General guidelines on enhanced cleaning

You need to implement enhanced cleaning efforts during the COVID-19 crisis.

• All employees must regularly check and note changes in the official guidelines and apply updates to their own cleaning strategy.

• It is the responsibility of the COVID-19 Response Officer to regularly update the cleaning strategy of the business.

• Employers must be aware that the new guidelines are requiring more time and might need to adapt their employees and work plans.

It is mandatory to set up procedures for effectively and safely cleaning areas that have been visited by a person confirmed or suspected of being infected with COVID-19.

Also, you must develop procedures to handle potentially contaminated waste and other materials.

All employees should wear PPE when cleaning and be trained on how to safely clean potentially infected areas.

The following guidelines are mandatory:

• Clean and disinfect all common surfaces and furniture regularly: At least every 4-6 hours and more often if the number of tourists, visitors or guests is high.

• Textile surfaces, such as furniture upholstery, should be cleaned with a steaming device, if used frequently or having been touched or used by visitors intensively.

• Intensive cleaning of textile surfaces is necessary for furniture with headrests.

• Disinfect all high-touch points very often, at least every hour. Cleaning can happen less frequently if areas are not too busy.

• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces, fixtures and loose items provided to tourists, visitors and clients.

• For hotels and accommodation service providers, repeated cleaning of rooms during the guests’ stay should be ceased and only carried out if requested by the guest.

• It is mandatory that PPE is worn by those doing the cleaning: Gloves and face mask, disposable gowns and closed and sturdy shoes.

• If doing cleaning that generate splashes, a facial protection with a face shield and impermeable aprons must be used.

• Ensure that potentially contaminated waste is handled safely.

• It is recommended to install sterilisation mats at entrances to disinfect shoes upon entry.

• Sterilising luggage upon arrival, by using an electrostatic fogger, can minimise the risk of transmission, but should only be done if contamination is suspected.

• If guests’ luggage is handled by designated hotel personnel, only, or by the guests themselves, sterilisation of the guests’ luggage is not mandatory.

• It is recommended that guests carry their own luggage.

• If employees are carrying guests’ luggage, it is mandatory that all employees use adequate PPE and follow basic hygiene protocols.