Sanitation Nation – The COVID Essentials

As we venture into the colder months, it’s time to consider sanitation practices and reinforce the importance of sanitation and hygiene among staff and customers. Flu season is an optimal time for the spread of viruses due to increased sniffles and coughing during winter.

COVID-19 vaccinations are being rolled out internationally however this is not the time to be complacent. It’s time for a winter clean to keep germs and viruses away. Cleanliness is high on the list of customer expectations when it comes to public venues and they are uncompromising on this. Is your business up to standard? Have you ensured hygiene practices to keep not only customers but your staff safe as well?

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Similarities between COVID-19 and the Flu

Both COVID-19 and the flu can spread from person to person through small particles that are expelled when an infected individual coughs, sneezes or talks. These small particles can travel up to 6 feet and the concern is when they land in the mouths or noses of uninfected persons.

On most occasions, infection is spread by inhalation however, it is possible to be infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it then touching your face, mouth, nose or eyes. It is for this reason frequent sanitation is encouraged at every possible opportunity.

While COVID-19 and the flu viruses are spread in similar ways, the virus that causes COVID is more contagious and considered to be a super-spreader as we’ve seen in various hotspots around the world. COVID is considered a more serious virus compared to the flu as the risk of serious complications is considered higher than the flu.

There are numerous debates about which is considered more serious or which has resulted in more deaths but that is not our focus in this article. We’re here to remind everyone to get on board with a sanitation invitation to combat respiratory illnesses and viruses that plague us at this time every year.

Cleaning products and the mighty power of microfibre

The Ecolab cleaner and disinfectant is ideal for use in office environments, restaurants, cafes, hotels, schools, aged care facilities, and hospitals. This multi-surface cleaner kills 99.99% of germs in 30 seconds and is effective in eradicating 36 viruses, bacteria and fungi. This product will take the hassle of your everyday cleaning with its streak-free finish.

Microfibre cloths work well for cleaning activities with the bonus of being reusable making them kinder for the planet. Another advantage of using microfibre cloths or towels is the cleaning quality of their unique fibre structure designed to grip surfaces and pick up 99% of bacteria with just water. Another eco-friendly benefit.

The Kleaning Essentials Microfibre Cloths are available in five colours for your selection. Allocate colours for specific areas within your business (high traffic vs low traffic), for specific cleaning products (disinfectants vs glass cleaners or polishes), the list is endless.

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Hand sanitisers in as many places as possible

We’re all very familiar with the necessity of regularly washing hands and using hand sanitisers. It’s so easy to become complacent though and we cannot afford for this to happen during the colder months when there is a higher presence of viruses, coughs and sniffles.

Encourage everyone who enters your workplace to sanitise on entry. Position a floor stand with a dispenser at every entry point so it can’t be missed. A counter stand or a hand sanitiser pump bottle won’t go astray either. Place this next at your reception or POS as an added defence against germs.

It’s also beneficial to keep Soft Clean sanitising wipes at the counter for quick clean-ups. They are great to use on high use items like Eftpos machines, keyboards, benchtops, touchscreens and door handles. These highly sought wipes kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria, and are available in soft packs of 60 and tubs of 250.

There are so many benefits to providing hand cleaning facilities and sanitation stations throughout your business. There are the obvious benefits we’ve discussed numerous times over the last year relating to eliminating the spread of bacteria and viruses. Another benefit that deserves mention is the confidence it instils in your staff and customers that your business is a safe environment. Showing you take hygiene seriously, and taking it seriously, can only have positive impacts on your brand as customer sanitation and hygiene expectations are high.

Sanitation at the table

It’s time to do away with manually wrapping cutlery in napkins. The answer is cutlery pouches. The benefits are endless. There is no time preparing these pouches for diners as it is as simple as sliding the cutlery in with limited handling. Some pouches also come with a napkin which is another benefit.

If you’d like to step things up with hygiene practices at the table why not include a Choyer sanitiser wipe with the cutlery pouches as you distribute them to your customers. Each of these wipes is lightly fragranced with Green Tea and Aloe Vera, and a convenient way to show guests how much you care about hygiene and cleanliness for approximately 15 cents per sachet.

Another option to consider for high traffic dine-in venues are the Bari single-use placemats available in trendy colours with matching cutlery pouches. This is a great way to monitor table use and cleaning protocols after each use. These are not only functional - they look great too!

The right protection to stay virus-free

Are you a café or restaurant with a high traffic POS for greeting customers, taking orders and processing payments? Added protection may be required to safeguard against viruses without continuous hand sanitation and cleaning.

The first step is protecting the face from coughs, sneezes and conversations. The clear plastic face shields are a great option. While they don’t offer as much coverage as surgical masks, they are customer friendly as expressions are not lost behind a cloth mask.

Gloves may be another necessary option especially if cash transactions are commonplace in your business and you process many sales. It’s frightening to consider all the places each piece of currency may have visited and the number of bacteria it may be harbouring. The Hospitality Essentials powder-free gloves are available in various sizes and are suitable for food handling and general cleaning duties due to the versatility of the gloves.

Next level cleaning and sanitation

We’ve selected three pieces of equipment for your consideration when thoroughly cleaning your business premises. There are many more ranges and options available, but these provide a little inspiration and food for thought about cleaning and maintenance equipment to consider for your business.

Freshen your carpets and eliminate nasty germs that may be hiding in the fibres with the Karcher SGV8/5 Steam Vacuum. This EASY-operation appliance includes a one turn switch for all functions with self-explanatory symbols making it simple to operate. There is also a self-cleaning mode to clean hoses, pumps and pipes to restore hygiene and cleanliness between use.

The Meiko Washer and Disinfector is a popular choice for aged care facilities, hospitals, and anyone requiring the service of a high quality disinfecting washer in their utility rooms with patented innovative technology designed to eliminate the risk of infections.

Take the hard work out of cleaning with the FV 130.2 commercial dishwasher. With a passing height of 740mm, this equipment is ideal to wash larger items with a high-powered capacity able to wash up to 30 racks per hour making it an ideal addition for any busy café, restaurant or catering business.

Reward Hospitality has COVID essentials for your business

Would you like some hand sanitiser with that? No one was expecting closed borders, shut stores, social distancing, and everything else 2020 served up to us. Although cases of COVID-19 in Australia are diminishing and vaccination rollouts are in full effect, there is no need to deny the need for extra precautionary measures to remain safe.

The care and attention you dedicate to cleaning and sanitising your business is the first line of defence in preventing all airborne viruses, they’re not isolated to COVID. Cases of flu and colds have a great impact on business payroll every winter.

Have a look through our COVID Essentials range of products to stock up on supplies and get some inspiration. Our customer service team are available to help if you have any questions or there is a product you are after. Send us a message or chat with us online. We’re more than happy to help!