The disinfection protocol to run between two guests

Why cleaning alone is not enough

Cleaning is judged on what shows: floors, surfaces, bathrooms, a freshly made bed. Pests settle precisely where nobody looks — under bed base slats, behind the headboard, in the worktop joint, behind the dishwasher, inside the service duct.

The protocol below does not add much time to a turnover: it redirects attention. It turns your cleaning team into your first detection layer, which is the best investment a host can make, because the cost of an infestation grows exponentially with time.

What to record, and why

Note the date of every check and what was observed, including when everything is normal. That record is worth a great deal: it demonstrates diligent management if a guest complains, it pinpoints when introduction occurred in a dispute with a building manager or neighbour, and it supports an insurance claim.

A single line per turnover is enough — date, property, person, observation. Multi-property hosts benefit from centralising it; that is what we provide under a prevention contract, together with the intervention history for each unit.

Our protocol, step by step

1. Strip the beds completely
   Remove sheets, mattress protectors and covers and wash them at 60 °C or above. Carry soiled linen to the machine in a closed bag.
2. Inspect mattress, base and headboard
   Check mattress seams and labels, bed base slats and corners, and behind the headboard. Look for dark spots, blood spots and shed skins.
3. Check upholstered furniture and textiles
   Sofa beds, armchairs, curtains and rugs: vacuum into folds and seams, then dispose of the bag — or empty the canister into a sealed bag — outside the property.
4. Deep-clean the kitchen
   Clean under and behind appliances, degrease skirting boards and the worktop joint, and check for cockroach droppings in warm, damp corners.
5. Check water points and drains
   Inspect traps, seals and pipe penetrations under the sink and behind the toilet: these are the favourite routes for cockroaches coming from neighbouring flats.
6. Remove waste and close off access
   Empty every bin, recycling included, and make sure air vents, door thresholds and duct penetrations offer no usable opening for a rodent.
7. Record the check
   Log the date, the property and your observations in your turnover register, and call in a professional at the first confirmed sign.