Getting Ready To Re-Launch: Cleaning

While many massage therapists are starting to plan their re-launch, the #1 topic is... cleaning. We've seen lots of great advice and wanted to share it with you so you can feel confident about keeping yourself and your clients safe for when you're ready to re-open.

Below are some suggestions we have seen. What you choose to implement comes down to (1) legal requirements of your state/province and (2) your personal preferences.

Client arrival

• Open the door for clients (they'll appreciate it, and you'll be the only one touching doorknobs)
• Greet clients with a wave or elbow bump. Do not shake hands or hug
• Give clients a squirt of hand sanitizer when they arrive and when they leave

Waiting area & treatment room

• Rearrange your waiting area so seats are at least 6 feet away from each other
• Remove candy jars, water coolers, sample products, magazines, or anything clients may be tempted to touch
• Remove as much clutter as you can. The fewer items there are on tables and other surfaces, the easier it will be to clean
• Remove any item that can't be cleaned with disinfectant (like fabric)
• Make hand sanitizer easily accessible
• Put up notices that summarize your cleaning practices

Treatment

• Wear a mask and gloves. Ask your client if they are willing to wear a mask as well
• If your treatment room has windows (and the temperature is comfortable), open them
• Consider using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier
• If you do face massage, first ask the client if they are comfortable with it, and then sanitize your hands before and after touching their face
• If you do hand massage, sanitize your hands immediately after touching the client’s hands
• Wash your hands thoroughly after the session
• Do not remove your mask until the client has left your office
• Wash your hands thoroughly after the client has left
• Schedule enough time between clients for a thorough cleaning

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• The ABMP has put together an excellent "Back-to-Practice" guide.
• AMTA has suggested "10 Important Considerations For Re-Opening".
• Healwell has put together a video course "Back to Practice Guidelines". It's for home-based businesses, but many of the concepts will still apply if you work in an office. You have to sign up for the platform that it's hosted on. It's a bit of a pain, but we tried it. It was free and worth it to watch the videos.