Cleanliness
How we keep the house clean.
Water, surfaces, linens, air. The cadence we hold ourselves to — written down, audited monthly, and open to anyone who asks.
Water testing
Sanitizer in band, pH in band, microbiology in band — at every level we can measure.
- Free chlorine 1–3 ppm or bromine 3–5 ppm in pool and plunge basins, tested at the start and middle of every shift.
- ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) target 650–750 mV, tested each shift.
- pH band 7.2–7.6, tested each shift, adjusted with food-grade soda ash or muriatic acid.
- Cold plunge water filtered continuously and chemically cycled separately from sauna shower water.
- Monthly third-party microbiological lab test (heterotrophic plate count, E. coli, P. aeruginosa). Logs available on request.
Logs available on request.
Sauna sanitation
Wood, cedar, and infrared panels — each cleaned the way they should be, not the way that’s convenient.
- Between sessions: hot rinse of benches and floor; food-safe disinfectant wipe on all touch surfaces.
- Nightly: full deep-clean — benches removed, walls and floor washed, vents wiped.
- Monthly: cedar oiling on benches and slatted walls to prevent splinter and surface degradation.
- Air handler runs HEPA + UV passive filtration any time the sauna is in use.
- Infrared panels sterilized weekly with isopropyl-only (no chemical residue inside the cabin).
Linens & towels
Fresh per guest, washed in-house, no exceptions.
- Fresh towel set per guest — never reused mid-day.
- Robes laundered between every wear; never re-hung.
- Linen turn handled in-house — no shared subcontractor with other spas.
- Commercial-grade washer at 70°C minimum wash temperature.
- OEKO-TEX certified linens (no harmful textile residues against skin).
Surfaces & high-touch
The handles, the faucets, the lounge — wiped on cadence, not vibes.
- Between-session disinfection of locker handles, door handles, faucets, lounge surfaces, and tea station.
- Nightly full disinfection of every horizontal surface in guest areas.
- Allergen disclosure: essential oils used in the steam room (lavender, eucalyptus). Fragrance-free option in any private suite on request.
- All cleaning products are EcoLogo or Green Seal certified where alternatives exist.
Air & humidity
You can’t see it. We measure it.
- HEPA filtration in lounges; air-change rate 6+ per hour.
- Dedicated dehumidification in pool and sauna areas to prevent mold growth on substrates.
- CO₂ monitoring in sauna; staff alert when ppm exceeds threshold and the cabin is rotated open.
Staff training cadence
The protocol is only as real as the people running it.
- Annual food-safe and Standard First-Aid + CPR-C re-certification for every staff member.
- Quarterly sanitation refresh, led by the floor lead at each location.
- Monthly internal audit by the operations lead with a written checklist; deviations escalated within 24 hours.
- Escalation tree posted in every back-of-house area, with named owners for each category.
Transparency
If you have a question we haven’t answered, ask.
- Email hello@vellumritual.com or call (416) 482-RITE for any cleanliness or sanitation question.
- Logs and certificates available on written request from members, corporate clients, and journalists.
- Visiting clinicians or environmental health officers welcome by appointment.
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Our standards
The registrations, policies, and documentation behind the ritual.
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