I just wanted to reach out to you all and let you know that we are addressing the COVID-19 and what the Sweeping Change standards for cleaning are and what products we use to ensure your property is in the best care.  Please let me know if you would like to schedule your spring clean so we can disinfect your property to the CDC recommended levels.  While we’ve seen a few guest cancellations, I believe that guests will increasingly prefer to travel domestically, drive to their destination, and stay in our professionally cleaned homes.

The processes and requirements we already have in place lead to exceptionally clean homes.

Please see the links below for lists of cleaning products that are particularly effective in preventing virus transmission: (we are using the recommended products)

• Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fighting Products – full list from the Center for Biocide Chemistries
• 100+ products that will work against the Coronavirus

As always, when cleaning a home, I insist on wearing gloves. And as a reminder, the following elements are part of our standard checklists for cleaning homes:

1. Wipe down light switches, lamps, cupboard handles, doorknobs, banisters, remotes, and thermostats. These are areas guests have likely touched, so it’s important to wipe them down.
2. Run all of your dishes and flatware through the dishwasher.
3. Sanitize/disinfect high-traffic areas like bathroom toilets, sinks and trash cans.
4. Wipe down all appliances, electronics, and provided amenities.
5. Run all available linens through the laundry.
6. Ensure all items you use to clean the home are also clean and in working order.

How experts say to protect yourself against the Coronavirus
There’s a lot of recent alarming news, so it’s important to know the facts. The reality is that the recommendations from the CDC to help prevent illness follow the same common-sense guidelines for avoiding the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth – especially after touching an unclean surface.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Frequently clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing – here’s how the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing hands correctly.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.

Both the CDC and WHO do not recommend the use of masks, since the virus is not airborne.

What happens if a State of Emergency or quarantine is declared in an area where I have a cleaning job?
State of Emergency declarations are typically done for local governments to secure disaster response funding, and do not actually restrict travel. However, I am monitoring the situation, as well as local/national government response. If a particular area is restricted by the government, we may see cancellations of housekeeping jobs.

Thank you for working with us to help prevent infection, keep you and our staff safe, and ensure our guests receive peace of mind by experiencing a professional clean in every home, every stay, every time.