ALL COVID Q&A

Are you open on weekends?

Yes, we are open 7 days.

Do you do same day COVID cleans?

Yes, we do.

How do you do COVID cleans?

We do COVID-19 cleans in 2 phases: firstly, we fog the whole premise to disinfect it and then we manually with disposable cloths to sanitise all the high touch areas. This is what we have been recommended by the Australian health department.

Which products do you use for COVID cleans?

We only use the TGA chemicals.

How long does it take to kill COVID-19?

Our selected TGA chemical claims to kill COVID-19 in just 2 min.

How long should we wait outside after your COVID clean?

There is NO need to wait outside after our cleans. You can go to your home or office as soon as we are finished.

Is carpet steam cleaning included and necessary in a COVID clean?

No, Carpet steam cleaning is usually NOT included in our COVID cleans and quotes. Carpet steam cleaning is recommended -as an extra-, at extra cost, if you are looking for a carpet deep clean from COVID. The fogging will disinfect the top part of the carpet. The carpet steam cleaning will disinfect the whole carpet from top to bottom due to the high temperature of the steam. In case of a COVID clean, carpet steam cleaning is recommended when you have crawling children or when you have allergies or any health challenges.

What is the meaning of Stage 4 lockdown?

The city as of Sunday, 2nd of August entered into another phase of restrictions which limit the number of distance residents can travel to 5km, a curfew starting from 8 pm to 5 am, and just one person from each household is allowed to leave home and attend to goods and services. A further step will be taken by stage 4 lockdown at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, with the majority of businesses in Victoria forced to either close or greatly altered their mode of operation. Businesses have been divided into three parts: some will operate normally; some will operate away from customer interactions, while some will close. Most businesses fall into the second category, and will not be able to receive customer’s in-store.

I work inside the locked-down area. Can I still go to my place of work?

Yes, the work-related reason is allowable to enter the restricted zone. Just make sure you apply your common sense to maintain social distancing and reduce your chances of getting sick. You may also request a letter stating the need for you to be at work in person from your employer.

What is the reason for introducing this stage 4?

The number of coronavirus cases in Victoria has increased over recent weeks, with community transmission also increased. We understand that if everyone abides by the restrictions, we can reduce the spread of COVID-19. More strict restrictions are being introduced to make sure not many people are travelling around in the community. Though we understand how tough these new restrictions are, however, we believe together, we can protect ourselves, loved ones, friends, co-workers, health care workers, and the whole community.

Can I travel after curfew to see my partner?

You are allowed to travel to visit your partner or even spend the night with them, but travelling must be done before curfew, which starts from 8 pm to 5 am. If you can only finish work outside of these hours, then you may travel straight to your partner’s home to pass the night, but you can only leave the next morning after 5 am unless permitted for another reason.

How can I make sure my family and I are safe when I leave home?

Be sure to wash your hands before you leave, and when you get back home to make sure you and your family remain safe. Also, maintain a minimum of 1.5 meters between yourself and others. Always put on a face-covering unless you have a legitimate exception.

Will stage 4 affect public transport?

Public transport operations will not be stopped, but their operation will be reduced in metropolitan Melbourne during curfew hours. You must put on a face covering and maintain 1.5 meters distance between yourself and others when catching public transport. Make sure you wash your hands before you leave home, and immediately you get back home.

Will students still attend school in person?

All students across Victoria will go back to remote learning from 11:59 pm on the 4th of August, which is Tuesday. Schools will remain open for vulnerable students and students whose parents are essential workers. Specialist schools located in regional Victoria will also remain open.

How far can I go from home?

You must do your shopping for food and essential supplies within 5km from your home unless the nearest supermarket to your home is beyond 5km. Just one person per household is allowed to leave for shopping per day. Exercise must also be done within 5km of home and within metropolitan Melbourne. Exercise must be done for one hour per day.

Can someone be allowed to transport me to and from work?

An essential worker can be transported to and from work by an adult with no work permit required in case the worker is dependent and cannot transport his/herself. In the event of this, you must make sure the travel is in compliance with the work permit as the authorities may stop you.

How can employees move during this lockdown?

There may be a need for employers to provide work permits for certain date ranges for workers who do not have specific hours. Suppose this implies that employers will have to provide separate worker permits for each period. In that case, the worker will be required to go with old worker permit, in order to simplify verification by authorities with their employer that they are indeed on their way to work.

How can I obtain a valid work permit?

If you are working in one of the organizations permitted to remain open during the lockdown, you will fill out a form with your workplace to present to authorities if stopped while travelling to work. You can show the document or a photo of the document on your phone if required.

Will childcare be open?

The State Government on Sunday announced that childcare centres would close to all children and families, except for vulnerable children as well as children of essential workers. However, Premier Daniel Andrews had suggested that the Federal Government intervene as it has been direct major support to the childcare industry during the coronavirus’s beginning. There will be further announcements on Friday as Prime Minister Scott Morrison later stressing that the Federal Government was dedicated to making sure some children centres remain open.

Can I go to my hairdresser?

No. Hairdressers in this stage of lockdown will not be allowed to open, as well as all beauty services.

Will restaurants be open during the Stage 4 restrictions?

Restaurants will be permitted to stick to takeaway and delivery services, while there will be restrictions on patrons dining in.

Can I attend the funeral I’ve got in Melbourne?

We are so sorry for your loss. People can access locked down areas for funerals and other compassionate reasons. However, we advise you to travel with some documentation in case you get stopped on the way. It doesn’t necessarily need to be something official; it may be something or someone that can give you something to present in case you get questioned by police.

Are trains still operating?

Most train lines are running normally, and Victoria Police will be strict with the restrictions on people coming in from restricted areas. Coaches will take over from trains on the Albury line between Melbourne and Wodonga, which is the terminating point for the service. V/Line has also adopted some changes to its coach services in boundaries. We advise that you check the website of V/Line for up-to-date information before you travel.

What about cleaning services? Who can get cleaning services?

Business Victoria has given clarifications on the services that can be continued during the lockdown. Fortunately, many customers can still get their services. In the case of cleaning services, the following set of people can still get their services:

• All COVID cleans: disinfection and sanitisation in houses, commercial buildings, medical centres, offices, warehouses
• All customers getting welfare support: Customers who are getting payments from TAC, NDIS, or other similar institutions are allowed to continue. Kindly email the company to confirm you are in this category.
• Customers who cannot perform self-cleaning: We received a notification that customers who truly cannot clean for themselves should continue to have their services. Not being able to perform self-cleaning is a tough one, so we implore everyone to check their situation and only choose to continue their cleaning services if you truly don’t have what it takes to perform your own cleaning. We implore you to be truthful and not ask for cleaning service because you just don’t want to clean, but only if your situations make it impossible for you to do the cleaning yourself. If you truly know that you cannot perform your own cleaning, kindly fill in our online enquiry form and it will be reviewed by our staff to see if it is reasonable, and if it is, your cleaning will be done for the next six weeks of the lockdown.
• Commercial Cleans: There will be no stop to cleaning services for commercial buildings.
• Move Out, and Move-in Cleans: There will be no restriction on move out services. It is also important to know that cleaning services needed to allow the proper operation of essential businesses is permitted. Move out and end of lease cleans are permitted because they are required to ensure the real estate industry continues. Move-in cleans will only be permitted if a realtor needs them, or the customer is in the category of people who are unable to do their cleaning themselves as stated in the section above and will have to fill in the online form.

Who does the Stage 4 lockdown apply to, and when?

Stage 4 lockdown applies to everyone living in metropolitan Melbourne, excluding Mitchell Shire, starting from 6 pm on Sunday, 2nd of August, 2020. Those living outside this area only have to comply with stage 3 restrictions. Metropolitan Melbourne is defined by the 1987 planning and environmental Act that identifies the entire local government areas that make up metropolitan Melbourne. Stage 4 lockdown is applied in the following local government areas:

• Banyule
• Bayside
• Boroondara
• Brimbank
• Cardinia
• Casey
• Darebin
• Frankston
• Glen Eira
• Greater Dandenong
• Hobsons Bay
• Hume
• Kingston
• Knox
• Manningham
• Maribyrnong
• Maroondah
• Melbourne
• Melton
• Monash
• Moonee Valley
• Moreland
• Mornington Peninsula
• Nillumbik
• Port Phillip
• Stonnington
• Whitehorse
• Whittlesea
• Wyndham
• Yarra
• Yarra Ranges

Clean House Melbourne’s Work plan to better serve you 

Clean House Melbourne understands that the advice on COVID-19 keeps coming. This is why we always make adjustments to our mode of operation to make sure we are putting in much effort to keep our cleaning crews and customers safe. Clean House Melbourne has and is not going to stop taking precautions to make sure none of our employees or clients contracts COVID-19. Together we will conquer the COVID-19 spread!

Are there any other questions not answered in this post?

Kindly ask in the comment box and we will get back to you and update the post.