Airbnb's New Cleaning Guidelines COVID

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Airbnb's New Cleaning Guidelines COVID

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...

1 Best Answer
Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

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

 

 

View Best Answer in original post

77 Replies 77
Michelle53
Level 10
Chicago, IL

I just saw it on our 5pm local news broadcast. 

 

My understanding, from that broadcast,  is that hosts can "opt in" to the new protocols, and guests will be able to see if hosts have opted in. 

 

https://news.airbnb.com/our-enhanced-cleaning-initiative-for-the-future-of-travel/

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

Oh great, I see a massive rise in waste from disposable masks and gloves as well as the use of toxic cleaning products.

Marg11
Level 10
Warwick, Australia

Agree Cathy, especially as we can wash our hands. We use soap to clean horizontals, knobs and places guests will touch. Also don't want to ruin finishes on timber furniture with alcohol-based cleaners. We have added washing the mattress and pillow protector which I used to do now and again. Pus we air the flat for 24 hours after guests leave. Other than that the usual deep clean and sanitise with soap.

@Marg11 ,

 

I'm in your situation too - I have an antique table and bookcase, and I was wondering how you clean yours.  Do you wash them and wipe  clean? or wash and repolish??  I don't want to wreck mine, and I would welcome any advice.

I've been using a little dishwashing detergent on a cloth and rinsing with a damp cloth for furniture.

 

We are now using a meths based cleaner on knobs, handles, controllers and laminated surfaces as no rinsing is needed. Even used it on the oldest coffee table of little value and it's fine.

 

Did consult our retired GP brother-in-law who said if it sanitised dishes it would do for furniture.

 

We do leave lots of coasters about for cups and glasses with instructions in the house rules not to eat without plates and preferably in the kitchen or outside.

Michelle53
Level 10
Chicago, IL

I don't mind having a "Booking Buffer" between guests. It is hard, though, to have to wait 24 hours to access the space, as one wants to make an assessment as soon after checkout as possible, that everything was left in good order.  

Yeah, they aren't thinking about that. They're only thinking about their PR angle.  This is 100% a publicity stunt.

Seth12
Level 3
Nashville, TN

This is unbelievable. It's hard enough to get bookings now and they're going to block extra days? So if guests are checking out on Thursday and new guest checking in on Sunday, the 24-hour buffer blocks me from booking Friday and Saturday??!!  This article seems to say you either agree to the protocols and a 24-hr block between bookings or you opt out and get blocked for 72 hours?? Are my cleaners allowed to go in before 24 hrs? This starts in 3 days!

https://news.airbnb.com/our-enhanced-cleaning-initiative-for-the-future-of-travel/

I am thinking this is what the webcast is going to be about tomorrow... I just can't believe this got out in the media before hosts were properly notified...

Here is my letter to the founders of Airbnb.

 

Dear Airbnb Founders

 

Once again you have chosen to make decisions for us the hosts that affect us and not you.   This idiotic policy of making us wait one day between guests.  What you are telling us is how we should do our business.  I have a professional cleaning company clean our unit between each guest.  They use disinfectant and bleach products to clean all surfaces.  If you look at our reviews, you will see that our place is always sparking clean. 

 

Your assumption is that you will protect the guests from us, who do not know how to run our personal business.  This new policy now gives me at least a 15% to 20% vacancy rate.  Currently we have about a three present vacancy rate.  It must be nice to make policy that affects the people who own all your product.  I must bear the cost of your asinine policy.

 

Just last month you said that you would be a better partner.  So, this is what being a better partner looks like.  You give a false promise of 25% of our cancellation policy, which is in realty 12.5% return if our guest cancels within 14 days.  Not only that, some of the reservations we have for this summer will be canceled to accommodate your stupid policy.  Adding insult to insult to injury over you Covid policy.  That policy cost us most of our high season.  We are losing nearly $30,000.00 between both bad policies.  Oh, I forgot to thank you for the $500 check.   

 

Show us proof of one case of Covid-19 virus transmitted from a host’s property.  There is not one.  Now Airbnb presumes to be medical experts.  Let us see the evidence that your brilliant policy will have any effect on stopping the virus.  And just how long will this stupid policy be in effect.   

 

Well at least the hotels and motels will not have this policy to hinder them.  This is two crazy stupid things you did in a row and did not ask us first.  I cannot believe how poorly you treat your inventory.  Unless this nonsense stops, I will be forced to take my condo somewhere else.  Perhaps there are enough of my fellow host that will join together and become your competition.    Enough is enough.  I can't afford continue to do business with you making the decisions that are best for you and not a compromise with the host (who holds what you need to operate) our homes on your platform.

 

I doubt that this will find its interned target.  You need to let us know before you make a decision about things that affect us the hosts.  Using vulgar terms, you have screwed us again.  Looks like I will start driving my business towards VRBO and Booking.com.  You cannot be in the Hospitality business if you do not have inventory.  You need to remember that we own the property and you do not. 

 

Great letter!!! My husband made a good point too, does Airbnb think hospitals keep a room vacant for 25 hours before a new patient arrives?? He’s in the medical field, a 20 year veteran of nursing, and he thinks this is beyond ridiculous! Im about to remove my listing and go to another playform. 

Erez162
Level 3
United States

This is extremely stupid, uneducated and anti business policy. We took a hit, a big one, and now that things slowly going back they want to make it even more challenging to book our places. So if someone checks out Friday I supposed to just not have a weekend booking? let hosts and guests choose what's good for them and the free market, which allow airbnb to even exist, will tell what guests wants/need. 

 

AirBNB keeps failing us and our guests trying to do the "right" thing. Just stop reacting and let the market back on its feet please.

 

If AirBNB actually wanted to help hosts and guests they would cut their service fee in half for a couple of months so guests can pay less and we can keep our pricing. And if they are looking for some marketing ideas, start talking about how staying in a house is much safer/cleaner/healthier than hotels right now, don't force on us unessccery policies like we don't know how to clean our places. 

@Erez162 

Even before covid-19 and regardless of cancellation policy, Airbnb almost always *reached out* on behalf of cancelling guests to cajole/pressure/trick hosts into providing a full refund, all while Airbnb ALWAYS keeps their service fee. 

 

"If AirBNB actually wanted to help hosts and guests..." <== Airbnb never wanted to, never intended to, and never plans on ever HELPING hosts or guests. They are a business set out to make money any way they can. 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello everyone,

 

@Yiwei3@Erez162@Mark--Airbnb-Host-0@Seth12@Kath9 

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. 

 

As @Michelle53 mentions, to confirm the new cleaning protocol is not mandatory.

 

To provide a little more information, hosts who follow the new cleaning guidelines will get a special call-out on their listings. For hosts who choose not to commit or can’t commit to the protocol, there is an optional 72-hour booking buffer between stays. You can find out more information in this Resource Center article: Coming soon: A new Enhanced Cleaning Initiative for hosts

 

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks,

Lizzie

 

(Jessica,  I know I've already mentioned you in another cleaning thread - so saving your the notification).


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