Covid-19 Practices and Procedures For Cleaning
As the world reopens for travel, obviously you will be more concerned than ever about the cleanliness of your holiday accommodation. Being totally committed to your safety and in an effort to help you relax while staying at The Hideaway, we've compiled this list of comprehensive cleaning and disinfecting guidelines, which we follow in addition to our usual high standards of cleanliness.
These guidelines are based on publicly available information from the World Health Organization (WHO).
General Advice
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has created a need to take additional cleaning and disinfection measures to help prevent its spread and help ensure the safety of our holidaymakers.
We Commit To:
Using accurate, reputable sources of information including the WHO, and local authorities
Make sure we follow local regulations, where applicable
Have a proactive plan to manage and minimise the risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and similar events, such as a prevention of spread of infection plan
Implement an enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of the property between stays
Communicate to our guests, measures implemented, both pre-stay and during stay here
Cleaning and Disinfection
Equipment
Cleaning tools and personal protective equipment (PPE)
Cleaning equipment will be cleaned and disinfected before and after use to minimise the risk of contamination
Cleaning products, personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools will be in good condition and supplied appropriately for the size and usage of the apartment. Each apartment will have its own separate cleaning equipment box
Personal protective equipment (PPE) typically includes disposable single-use gloves, masks and shoe covers, as well as reusable eye protection will be worn by ourselves
Any single-use equipment will be disposed of safely after use
Cleaning equipment typically includes brushes, sponges, microfiber rags and mops with replaceable heads
All equipment should be fit for purpose, and approved or recommended by the local authorities
Cleaners and Training
The considerations below apply to anyone cleaning or maintaining our property
They will be trained on how to use and care for and properly dispose of personal protective equipment (PPE)
They will be trained on properly using cleaning, disinfecting and chemical products (e.g. germicides) and on safe waste disposal
Will always use fit-for-purpose PPE during the cleaning process
Single-use PPE will be safely disposed of to minimise risk of contamination
Will avoid touching their face during the cleaning process, as well as any unnecessary contact with surfaces, including personal belongings
Will implement enhanced hand hygiene (washing both hands and forearms for at least twenty seconds) before and after removing gloves
Cleaning and Disinfection Process
General Principles
Cleaning and disinfecting are two different steps in the overall process, and both are required to lower the risk of contamination.
Cleaning removes germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces or objects, by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection.
Sanitising lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.
Prevent cross contamination by using specific equipment by area (room, bathroom, kitchen)
The process will be planned to start with lowest risk areas (bedroom, living room) to highest risk areas (kitchen, bathroom)
We have a cleaning checklist to help ensure completion
Ventilate our property during and after the process
Cleaning Process
Our apartments will be cleaned with water and suitable detergent (WHO)
A detergent or soap and water will be used, and left to act for enough time, usually 3 to 5 minutes (WHO)
All surfaces will be rinsed and dried to remove all products
All cleaning equipment will be cleaned and disinfected at the end of use
Disinfection Process
We will disinfect using the appropriate chemical per area
We will follow manufacturer's instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products utilised (concentration, application method and contact time, etc.). Additionally, diluted household bleach solutions (at least 1000ppm sodium hypochlorite) is allowed to be used if appropriate for the surface
We will follow manufacturer's instructions for application, ensuring a contact time of at least 1 minute, and allowing proper ventilation during and after application. We will check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date
We will prioritise high-touch surfaces such as -
Door handles
Controls and switches (e.g. light switches, cooking controls, television controls)
Bathroom taps, toilet flush handles, toilet seats
Utensils, cutlery and crockery
Furniture such as chairs, tables and parts of the bed frames
Children facilities
Linen, including those that appear unused
Refuse, recycling bins and any waste disposal containers
Cleaning equipment
Our Linen Management
We will minimise handling of used linen to minimise risk of contamination, particularly shaking it
We use a professional laundry for washing linen at the highest temperature, and this will be completely dry before storing
We store clean linen away from used linen