SoRite Details How To Clean for Narcotics in the Hopitality Industry for Cleaning & Maintenance Management Magazine

Exclusive coverage In September/October CMM Magazine by Charles Noonan, Head of Narcotics Training at SoRite Company

The percentage of Americans using illicit drugs has increased in recent years and a share of that activity takes place in hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's annual drug use survey found that the portion of people who used illicit drugs increased from 22.2% in 2021 to 25.5% in 2024, the most recent year for which the government reported data. That's more than 70 million Americans.

The upshot: a hospitality operator's employees, including cleaning staff, contract cleaners and guests might be subject to hazardous exposure incidents. Drug residue can rapidly contaminate hotel rooms, restaurant tables, restrooms and public spaces. People who have overdosed also pose an exposure threat when cleaners, security personnel or bystanders attempt to help an unconscious individual.

However, businesses in the hospitality sector can take steps to bolster safety practices, protect guests and employees, and limit their liability as fentanyl and other dangerous substances continue to proliferate.

Narcotic contamination: A continuing risk

Illicit drug use in hospitality venues isn't a new problem. But the growth in the types and potency of synthetic drugs is a recent development. The College of American Pathologists' 2025 drug listing identified nearly 40 types of novel opioids, including Fentanyl and similar drugs, as well as 20 varieties of benzodiazepines, which are also classified as synthetics.

The danger is real. But many organizations are playing with luck regarding their potential for exposure. No one knows the potency of the smashed-up pills or powder a hospitality worker might find discarded in a bag. There's a day-to-day threat of inadvertent contact, which comes in different forms. Workers or guests could touch powder or drug residue and then transfer it to their face, where the substance can get in their nose or mouth. Powder can also be absorbed through an open cut on a person's hand. In addition, synthetic drugs ground into a fine power may float in the air due to fans, an AC system, or even a person walking by and creating an air stream. Aerosolized drugs become an inhalation hazard.

In the hospitality industry, those risks are continuous. Anybody can walk into a restaurant, sit at a bar, or book a hotel room. Venue owners have limited control over who enters their establishments, what they are carrying on them, and the nonstop flow of customers virtually guarantees at least a few will use illicit drugs.

Lack of preparation among hospitality operators

The core problem remains the same, whether it's a high-profile event attracting large numbers of people or the typical weekend crowd: Hospitality operators may be dangerously unprepared to clean and decontaminate areas exposed to illicit narcotics.

The issue here is inadequate training. A hotel might neglect to educate cleaning staff on the hazards of illicit drugs and the warning signs. As a result of that knowledge gap, a cleaner won't necessarily look for powders on a counter, bathroom surface or nightstand. They're just trying to clean the room and get through their day.

In addition, hospitality managers might lack a thorough understanding of the cleaning supplies currently in use and how effective, or ineffective, they are for neutralizing hazardous substances. Similarly, they could also lack a rigorous process for dealing with contamination.

Overdoses and protecting stakeholders

Some hospitality venues are prepared to respond to overdoses with anti-overdose medications. Unfortunately, they often fail to consider the contamination threat their employees, guests or first responders face when they find an unconscious individual. Medication can save a life, but it doesn't remove the threat of drug residue.

A person who has overdosed has used a certain quantity of the drug, but more of the substance could be on their clothes. If the drug is in powder form, anyone who touches the person is likely to reach some level of contamination. Transferring the substance to the face, and nearby mucous membranes, creates the potential for rapid and potentially fatal absorption. 

Against that backdrop, hospitality businesses must implement measures to protect guests, employees and contract cleaning teams. That protection should also cover first responders arriving on the scene.

Their first duty is addressing the health and safety of those stakeholders. But other benefits flow from cultivating awareness and having measures in place to deal with the contamination threat of illicit narcotics. Hospitality operators can drastically reduce their legal liability when they offer adequate employee training and maintain proper cleaning supplies or decontamination solutions.

Protective measures can also shield hospitality venues from reputational harm. However, multiple narcotic issues signal to customers that the establishment is unsafe and also attracts people who use or sell drugs. This becomes a red flag.

Safety measures aren't strictly for playing defense, however. A hospitality venue can highlight how their cleaners and waitstaff are trained to ensure the facility is among the safest in the region. The cleaning and decontamination process can become a source of competitive differentiation.

Decontamination: A critical and potentially overlooked safety issue

Efficient decontamination of drug-exposed guest rooms and public spaces has become a critical safety and liability issue. Venues can't let a lingering problem escalate to the point where it harms people. The idea is to quickly evaluate and identify a threat and then decontaminate the room or other area to make it safe for the next guests. The objective is to do a thorough decontamination job.

Untrained hospitality staff, however, might overlook the warning signs of drug use. Indications of a narcotics residue or a drug spill might include a small amount of powder, often on a countertop. Discarded plastic bags could have been used to carry pills and continue to have drug residue inside. Vials and needles, of course, are also signs of activity.

Hospitality staff should also be wary of areas where an attempted clean-up might have taken place. A previous guest might have used a washcloth to deal with a drug spill on a countertop. That washcloth could contain a high concentration of residual powder.

Mistakes cleaning professionals make when dealing with contamination

Lack of awareness regarding such hazards can lead to dangerous mistakes. These are some common mistakes cleaning professionals make when dealing with narcotics contamination and overdoses:

·F  Failing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling a suspicious substance or helping a person who has overdosed. Hand protection, such nitrile gloves used in the medical community are key, as is something covering their eyes and a KN95 mask of some type to restrict or limit any powder from getting into their respiratory tract.

·      Working too quickly. Cleaners should take the extra time to look for contaminated areas in need of cleaning when they suspect drug use has occurred.

·      Failing to use adequate cleaning solutions. Hospitality operators should ensure that narcotic neutralizing solutions are available to cleaners.

• Using alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Alcohol opens cuts and skin pores on a person's hand. This increases the risk of absorption if any residue remains on the hands. Soap and water is best. 

Preparing cleaning teams for decontamination work

Hospitality operators must familiarize in-house and contract employees with decontamination best practices.

They should contact their local fire departments and law enforcement agencies for assistance. Fire departments have specialists trained to handle hazardous materials. Some law enforcement officers also have hazmat training. Those first responders can visit an establishment and discuss ways to run a clean operation.

Working with first responders in the community could prove especially helpful for smaller hospitality venues, which might lack the resources to hire a consulting organization. Fire or police department representatives can talk to the cleaning staff about best practices for managing contaminated areas.

Environmental health and safety consulting firms and consultants specializing in narcotics decontamination also add significant value

Conclusion: 7 must-haves for hospitality operators and cleaning companies

Here are seven must-have best practices for hospitality operators and cleaning companies as they prepare their teams to mitigate against the threat of narcotics contamination:

1.     Training. The number one measure is always training. Decontamination isn't a simple task and there's a lot at stake. Make sure employees have the training and knowledge to do it correctly.

2.    Situational awareness. Before any room or area is cleaned, cleaners must review it thoroughly for signs of narcotic contamination.

3.    PPE. Hospitality managers must make protection gear available to the cleaning staff.

4.    Using new cleaning materials. Reusing cleaning materials from room to room is dangerous as this increases the risks of cross contamination. Disposable wipes and towels, safely discarded after each use, eliminates that problem.

5.    Quality control. Managers must continuously reassess their decontamination process. Does it work as planned? How can it be improved?

6.    An open-communications policy. Employees and contract cleaners must know that they can report suspicious activity to management irrespective of what they are reporting.

7.    A relationship with first responders. This helps with training, quality control, and insights into new narcotics that could influence the threat environment.

Having those seven components in place is critical for employee and guest safety. A reputation for cleanliness can also help a hospitality business standout amongst its industry peers.

This article first appeared in Cleaning & Maintenance Management Magazine. Access the article here.

Charles Noonan is the head of narcotics training at the SoRite Company. He is a former DEA operational and hazardous site supervisor, with 26 years of experience, responsible for tactical assaults on clandestine laboratories as well as their complex dismantling and decontamination. Charles has significant undercover experience investigating narcotic smuggling networks in Mexico, USA, Europe, and South America. Contact him at cnoonan@sorite.com