PRLA Restaurant & Lodging Matters Summer 2020

30 •  PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters  •  Summer 2020 The Future of Hotel Housekeeping Post-Pandemic By Ecolab ECOLAB HELPS BUSINESSES around the world operate efficiently, optimize water use, keep food safe, and protect public health. Its team uses science, technology and data-driven insights to drive sustainability and improve business performance. As a global leader in infection prevention solutions and expertise, Ecolab has been on the forefront of providing sanitation best practices and protocols for the hospitality industry. Since early January, Ecolab has been working with customers around the world to help reduce the risks associated with this pandemic, with a particular focus on the lodging industry. As the global economy begins to reopen, social distancing, and sanitation need to become a visible priority for business—cleaning is no longer a behind the scenes operation. Hotels, restaurants, office buildings, cruises, and other physical locations will need to build trust in how they approach their restart, and that starts with the basics of what a sanitary environment looks like. While there will certainly be changes to housekeeping as a result of the pandemic, it is important to note that most hotels already had stringent cleaning and sanitizing procedures in place prior to the pandemic. We anticipate seeing two primary shifts from a lodging industry when it comes to the future of housekeeping: 1. First, there will be a focus on re-training staff to ensure that they are following updated procedures for cleaning and disinfecting guest rooms. These trainings will ensure that all areas of a guest room—even those that are rarely touched— are properly disinfected using EPA approved disinfectants. For example, while standard hotel protocols focus on bathroom facilities and high touch areas, new protocol will require housekeepers to disinfect all hard surfaces. There will also be an emphasis on ensuring that disinfecting products are used correctly. Training should specify how products should be applied to surfaces and how long products must remain on a surface to properly disinfect. 2. Second, much of what was once done ‘behind the scenes’ when it comes to cleaning of guest rooms and common areas throughout a hotel will now become more visible and transparent. We anticipate our lodging customers will also communications proactively to guests on how rooms are disinfected, and more cleanings will take place throughout the day versus during off-peak times. Last month, the EPA expanded their list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS- CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The EPA’s full