Housekeeping Teams Deserve Tools That Work as Hard as They Do

Every spotless guest room, polished lobby and perfectly prepared hotel suite reflects the work of a housekeeping team that pays attention to hundreds of details most guests will never see. During International Housekeeping Week, we celebrate the people behind those details—the housekeepers whose dedication, professionalism and pride help shape the guest experience every day.

But appreciation should extend beyond saying “thank you.” It should also mean giving housekeeping professionals the tools and equipment that help them do their jobs safely, comfortably and efficiently.

Housekeeping is demanding work. A typical shift can involve pushing carts, lifting linens and supplies, making beds, reaching, bending and repeating many of the same movements throughout the day.

OSHA identifies pushing and pulling heavy carts among the ergonomic hazards housekeeping workers may face. Its recommendations include using well-maintained rolling carts with large, low-resistance wheels, keeping handles at an appropriate height and reducing unnecessary lifting, reaching and force wherever possible.

When the same tasks are performed room after room and floor after floor, thoughtful equipment design can make a meaningful difference in how much physical effort is required throughout a shift.

A well-designed housekeeping cart should help attendants move efficiently through a property while keeping frequently used linens, amenities and supplies organized and accessible. Features such as smooth-rolling casters, properly positioned handles, organized storage, accessible bags and thoughtful cart dimensions can help minimize unnecessary movement and effort.

Cart size matters, too. Not every property—or every assignment—requires the largest cart available. Compact and mini housekeeping carts can provide the supplies needed for smaller room blocks, stay-over service or public-area assignments while offering easier maneuverability through elevators, corridors and tighter storage areas. The goal isn’t simply to carry more. It’s to carry what the housekeeping professional needs, where it is needed, in a cart suited to the job.

For larger carts, heavier loads or properties where attendants travel longer distances, motorization can take that ergonomic support even further. The Forbes Industries Go-Cart Motorized Housekeeping Solution adds powered mobility to many compatible housekeeping carts with 8-inch wheels. A user-controlled variable-speed motor helps reduce the effort required to move a loaded cart, while the cart can still be pushed manually when needed.

Forbes designed the system specifically to improve ergonomics, make carts easier to push and help reduce work fatigue. Depending on the application, that added assistance can be especially valuable on long guestroom corridors and during demanding shifts when a fully stocked cart must be moved repeatedly throughout the property. It is another example of how equipment can be designed around the people who use it—not simply around the supplies it carries.

At Forbes Industries, we have spent decades developing housekeeping carts for the demands of hospitality operations. From compact models built for maneuverability to full-size carts with greater storage capacity and motorized options that help reduce pushing effort, our goal is simple: to make the work easier for the people who keep hospitality moving.

Because housekeeping equipment should do more than hold linens, towels and amenities. It should help housekeeping professionals work efficiently while supporting the high standards they deliver for guests every day.

This International Housekeeping Week, we join hotels around the country in recognizing the professionals who keep properties clean, welcoming and ready for every guest.

To housekeeping teams everywhere: thank you for the care, effort and attention to detail you bring to hospitality every day.