I have to admit something… I have a “problem.” Not a really “big problem” if you ask me, but unexplainable to others (and if you ask my husband, it’s very, very “annoying”). I am what you call a PERFECTIONIST: a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection, who strives for flawlessness and who sets excessively high performance standards; to a perfectionist, anything less than perfect is unacceptable. Yep, that’s totally me. I’ll spend countless hours finding the perfect shade of white paint, making sure that that photograph I want to post is just right, or that the paper has been three-hole punched in just the right spot (omg! that one is a killer). But, let me tell you that for a hotelier who also manages the daily operations, it’s the absolute PERFECT personality trait to have (see what I did there?).

If I had to list the most important thing that a hotel should focus on, CLEANLINESS would definitely be at the top of the list! No matter how great your hotel is, if your guest walks into a room that isn’t clean, you might as well close your doors now – you’ll definitely lose that guest as a potential future customer, but also their grandparents, parents, friends, and co-workers, who could have also been potential customers. Do you know what I mean by the “perfect clean”? Yes, you do. It’s not only about great cleaning practices, it’s about the perfect sights and smells. It’s about that feeling of pride, that feeling of safety, that feeling of ease when you enter a room – something that we all really need. My husband’s wise grandmother always said, “you don’t have to be rich to be clean,” and truer words have never been spoken – the perfect clean can apply to everyone and everything.

Behind the Sparkle: The Secrets to a Perfectly Clean Stay at The Grove

Hey there, sparkling seekers! Welcome to The Grove Hotel and The Grove Motel, your ultimate retro retreats in Kingsville and Colchester, Ontario. Nestled along the stunning shores of Lake Erie and the fabulous EPIC Wine Route, our themed rooms and specialty cafes, like JOE. Hot+Cold, promise you a memorable stay for both business and pleasure.

As the OG Cool Kid & Chief Fun Officer of The Grove Hospitality Group, I totally get it – cleanliness is King (or maybe Queen)!  Here at The Grove, we don’t just meet cleanliness standards; we smash them with a glittering hammer of perfection. Our promise? A clean that dazzles the eyes, tickles the nose, and wraps you in a blanket of safety and comfort.

From the pristine rooms at The Grove Hotel in Kingsville to the quirky, rooms at The Grove Motel in Colchester, our housekeeping heroes work tirelessly to keep things spotless. Imagine walking into a room where every corner is sparkling, every surface gleaming, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of cleanliness. Oh, and those comfortable beds with crisp linens? Pure heaven for relaxation!

But wait, there’s more! Sip on local wines and soak in the vibrant surroundings of Lake Erie. Whether you’re here for business or just to kick back and relax, our attention to detail guarantees a comfortable and unforgettable stay.

In this blog, I’m spilling the beans on how we achieve that perfect clean. Discover the dedication and quirky practices that make The Grove the ultimate choice for a clean, relaxing, and memorable stay.

So, grab your rubber gloves and join us on this cleaning adventure! Whether you want to apply these tips at home or are just curious about our behind-the-scenes magic, you’re in for a treat. Welcome to The Grove, where perfection is our game and your satisfaction is our fame. Let’s sparkle together!

1. Start with the right cleaning products on hand (and crank it up).

First things first. A good cleaning session is not easy labor – it should feel more like a workout than a walk in the park, so crank up the a/c or, better yet, open the windows and let the fresh air in. We even crank up the tunes to stay motivated and to keep a good pace going.

The next step is choosing the right products for the job at hand. There is an important difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning can be accomplished by sweeping, vacuuming, and plain old soap and water – it’s removing the dust and dirt that may have collected. Disinfecting is the next step, and it’s crucial for protecting yourself and others. At The Grove, we use ECOLAB’S PEROXIDE MULTI SURFACE CLEANER AND DISINFECTANT – for the ultimate protection for our guests and staff. However, in light of the increased demand for cleaning products, you may find that many of these recommended products are not available.

Here are some expert cleaning tips to get you through the disinfecting process at home:

2. Remove any garbage or items that don’t belong.

Before you start the deep clean, make sure to remove any trash or items that don’t belong in the room. This helps to declutter the space and make the cleaning process more efficient.

3. Clean the room from the back to the front, top to bottom, high to low.

This strategy allows us to move through the room without tracking dirt and germs back into the areas we’ve already cleaned. Since the bathroom is usually in the far corner, we start there, followed by making the bed, dusting, and finally vacuuming our way out of the room. Dusting should always be done from top to bottom – simply because of the way gravity works – start with the light fixtures and door frames and move down from there. Don’t forget about baseboards and under beds – this is the one place that dust (and those nasty dust bunnies) always collect.

One of the most important cleaning practices that everyone should incorporate into their routines is focusing on high-touch areas. High-touch areas are places that should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to prevent the spread of germs.

4. The dreaded bathroom clean (the sh*tty job, if you ask me)

So, we start with the bathroom first. Although it’s usually in the back of the room, another main reason why we start there is that we really want to get the bathroom over with, since it takes the most time to clean and guaranteed that you have never heard anyone say that they “love cleaning the bathroom.” The bathroom, at times, is a gross representation of the human species, but that’s ok, we can deal with all the toothpaste spit, bodily fluids, and the buckets of stray hairs to get to the next amazing guest. A good clean here is necessary to make sure that the dirtiest surfaces are disinfected and thoroughly cleaned to prevent germs from spreading to the rest of the room.

Start out with spraying the peroxide cleaner on the mirrors, shower walls, sink, vanity, and the toilet (but let that baby sit… there’s no need to dive into that mess just yet). Then use a rag in one hand to rub the product in and a rag in the other hand to dry it off – you should hear “wax on, wax off” in the back of your mind while you are doing it and remember to check for streaks – in the perfect clean there are NO streaks.

Now, the task that none of us look forward to… cleaning the toilet. This is definitely as bad as it gets, mostly because we have no idea who stayed in the room the night before and we’ve all had the unappealing experience of having to deal with a bathroom where things were very, very bad. The worst feeling is walking into a room when it hits you… ok, they’ve definitely spent the evening drinking a beer at the Banded Goose Brewery across the street, had a little too much fun, and found themselves hunched over the very same porcelain bowl I was about to dip my hands into. Not good (but you do get used to it).

Hopefully, your experiences at home are far less dramatic (and you know the person that used the toilet last) but it really doesn’t make it much better. Cleaning a toilet is just a shitty job! 😉. All we can suggest is that this is the time that you crank up your favorite tune and get it done in a timely manner. Your swish and swirl session will be far more bearable if you can move to the likes of the Backstreet Boys or the Rolling Stones. Who knows, maybe that music will even make you scrub just a little bit harder.

5. Making the bed

Making the bed might seem straightforward, but there’s a method to it that ensures a perfect, inviting look every time. Start by pulling the sheets tight and tucking them neatly. Then, arrange the pillows with care. At The Grove, we have a specific way of displaying pillows to ensure they look inviting and plush.

6. There is a “right” way to display pillows.

Everyone has their pet peeves, and mine are the sloppy pillows.   Take your time and it’s not an impossible task. First, you shake the pillow to make it easier to fit into the pillow case (getting it into the corners is huge here). Then comes the presentation: “Happy” pillows are pressed flat and laid out straight on the bed, while “sad” pillows just look messy. To do this, put your hands in the middle, then slowly push them out in opposite directions repeatedly until your pillow is as flat as a board and about half as thick as before you started. The key to a happy pillow is pressing all the air out until it lays flat. Guess which kind I made?

7. At the very end, everything is inspected.

Just as you thought your day was over, grab some gloves to make sure your work has “met hotel standards” — hopefully you won’t feel like you are in high school all over again on this pass-fail test.  Did you completely forget to dust, leave marks on the glass shower door or find that random dust bunny under the table?  Don’t worry, we’ve all done it – the important part if you saw it and corrected your wrong.

We hope that after reading this, you not only gain a far greater appreciation for the meticulous work that happens behind the scenes at The Grove but also walk away with a few new tricks to incorporate into your own cleaning routine at home. Our commitment to perfection isn’t just about providing a spotless room; it’s about creating an environment where you can relax, feel safe, and truly enjoy your stay. Whether it’s the precision in our pillow arrangements, the shine of our bathroom fixtures, or the fresh, inviting scent that greets you at the door, every detail is a testament to our dedication. So, next time you visit, know that every sparkle, every fresh scent, and every crisp sheet has been crafted with care and passion. And who knows? Maybe these tips will help you transform your own home into a personal haven of cleanliness and comfort.

Original BLOG by Jennifer Flynn, OG Cool Kid & Chief Fun Officer at The Grove Hospitality Group (June 15, 2024)

 

**A NOTE FROM ME:  Hey there! I’m Jennifer, the mastermind behind The Grove Hospitality Group – where The Grove Hotel, The Grove Motel, and JOE. Hot+Cold come to life. With a heart full of hospitality and a dash of mischief, our gaggle of Cool Kids are all about crafting unforgettable experiences for our amazing guests. Dive into my blog for insider tips, quirky stories, and the latest scoop on everything Grove. Let’s make some memories and have a blast while we’re at it!