OUR CLEANING PROTOCOLS

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Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus the causes COVID-19) it has become necessary to take additional cleaning and disinfecting measures to help prevent it's spread to ensure the safety of our vacation rental guests, our residential cleaning customers, and our cleaning staff. We have chosen to upgrade our standard cleaning protocols based on what we believe to be the most accurate and reputable sources of information including the WHO (World Health Organization), the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), and local authorities.

CLEANING AND DISINFECTION

A. Equipment

• Our cleaning equipment is regularly cleaned and disinfected to minimize the risk of contamination.
• All cleaning products, personal protective equipment (PPE), and tools will be in good condition and supplied appropriately for the size and usage of the property.
• The personal protective equipment we typically use includes disposable single-use gloves, masks, and shoe covers, as well as reusable eye protection.
• All single use equipment should be disposed of safely after use.
• Our cleaning equipment typically includes brushes, sponges, microfiber rags, and mops with replaceable heads.

B. Cleaners and Training

• Our staff are trained on how to use and care for and properly dispose of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Our staff are trained on properly using cleaning, disinfecting, and chemical products(e.g., germicides) and on safe waste disposal.
• Our staff uses fit-for-purpose PPE during the cleaning process and all single-use PPE is disposed of safely to minimize risk of contamination.
• Our staff are trained to avoid touching their faces during the cleaning process, as well as any unnecessary contact with surfaces, including personal property.
• Our staff are trained to implement enhanced hand hygiene (washing both hands and forearms for at least twenty seconds) before and after removing gloves.

CLEANING, DISINFECTING & SANITIZING PROCESS

A. General Principles

• Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing are three different steps in the overall process, and all are required to lower the risk of contamination.
• We prevent cross contamination by using specific equipment by area (room, bathroom, kitchen).
• We plan the process to start with the lowest risk areas (bedroom, living room) to the highest risk areas (kitchen, bathroom).
• We use a cleaning checklist to help ensure completion and keep records (these are useful in case of guest complaints).
• We ventilate the property during and after the process.

B. Cleaning Process

• We clean with water and a suitable detergent and leave to act for enough time, usually 3 to 5 minutes (WHO, CDC).
• We rinse, dry and wipe to remove all products.
• We clean and disinfect all cleaning equipment.

C. Disinfection Process

• We disinfect using an appropriate chemical per area.
• We follow the manufacturer's instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products utilized (concentration, application method and contact time, etc.).
• We follow manufactures instructions for application, ensuring a contact time of at least one minute, and allow proper ventilation during and after application.

D. Prioritize High-Touch Surfaces

• Door handles.
• Controls and switches (e.g., light switches, cooking controls, television controls, fan pull chains).
• Bathroom taps, toilet flush handles, toilet seats.
• Utensils, cutlery, and crockery.
• Furniture such as chairs, tables, and parts of the bed frames.
• Children facilities such as bunk beds, toys, or play equipment.
• Linen, including those that appear unused.
• Refuse, recycling bins, and any waste disposal containers.
• Cleaning equipment.
• Guest information, brochures, menus.

E. Linen Management

• We minimize handling of used linen to minimize risk of contamination, particularly shaking it.
• We wash linen at highest temperature, and dry completely before storing.
• We store and handle clean linen separately from used linen.

KEY CLEANLINESS GUIDLINES FOR VACATION RENTALS:

• Help support good hand hygiene for guests and anyone involved with the property by providing sufficient hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap products at property entry points and key areas and also encouraging hand washing regularly with water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
• Communicate to guests on implementation of enhanced cleaning and disinfecting measures, both pre-stay and during stay, via listing content and property information booklet.
• Recommend removing shoes when entering the property and leaving them at the entrance.
• Consider providing cleaning and disinfecting products for guests to use, along with instructions; antibacterial handwash and additional hygiene products are also nice  to have on hand for guests