General Cleaning Tips?

[Jason855]

Hey guys - I'm a new host and currently do my own cleaning (I may switch to a cleaning service later). I cover all the obvious stuff - beds, bathrooms, kitchen, living area, etc. but was wondering if there's anything you guys do to go the extra mile. I'm looking for a small thing that would really take my apartment to the next level. I've heard of people leaving mints or chocolates on the pillows - that's a great one.

Thanks in advance!

[Thomas1033]

Hi Yvonna here(cohost).  I do most all the cleaning and I scrutinize for hairs in the bathroom and especially on the shower curtain.  I almost always see some there.  If it’s been some time since we’ve had a guest I do a once over lightly and look for dead bugs by the windows especially.  I always dust under the couch and bed and bend down to look under the bed.  I have found things there, the worst being a used diaper.  I also look for any filth in the fridge and make sure it’s pristine as well as all the other appliances.  Mostly the kitchen gets very little use if any so it’s only been really dirty once and those guests won’t be allowed back. We keep the decor and furnishings to a minimum both for cleanliness and to be family friendly without useless clutter.

[Sue-and-John0]

I agree with the comments about hair. It's difficult to see if even if it's black i do my own cleaning and after I wash all the bedding I take a lint roller to the sheets, pillow cases, blankets, and comforter. You'd be surprised how much hair it picks up even after washing.

[Sandra126]

And another thing: Vacuum the bathroom before washing the floor. Hair.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Jason855 

A good strong vaccum and sticky rollers are an absolute must. There is always a stray hair somewhere 🙂

Henry and I regularly clean under and behind all furniture. Henry also cleans window sills, not just the windows. And wipes down ALL surfaces (with a clean damp rag), removes the light fixture covers to clean them (it's surprising how dirty they get from just hanging on the ceiling) and uses sanitizing wipes on the door knobs and light switches. 

We try to minimize clutter and decorative knick knacks around the house, especially in the guest bedroom. While it may make the space seem a bit bare, it also means guests have plenty of space for their own items and it's easier to maintain a clean image. 

[Susan151]

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@Jessica-and-Henry0 wrote:

@Jason855 

We try to minimize clutter and decorative knick knacks around the house, especially in the guest bedroom. While it may make the space seem a bit bare, it also means guests have plenty of space for their own items and it's easier to maintain a clean image. 

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This!

Having space for the guests' things, assuming you are renting a space that you don't use yourself at other times, is really important. My rooms look totally different once guests have unpacked their bags and moved in. And the rooms look totally different from one guest to another.

[Katie---Sean0]

We do 30-day minimum stays, so my advice might not be relevant but I pay a cleaner to do a deep clean after every moveout. She spends 2 hours cleaning everything, then I go in afterwards and catch all the little details she missed. Knobs and switches. Hairs, as several others have mentioned. Wiping drawer fronts where you can see finger marks in a certain light. Etc.

As for “extra mile” touches, I tried to put myself in the mind of a guest and imagine what I would like to find, what would be important to me. 

A top notch mattres, an assortment of quality pillows from soft to hard, and good quality bedding with extra blankets.

A new Smart TV, which sounds like a big investment but surprisingly not at Costco.

I go to Trader Joe’s and get a little gift basket for each guest with simple stuff... bottle of wine, bottle of water, organic chocolates, chips and salsa, and gluten free cookies. They seem to love this. I also invested in a coffee grinder and press, and leave some fresh organic coffee beans.

Wrapped new soap, shampoo & conditioner, hairdryer, and a wrapped spare toothbrush in the bathroom.

There’s a bookcase with a large assortment of books, fun, quirky, non-fiction and novels.

I make sure the closet has everything they may or may not need – step stool, iron, ironing board, first aid kit, collapsible clothes drying rack (some guests prefer not using a tumble dryer), vacuum, and a fully stocked cleaning caddy in case they prefer to do their own cleaning (some do).

Of course some of the above won’t be economical for short-terms guests, or could be scaled down. 

[Gordon0]

Like Ann mentioned; mis-matched hangers are a disaster. Nobody wants to think they've got your offcasts, the same applies to glasses/cups - make sure they're matching. 

Ironed sheets. Just because.

And if you use liquid soaps; refill after every guest for that 'new' feeling. 

[Ann72]

@Gordon0 IRONED SHEETS.  Sigh.  I'm coming to yours.

[Katie---Sean0]

Liquid soap refills — thank you for the reminder, off to do that now!

[Martha389]

Hi, yes I do think there are a lot of details to take care of refering to cleaning. 

I do clean and shine door handles and clean doors. It's surprising to see how dirty they can get and how different they look when cleaned. 

To clean properly mirrors and glasses is also very important. 

Be careful with dust in the corners and if you have plants, they should look clean too. 

Best!

[Sally359]

We host private rooms with private bath in our home. We have a hot tub, which is available for guests. I provide special towels and robes for the hot tub. I provide unlimited bottled water and a complimentary snack bucket in each room.  I have a drawer in the bathroom filled with complimentary items such as travel size toothpaste, toothbrushes, makeup wipes, and disposable razors for guests to take, if needed. The bath/shower is stocked with individual soap, 2 kinds of body wash ( for men and women) and shampoo and conditioner. In our case, we live rurally, and i enjoy providing a full breakfast menu, included in their fee. 

[Sally359]

Oh, and i also provide luggage racks. Guests seem to really appreciate that. 🙂

[Susan1404]

Agree with all the comments concerning stray hairs - they are a pain to get up sometimes, but absolutely necessary.  For anyone who has a jetted tub (jacuzzi), do you have suggestions on how to keep the jets clean?  I struggle with this as the jets really build up soap scum deep inside them that doesn't want to come out.  I flush them regularly with a vinegar and borax mix, but even then it builds up.  I would never have installed a jacuzzi tub had I know how much work they would be to clean.

[Ben551]

I’m pretty fussy when it comes to cleaning and go over and over it to make sure I haven’t missed anything. I also walk around with a check list and tick it all off....

My bug bears are:

1. wiping down light switches and door knobs
2. bug checking high/low places, shelves, light fittings
3. checking all the pull cords on the blinds (I found a pubic hair once)
4. UV light checking the toilet, bathroom and beds
5. emptying old water out of the kettle and iron (people hate this!)
6. fold pointing the end of the current toilet roll

You might think I’m crazy when it comes to number 4, but after buying a cheap UV urine light... words cannot describe how disgusting things really are sometimes. I now travel with one, since they are so small, and your guests could too! The only way to get rid of it is bleach chlorine. You may think that bathroom is clean.... think again.

I also pick whatever flowers are going free in my garden or in the free meadows around where I live, and put little micro bunches with the towels or on pillows. I only put it on pillows if I’m doing a 1 week service for a long term guest. They seem to like it.

[Leo192]

@Jason855  - my guests always flips out when they see our remote controls that has been cleaned and sanitized.  We do take time to clean it just because it's typically the most dirtiest item in any STR place/hotel.  It's an extra 5 minutes of our cleaning time but the guests really appreciates it - some times more than our snacks and beverages.