Airbnb's New Cleaning Guidelines COVID

[Yiwei3]

Hi hosts,

Have you all seen the article that came out this morning regarding Airbnb's new cleaning guidelines??

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/27/business/airbnb-cleaning-coronavirus/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2020/04/27/coronavirus-airbnb-mandate-cleaning-24-hours...

[Helen427 · Accepted solution]

We'll worded @Denice24

Have you read your Public Health Act?

It should have what the standard requirements are for cleaning when someone who has had an infectious disease in your home has.

Try locate the earlier Public Health Acts from your region if you can, the pre 1950 ones are a great read & very informative 😉 

@Fred13

@Sarah977

There's some great stuff in the earlier Public Health Acts about cleaning of handkerchiefs / tissues. Heaven forbid if they ever dare include the use of masks in them..

Fred, maybe you  &  Mia could design some handkerchiefs for your guests to give to them... practical & multipurpose, used for bandages, face masks, hair pieces and loin clothes like they used to be, quite unlike masks...maybe the makers of masks want to create a MASK ISLAND in the ocean to create a unique accommodation experience, a bit like the ole PLASTIC bag floating ISLANDS we now have as that's where unfortunately single use PPE/ PEP rubbish will be disposed to.

There's a very valid reason people were gifted cotton handkerchiefs & woollen socks for birthdays & Christmas....as much and all as people got sick of receiving them they do go hand in hand with cleanliness & warmth & influenzas...and can be used many a time

[Fred13]

LoL (back from island)

[Andrea1375]

Hosts - Im interested to know who of you are going to opt in?? We should all make a stand and refuse!!

[Helen427]

@Andrea1375 @Yiwei3 @Melodie-And-John0 

See my other post re Public Health Acts, they include about Infectious Diseases & cleaning.

There's existing laws & requirements in place without an "additional" one that's not passed through Parliament & official democratic processes.

[Melodie-And-John0]

Agreed @Helen427 ,  its challenging enough to keep up with those, new rules and regs that cant be reinforced for the most part seem to be ineffective and toothless (other than the automatic gap day in their Airbnb schedule).  I will say, two days after I implemented and advertised a 24 cool down between guests until January, I got three bookings in a day, one of which mentioned that's why they booked us.  I hate the day off thing as a $$$$ business practice but it does take some of the pressure off turning them around and thats not bad either.  Stay well Helen , JR

[Fred13]

Very interesting, that one mentioned that the 12-hour 'cool down' was the reason why they booked.

[Marg11]

We have local laws about dealing with Covid19 so don't see any point of complying with rules set in countries where the pandemic is still raging. However, we are using the 24-hour airing after a guest who could be infested to stop local young people booking for a few days to get out of home and the presence of their 'work at home' parents. We would be just allowing them to break the 'stay at home' law. However, if required we can allow urgent medical, rural or FIFO guests to book as our usual 4 hour washing and cleaning is very thorough. 

[Marg11]

We haven't opted in, it is not compulsory and doesn't fit with the situation we are in. Our rating are too high to be threatened by placement issues.

I've had 3 assists with support today when locals wanted to book and the local law is 'stay at home'. There is no way we will assist young people to break the law if their parents are 'working from home' and upsetting their social life. We have a 48-hour notification with instant booking so for less notice they need to ask with a reason. We only make an exception for urgent medical treatment, rural people who are unlikely to be infected as we have a low rate of infection in Western Australia and FIFO (fly in fly out) interstate or international workers for the mines who could have the virus. So we may need the 24-hour airing but are washing mattress and pillow covers with the linen, doing extra deep cleaning and sanitising before the next guest's arrival.

The support specialists were helpful despite being very busy and accepted our refusals to book. 

If Airbnb survives the current crisis they will be pared down and may have to go back to basics.

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Andrea1375 , I'm not opting in although we have recently adopted the 24 hour between bookings at least for now.   Last year we added a third listing  (our 3 seasons Glamper) and when we had all three cleanouts in one morning it was a bit overwhelming so it may take some of the turnover pressures off when things start to pick up.  Having the time to allow the dust and Covid to settle before we enter with our Lysol aerosol a blazing isn't such a bad idea either.

Also, I don't know that taking a stand against hosting options that Airbnb is trying to offer not require will help things out for hosts.   Actually, even though most of the standards in the new cleaning policy aren't police-able (on the honor system), the 24 hour cool down period confirms to guests that the most communicable method (airborne) of catching it from the last guest can't get them.  I mentioned guest cause it really doesnt actually protect them from an infected  host/ cleaning person).    An additional cumulative benefit from lots of hosts putting in that 24 hour block between bookings will automatically limit the overflowing availability pools of spaces that have helped bring prices down before covid came to town. 

Andrea, unlike some voices might have us believe, Airbnb is not our NME, they aren't our friend either (neither are half the folks that think they are friends with people they have never broken bread with).  We need the purposeful parasitic relationship that exist between Hosts and our mother ship booking service to become more symbiotic and less confrontational.  Whats good for the Goose must be good for the Gander and our guests or it wont help move our industry in positive directions.  Stay well, JR

[Andrea1375]

@Melodie-And-John0  I'm not sure I completely understand all of your comment...you're not opting in, but think others should??  I will say, hotels aren't blocking rooms after a quest checks out and more importantly - neither do hospitals! So I think it's extremely unfair and ridiculous for Airbnb to even suggest such things.  It honestly seems like nothing more than a PR stunt.  

[Melodie-And-John0]

Hi Andrea @Andrea1375 , opting in to the 24 hour gap isnt the same as the new yet to be seen cleaning thing although it includes it.  To be honest, double and triple clean-outs during drive times has always been a bit stressful, the additional disinfection steps we are adding to the process take longer as well.  The day break now should help us feel more confident that any airborne crap has settled before we go in as well.  I dont blame you for wanting to rent as often as you can, it should be your choice, just saying the break day if added by enough  hosts could actually end up helping to raise prices a little in the end,  JR

[Andrea1375]

@Melodie-And-John0 - I would imagine more than one make ready between guests can get stressful.  Personally, I only the one space and it's on our property, so it makes it a little easier for me to make a turnover.  I understand your point about the raised prices.  Thanks for your thoughts and feed back.  🙂 

[Fran9439]

@Andrea1375 I agree!

Have you all read the 38 page guidelines?? Are those of you who said you're going to opt-in really going to: "Moving left to right through cabinets and drawers, pull out all the dishes, silverware, cups, and glasses" and "Rewash all other dishware to ensure it’s been properly cleaned"? I have a lake house and I have a lot of dishes and pots and pans, it would take several runs of the dishwasher, plus handwashing bigger items, to wash everything. How about: "Pull the bed away from the wall and vacuum all carpeted areas, including behind and under the bed" Is that where Covid-19 is hiding?!? I didn't know!!!

The other popular platform isn't giving us such a ridiculous list. The FDA says, "It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads." (my emphasis)

I know this is all voluntary, but you know most people are going to turn on the filter to only see those who have opted in and never even see my listing. And they have no idea what the guidelines are. My house is clean. My housekeeper does the whole clean then sanitize thing, but that means nothing if I don't show up with the opt-in badge.

[Yiwei3]

I can't even find where that option is??  Has anyone seen it?  Airbnb said that you will get higher search results & special callouts for using it.  I don't even see it yet.

[Marg11]

Thank you all for your international take on the pandemic and the varying solutions.