How do you ask your guests to keep utensils/dishes clean?

[Nandini11]

Hi everyone,

 

I’m wondering how to handle utensils and dishes after guests has check-out!!

I’d love to hear your experiences on this.

Do you:

• Charge a cleaning fee that covers it?

• Mention it clearly in your additional house rules?

• Keep a board or small note in the kitchen reminding guests that they are responsible for cleaning up after themselves?

• Or have you found some other idea that works better?

I’d really appreciate suggestions on what has worked for you without making guests feel uncomfortable.

Thanks in advance!

[Carmen23]

When guests first check in, I show them where everything is in the kitchen: pots, cutlery, glasses etc and mention Very Clearly that of course they are responsible for cleaning the kitchen and washing afterwards as a common sense practice and as a courtesy to the next user.

In spite of this there are guests who feel very self entitled and that the Host should be doing and picking after their mess just because they paid their money

[Bhumika]

Hi @Carmen23 , have you found any particular method (e.g., signs, messages, other than mentioning about it during house tour) that helps reinforce kitchen etiquette more effectively with your guests? 

May be something like @Debbie1192 , where the host adds a pre-checkout message for guests?

[Carmen23]

Type your files and post them behind All Doors. Also mention this when they first come in 

[Bhumika]

Thanks for sharing the tip @Carmen23 ! 

Are there any other tips that have worked out for you—may be related to house rules, cleaning etc., that you think other hosts should also consider? 

Looking forward to learn more about your hosting strategy!

Regards,

[Debbie1192]

Here are my check-out instructions. I send them in a pre-checkout message the afternoon before their checkout the following day. Using the dishwasher provides a higher level of clean than if they hand-washed the dishes because the dishwasher also sanitizes.

Before leaving, please tidy up the home by doing the following: 

• Strip the beds and place linens in a laundry basket (from the master closet); leave covers for decorative pillows in the smaller bedroom ON as they require special care and we’ll take care of them. Put all used towels in a separate laundry basket (if a basket is not available, please put them in the bathtub)
• Load any dirty dishes in the dishwasher and start it
• Bag up all trash and deposit in the trash bin outside
• Turn off the heat (if used); leave air conditioners on and set to 70
• Turn off all lights
• Lock the door as you have been, using the large black button on the keypad (please be sure to check that it’s locked before you leave)

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Debbie1192 We never asked guests to strip beds as this meant we couldn't easily see any stains that might need pre-treatment before washing. 

[Bhumika]

Ah! That's a good point @Mike-And-Jane0 , @Debbie1192 what do you think? 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 @Debbie1192 

Exactly, @Mike-And-Jane0 

This is vital for us - we inspect and treat sheets before washing. With an UV lamp and a vacuum cleaner for random hair and what may be left by unwashed feet. Makeup stains on pillowcases, and anything else. Then we wash them. A washer can distribute debris on the linens, which then makes it harder to locate, and remove. Get the debris while easier to locate . 

[Tara0]

@Kitty-and-Creek0 Can you explain how you use the UV lamp? What does it show? I'm intrigued!

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Tara0 

So glad you asked! 

The UV lamp shows any debris or stains, fluids, hair, dander,  etc that are on the surface. That includes floors, furniture, fixtures, counters, etc. It is also what we use for a final inspection after cleaning.

Get yourself a good UV flashlight and check the floor around the base of the toilet that a man uses. That's a good example.

Check furniture, used and unused bed linens, the mattress pad or topper, etc. This is a professional hack, and we use it to know that we are providing our guests with what they are paying us for. Some of our guests will have a UV flashlight in their bag.  I do. They also may have a BedSack with them. I have one for each of us. We long ago learned it is a must for maintaining our health while traveling in many locations.

This may seem nit picking, however, our cleanliness standards are high.  When our place of - available to anyone - business is sanitary, and the bed -in particular - is as clean as possible, we are comfortable and confident. We do our best to provide our paying guests with what we would prefer for ourselves if in their position. 

[Tara0]

Wow @Kitty-and-Creek0 thank you for this amazing tip. Not nit-picky at all! Like you, I'm OCD about cleaning standards. I micro clean after my cleaner has cleaned.

But does the UV torch work in daylight?

Can I ask, also, how often do you wash duvets and pillows? 

[Nandini11]

@Tara0 @Kitty-and-Creek0 
Even i clean every corner of the house after it has been cleaned by the househelper. 

I too wanna make sure everything is super cleaned 😊

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Tara0 

The UV torch works indoors in daylight, just not in bright sunlight which is hard to compete with. 

We do 4 loads of laundry for one bed for one night plus towels in another load. Sheets are washed & dried separately from towels, which leave lint on the sheets. The UV light shows us those bits of lint, which is one more thing to address.

We are not obsessive about our own quarters, and we do not sanitize the parts of our home that the public does not have access to. Those are our germs, we are accustomed to them. 

We do regard this as our obligation to the public, which trusts us to be safe in our home. Likewise, if I rent a hotel room, I expect that it is clean enough that I'll not get sick from sleeping there. I hold myself to the same standards. We provide luggage racks of course.  How many guests automatically dump their luggage and bags on the bed? Stuff that has been on a sidewalk, public bathroom floor? If it is OK with them, I don't assume the next guest would want to sleep with that. 

We've guests arriving today, so I'm off to scrub our kitchen, in case they decide they want to use it. 

[Tara0]

Thank you @Kitty-and-Creek0 

I'm also not obsessive about my home cleanliness. It's a different context, as you say.

I also wash the towels and sheets separately. I then air-dry and finish in a tumble dryer when close to dry, less for the drying than for the removal of lint and hair - there are always some hairs. 

My Q about duvets/pillows was about the puffy things themselves. I have pillow and mattress protectors of course, and wash them regularly, but actual duvets/pillows less often. So would like to hear your views on how often you do this? (or does your reply mean you wash EVERYTHING on the bed even if it's a one night stay?)