How do you ensure a clean and safe environment for your guests?

[Paula]

Hello everyone 👋

First impressions count more than a thousand words. From the moment a guest enters a property, cleanliness plays a vital role in creating a successful and memorable experience.

Many hosts take different steps to ensure their space is spotless and safe, such as:

• Visiting the property before each check-in
  
• Requesting photos or videos from the cleaning team
  
• Using detailed cleaning checklists
  
• Scheduling deep cleans regularly
  

I’d love to hear from you: How do you ensure a clean and safe environment for your guests?

Share your experience in the comments, and let’s learn from one another.

Regards,

[Kendall125]

It's probably not a fair comparison, but I only have one unit and it is in my back yard.  So, I am always here.  I do the cleaning and ensure the space is safe for everyone.  I have a thorough check list and have made updates to it as I discover ways to improve.  I also use Minut monitoring systems to detect high levels of noise, activity, or cigarette and marijuana smoke.  I have "No Smoking, Vaping, or Marijuana" signs posted.  I use outdoor cameras to detect activity and people arriving and leaving.  These seem to help.  Your situation could be completely different.  

I have a very close relative who has a remote beach appartment that she manages from thousands of miles away.  She rents it for a $5,000 per week so she is very careful about who she rents to.  She requests access to them on facebook and other social media if they have it to evaluate they type of guest they might be.  She asks a lot of questions regarding the numbers of people that will be there and the types of activities they enjoy.  She has been very successful in avoiding destructive partying and other types of disruptive behavior by paying attention to whom she rents to.  She has kept her place full for Spring and Summer seasons for many years and has lots of repeat guests.  Her secret is a very personal touch.  She is responsive to their requests and speaks directly with them on a regular basis if needed.  

I hope this is of at least some use to you.

[Lois45]

I do it myself.  It is in my own home.  

[Paula]

@Lois45 Thank you for sharing your experience! Do you use a detailed cleaning checklist?

Looking forward to your reply.

[Paula]

Hello @Kendall125, Thank you so much for sharing these examples!  It’s true that a lot depends on the host’s approach. 

In your experience, what do you think helps more to avoid issues, being on-site and monitoring closely, or carefully screening and staying in touch with guests?

Looking forward to your answer. 

[Kendall125]

I would say being on site and setting up clear but not overly burdensome house rules and guidelines have been most important for me with a small efficiency in a non-resort setting.   I would say that for a resort setting thorough screening is more important.

[Paula]

Hello @Kendall125, Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Kendal, and congratulations on earning the Guest Favorite badge! It really reflects all the effort you put into hosting. 🌟

[James--Jay-0]

Wow, @Kendall125 . That family member has set a new standard.  That is a very good idea for screening. Most of the AirBnB owners, including myself, start out looking to make the income as quickly as possible.  However, your family member is treating this more like a high end business.  Which is Really good.  Also, it is a long game that has and should pay off nicely. By screening the way she does it cuts back tremendously on patrons looking to party and use the place as a venue for destructive activities.  I like this concept.  Might I ask, asking to have access to facebook accounts, is it something your family member puts into the ad as a requirement for booking or does she ask for access upon booking request?

[Paula]

Hi @James--Jay-0, this is a great question, 

I wanted to let you know that I've added a tag with Kendall's name to your comment. To tag someone, tap "@" and select the host's username from the dropdown menu. This way, they will receive a notification 😊

Regards,

[Josephine389]

We ensure a clean and safe environment by ensuring that the property is constantly checked and cleaned as and when necessary. 

We inform guests of our at least once every fortnight cleaning visit. The majority of our guests do not prefer the daily cleanings. 

I hope you find this helpful

[Isabelle2317]

Hi Paula … we Airbnb our own home on weekends and holidays so we w do all of the cleaning ourselves . Occasionally I have hired cleaners … but tbh I don’t know how they can do it in 3 hrs . Our home is 4 bedroom , large open plan living , dining and a seperate cinema room and a decent size yard so cleaning takes place over the week.  I have a list of everything that needs to be done and tick off as I go . I do all the inside ( like a spring clean every time ) and my husband does the lawns and the windows . I clean it like I expect to find an Airbnb . Always to achieve the 5 star experience.we also take on board anything our guests suggest would make their stay any better . 

[Paula]

Hello @Isabelle2317, Wow, this sounds like very hard work, congratulations on putting in so much effort!

Do you do a deep cleaning every time a guest checks out, or do you do it on a weekly or monthly basis?

It also depends on the number of guests you’ve had during that period, right?

Regards,

[Lee-And-Lisa2]

You must periodically go in after your cleaner and validate everything was cleaned, staged, etc. to your standards. You must provide your cleaner with feedback. 
Once your cleaner learns you are going follow up and check on everything they are significantly more likely to get it right the first time and in the future.  
Never stop validating and providing quality feedback.

[James--Jay-0]

Thank you for this tip @Lee-And-Lisa2.  As a newer owner/host to this arena, I have been learning more every guest that stays.  We have had a property for over a year and hit some pitfalls with a few guests even though we had clear rules.  We also hit pitfalls with cleaners we had to fire. Not being close to the property is a difficult part of the checkups and setting expectations.  

[Paula]

Hello@Lee-And-Lisa2  and @James--Jay-0., It’s been great reading about your experiences.

Do you provide a checklist to your cleaning crew, like a list of tasks they must complete during every cleaning session? I’m asking because there are small details they might forget, and I wonder if having a clearly written list could help avoid these situations.

Regards,