Is cleaning the most import aspect of a property?

[Calvin173]

I've been giving some thought to the importance of cleaning when it comes to guests, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this matter. While it's clear that cleanliness plays a significant role in property management, I'm wondering if it's truly the most crucial aspect. What's your take on this? Do you clean your own property? Do you pay somebody? Do you use a cleaning app? What are your ways to deal with your property's cleaning?

[Rhonda343]

I definitely think that cleaning is the most important part of my cottage. The reason I say that is because my place needs a facelift and I don’t have the funds for it right now. Keeping  it semi trendy and spotless is my goal. I also have a loaf of just baked warm bread sitting on the counter when they arrive. My guests  arrive at a clean place that smells delicious. To me that’s says  “welcome”.

I clean my own place. I had someone else do it a couple of times and I was not happy with the results. My guest didn’t complain but I was not satisfied with it. I’m too picky to let someone else do things for me. I have to do it myself. 

[Calvin173]

@Rhonda343 It sounds amazing. It definitely says "welcome" haha. I wish I had time to do it myself, but I live far away from my property, can't go there every time!

[Ana2038]

@Calvin173 , absolutely it’s cleaning. In all the years we have hosted, cleanliness has always scored a 5 with all our guest. We do our own cleaning. We take stock of what needs touch up, replacing and or extra attention etc… The most vital area that needs to be spotless is the bathroom. Bedding is next (clean, crisp, pressed bedsheets). No hair anywhere!!  I know as both a Superhost and Guest cleanliness is very important to me.  

[Calvin173]

@Ana2038 Sounds like a very organized cleaning flow. Congratulations! Do you use cleaning checklists for each room?

[Ana2038]

@Calvin173 , my listing only has 1 bedroom, one bath. So I really don’t have a checklist. I did make one years ago but that was for my husband to follow. 

[Calvin173]

Haha so relatable! I would need one also!

[Lorina14]

@Calvin173 Cleaning is very important. It’s the first impression and can make or break a stay. A stray hair in the bed or bathroom, leftover food in the oven (I was a guest and this DID happen to me and who know how long it was there), enough toilet paper and towels, detergent (one host only had two packets for an 8 day stay with 3 people, one being a toddler; as a host I have a whole bottle there), dried out dog poop behind a bed (again this happened to me as a guest and we only found it at the end behind the bed when I was making sure my son didn’t leave behind any toys or random crayons), random stuff and dust bunnies under a bed, mold in the bathroom (and this was a superhost?), dog hair on stairs (not a hair or two - significant clumps of hair) and more.  I want to create a nice experience for guests and clean to a level I’d like a place to be cleaned. 

If you have a cleaning crew I’d recommend trying them out before a new guest arrives with a checklist of what you expect to be cleaned. I wrote up a how to clean because I was out of town when we had a change in guests and wrote out every single thing so my partner could clean. It was helpful when I paid a friend to clean as well. I’ve heard people say cleaning crews charge more when they know it’s an Airbnb sometimes $$120-150 for a small space like mine (1bd/1ba). It depends on their commute, if there are other jobs in the same area, etc. I have to check and see if I can get someone reasonable if I can’t or don’t feel like cleaning myself. I’ve also changed to minimum 2 night stay because I was tired of cleaning 4 days a week or so. It depends on the host and comes down to time, money and expectations.  Good luck!

[Calvin173]

@Lorina14 Yeah, that's the worst! I wish every host had a cleaning crew to their properties. Clean accommodations make renting experiences much more pleasant for everyone! A good and clear communication with the cleaner is also a crucial part of the job, so we can set achievable goals and reach every expectation!

[Patti-And-Marty0]

@Calvin173 I agree that cleanliness is number one. I have been a guest many times in many different countries, sometimes the accommodation is old and dated ( to our standards) but as long as it’s clean- it’s fine. Many other things can be forgiven if it’s clean. 

In my own listing I have a fantastic cleaner but I still check and detail clean on my own. The toothbrush comes out, windows get done, furniture is moved and cleaned under. And much more. 

[Calvin173]

@Patti-And-Marty0 How do you check the cleaning level of your property if, for example, you are on vacation on a different place? I use the Turno app features, such as customized checklist and problem report. You can ask the cleaner to upload photos of their work in order to complete the project. It works just fine to me, I don't even have to go there every time. I still come over sometimes, cause I don't wanna be absent, but still... Great option!

[Patti-And-Marty0]

hi @Calvin173 

I haven't tried an app but I can understand how it could be useful to monitor that procedures and set-up are properly done. But I'm not sure if a photo can capture the kind of detail I'm talking about. For instance you can photograph a window and it looks perfect, but actually from a different angle there are streaks. And there's no way to photograph every nook and cranny for dust. Maybe I'm over the top. I trust my cleaner to do a great job when I'm away for short periods but for extended travel I actually close it down. I realise that's not an option for everyone.

[Calvin173]

For sure @Patti-And-Marty0 , I think what you do is awesome. There is no one better than ourselves to take care of our business! Not always this is possible for me, but every time I can, I do the same as you. Even so, I recommend you give the app a try. There are great tools for communication and organizing cleaning. You can find backup cleaners for the days your primary cleaner is off, create checklists with photos, report a problem when you're not at the property, make payments automatically after each cleaning... Of course, I'm just giving you a hint. Not everyone adapts easily to apps (myself included) however with Turno I adapted very well, and today I can no longer work without its features.
Also, thanks for sharing your point of view. My wife and I are trying to improve our services as Airbnb Hosts, and I'm speaking to people who are used to this market to get ideas and new opinions... 

[Greystone0]

@Calvin173 Cleaning trumps all else, as noted. You just can't make up for a poor cleaning. Our cleaner has been a cleaner for short term rentals for a long time and she's a pro and highly efficient. I do a full clean myself after every three guests. Our rental is also our vacation home and so we spend time there anyway. It forces me to really check all the nooks and crannies and make sure everything is tip top. We have a big space and it is a lot to keep in order so after the third guest things can be a little topsy turvy . Our cleaner has time to clean but not ensure that board games are in order, kitchen drawers are well organized, garage is neat, and so on.  If our cleaner wasn't such a pro I would probably have a cleaning check list and ask for photos but in our current case it just hasn't been necessary.