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CLEANING THAT'S NOT JUST IMPORTANT BUT VITAL TO LIFE
ENSURING YOU HAVE THE BEST TOOLS FOR A THOROUGH CLEAN
Liz Smith-Mills is an Expert Advisory Council member for P&G Professional. With over 35 years' experience in the hospitality sector, she has worked predominantly in 4 and 5 star properties in all hotel departments, specialising in housekeeping, training, mystery guest inspections and assisting with new openings.
The hospitality industry has witnessed an evolution of its cleaning practices over the last decade. Prior to the pandemic, housekeeping focused on an “aesthetical” clean - making an establishment look immaculate. However, given the most recent events and customers' ever-growing awareness of hygiene and cleanliness, there is no room for error in the current climate. Today, businesses must go above and beyond to deliver the standards customers expect at a professional level, and communicate this effectively.
Before the pandemic, research by P&G Professional, the away-from home division of Procter and Gamble, found that 78% of hotel guests believe cleanliness is the most important factor affecting their choice of where to stay* - with a fresh smelling bedroom and an immaculate bathroom topping the “most appealing attributes when looking for a bedroom” list.
However, new research from the brand this year has revealed that 77% of guests would be willing to pay more if they knew the hotel used a manufacturer/brand of cleaning products they personally knew and trusted**.
Whilst the hospitality industry largely open, many hotels, B&Bs and guest houses remain closed and will be undertaking thorough cleans as they prepare to welcome guests in the new year. A deep clean will be necessary not just in terms of infection prevention, but also training - this is an opportunity to look at cleaning procedures and ensure you and your teams, however large or small, are equipped with the right tools.
To ensure guest safety upon reopening, businesses should follow government guidance*** like focusing on cleaning of all hand contact surfaces in rooms such as light switches; bedside tables, remote controls, taps, flush handles and toilet seats. Establishing good cleaning practices is key to infection prevention.
From a training and tools perspective, consider using the UKHA Housekeeping Toolkit, offering a clear process for accommodation managers to follow, alongside the innovative and easy-to-use cleaning systems and solutions from P&G Professional. The recognisable brands such as Fairy, Flash and Ariel are effective in preventing the spread of germs, killing 99.99% of coronaviruses and bacteria****, and are safe and simple to use with clear usage instructions - empowering staff to feel confident that they are getting the job done right first time.
Moving forward, it will be vital to ensure guests feel comfortable and welcome in the "New Normal", and transparency surrounding your practices will serve this well.
P&G Professional recently announced its CleanPLUS Experience - an initiative to support businesses in communicating hygiene and cleanliness management in a post-COVID world, which is available in sticker form or as a digital asset for website use. This seal of approval as a mark of reassurance for guests that hygiene and cleanliness is being managed effectively ahead of, and during, their stay.
The hospitality industry has always survived on reputation and P&G Professional is committed to helping businesses capture the value of clean for infection prevention with a wealth of knowledge to help rebuild customer confidence.
To learn more about P&G Professional and its professional cleaning products please visit www.pgpro.co.uk or call 0800 716 854.
Also see this article on common cleaning conundrums for 2021 (click below to read it):
Common cleaning conundrums - Key areas for concern in 2021 by Liz Smith-Mills
* Research carried out by OnePoll in July 2019 amongst a sample of 2000 British adults.
** Research conducted by CMK Procter & Gamble Professional, carried out in May 2020 with 800 regular hotels’ guests, frequent travelers who stay in hotels at least four times a year for business or leisure purposes.
***All government guidance is accessible via (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/hotels-and-other-guest-accommodation).
**** All enveloped viruses based on EN14476 (5min contact time). Not tested on SARS-Cov-2. Bacteria based on EN1276/EN13697. Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
For information about joining the B&B Association, click the 'Join now' button below:
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