ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Hotel chain Best Western is to equip its US cleaning teams with ultra-violet sterilisation wands and black lights to reduce the risk of contamination in guest rooms.

The high-tech cleaning solutions will be rolled out in the chain's 2,100 Best Western hotels in North America as part of its 'I Care Clean' programme.

Ultra-violet wands will be used to sterilise frequent touch points such as telephones, clocks, light switches, door handles, bathroom fixtures and other common areas. Meanwhile UV inspection black lights will be used as part of Best Western's housekeeper inspection process to detect any biological matter - such as food particles - undetectable by the human eye.

"A clean hotel is a basic expectation for guests - and rightly so," said Ron Pohl, Best Western senior vice-president brand management and member services. "We are unlocking the potential of the housekeeping profession by providing new tools and training to help ensure customer satisfaction, loyalty and ultimately trust. We believe this programme will help us do just that."

Best Western launched its new cleaning initiative after customer research identified a general lack of consumer confidence regarding the cleanliness of mid-range hotels. Additional research revealed that a clean and well-maintained hotel was the top priority for guests - even surpassing the demand for good customer service.

Besides the new high-tech cleaning tools, the company's 'I Care Clean' programme also incorporates the use of specially-designed seamless television remote controls that can be cleaned and disinfected before each guest stay. There will also be single-use pillow and blanket wraps to reassure guests that these items have been cleaned just for them.