Clean Is Not Only the New Cool, It’s Also Critical for Event Planning Success

December 3, 2020

Shari Cedar

Shari Cedar is co-owner of AK Building Services, a premier commercial cleaning provider based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company specializes in servicing office buildings, medical facilities, schools and universities, and condominiums across the entire state.

As 2020 draws to close, COVID-19-weary event planners are looking towards a fresh start, a reboot for 2021. Whether planning for a conference, meeting or trade show, there are plenty of things to do beforehand to let your guests know they are walking into a clean and healthy environment. While there is no silver bullet, keeping proper cleaning protocols in place will help keep your event safe and secure. Clean is not only the new cool, it is critical for success.

Reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by cleaning and disinfecting is an important part of reopening that will require careful planning. It is essential to let your attendees know that you have gone above and beyond to create a solid cleaning and disinfecting strategy so they can focus on your event and not worry about germs.

Here are a few tips to consider:

First and foremost, identify potential “transmission areas” and high touchpoints.

Walk your venue to identify all potential “transmission areas.” These are high-traffic areas with a large concentration of attendees like reception areas, stairwells, bathrooms and elevators. Then concentrate on high touchpoints, such as door handles, elevator buttons, handrails and light switches. These areas will need extra attention for disinfecting. Also identify and uncover any areas that cause hidden problems, such as a lack of trash cans.

Keep a schedule and loop.

Once you have identified potential “transmission areas,” create a detailed schedule for wiping down and disinfecting them. Cleaners should “loop” their designated areas several times a day. There is no exact formula for how many times a day/hour an area should be disinfected, but a good guideline is to consider square footage versus traffic. For example, a very crowded event may have a cleaner assigned to a busy restroom to continually wipe down door handles, toilet flushes and faucets.

Plan for a break in the chain.

When the pandemic first hit, everyone felt the supply chain buckle. First, it was cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), then toilet paper, then hand sanitizer and so on. Given the recent spike of global infections and lockdowns, you must prepare for another brake in the chain. Plan well in advance to secure and receive your PPE and janitorial supplies, even if you think they will be readily available. It only takes one news report to send people into a buying frenzy.

Training staff is key.

While cleaning seems intuitive, it is not. In a pre-COVID world, a spray and wipe did the trick. That’s no longer true. Most people do not realize that cleaning and disinfecting are two different processes. Both work together for the magic to happen. Cleaning removes dirt and dust; disinfectants reduce or eliminate pathogens that could cause illness. Clean first, disinfect second.

It's all in the kill time.

A quick spray and wipe is a waste. Disinfectants need time to do their job; they do not work instantly. To be effective, disinfectants need to sit wet on a surface (aka contact time) for a specified amount of time. For example, Clorox Disinfecting Wipes need four minutes of contact time. Each product is different; read your labels.

Electrostatic spraying.

No matter how often an area is manually cleaned, humans have limitations. Hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, like the back of door handles, can be missed. To complement your disinfecting regime, consider a nightly electrostatic spray treatment. An Electrostatic Spray System is a powerful, efficient and reliable method to ensure all surfaces (front, back and sides) can be properly disinfected and sanitized. The superior “wrap around” coverage provides better protection against the spread of illness-causing germs.

Meetings and events support more than 10 million jobs worldwide. Let’s do our part to keep everyone safe and get live venue employees back to work as we begin the road to recovery. Having the right cleaning policies in place is a crucial element of any event venue looking to restart its business.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact