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How do Pet Friendly Hotels Keep Their Rooms Clean?
How do Pet Friendly Hotels Keep Their Rooms Clean?
TripsWithPets.com explores some of the trade secrets on
how Hotels are able to clean up after messy pets.
August 24, 2004
Ever wonder how pet friendly hotels keep their rooms so clean
and fresh? Most pet owners agree that cleaning up after a
pet isn’t a walk in the park. Pet friendly properties have
established special cleaning procedures for pet stays to ensure
clean, fresh, and hair-free guest rooms. Find out some tricks
of the trade from resourceful pet friendly hoteliers that
are committed to high standards.
It starts from selecting “pet proof” carpet and furniture.
Hotels take special care in picking out appropriate carpet
and upholstery to ensure easy clean-up and durability for
their pet guests. Many avoid wool or cotton fibers for carpets
as they absorb everything that gets spilled on them and almost
guarantee soiling. Instead, they use synthetic carpets that
have a stain shield already on them. When choosing fabric
for furniture many pet friendly hoteliers look for tightly
woven fabrics and avoid loose or open weaves. Such tight fabrics
resist tears and rips from claws. New technology in the textile
industry has allowed new fabrics that will also resist staining,
while still maintaining their color. The secret is that the
fabric is 100% solution-dyed acrylic, meaning the dye goes
all the way through the yarn, not just on the exterior. When
you clean a stain on this fabric with an industrial strength
substance (like bleach), the color will not fade as easily.
As much as we hate to bring this up…what about fleas? Surely
every pet that walks up that red carpet isn’t totally flea-free.
Hotels go to great measures when it comes to flea prevention
and treatment. Most hoteliers we talked to like to avoid the
harsh chemicals involved with commercially available flea
treatments for rugs. So how do hotels keep from getting infested
with fleas without using such chemicals? One technique is
to use flea dusting powder. Fleas don’t like dryness - their
bodies are unable to retain moisture and thus they will die
with a lack of it. Boric Acid is the "secret ingredient" in
so many commercial treatments for insect control. Boric acid
(100%) powder is odorless and non-staining and is an excellent
way to kill fleas. We found a unique method of flea control
used by Karen Palmer of the August Inn – Pyrethrium. Pyrethrium
(flower) is a botanical insecticide and can be found at a
gardener’s supply or organic retailer.
How about pet “accident” stains and odors? The newest technology
uses peroxide and detergents to penetrate the soiled area
to remove the stain and deactivate the odor. Hotels that welcome
pet guests have these types of products readily on hand to
handle such accidents. Sally Piper of the pet friendly Mel’s
Guest House uses her own tried and true method – she first
dampens the area with water and then sprinkles baking soda
over it. She rubs the baking soda into the soiled area, lets
it dry, then vacuums it up. Voila! The stain disappears!
Pet allergens are yet another issue to be addressed. Loews
hotel has established special cleaning procedures for pet
stays including the use of HEPA-filtered vacuums so that all
traces of pet allergens are removed in preparation for the
next guest. Air purification systems are also widely used
by many pet friendly hotels to eliminate pet dander as well
as odors.
Most agree, that it all comes down to knowing how to clean
and doing it right.
Beth Burgess, Manager of Best Western Quiet Houses and Suites
in Mequon, Wisconsin, says that simple things like vacuuming
twice to remove pet hair and dander and frequent washing of
bedding and draperies is key to maintaining a clean environment
for you and your pet. Beth comments, “It's really a matter
of only cleaning the rooms as they should always be cleaned.”
Beth also mentions that all the pet friendly rooms at her
hotel are nearest to the entrances- it helps prevent a lot
of accidents.
For more information regarding caring for your pet while
traveling, visit http://www.TRIPSwithPETS.com.
TRIPSwithPETS.com offers thousands of pet friendly hotels,
bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals, and other pet friendly
lodging across the U.S. where your pet is welcome, directories
of pet hospitals and pet recreational activities, pet travel
tips, airline pet policies, pet travel supplies, and there's
much more to come. Don't leave your pets behind!
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