Housekeeping

Why we clean

The housekeeping team at Residential Facilities knows that well-maintained spaces enhance our lives and learning experiences. Our mission is to provide exceptional facilities services that support learning, discovery, community, care, and economic and environmental sustainability. Our vision is to be a valued partner in the success of our students.

How we clean: "The Maryland Way"

At Residential Facilities, we emphasize trust, community, and care in our residential spaces. This philosophy extends to our cleaning approach, which we call the "Maryland Way."

Our Approach:

Area Complete Cleaning: Unlike traditional methods that assign different tasks to multiple housekeepers, we assign one housekeeper to an entire floor or several floors. This approach may take more time and resources, but it fosters meaningful connections between residents and staff.
Building Relationships: By dedicating a single housekeeper to an area, residents get to know familiar faces, creating a sense of comfort and trust.
Home Away from Home: Our approach not only ensures cleanliness but also cultivates a sense of belonging, making students feel truly at home.

Through the "Maryland Way," we aim to make our residential spaces welcoming and supportive for all students.

Dedicated Staff: Each building has dedicated housekeeping staff, ensuring consistent and reliable service. Expect to see the same housekeeper regularly, helping to build trust and familiarity.
High-Rise Buildings: Typically, one housekeeper is assigned to every two floors, ensuring efficient coverage.
Bathrooms: Traditional residence hall bathrooms are cleaned twice daily.
Public Areas: Lounges, lobbies, laundry rooms, classrooms, multipurpose rooms, stairwells, and elevators are cleaned daily.
Non-Traditional Residence Halls: Public areas in apartments and suites are cleaned daily from Monday to Friday.

Weekdays: Services run from Monday to Friday, starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending by mid-afternoon. We minimize disruption to residents' routines.
Weekends: Reduced service with restrooms and lounges cleaned once on Saturdays. No regular services on Sundays, which is a day off for our staff.
Emergency Services: Our team remains on call at all times. Available 24/7 through our Service Center at 301-314-9675.

Signage: Clear signs in every bathroom indicate scheduled closure times, with alternative locations provided. We strive to adhere to our posted schedules diligently, ensuring residents can rely on consistent service timings.
Respect Closed Areas: For safety and efficiency, please avoid areas closed for cleaning. If someone enters a work area, our housekeeping team must stop work, causing delays and compromising service quality. Please help by respecting these areas.
Diverse Team: Our housekeeping team is diverse, with members from around the world, speaking at least seven native languages. We embrace this diversity as part of our commitment to welcoming everyone in the Terp family. Our residents share our commitment to be One Maryland.

Traditional Residence Halls: Daily service from Monday to Saturday, with on-call and emergency services always available.
Non-Traditional Residence Halls: Public areas are cleaned daily from Monday to Friday, with emergency services available at all times.

High-Rise Buildings: Each housekeeper typically serves two floors with four large bathrooms, focusing on cleanliness, policing, and sanitizing daily. The assigned service areas in smaller buildings are scaled to be equal.
Service Schedule: Bathrooms get brief touch-ups in the morning and thorough cleanings later. The second service involves thorough cleaning and restocking all amenities for residents' comfort and convenience.

Public Access Areas: Our team cleans all public access areas in every building.
Shared vs. Private Bathrooms: In traditional residence halls, our team cleans shared bathrooms and kitchens in lounges. In buildings like Oakland Hall and South Hill Community, where bathrooms are shared between room pairs or are inside apartments/suites, residents are responsible for cleaning.

Specialized Services

Our housekeeping unit extends its services beyond residential areas to include various recreational facilities and programs.

Recreational Areas: We provide housekeeping services to several key locations, including the Eppley Recreation Center, two gyms within the School of Public Health, the Golf Course Clubhouse, Ritchie Coliseum, the athletic floor of Reckord Armory, and the front-of-house seating areas in both Yahentamitsi and 251 dining halls.
Summer Conferences and Camps: During summer break, our residence halls serve as hotels, accommodating thousands of guests. This period marks our busiest time, hosting tens of thousands of conference attendees and campers. While facilitating and supporting our summer guests, we also prepare our residence halls for the return of 10,000 students for the fall semester.
Spring Cleaning: In preparation for summer conferences and camps, we conduct thorough spring cleaning in select buildings, particularly apartments and suites, with a focus on kitchens and bathrooms. This proactive service benefits residents and gives our housekeeping team a head start on cleaning areas that would otherwise require additional staff and time.
Living Learning Programs and Other Academic Areas: Several of our residence halls house academic Living Learning Programs, where residents with shared academic interests live and study together. Our Housekeeping unit supports these programs, playing a vital role in creating a supportive environment for student success. Additionally, we maintain a dedicated classroom area at the Cambridge Community Center, ensuring optimal conditions for educational activities.

At Residential Facilities, we are committed to delivering exceptional cleaning and maintenance services that enhance the living and learning experience for our residents.

If you have any questions or concerns about our cleaning practices, or simply would like to give us a compliment, please contact us.