10 Cleaning Chemicals in Housekeeping (R1 to R9) – Complete Hotel Guide for UAE

Introduction: Why Housekeeping Chemicals Knowledge Matters in Hotels

Cleaning is not just considered as appearance in professional housekeeping services. Knowing about all the chemicals used in housekeeping is essential for every housekeeping team member. Having knowledge about the right chemical name and their uses can save a lot of time and damage of property. Professional housekeeping is about hygiene, safety and protection of asset. 

Hotels in the UAE follow very strict SOPs for housekeeping department. Each of the chemical used in housekeeping department has its own pH level, specific role, and method of uses. It is critical for every team member to learn about the chemical uses, names, side effects and safety if any issue occurs. For housekeeping jobs in UAE, it is essential for every person.

If you use the wrong chemical while cleaning it can cause:

• Damage of hotel surfaces like walls, paints, and more
• A huge safety risk for staff members 
• It can affect badly on guests health and may cause reduction in trust and satisfaction

Because of all these conditions it is mandatory to understand the 10 cleaning chemicals in housekeeping for each housekeeping individual professional.

Classification of Housekeeping Cleaning Chemicals

In general housekeeping chemicals are classified according to the pH level. Here are 3 different types of chemical classifications used in housekeeping department of every hotel.

• Acidic (pH 1 to 4): it is used for removing rust, limescale, and mineral deposits.
• Neutral (pH 6- to 7): Used and safe for daily cleaning hotel surfaces.
• Alkaline (pH 9 to 13): This chemical is used if their are greeses, oil, or organic dirt anywhere in the hotel.

Top 10 Cleaning Chemicals Used in Housekeeping (R1 to R9 Explained)

Below is the complete list of 10 Cleaning chemicals used in housekeeping department. Chemical name, uses, pH level, purpose and safety tips are mentioned as well.

1. R1 – Bathroom Cleaner & Sanitizer
2. R2 – Multi-Surface Cleaner
3. R3 – Glass & Mirror Cleaner
4. R4 – Furniture Polish
5. R5 – Air Freshener
6. R6 – Toilet Bowl Cleaner
7. R7 – Floor Degreaser
8. R8 – Carpet & Upholstery Shampoo
9. R9 – Bathroom Cleaner
10. Sodium Hypochlorite

Lets discuss each of the above chemical in details for better understanding.

Also Read: Hotel Emergency Situations & Security Actions Checklist UAE 2026

1️⃣ R1 – Bathroom Cleaner & Sanitizer (Acidic)

Uses: 

• Bathroom tiles
• Wash Basins
• Toilet bowls

It has pH level of around 1 to 2 and considered as acidic. 

Purpose: It helps in removing limescale, soap scum, and stains while sanitizing hotel surface areas.

Safety Tip: Always wear gloves while using this chemical and avoid mixing with bleach.

2️⃣ R2 – Multi-Surface Cleaner (Neutral)

Uses:

• Floors
• Hotel Walls
• Counterparts with floors or walls

Its pH is around 6 to 7.

Purpose: it is used for daily cleaning operations without damaging the wall surfaces and other areas. It is commonly used in guest rooms and public areas.

3️⃣ R3 – Glass & Mirror Cleaner (Alcohol-Based)

Uses:

• Mirrors in rooms, washrooms and public areas
• Room windows and other area windows
• Glass pannels cleaning 

pH level is around 6.5 to 7.5.

Purpose: It is used for steak free shining and quick drying after chemical usage. 

Tip: Use microfiber clothe with this chemicals if you want better results.

4️⃣ R4 – Furniture Polish

Uses:

• Used in furniture polishing for example like wooden furniture
• Laminated surfaces and Metal fixures 

pH is around 6 to 8.

Purpose: It helps in shining of furniture and protect it from dust.

5️⃣ R5 – Air Freshener

Uses:

• It is like air freshners used in guest rooms
• Hotel corridor areas
• Lobby areas
• Public areas
• Public washrooms

pH is around 6 to 7 and it is considered as neutral.

Purpose: It provides best odurs and keep the rooms and other areas fresh. It provides a pleasant fragrance.

Tip: Always spray lightly especially in guest rooms and never overuse the chemical.

Also Read: Housekeeping Supervisor Interview Questions & Answers UAE 2026

6️⃣ R6 – Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Strong Acid)

Uses:

• Used for toiltet areas bowl cleaning
• Cleaning urinals

pH is around 1 to 3.

Purpose: Used to remove uric acid, stains, and heavy limescale if there is any.

Safety Tip: Always use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) while using this chemical. Use proper ventilation to avoid effects.

7️⃣ R7 – Floor Degreaser (Alkaline)

Uses:

• Commonly used for kitchen floors
• Cleaning of back of the house areas
• Cleaning of other cooking areas if there are any

pH is around 11 to 13.

Purpose: It is very effective for cuts caused by grease and oil. 

8️⃣ R8 – Carpet & Upholstery Shampoo

Uses:

• Used for carpet cleaning in hotel rooms, corridors, and other areas.
• Sofa cleaning 
• Fabric chairs cleaning 

pH level is considered as mild alkaline.

Purpose: It is widely used for deep cleaning and odour removal from sofas, chairs, tables and carpets.

9️⃣ R9 – Bathroom Cleaner (Mild Acid)

Uses:

• Used for water taps cleaning
• Shower areas cleaning
• Bathroom walls cleaning

pH is around 3 to 4. 

Purpose: Used for removing hard water stains and soap residues in bathrooms.

👉 Answer to PAA: R9 checmical is used for bathroom fitting, tiles and walls cleaning.

🔟 Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach)

Uses:

• Widely used by cleaning companies in the UAE for disinfection of pipelines and water tanks
• Whitening purposes
• Mold removal from tanks and pipes

pH is around 11 to 13.

Safety tip: Never mix Sodium Hypochlorite with acids. It can cause gas risks.

Cleaning Chemicals Used in UAE Hotels

Taski, Diversy, and Ecolab chemicals are widely used in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Hotels in the UAE. These chemicals comes with following:

• Color coded bottles for better understanding and differenciation
• Dilution control systems
• Material Safety Data Sheets also known as MSDS guidelines

Hotels in UAE follows municipality guidelines strictly as regular checkups are going on by officers. These chemicals ensure guests safety, staff protection and audit compliance as well.

Safety Guidelines for Housekeeping Chemicals

• Always wear proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipments) while using any chemicals
• Follow dilution instructions properly mentioned on chemical bottles
• Store chemicals according to guidelines
• never mix different chemicals with each other without proper information
• Read MSDS before using any chemical

Proper chemical handling in housekeeping department is the part of the best hospitality services in the UAE.

Final Words

Using the right chemical with proper guidelines and MSDS is the first and the most important part of housekeeping member duty. Use chemicals wisely and read instructions of usage properly. Do not mix chemicals with each other untill you do not know. Having proper knowledge and usage about 10 cleaning chemicals in housekeeping is very important for the best hospitality services in the UAE.

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