COVID-19 Cleaning Protocols and Badges for Vacation Rentals

Ensuring that your vacation rental is Covid-19 free will be essential to regain the trust of travelers. Major hospitality brands such as Marriott and Airbnb and tourism boards are introducing cleanliness initiatives and badges to ease travelers’ fears.

Read on to discover the initiatives that are being presented, how to implement them and find out if they can really help you increase bookings after lockdown.

Airbnb’s Enhanced Cleaning Initiative

Airbnb is currently working with leading experts in hospitality and medical hygiene to develop a new cleaning protocol for Airbnb hosts. Their Enhanced Cleaning Initiative includes an overarching standardized protocol for cleaning and sanitation, a 24-72-hour period between stays requirement and a learning and certification program. Guests will be able to identify and book accommodations included in this program.

Vrbo’s new cleaner vacation rental program

Vrbo has also introduced a new program to help travelers find clean and sanitized vacation rentals. Their program includes cleanliness guidelines that have been developed with government, travel industry and medical experts and new search filters that will guide guests to the right property.

Vacation rental property owners will be able to indicate in their property editors if the property is cleaned with disinfectant and if they offer contactless check-in. Travelers will also be able to search for properties that have positive reviews about cleanliness.

What major hotel brands are doing

Major hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton are introducing their own sanitation and cleaning initiatives that range from badges, stickers, contactless check-in to heavy-duty disinfectant sprayers.

Here are the procedures that have been announced so far:

  • Hilton: CleanStay with Lysol Protection – They’ve partnered with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol to enhance their cleaning and disinfection protocols. They will also use sticker seals on doors to point out that rooms have been deep cleaned and no one has entered the room since.
  • Marriott & Hyatt: Cleanliness Councils – Both companies have created a council to review procedures in place for all aspects of hotel staff and guest experiences. They will be rolling out new cleaning technologies, such as electrostatic sprayers that use hospital-grade disinfectants to sanitize surfaces. Hyatt will also have a trained Hygiene Manager at every property to conduct regular audits.
  • Accor: New Cleanliness Label – They’ve partnered with Bureau Veritas, an inspection company, to develop a label certifying that their properties and premises meet health and sanitation standards.
  • American Hotel & Lodging Association: Safe Stay Council – The American Hotel & Lodging Association has created the Safe Stay Council with representatives from major hotel brands, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Accor to align and make sure to implement norms, behaviors, and standards across the entire industry.

The VRMA & VRHP SafeHome Campaign

In addition, the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals (VRHP), a subsidiary of the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA), has also released a series of recommendations for vacation rental owners and property managers.

The SafeHome campaign empowers its members to adopt and execute safe travel standards, as well as openly communicate with guests and employees about the precautions they are taking to help keep them safe and healthy.

COVID-19 Free Badges

Hospitality brands aren’t the only ones redefining cleanliness standards. Tourism boards and Governments have also started releasing badges that owners can use to ensure guests that their properties meet cleanliness standards.

Singapore’s “SG Clean” badge

Singapore’s Tourism Board launched the SG clean stamp for hotels and tourist attractions that meet seven criteria, including having processes in place to check guests’ temperatures.

Spain’s “Safe Tourism Certified” badge

The Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality, which has the support of the Secretary of State for Tourism and the Autonomous Communities have created a series of protocols to reopen hospitality businesses, as well as a badge to indicate that the property has been audited and follows the right cleaning processes.

Portugal’s “Clean & Safe” badge

Similarly, Portugal has also released the “Clean & Safe” seal to certify that properties affiliated with Visit Portugal have appropriate cleaning procedures.

Other cleaning & sanitized badges

Although we do recommend to follow CDC guidelines and industry protocols, we also recommend highlighting these protocols on your listing descriptions, social accounts and your own website.

We’ve created a bundle of resources that can help you create these resources. You’ll find a cleaning checklist, cleaning protocol printable template and cleaning protocol template to use on your online platforms.

Guests will feel at ease and will know they have nothing to worry about when staying in your vacation rental.

What cleaning protocol are you implementing and how are you communicating it to your guests? Leave us a comment below!

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Show Comments (3)
  1. cleaningcertification.com is a thorough and trusted cleaning course that we are using for our current standards.

  2. Very nice article!
    Is there a way to implement in Lodgify the gap period between bookings that Airbnb requires according to their Enhanced Cleaning Initiative that you mentioned?
    Thank you!

  3. I have worked with my housekeeper on changing the way we clean! Now on top the ordinary check out cleaning standards we pay attention to the following points:
    – First clean then disinfect with Dettol.
    – Ventilate the house for longer time
    – Focus on the surfaces that are touched more: door handles, switches etc..
    – Wash linen at higher temperatures
    – Work with gloves while cleaning
    – Keep the distance to the guests
    – Have a 24 h window between bookings.

    Knowing that there is not going to be a safe place whatsoever, I am hoping that this is enough to at least try to give it a safe look, for both staff and guests sake.
    I also post this new procedures on all the property SOME and of course on the website. I continue pushing trough sponsored SOME posts about this and about the discounted rates & long stays prices, finally referring back to the my website, also trough lnkbio platform.

    Lots of work. But I am positive! I think I will just survive the summer with local market, but it will be all last-minute business!

    Good luck to us all!
    With Love
    Rosalie

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