Cleaning Services and Coronavirus Disinfection for Dallas-Fort Worth Hotels

5/26/2020 (Permalink)

Cleaning Services for Hotels

Businesses across the state are gradually reopening after lockdown due to public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Governor’s office has identified lodging an “essential service.”

Even with the governor’s blessing, some Texas hotels have perhaps opted to close or partially close their buildings to guests in compliance with local government orders or directives from corporate headquarters.

Whether a hotel remained open all along or plans to reopen soon, enhancing property cleaning and disinfection procedures is necessary to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. 

Like airports, hotels bring in people from all over who may unknowingly carry the virus. Unlike retailers where patrons shop and go, hotel guests stay for 24 hours or longer increasing the chances of spreading germs.

Because lodging operations experience increased exposure, it’s important to have effective hotel cleaning services. SERVPRO of North Richland Hills is here to support proactive health and safety measures for your properties with advice and commercial cleaning services.

Basic Hotel Infection Prevention Measures

Hotels are known for the art of hospitality including comprehensive housekeeping practices, so you likely already have a rigorous cleaning regimen.

With added Coronavirus concerns, it is important to modify your current standard operating procedure by adopting recommendations from authoritative agencies such as the CDC and American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Recommendation Summary

• Promote increased handwashing by employees and guests with signage.
• Post reminders of respiratory etiquette (cover coughs and sneezes).

(Multilanguage notices are helpful for a diverse clientele.)

• Provide tissues and touch-free hand sanitizer dispensers for the public in key areas of the property. (Product should contain at least 60% alcohol.) 
• Outline “stay at home” and self-quarantine policies for sick employees.
• Discourage employees from sharing devices and equipment wherever possible.
• Remove or reduce courtesy phones. Regularly disinfect the remaining phones.
• Increase guest turnover time to allow more time for thorough cleaning.

Even the cleanest of properties with stellar hotel cleaning services should adjust their practices to mitigate the spread of the virus. Consult the available resources and confer with your staff to create a plan that works best for the special needs of your properties.

Increased Safety Procedures 

Additional Precautions

• Make the reception desk as contact-free as possible. Use whatever available technology you have to minimize employee-customer proximity.
• Raise awareness of your proactive measures including indications that items in the room have been sanitized.
• Increased cleaning of “high touch” areas. “Last cleaned” charts will help keep track of this.
• Post reminders of social distancing practices.
• If pools and gyms remain open, post what your guests can do to keep those areas sanitary. (Temporary closure of these amenities may be better.)
• Buffets and banquets are prone to germs and cross-contamination. Consider putting these configurations on a hold temporarily. Provide individually served and packaged items instead. (“Grab and go.”)

Social Distancing Efforts for Dallas-Fort Worth Hotels

Social distancing continues to be a primary proactive measure against the spread of the Coronavirus. Below are some suggestions on how to maximize efforts.

• Limit how many people can occupy rooms at a time.
• Close or limit occupancy for meeting rooms.
• Encourage guests to keep their distance from staff and use automated check-in methods instead.
• Stagger worker schedules and have employees work remotely whenever possible. Discourage personnel from lingering after shifts and remind them to maintain distance as much as possible.
• Promote contactless room deliveries and coordinate the hotel cleaning staff to have minimal contact with guests and wear PPE (personal protective equipment) as needed.

How to Clean and Disinfect a Hotel Room

Customers staying on the premises longer than they would other businesses (like retailers) means enhanced cleaning procedures are needed.

Below are some cleaning guidelines to consider adding to your protocol.

Hotel Room

• Prep dirty surfaces by first cleaning them with soap and water. This removes excess germs and exposes remaining germs so that the disinfectant can be most effective.
• Use EPA-registered household disinfectants that are effective against the class of viruses related to COVID-19. (Be sure to completely read and follow label instructions for each product).
• Bleach or alcohol solutions may be used as an alternative disinfectant.
• Expired or some laundry bleach products will not be effective as a disinfectant.
• Dilute the bleach as directed, and use in a ventilated area.
• Do not combine bleach with other cleaners.
• Leave bleach solution on surfaces for at least one full minute.

• Regularly clean “soft surfaces” (carpets, rugs, and drapes) by removing visible soiling and then apply the appropriate cleaners.
• Make sure electronic devices in rooms are regularly sanitized according to manufacturer instructions or with alcohol-based wipes/sprays that contain at least 70% alcohol to disinfect “high touch” surfaces. Make sure these surfaces are completely dried.

Hotel Laundry 

Laundry items are prone to harboring germs, so it’s important to enhance washing practices.

• Avoid shaking out linens. This will release germs into the air.
• Wash items according to manufacturer’s instructions with the appropriate detergents. Wash with the warmest water setting allowed and allow items to dry completely before use. 
• Hampers and laundry carts should also be regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Should you ever have a special case of soft material contamination, SERVPRO of North Richland Hills offers bioremediation laundry cleaning services with our advanced technology Esporta system.

Choose Our Experts for Hotel Cleaning Services in Dallas-Fort Worth 

SERVPRO of North Richland Hills is here to support you with hotel cleaning services including Fort Worth carpet cleaning services and professional air duct cleaning.

• We are a trusted name in commercial cleaning for the DFW area with 34 years of superior cleaning and sanitation services.
• 24/7 operations to respond to emergencies (confirmed case of COVID-19 on-site) and flexibility to work around your operating schedule.
• We have attended sites with confirmed COVID-19 cases and professionally cleaned thousands of square feet affected by the virus. Our IICRC trained technicians and industrial disinfectants are trusted by first responders, airports, homes, and many types of businesses (shipping, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.). We’re fully prepared to be your hotel cleaning company.
• SERVPROXIDE (SERVPRO’s proprietary cleaning agent) is an EPA-certified, hospital-grade disinfectant that has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) on hard (non-porous) surfaces.

• Facility refresh services include:
• Air duct cleaning with new A/C filters
• HEPA air scrubbing
• Upholstery cleaning
• Carpet cleaning

We’re here to answer any questions you may have about the special needs of your properties, cleaning products, and procedures related to COVID-19. We also offer a complimentary consultation!

Call us anytime at (817) 589-1499. You may also submit your inquiry by using our quick and easy contact form anytime.