened by the roller brushes, allowing it to be removed with ease using an upright brush-type vacuum cleaner after a drying time of at least 30 minutes. This method does not leave behind any cleaning agent residue, meaning that the carpet is less likely to get dirty again.

Cleaning with powder is one other option for the intermediate cleaning of textile floor coverings. This method involves a powder soaked in cleaning agent being manually sprinkled on the carpet, worked in using a machine and sucked up using an upright brush-type vacuum cleaner once dry.

Product recommendation for Indoor cleaning

Scrubbers & Scrubber Driers

Floor Cleaning Agent

Note Intermediate Cleaning Dosage:
6.295-174.0 - 1-5%
6.296-050.0 - 3-10%

Carpet Cleaner

CarpetPro

Note Intermediate Cleaning Dosage
6.295-562.0 - 6%
6.296-079.0 - 2 tab in 8 l water
6.295-854.0 - 1%
6.295-198.0 - 1.2%

Restorative cleaning: back to the original condition

Despite all other cleaning and maintenance efforts, it is not possible to avoid deep cleaning floor coverings. The aim, insofar as is possible, is to restore the flooring to its original condition and degree of slip resistance. Of all four cleaning methods, deep cleaning takes up the most time, materials and staff resources. It can, however, be delayed for quite some time if the daily cleaning routine is carried out regularly and properly.

Carpet and upholstery: Spray extraction

A spray extraction machine is used for fibre-deep cleaning of textile floor coverings. In order to restore the design and colour to their original condition, the selected cleaning agent is worked into the floor covering using a floor nozzle and applying spray pressure. The loosened dirt is sucked back up again as part of the same process. The next step is to rinse the floor covering with clean water and then use an upright brush-type vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean once it has fully dried (at least eight hours). It is important that nobody walks on the floor whilst it is drying. If a hand nozzle is used, the spray extraction method is suitable for cleaning upholstery and mattresses too. As a general rule, it makes sense to apply a fibre-protecting agent to textile floor coverings and surfaces.

Restorative cleaning of hard coverings with scrubber drier

Hard and resilient floor coverings: Scrubbing

Scrubber driers need to be used for deep cleaning when hard and resilient floor coverings have become unsightly thanks to the build-up of dirt and cleaning agent residues. This process differs from intermediate cleaning in that a two-step method is used: First of all, the cleaning agents are applied using the machine (generally a deep cleaner in a higher dose) and scrubbed evenly from side to side, in the necessary contact time. Once the dirt has come loose, it is sucked up by the fleet. The floor covering is then rinsed using a one-step method. Resilient floor coverings, including those made of linoleum and PVC, are protected with another coating once they have dried off sufficiently. Natural stone floor coverings and tiles do not generally need a protective coating.

Wooden floors: Scrubbing with roller brushes

If wooden floors are extremely dirty, there is no choice but to use a scrubber drier with a roller scrubbing head for deep cleaning. The one-step method is put into action here too. In this case, the cleaning agent (with surfactant-free Universal Cleaner RM 770) is applied and scrubbed in the same direction as the wood grain, whilst the loosened dirt is sucked back up simultaneously. This process is repeated until the wooden floor covering has been fully restored to its former glory. Once it has had time to dry, wax or oil is applied by hand and the wooden floor polished dry using soft polishing brushes on the scrubber drier in line with the contact time stipulated.

Product recommendation for Indoor cleaning

Scrubbers & Scrubber Driers

Floor Cleaning Agent

Note Deep Cleaning Dosage
6.295-082.0 - 5-20%

Floor Stain Remover Agent

Note Deep Cleaning Dosage
6.295-545.0 - 40 ml/m²

Carpet Cleaner

CarpetPro

Note Deep Cleaning Dosage
6.296-079.0 - 2 tab in 8 l water
6.295-854.0 - 1%
6.295-198.0 - 1.2%