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Feb. 17, 2016 — During the winter, the general public spends more time indoors due to colder temperatures and inclement weather. Places like airports, hotels, and public transportation can become a breeding ground for illness-causing germs due to the increased number of people spending more time there. Hotel staff should take note of this increase in the spread of germs during cold and flu season and have a strong cleaning and disinfectant program to prevent guests and staff from becoming ill.
Germs can be lurking anywhere — even in 4 or 5-star hotels. A recent study by Travel Math found that the most significant spots for germs were high touchpoint areas like bathroom counters (1,011,670 colony-forming units in 5-star hotels) and TV remote controllers (2,002,300 colony-forming units in 5-star hotels).
Many hotels have their own differing cleaning programs, but it is crucial to include touchpoint disinfection as a routine part of this program. Common touchpoint areas include phones, TV remotes, bathroom fixtures, and soft surfaces like furniture and bedding. Paying close attention to these areas will help prevent the spread of illness-causing germs.
Surfaces that are touched frequently by guests such as light switches, doorknobs, phones, remotes, and bathroom fixtures should be disinfected at least one time every day. Influenza and staphylococcus germs can survive on surfaces for hours, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for guests and staff to contract an illness from these surfaces. It is important to use products that are EPA-registered to kill germs.
When guests walk into hotel rooms that carry strong or even faint odors, the rooms appear to be unclean. Some odors are hard to get rid of, like urine or smoke. Hotel cleaning managers can empower their staff to remove these odors by choosing an aerosol product with active ingredients to remove the odors directly from the air by eliminating the odor-causing molecule.
In bathrooms, odors can be especially persistent on porous and damp surfaces like tile grout, which can trap bacteria that feeds on urine. In humid or wet conditions, the odor can also be reactivated. Using a ready-to-use hydrogen-based cleaner is the best choice for removing stains and breaking down the odor-causing uric acid. Ready-to-use formulas don’t require dilution, making them quick and easy to use.
Hotels change and launder sheets and linens after each guest, but other soft surfaces like curtains, carpet, and upholstered furniture can hold odors. In between launderings, refresh and sanitize these surfaces by using a one-step, multi-use product.
This article was posted as a blog by Betco Corp.
