2020 will go down as the year that changed everything. COVID-19 changed how we do business, go to school, travel, dine-out, and just about everything else. Thanks to the promise of vaccinations, we can expect to resume life outside our homes sometime in the coming months.

What we need to realize is that this virus altered the paradigm for hospitality businesses permanently. The new-normal for Airbnb travelers will remain at pandemic level cleanliness long after the coronavirus is under control. If we're not ready to maintain the new standards, our guests may lose trust in alternative lodging options.

What a guest formerly considered acceptable Airbnb cleaning standards, they now regard with a new layer of scrutiny. Any subpar level of cleanliness that may have been tolerable to our guests in the past is deemed unacceptable today. So, how do we ensure our Airbnb is "pandemic clean"?

disinfect everything

This statement seems rather obvious, but it's an absolute necessity. Not only does disinfecting need to take place, but our guests need to know how and when we completed it. It's not enough to say we sanitized a unit. Visual proof should accompany our claims.

how we clean

What are the best practices and procedures for the new standard of cleanliness? The first order of business is ensuring the thorough sanitization of our Airbnb units.

Gone are the days of housekeepers merely wiping down surfaces with the rag hanging from their cart. Today's Airbnb cleaning requires the use of hospital-grade disinfectants on all surfaces using disposable wipes. Pay special attention to all significant touchpoints like door handles, remote controls, and hair dryers.

Another area of concern is the linens. Pandemic level clean requires a commercial laundry service. Dropping the towels and sheets into an in-house washer and dryer doesn't provide the same level of sanitization as a commercial laundry service.

The final step in the disinfecting process involves using new cleaning technology. An electrostatic sprayer allows for touchless sanitization of the entire unit. This technology does more than disinfect surfaces - it showcases our investment in the safety of our guests.

proven clean

Providing visual evidence of cleaning procedures builds trust with our guests. When you enter a bathroom and see a sanitary banner across the toilet seat, psychologically, you believe it's clean.

The same psychology applies when a guest sees a signed, dated, and timed personal note from the housekeeper. It says that someone took care and pride in cleaning the unit.

Printed signage on the bed and bathroom countertop should advertise commercially cleaned linens. Also, use signs near the entrance informing guests of new cleaning technologies and HEPA air filters.

Provide as much confirmation as necessary to bolster guest's confidence in our commitment to their safety.

sanitizing amenities

Having hand sanitizer dispensers throughout our Airbnb is another no-brainer. Hand sanitizer says that we care and want to keep them protected. What are some next-level amenities that deliver the message of cleanliness?

• Place a UV light sanitizer box on the nightstand that doubles as a phone charger. Store the TV remote in the box between stays. The remote is notoriously the most unsanitary item in the room.

• Store the hairdryer in a sealed clear bag indicating sanitization. A hairdryer is an appliance often disregarded in the cleaning process.

• Provide disinfecting wipe dispensers in the bathrooms.

Sanitizing amenities reinforce the proof of our commitment to cleanliness and the safety of our guests.

an eye and nose for detail

In the hospitality business, it's not clean if it doesn't look and feel clean. Have you ever pulled back the bedspread in a hotel to discover wrinkled sheets? If so, the first thing that comes to your mind is likely that the sheets are dirty.

Situations like wrinkled sheets are why it's essential to pay attention to the details in our Airbnb. Speaking of sheets, what about when you see dark colored or worn sheets? Your reaction is probably one of suspicion leading you to question other aspects of the room.

Now think about your reaction when you see crisply pressed white sheets. White produces a sense of cleanliness and honesty. It says, "they're not trying to hide anything here!"

The same detail applies to your sense of smell. If there's a heavily perfumed scent in the room, it announces a possibility that the host is covering up something. Ideally, a clean unit shouldn't require the addition of any deodorizer. People can recognize the smell of cleanliness. Let them get a whiff of how clean we are.

the washbnb difference

washbnb was born in the COVID-19 world to help solve some of Airbnb host's and managers' difficulties. Our linen service and laundering process are designed around WHO, CDC, and OSHA guidelines to keep you, your guests, and employees safe.

If you want professionally laundered linens using a COVID-19 eliminating process with a 99.999% effective rate against all pathogens, washbnb is the clean you can trust.

The washbnb process is easy. Become a member and get clean, pressed, and folded luxury linens delivered on a schedule based on your reservations. Each time your Airbnb is cleaned, just toss the used linens into a provided bag, and we'll pick them up. It's that simple!

Can you think of a better way to ensure the linens in your Airbnb are pandemic clean?

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