Do you rent anything out? A nice summer home on the Cape, or maybe you have an Airbnb in Boston? Well, going forward, anyone who rents is going to look for a place that is employing a top-notch cleaning standard. They will expect you to go beyond just cleaning. Stand out from the other rentals in the area by following these five tips to up your cleaning game:
- Be sure to open the windows or fully ventilate anywhere you’re cleaning and always put on protective gear like gloves and a mask. Disposable paper towels are good to use but can be environmentally unfriendly. If you choose to use a cloth, be sure to use a new one for each guest. Follow CDC guidelines on handwashing (soap and water for at least 20 seconds) before you clean and then as soon as you take off the gloves. If you aren’t able to wash your hands, sanitize your hands with a product that has at least 60% alcohol.
- Clean couches, rugs, curtains, and other fabric surfaces with the correct product for each surface. If the manufacturer’s instructions call for it, throw it into the washing machine. You can also vacuum those surfaces. Clean out the inside of the vacuum after every time you vacuum and disinfect the outside of it. Wipe down other high contact surfaces on appliances while you’re thinking of it like the dryer, dishwasher, etc.
- Using the highest heat setting, put all blankets, towels, sheets, and mattress covers through the washing machine. Always have on gloves as you handle linens and try to move them as little as possible so you decrease the spread of germs into the air. You may not think of disinfecting the hampers and laundry bags, but that should happen too. Or use disposable bags for laundry. Throw them away after each use – wash your hands after touching them.
- To encourage renters to also stay clean during their visit, be sure they have what they need. Having extra disinfectants and cleaners on hand will help. And place more hand soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, and paper towels at your rental, too. Print out your cleaning plan and add it to the welcome basket. Resting easy is easier when you’re sure you’re in a clean environment. A bottle of wine helps, too.
- Choose the right professional disinfectant treatment to have done after guests check out and before the next one comes in. Know what you’re getting with the service, though. Are they just spraying or misting a product in? That’s really not enough to be effective. The product at full strength wiped onto high touch areas like cabinets, doors, light switches, etc. may take a little more time, but in the end it will be worth it. There are a lot of products out there, but only ones included on the EPA’s “List N” of products that meet their criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of Covid-19, will be effective on that virus right now. But it’s not the only one that’s important. You want a product that will kill 99.99% of as many fungi, viruses, and pathogenic bacteria as it can. Better yet if those include H1N1 Swine Flu and E. coli. Don’t forget that the kitchen will also be disinfected, so the service should be using something rated “no rinse required on food contact surfaces,” category D2, by NSF International. That means it can be used in kitchens and on food prep areas without having to wash/rinse the area with water after it’s applied. And there are products out there defined by the EPA as “practically non-toxic and not an irritant,” and some of them are strong enough to do everything mentioned above.
It can all be overwhelming, but guests will choose to go where they feel comfortable on vacation. That used to mean a pillow-top mattress or a rocking chair on the porch. Now, it means the cleanest and most disinfected rental. It’s definitely a shift, but as someone who rents, you will always want to give your guests what they want. Those are the renters that will stand out. When you do start looking for a professional disinfectant treatment, call Waltham Pest Services and get a free consultation for Waltham® UltiClean™. And have tip #5 with you to make sure they are up to snuff. No cutting corners on this.