@Bea2137
Bea, if all guests had your philosophy that would work great.
Unfortunately they are all different, some will go to great lengths to help, some will walk out leaving the place like a pigsty.....and with both of those groups I know exactly where I stand.
It's the ones in that middle ground that are the problem.! They want to be seen to do the right thing, they clean up their mess, strip the bed and put the linens in the washing machine with make-up stains or blood on them which I might miss! Give the plates and glasses a quick rinse over and put them back in the cupboard all set for the next guest to mark me down for cleanliness because there were traces of food on the plates, or even worse, a lipstick smudge on the glasses.
Bea I don't want to have to second guess what guests might have used or done, or not done properly.
I have my cleaning regime and as I move from one aspect of the clean to the next I mark it off on a laminated sheet which when complete I photocopy and slide the copy into the house rules folder with that particular guests name, and clean the laminated sheet off ready for the next cottage turn around.
I instruct guests in the house rules to leave the cottage clean-up and turn around to us, All I want them to do is put their garbage/rubbish in the supplied outdoor bin so I can check it for recyclables and any breakages, and make sure they take all their belongings with them when they leave.
Cheers.........Rob.