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Housekeeping

Housekeeping is a musem-like way of cleaning your (historical) interior, church, synagogue, temple or mosque. Antique and/or spiritual objects are cleaned in a special way, appropriate to the value and function of the items. 

Our products for you

The Bureau is specialised in the following products:

  1. Housekeeping on location.

  2. Setting up a housekeeping program.

  3. Project management for employees and volunteers:

    1. establishing a housekeeping program;

    2. handling lesson object;

    3. lesson object cleaning;

    4. lesson own safety (protection against mold, dust, etc.)

    5. learn how to operate if something breaks;

    6. lesson on keeping a log.

  4. Housekeeping in religious spaces with special needs.

     Volunteers can also be directed here, for instance to           handle sacred objects under guidance.    

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Each of our products can be discussed and adjusted according to time and place.

Each product can of course be customized for you, so that it suits you or your organization. 

What we can do for you

Housekeeping is not just cleaning, but also monitoring collections and collection spaces. Regular cleaning prevents damage and facilitates a close observation of the condition of objects and their environment. Good housekeeping requires carefully structured planning and prioritization of tasks. The context and meaning of an interior are always taken into account - The Bureau also handles housekeeping in religious spaces. Frequent consultation between trustees, housekeepers, owners and managers is essential in housekeeping. The condition of objects in their surrounding and their meaning are frequently discussed.​

Skills Required

Current housekeeping requires knowledge of:

  • How and in what way to handle objects

    • Condition of the object

    • material composition

    • location of the center of gravity

  • Material knowledge

    • which agents and cleaning agents to use for which material

  • Risk analysis of collection and its environment (building physics)

    • monitoring space and collection; what risks can be expected and where. Think of mold, etc.

  • Religious context and meaning.

With good housekeeping, the collection and the space in which it is housed are closely monitored. It is important to check carefully whether changes are visible to the collection during cleaning. For example, is there a colour difference and are all parts still securely attached? The space should also be carefully studied: are there damp and/or cold spots, unnecessary heat sources, mold, etc.? In some cases it can be interesting to have the dust analyzed to find out what it consists of and where it comes from. This would be to detect corrosion or air pollution. Changes observed in objects must be kept in a log; photos of objects can also be added here. In this way, the condition of valuable objects is easily tracked. Colour differences and other changes can be checked with photo material. Finally, housekeeping can monitor insects and other pests, for example, if silverfish and firebrats are found during cleaning, it is important to make a note of this. Based on these analyses, a treatment plan can be drawn up if necessary.

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Developing a Housekeeping Program

Housekeeping duties depend on the size, use and type of a collection.  A museum space for example has different needs than a living space or a space for religious worship.

 

A housekeeping program is an overview in which various tasks and their recurrence are planned and explained. A housekeeping program lists daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual, and annual tasks.

 

Reception areas quickly become dusty and must therefore be vacuumed often. Ceramic vases on the other hand, placed on top of a cupboard get dirty less quickly, Moreover, this material is not susceptible to damage by dust. These objects could therefore be cleaned less regularly.

 

Sample schedule:​​

Frequentie
Taak
Dagelijks
• Stofzuigen van publieke ruimtes (niet bij de collectie) • Veeg trap schoon voor de ingang
Om de week
• Verwijder stof van meubelen • Verwijder stof in alle expositieruimten • Maak ramen schoon
Maandelijks
• Maak fotolijsten schilderijlijsten en spiegels schoon • Verwijder stof van de collecties
Halfjaarlijks
• Verwijder stof van boeken • Maak objecten in opslagruimtes stofvrij • Was niet historische gordijnen, tafelkleden

What can you expect from us? 

Housekeeping is museum-like cleaning of your objects to prevent aging and damage. We usually apply dry cleaning to remove dust and dirt. We use various brushes and tassels of different softness and structure, made from different animal hair. This removes the dust from  objects by brush and is sucked up in the air with a museum vacuum cleaner. In addition, we make our own tools for polishing metals. The removal of complicated stains and damage repair is done by a restorer.

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Are you interested in Housekeeping or do you have any questions?    Contact us .

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