Whether you’re welcoming local guests, travellers, or frontline medical workers, making sure your rental property protects your guests as well as yourself is incredibly important. That’s why we’ve created an updated cleaning routine based on insight and recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Are you opening up your rental properties for short- or long-term tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic? We’ve put together a guide on how to enforce the strict sanitization standards offered by Toronto Luxury Suites.
The Need to Clean: Why Are Strict Standards More Important Than Ever?
As a rental property owner operating during the pandemic, revisiting your cleaning routine should be at the top of your to-do list. Disinfecting your property before and after guests is not only critical to lowering the likelihood of infection among guests—it helps keep you and your loved ones safe as well.
Performing a deep clean between guests is a hassle. But neglecting to do so is dangerous, especially when the virus can survive on select surfaces for several days. That’s why, to operate responsibly, rental property owners must ensure that frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, remote controls, railings, light switches, and many others are cleaned and sanitized between reservations.
Another reason to update your cleaning routine is to attract more tenants. Whether for business or pleasure, relocating during a pandemic is stressful. Potential guests are more likely to consider your Key Biscayne apartments rental property if you offer a guarantee of cleanliness.
Toronto, for example, has millions of annual tourists. These visitors expect Toronto’s furnished apartments to offer rigid standards of cleanliness that may not be guaranteed through home-sharing platforms like Airbnb.
Follow Our Step-By-Step Cleaning Guide
1. Protect Yourself With the Right Equipment
The first step to your new cleaning routine should be to put on personal protective gear. Items such as disposable gloves, masks, and aprons or gowns help keep you safe. Try not to touch your face while cleaning to prevent the spread of germs.
2. Remember to Wash Your Hands—Properly!
Don’t forget to wash your hands before and after cleaning, including before you put on and immediately after you remove disposable gloves. Proper handwashing techniques include the use of soap and lathering for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.
3. Make Sure the Room Is Well-Ventilated
The CDC recommends ventilating rooms before, during, and after your cleaning routine. You can do this easily by opening doors or windows and turning on fans while cleaning. This ensures the safe and effective use of disinfectants.
4. Clean Before Sanitizing
There’s a difference between cleaning and sanitizing. While cleaning is the act of removing impurities such as dirt, sanitizing is the use of chemicals against germs and bacteria. Use soap and water first to decrease the amount of the virus on surfaces, then follow up with a disinfectant to lower the risk of exposure.
5. Choose an Approved Disinfectant
Make sure to use a disinfectant that has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use against SARS-CoV-2. To find whether your household disinfectant is listed, visit the CDC’s website and enter the first two sets of its EPA registration number into the search bar. Remember to use paper towels, disposable wipes, or a new cleaning cloth for each guest.
6. Pay Attention to Frequently Touched Surfaces
When cleaning and disinfecting, pay close attention to surfaces that guests are most likely to come into frequent contact with, such as light switches, remote controls, faucets, doorknobs, countertops, and more. Remember to use paper towels, disposable wipes, or a new cleaning cloth for each guest.
7. Put the Washing Machine on High Heat
Review the manufacturer’s label for your linens and set your washing machine to the highest recommended heat setting. Always wear gloves when collecting laundry (this includes towels, bed sheets, blankets, and mattress covers). Avoid agitating the cloth unnecessarily, which may increase the spread of germs.
How to Help Guests Protect Themselves
Another way to protect guests who rent your Toronto furnished apartment is to make sure your rental property is well-stocked with the following hygienic items:
- Hand soap
- Hand sanitizer
- Paper towels
- Tissues
- Toilet paper
Reducing the Risk of Infection Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Just like you, guests want to take extra steps to reduce the likelihood of infection. You can ease their anxieties by following our step-by-step guidelines as well as taking other precautions, such as social distancing and avoiding any routine maintenance procedures during the length of their stay.
