Even though it may sometimes seem that way to us as hotel guests, cleaning in a hotel does not happen by itself. Cleaning staff take care of it. Every day, including weekends and holidays. Knock, wait, enter, clean, next room. On average, they have about 15 minutes for a room with overnight guests and 30 minutes for a complete cleaning. Not much for the entire room, including the bathroom and sanitary facilities, right?
What makes cleaning in a hotel so special?
Because guests come and go from hotel rooms on a daily basis, these areas require special attention to hygiene and cleanliness. This means the cleaning team must pay close attention to every detail. From bed linens and bathrooms to doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls—everything must be thoroughly cleaned regularly.
Our Green PearlsⓇ network of sustainably focused hotels goes one step further: they use eco-friendly cleaning products, reduce water consumption, and ensure that resources are used as efficiently as possible. At the same time, guests should feel comfortable and safe, free from the smell of chemical cleaners and surfaces treated with harsh chemicals.
Maintaining the balance between hygiene, sustainability, and well-being is a daily challenge—and that’s what makes hotel cleaning so special.
Environmental sin: room cleaning
Until recently, daily cleaning of hotel rooms was standard practice almost everywhere. However, this practice is very time-consuming and harmful to the environment. Cleaning a room uses around 7.5 liters of water. Added to this are the costs of electricity and cleaning products. Even in a small hotel, the amount of water needed for daily cleaning adds up.
But is daily hotel room cleaning really necessary? The European Hotelstars Union says yes and requires it for hotels with a one-star rating or higher. (Here you can view the criteria for hotel stars 2025-2030, as well as the criticism of this catalog in the linked press newsletter.)
Many guests and hotels, including the Hotel Das Rübezahl in Schwangau, Bavaria, say no. Das Rübezahl cleans every other day. The money saved is used to plant trees in the region.
Many of our Green Pearls® partners, as well as other hotels, offer guests the option of canceling room cleaning, e.g., via app, or only clean on express request. The same applies to changing bed linen and towels.
These few changes can save a significant amount of water, cleaning products, and electricity. At some point, though, the room has to be cleaned. At the very least, it should be cleaned on the day of departure. After all, we all want to check into a clean hotel room.
Even when it comes to the final cleaning, however, there are ways to clean without using environmentally harmful chemical cleaning agents and to act sustainably. Green Pearls® partners will show you what these methods are and how you can clean sustainably at home, too.
Sustainably inspired options for hotel room cleaning
Microdry Steam – Chemical-free, hygienic cleaning
When it comes to sustainable hotel cleaning, Medeco Cleantec’s technology is a real game changer. This Green PearlsⓇ partner company specializes in reimagining traditional cleaning methods — using no chemicals and minimal water.
Micro-dry steam cleaning differs significantly from classic steam cleaning in three ways: While conventional steam contains around 25% water, micro-dry steam contains only about 5%. This ensures a hygienically clean result without damaging or soaking surfaces. This method also saves up to 95% of water and wastewater, protecting the environment by preventing the release of chemical residues, microplastics, and volatile substances into the air or wastewater.
Not only is it more sustainable, it is also healthier. Cleaning staff, guests, and employees no longer come into contact with irritating substances, which is easier on the skin and respiratory tract.
Micro-dry steam plays an important role at our Green Pearls® hotel partners
In 2021, the Hotel Weihrerhof on Lake Wolfsgrubner and its housekeeping staff opted for micro-dry steam cleaners from Medeco Cleantec. These cleaners ensure that hotel rooms are thoroughly cleaned without the use of harmful, skin-irritating agents.
“Even upholstered furniture, curtains, foam materials, and other items that are otherwise difficult to clean are hygienically clean,” says the Hotel Luise, which also uses micro-dry steam cleaners from Medeco Cleantec. Another advantage of micro-dry steam is that it leaves no residue on which dirt, pathogens, and other contaminants can spread.
Micro-dry steam cleaners are also available for home use. They are smaller, of course, but they clean just as well as the larger models used in hotels. Medeo Cleantec offers the Steamy model for households.
Eco-friendly and naturally derived cleaners
Many Green Pearls® partneres use environmentally friendly, biodegradable, or natural cleaners, such as citric acid and vinegar. These cleaners are just as effective as traditional chemical cleaners, but they don’t pollute the environment with fragrances, surfactants, and other harmful substances. If you want to try this at home, You can find both products at any drugstore for a low price. Just follow the instructions on the packaging (keyword: mixing ratio) and off you go with sustainable cleaning. Read more about how our partners handle cleaners and detergents here.
If you want to try this at home: You can find both products at any drugstore for very little money. Just follow the instructions on the packaging (keyword: mixing ratio) and off you go with sustainable cleaning. 😉
- DO-IT-YOURSELF ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER by Nele
- UNIVERSAL CLEANER MADE FROM LEMON PEEL by Nina
- CLEANING WINDOWS NATURALLY by Nadine
Effective microorganisms also against heavy soiling
Effective microorganisms (EM) are a mixture of beneficial bacteria found in yogurt and beer production, among other things. Discovered by Japanese agricultural scientist Prof. Dr. Teruo Higa, they were initially used primarily in agriculture.
However, these microorganisms also have positive effects in other areas of life. Depending on their composition, they can promote digestive health, make your garden flourish, or clean a hotel room.
The Berghotel Rehlegg, for example, relies entirely on EM cleaners. As a result, surfaces become colonized with beneficial microorganisms that displace harmful, disease-causing ones. EM dissolves stubborn dirt and grease while forming a protective layer that prevents dirt and harmful bacteria from settling. Bad odors are not just masked, they are actively eliminated.
By the way, EM cleaners are environmentally friendly because they don’t release harmful or synthetic substances into the environment through wastewater. Additionally, they are user-friendly, especially for cleaning staff!
Sustainable hotel room cleaning: How you can help
If your hotel does not offer the option to opt out of daily cleaning, simply hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door and notify housekeeping or the front desk. This shows the hotel that you are interested in suspending daily cleaning for environmental reasons.
To make things easier for the cleaning staff, dispose of your trash and do not leave it scattered around the room. Many of our partners now offer waste separation options in their rooms. If not, feel free to bring it up, as hoteliers may change their practices if they realize that guests want this option. You can also go to the front desk and ask, “Excuse me, where do you recycle aluminum? I have something here for recycling.”
Please refrain from dyeing your hair in your hotel room, and if you do, make sure to remove all dye residue and stains thoroughly afterwards. (As mentioned above, cleaners have little time per room.)
If you are diabetic or use syringes for other medical reasons, please dispose of them properly and safely so that no one gets injured when emptying the trash.
To be particularly helpful when checking out, strip the bed and put the bedding with the used towels in a pile. This allows everything to be thrown into the laundry container in one go.
And, of course, the cleaning staff will appreciate a small “thank you” – be it a tip, a sweet little gift, or a friendly smile and a kind word.
How much should you tip hotel cleaning staff?
In most countries, including Germany, Italy, Croatia, and even long-haul destinations such as Thailand, a tip of around 1–3 euros per night is customary for housekeeping – only in Switzerland is it slightly more, at 2–5 CHF.
After all, it is the cleaning staff who, through their work, give us the impression of a self-cleaning room. Without them, the feeling would only be half as nice.
This is an update from September 9, 2022.
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