We are delighted to continue our series of introducing and presenting some of the great people that we work with on a daily basis. This week, meet Madalina Torica, Executive Housekeeping Manager at the Brunelleschi Hotel Florence. Read here what makes Madalina get up in the morning and especially learn all about her cleaning tips for at home!
How long have you been at the Brunelleschi Hotel Florence?
I started at the Brunelleschi Hotel in 2013 as one of the two Housekeeping Manager Assistants. Over the years I have learnt a lot, both through our Housekeeping Manager as well as from our guests. To be the one who is responsible for maintaining the property in perfect condition in terms of comfort and atmosphere makes me very proud.
What’s been your most challenging housekeeping situation since joining the Brunelleschi Hotel?
Without a doubt, I can say that every day has its challenging situation, especially as we always strive to exceed our guests' expectations. On a daily basis I get to learn new guest-habits and I try to anticipate their needs. At the same time we have our standards that are the starting point of our daily duties. It's a matter of combining these two things and offering the most personalised service.
How do you start your day?
I tend to get to the hotel early in the morning, before guests wake up. I make use of this time by inspecting the lobby, the setting rooms on the ground floor, the gym, and the terrace to check that everything is perfectly cleaned and set. I change the perfumes dispensers, arrange the curtains, and I display new flower arrangements. Once the public areas are all done, the rest of the hotel follows and for sure this fills up the rest of the day!
If you could invite anyone, who would you ask to join you for dinner at Santa Elisabetta?
I would be extremely happy to have my fiancée at the Santa Elisabetta, for an extremely romantic dining experience! I hope this will happen very soon!
Your three cleaning tips for at home?
Tip 1:
While enjoying a Tuscan red wine and trying to reach the cheese on the table in front of you, you see that your nice wine has now spilt all over your white sofa. With horror you realize that you do not have a ‘magic stain-remover'!
No problem at all, as you only need a very traditional ‘Marseille Soap’; you can clean the sofa with water and this specific soap, using a gentle sponge. If instead of the sofa, the wine has spilt on the carpet, you can use the same water and soap, but use a brush instead of a sponge.
After energetically cleaning with your sponge or brush, remove the soap water with hot water; absorb the water with a soft white cloth. You can dry the sofa or the carpet with the help of using an iron on a white cloth, or by using a hairdryer.
Tip 2:
After having added a beautiful ‘Valentino’ red colour on your fingernails, you leave your bathroom and notice that a drop of your red nail-polish has landed on your beautiful white marble flooring.
No worries, you can remove this with a cotton pad and your nail-polish remover ‘acetone’! Then use very hot water to remove the ‘acetone’, and your beautiful white marble flooring is as good a new.
Tip 3
You can use white vinegar mixed with water, to clean most of your furnishings at home. If you wish to have your kettle free from limestone, sparkling dishes and glasses, or wish to clean your windows and shower doors, white vinegar mixed with water is the perfect solution!
