Having a clean vacation rental can be a huge draw for Airbnb guests. That’s why the company’s enhanced cleaning initiative is such a crucial program.
Hosts who enroll in the enhanced cleaning initiative will need to complete a quiz and agree to a “hosting cleaning commitment.” They’ll get a highlight on their listing page and a sticker confirming they’re committed to cleaning.
Preparation
Creating a safe and clean space is important to Airbnb hosts. That’s why the company has launched a five-step cleaning process that’s designed to help guests stay healthy during their vacation rentals.
The first step in the process is preparation. This includes reading all of the instructions on Airbnb’s website and making sure that you’ve done everything necessary to prepare your property for guests. It also means doing the proper checks and making sure that everything is in working order.
Once you’ve completed the preparation phase, you’ll need to take a quiz and complete an attestation that says you’re committed to following the enhanced cleaning protocol. This way, you’ll be able to display the badge on your listing and show your guests that you are committed to providing a clean and safe space for them.
As part of the Enhanced Cleaning initiative, Airbnb has also released a 38-page handbook that outlines new cleaning and sanitizing guidelines for hosts to follow. These guidelines were created in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and experts including former US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
According to the handbook, hosts should always wear head-to-toe personal protective equipment (PPE) when working around their properties and rewash dishes and other items after each use. They should also follow room-by-room checklists and reset their rooms after each guest leaves.
Airbnb has said that the program has already helped to ease traveler fears during the novel coronavirus pandemic, with nearly 1.5 million listings now enrolled in the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol. Guests who book with hosts enrolled in the program say they are three times more likely to make a booking than those that don’t.
Hosts who don’t want to commit to the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol can still opt into an alternative 72-hour Booking Buffer program, which signals to guests that they’ll have to wait at least 72 hours between reservations. That’s a less strict measure than the enhanced cleaning program, but it can reassure would-be travelers that their accommodations are safe to stay in during the pandemic.
The Enhanced Cleaning Protocol is one of many safety measures Airbnb has implemented to ensure that its platform remains safe and trustworthy for hosts and guests. The company has taken other measures, such as requiring all hosts and guests to wear masks and maintain social distance while interacting with each other. During the coronavirus outbreak, Airbnb has also emphasized the importance of good hygiene and taking extra precautions to prevent spreading the virus.
Cleaning
Airbnb Enhanced Cleaning is an initiative that provides guidelines for hosts to follow when they clean their vacation rental. It helps to keep guests safe, as well as boost guest reviews and bookings.
The first step of the process is to prepare your home for a stay, which includes ensuring that all linens are washed and that all surfaces are cleaned properly. This is important to do, since it ensures that the guest has a clean and sanitary space to rest in.
To help hosts learn about the new protocols, Airbnb has launched a 38-page handbook and 18-page starter guide to teach them how to use personal protective equipment and how to sanitize rooms. Its guidelines were developed in partnership with the CDC and experts including former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
After completing the educational content, host can take an online quiz to commit to the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol. Once they pass this, they will be given a cleaning highlight on their listing page and a sticker that confirms that they are “committed to clean” which can be displayed at their property.
This process is an extra precaution that Airbnb has taken to protect guests and hosts during the coronavirus pandemic. It is a five-step protocol that hosts must follow to ensure that their listings are ready for any guests who arrive.
Hosts must complete the five steps before November 20 to guarantee that they will be able to accommodate guests during this period of time. Otherwise, their accounts may be subject to warnings, suspensions, or removal.
For those who are not able to comply with this process, there is still the option of adding a booking buffer. This buffer will give guests the impression that their room has not been occupied for a period of time.
In addition to the cleaning protocol, Airbnb also recommends that hosts practice social distancing when they interact with their guests and wear face coverings. This can make it easier to ensure that all guests and hosts are protected from the virus and will prevent it from spreading to other guests.
Sanitizing
Before using disinfectants on surfaces, first wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. This will help to keep germs from spreading throughout your home. Once all the surfaces are sanitized, you can start to focus on high-touch areas and objects that need extra care. You can use a fine-mist spray to sanitize doors, remote controls, and other common touch points. Allow these items to air dry for optimal disinfecting results.
After the sanitizing phase of Airbnb Enhanced Cleaning, you should check each room to make sure it’s all done and ready for guests. This double-check will help to catch any maintenance issues that you may have missed. This can prevent guests from having a negative experience at your vacation rental.
Once you’ve completed all the cleaning and sanitizing, the next step is to reset your property for the next guest. This involves making beds, replacing consumables like tissues and toilet paper, and placing linens in their normal locations. This will help to avoid cross-contamination and ensure that your guests are walking into a clean, safe space.
During this phase, you should also check for any trash that may have been left behind from previous guests and dispose of it properly. It’s also important to clean out your vacuum cleaner before moving on to another property so that you’re not transferring germs between homes.
This is an especially important step if you’re hosting in an area where the coronavirus is currently spreading, as it can help to keep your property safe from the virus. You can even set up a 24-hour waiting period after a previous guest has checked out to allow for any remaining germs to settle before you begin the cleaning process.
In April, Airbnb announced a new cleaning initiative, which was designed in collaboration with health experts and outlined a five-step cleaning process. Hosts who complete the quiz and commit to the cleaning protocol can get a highlight on their listing page and a sticker confirming that they are “committed to clean.”
The program, which is available for hosts in twelve countries worldwide, is the first overarching standardized cleaning guideline in the home-sharing industry. It includes a five-step cleaning process, room-by-room checklists, and more. It’s designed to help travelers and hosts alike prepare their homes for travel and reassure governments and public health officials that home-sharing listings are safe to stay in during the coronavirus pandemic.
Resetting
The reset phase is one of the most crucial parts of an effective Airbnb-approved clean. It involves making sure that all the cleaning supplies you used are properly disposed of and set up for your next guest. It also includes resetting the beds to ensure that guests have an undisturbed night’s sleep.
The reset stage of an Airbnb-approved clean is a good time to double-check that all of the high-touch surfaces in the room are sanitized and free of debris and dust. This helps to avoid cross-contamination, which could make your guests’ stay a sluggish and unpleasant experience.
It’s also the time to go over the checklist in your handbook to be sure you don’t miss anything, and to check the room-by-room sanitizing results of the cleaning team. This will help ensure that each room was cleaned and sanitized to the highest standard possible.
Finally, it’s a good idea to check for any maintenance issues, such as faulty light fixtures or other miscellaneous items. Taking the time to ensure that all of these things are working correctly will give your guests a pleasant stay and keep you in good standing with the host community.
With the coronavirus pandemic affecting several countries, it’s a good idea to follow any local government rules or regulations that may apply to your property. This may include ensuring that you have the appropriate permits, licenses or certificates in place to operate your property, and that you’re following zoning laws and other municipal requirements for renting your home to tourists.
Airbnb rolled out a new five-step cleaning protocol and corresponding badges for hosts that meet the guidelines. This program is similar to the previous Enhanced Clean program, but requires hosts to use a new method of sanitizing their listings. In addition, it requires a much longer booking buffer.