How long does it really take to clean your space?

[Elisa]

 

Hello everyone😊,
I hope you’re having a great week!

Cleaning between guests isn’t always as quick as we hope.

Sometimes it’s a smooth one-hour reset, sheets changed, bathroom scrubbed, a quick vacuum. Other times, it takes much longer, especially if guests left things messy or if you’re extra thorough with the details. Some hosts do it all themselves, while others rely on cleaners. 

How long does it really take you to clean your space?

I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Warm regards,
Elisa 🌻

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Elisa 

We have on-call cleaners, but I still find myself physically inspecting the property after every turnover to make sure everything is truly clean. There have been times when key appliances like the fridge, microwave, or oven are missed. Depending on how long the guest stayed, it usually takes us about 1.5 to 2 hours to clean the entire place thoroughly.

[Elisa]

Hi @Patricia2526 😊, 

Thanks for letting me know!

That's great that you can double-check, do you do that all the time?

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Elisa 

Good question! Our guest suite takes at least 3 hours to clean well and prep appropriately between guests. If it is left super clean, it is going to take 3 hours minimum, which includes 4 loads of laundry in process, while cleaning the bathroom and furniture. It is about an 850 Sq ft room with en suite full bathroom. If guests leave dirty dishes, debris on the floor, linens or furniture needing spots and stains removed, add more time. It takes the better part of an hour to properly make the king bed. Our standards are high and we clean to what we would want to find as guests. 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

And the kitchenette cleaning, plus restocking food and beverages. Glassware is cleaned and polished to bartender standards, dishes and appliances as well. Includes coffee mill and French press, coffee maker and water heating pot. 

[Elisa]

Hi @Kitty-and-Creek0 😊, 

Thank you for sharing this here!

I see you're really focused on cleaning, such an important aspect.

Do you do it yourself, or does someone help you?

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Elisa 

It is mostly me, plus every other week 2 helpers spend an additional 3 hours each doing deeper cleaning. In addition to all the rest mentioned, the fridge needs cleaning and stocking plus regular defrosting of the freezer part.

Right before arrival we vacuum the floors and check for spiders who may have wandered in. 

We also throughly clean our own part of the house and the kitchen. Guests often end up in our living space and use the shared kitchen. The Solarium, outdoor porches and outdoor furniture also get cleaned shortly before their arrival. So day of arrival is another deep cleaning day.

[Elisa]

Hi @Kitty-and-Creek0 😊, 

Thank you for this nice reply!

That's a great strategy, well done.

Did you find your helpers easily? Any tips you'd like to share for finding a good one?

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Elisa 

Finding helpers is all word of mouth. No - it is not easy at all!!

Some have been students with a full time cleaning business. One woman stayed with me through getting advanced degrees, nearly 20 years. She's still a very dear friend, and is working full time using her education in service to the community. Several others were with me as a stepping stone as well, to our great pride and satisfaction. 

A couple worked also for hotels where they were paid by the job, instead of by the hour. The habit of working at top speed was very strong, so they ended up no longer working here. Alas!  Hotels use linen service, so inspecting linens before stripping the bed, and as part of making it again; plus doing laundry, are not on their list. 

[Jay2770]

Hosting monthly for only 7 months and I just had my first deep clean.  7 hours for regular cleaner plus 6 hours for deep cleaning. $30 & $35.  

otherwise it is 5-8 hours of a regular cleaner for maintenance and changing sheets.  

[Jason2795]

Context is important for that question.  Does the host use a professional cleaning service or simply a housekeeper?  Are they doing the laundry off site or on site?   Are they doing other task like inspections?  How often are you doing deep cleans?  Are they hauling off trash on day of check out?  How many people are doing the clean?  Are they cleaning thehot tub?  You can't just say "how much is a cleaning" and "how long does it take". 

We use a professional cleaning service that also owns a commercial laundry.  On EVERY check out we run dedicated crews through 2000-7000sq ft homes with 3-8 bedrooms.  We have a crew that drops off the linens for refresh and takes the old ones, we have a trash crew (trash is ALWAYS) removed on check out and never the task of the guest.  We have a snow plow team, a show shovel team (different than the plow) we have a team that does hot tub chemical checks and we have an inspector who is never the cleaner.  Would you want your kids grading their own homework?

Our professional cleaners focus on the property, not the linens, the commercial laundry does all of that.  The cleaners supply all toiletries, soaps, paper towels, etc.

So a basic question like "how long" is variable depending on how many bedrooms and bathrooms and what task the cleaners are doing.

[Janell237]

Hi @Elisa 

So my house is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath. For me to clean the house it can take l 3.5 hours but I get very particularly about things. Above the normal cleaning I also make sure everything is dusted and spiderwebs cleared out and tassels on rugs straightened ect, plus we have a full backyard so outdoor furniture needs to be cleaned off and BBQ grill needs to be cleaned. It also takes me awhile cause I usually do every 3rd cleaning myself to make sure my cleaner is not missing stuff and I can see what needs replacing. My cleaner usually takes her about 2.5 hours to clean the house.

[Jeanna27]

It usually takes me a minimum of 3 hours - I am meticulous, and have a certain way I want things in the house.  Plus, I am always doing laundry and running the dishwasher.  When I've hired outside cleaners (which I have to do occasionally, they are in and out in no time), however, my last one literally didn't fully dry the towels and put them back folded up in the linen closet.  With that being said, I like to be thorough - it's our business, and I cannot afford for it to go south, so if I have to spend additional time cleaning myself, and/or doing quality checks for cleaners I've hired, then I will.

[Jakub141]

Hi.

It will takes upto 2-3 hours.

Wszystko zależy jaki bałagan zostawią goście.