Housekeeper
This isn't just cleaning. It's dignity, comfort and pride in a place people call home. Family-run on the edge of the New Forest. High standards, great team, real purpose.
Housekeeper
Cleanliness · Dignity · Resident Comfort
About Oaklands Rest Home
Oaklands Rest Home is a family-run care home based on the edge of the New Forest. We support residents to feel safe, respected, known and cared for as individuals.
In a care home, housekeeping is not just cleaning. It directly affects dignity, infection prevention, safety, comfort, first impressions and how residents feel in their own home.
About This Role
The Housekeeper / Domestic Assistant maintains high standards of cleanliness, hygiene, presentation and comfort throughout the home — including residents' rooms, bathrooms, communal areas and other agreed spaces.
You will follow cleaning schedules, use products and equipment safely, report concerns promptly and work respectfully around residents and colleagues. You will help ensure Oaklands feels clean, fresh, safe and welcoming — without making residents feel disrupted or rushed.
This is not a background role. You are part of the care environment. What you do, how you do it and how you interact with residents matters.
Role Details
Reports To
Head Housekeeper
Accountable To
Registered Manager and Deputy Manager
Location
Oaklands Rest Home, Marchwood, New Forest
DBS Required
Yes — enhanced DBS check required
What This Role Is Really About
A resident's room is their home
You are not cleaning an empty space. You are working in someone's personal environment — their photos, their belongings, their bed, their space. Every room must be treated with that level of respect.
Standards matter even when nobody is watching
The right person for this role takes pride in doing the job properly every time — not because someone is checking, but because they care. Cutting corners in a care home has consequences for real people.
You are part of resident wellbeing
Clean rooms, fresh bathrooms, well-stocked supplies and a calm presence all affect how residents experience Oaklands. Families form opinions about the quality of our care partly from what they see and smell when they walk through the door.
Main Responsibilities
1. Cleaning and Presentation
Follow agreed cleaning schedules and task lists
Clean residents' rooms, bathrooms, wet rooms, toilets, corridors, lounges and communal areas to a high standard
Dust, vacuum, mop, disinfect, empty bins, clean mirrors, clean surfaces and refill supplies as required
Spot clean walls, carpets, furniture and surfaces where needed
Support deep cleans and room turnouts in line with schedules
Help ensure the home smells fresh, feels clean and remains presentable
Leave residents' rooms and shared areas tidy, safe and comfortable after cleaning
2. Infection Prevention and Safe Practice
Follow infection prevention and control procedures at all times
Use cleaning products, colour-coded equipment and PPE correctly
Store chemicals and equipment safely in line with COSHH requirements
Report spills, hazards, defects, odours or infection control concerns promptly
Avoid creating trip hazards or unsafe conditions while cleaning
Clean bathrooms, toilets and high-touch areas thoroughly and consistently
3. Respectful Working Around Residents
Knock before entering residents' rooms and respect privacy and dignity
Explain what you are doing where appropriate
Work calmly and respectfully around residents, including those living with dementia
Be mindful that a resident's room is their home — not just a room to clean
Avoid moving personal items unnecessarily and report any concerns about belongings
Be kind, patient and friendly in everyday interactions
Report any concerns about a resident's wellbeing to the senior person on duty
4. Laundry Support (Where Required)
Support laundering of bedding, towels and garments as required
Follow garment labels and laundry procedures carefully
Handle residents' clothing respectfully
Report missing, damaged or wrongly labelled items promptly
Help ensure laundry is returned clean, fresh and appropriately managed
5. Communication and Records
Complete cleaning records accurately and promptly
Report completed tasks, missed tasks or issues to the appropriate person
Communicate respectfully with residents, relatives, visitors and colleagues
Raise maintenance issues, equipment faults or low stock promptly
Work with the Head Housekeeper, care team and management to maintain standards
What Good Looks Like
In this role, strong performance means:
The home feels clean, fresh, safe and welcoming
Residents' rooms are treated as personal homes
Bathrooms and toilets are hygienic and well-stocked
Cleaning records are accurate and completed on time
Hazards and concerns are reported promptly
Residents, relatives and visitors experience the home as well cared for
Infection prevention procedures are followed consistently
You work around residents with kindness, dignity and patience
Colleagues trust you to follow schedules and hold standards
Oaklands feels homely rather than institutional
This Role Is Not Right For Everyone
Please read this honestly. This role is not suitable for someone who:
Dislikes routine cleaning tasks or physical work
Cuts corners when under time pressure
Is careless with infection control, chemicals or equipment
Is uncomfortable working around older people or people living with dementia
Does not respect residents' rooms as personal spaces
Is unreliable with timekeeping or attendance
Avoids reporting problems, hazards or concerns
Struggles to follow schedules, instructions or safe systems of work
Sees housekeeping as unimportant to resident experience
Person Specification
Essential
Pride in cleanliness, hygiene and presentation
Reliability and good timekeeping
Ability to follow cleaning schedules and instructions
Attention to detail
Willingness to work around residents respectfully and patiently
Understanding that housekeeping contributes to dignity, comfort and safety
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Willingness to follow infection control and health and safety procedures
Ability to report hazards, defects or resident concerns promptly
Willingness to complete required training
Desirable
Previous housekeeping, domestic, cleaning or laundry experience
Experience in a care home, healthcare, hotel or hospitality environment
Infection control or COSHH training
Experience working around older people or people living with dementia
Additional Requirements
DBS Check
Enhanced DBS check required
Right to Work
Must have right to work in the UK
References
Satisfactory references required
Training
Completion of Oaklands induction and all mandatory training
Flexibility
Flexibility to meet the needs of residents and the home
Our Values
Everything we do at Oaklands is guided by our core values: Caring · Respectful · Person-Centred · Informative · Innovative · Collaborative · Honest · Reliable · Open · Trusted.
Our specialty is you — our residents. Every clean room, every fresh bathroom and every respectful interaction makes that real.
- Department
- Housekeeping & Laundry
- Role
- Housekeeper
- Locations
- Oaklands Rest Home
- Monthly salary
- 12.75
