I still can't believe this.....lovely guests left a surprise in the shower.

[Kia272]

Seriously, very nice guests. A mom and three adult (teen to early twenties) kids. She was lovely, communication was great. They left the cabin in really decent shape considering that 4 adults had stayed. They loved the cabin and had great stay. I had several very nice conversations with the mom. 

So, when I went in to clean, I was really surprised to find POOP In the shower!! It was poop! Nothing else it could have been. Nobody had made an attempt to make it go away. There was also evidence in the toilet (without getting too graphic) that someone had suffered from some gastrointestinal distress. 

I don't know about you, but if I'm suffering in that way, I'm sure as HECK going to clean up after myself. I still can't believe it. 

I pretty much think that one of the "kids" did this and the mom didn't know. She definitely seemed to be the kind of person that wouldn't have allowed that to happen. She was very nice and has great reviews. 

So I gritted my teeth, put some serious gloves on, and cleaned the bathroom. 

I (of course) didn't mention it in the review, or in private feedback. There wasn't much point. I don't think they are serial shower poopers, and it would only cause embarrassment and weirdness. They said they loved my place and would be coming back, and I would actually happily host them. Maybe if one of the kids doesn't show up the next time, I'll know who the perpetrator was. 

That's all. The end. 

[Wende2]

@Kia272   I was thinking kids, and a shower curtain.? 

I can't imagine seeing that!!  Honestly leaving the place a wreak kills me.  Like you said, they're very nice, I've had a lovely chat with some.  I always greet guests when they get here, then as they leave.  I just had 2 girls from DC stay 4 nights, one who was here last spring, left the place a wreak, but you'd think she was an old friend how we got along.  Her friend booked and mentioned the other girl would be with her.  Oh great, I hope you're cleaner than she was.  This girl had 3 really nice reviews, included the words respectful, clean and tidy.  So what the heck happened here.  I replaced 3 drip pans on the stove, they were burnt beyond cleaning, and spent 3 hrs cleaning for the next, when usually I'm just over an hr.

I certainly hope that's the first and last time you EVER have to deal with something like that.!

[Kia272]

@Wende2 As hosts, we'll always have "those" guests every once in a while. Hopefully not too often. 

Although personally, I'd rather spend an extra couple of hours cleaning up dirt and mess, than two minutes cleaning up poop. 

Hopefully I won't encounter that situation again. 

Happy hosting, Kia

[Wende2]

@Kia272   I certainly hope you've had one and done.  I complain about those 2 girls, but it was a good payday, but come on, show some respect, you're not at a hotel. 

[Huma0]

@Wende2 

Even in a  hotel, that's not okay. The cleaning staff in the hotel shouldn't have to put up with that either, especially considering they are normally paid peanuts.

[Wende2]

@Huma0  Yes I agree, no one should be cleaning poop from a shower or tub.  I'm just saying being in someones home is just so disrespectful to the homeowner.  I'm sure plenty of people could care less, and some think the homeowner has cleaners, either way it's disgusting. Honestly, I'm not sure I wouldn't have told the mom about it.

[Huma0]

@Wende2 

Luckily, I have never had anything like that happen here (yet) but I would not have been as laid back about it. I definitely would have said something!

I once had two guys staying and one left the toilet (which was shared with other guests) in a disgusting state. I had a new guest arriving and the bathrooms had already been cleaned, but luckily I saw it because I went in to turn the light off (these guys were always leaving bathroom lights on). Thank goodness. That's not what someone needs to see on their welcome tour.

I immediately messaged the booking guest and told him I needed to talk to him. I told him it was not okay and that I was not dealing with it and that there was toilet cleaner and brush next to the toilet. He immediately went up to clean it.

[Wende2]

@Huma0   I'm glad he cleaned it.  I feel the same having the brush right by the toilet.  And I'm pretty sure I would have sent that mom a message, with photos.  I think ABnB should let us pick the ages for children that can stay.  I see they offer 2-12, another friend on ABnB said she doesn't want any kids that may wet the bed, of course that could be older kids too, but pretty rare I would think.  I really never thought about that, wetting the bed, being 58 when I started 6 yrs, never crossed my mind.  She also mentioned children being hurt in a pack -n-play, took that out last week, guests will have to bring their own.

[Huma0]

@Wende2 

No, I never thought about bed wetting at all. I suppose one could always have those waterproof mattress protectors, but there are only so many bodily fluids that a host should have to deal with. 

I don't accept kids at all, but I agree with you that the 2-12 bracket is far too vague. A two-year-old is nothing like a 12-year-old.

[Rhonda301]

I have those waterproof mattress cover on both king size mattresses with another fluffy mattress cover on top. So yeah two mattress covers. And I’m glad I did when those people flooded the downstairs the water dripped onto the bed but with the cover it was protected.  They were not expensive either. The mattresses were though to me. 

[Robin4]

@Kia272 

Congratulations on the way you handled that Kia, that is really mature of you. Many would have punished the guest in the review process or at least in the private feedback.

We all get these situations from time to time and I think it says a lot about us by the way we handle them. I feel your situation could have been possibly unintentional, it may have been out of desperation.....that old saying, 'when you've got to go, you've got to go'! 

My reference point as far as mention to the guest of something tasteless is, the humble...... 'condom'!

If they attempt to flush it down the toilet and it won't flush due to an air bubble I will make no mention of it either publicly or privately....they have made some sort of an attempt to be discreet, and as offensive as it is, I will get rid of it but, leave it at that!

If they leave it under the bed (yes it has happened) I will suggest in private feedback they have a bit more respect for the hosts property and feelings and use a bit more effort to dispose of it thoughtfully in the future! I will embarrass them, but not publicly!

But good on you Kia, you handled that well.

Cheers........Rob

[Huma0]

@Robin4 

Yes, I think these things are better mentioned privately. I never mentioned anything about the poopy toilet in the review for the guests, but I did mention it to them while they were here because it was a shared bathroom and that's just not okay.

We all have to make judgement calls on these things in each situation. However, leaving poo in the shower to me is just going too far. They are not toddlers. Although I probably would not have been specific in the review, I certainly would have told the guests privately that it was not okay. In the review, I probably would have said "there was serious cleanliness issue", or something along those lines and rated them down for cleanliness. 

[Gillian166]

ok @Laura2592  I had to google it, and came across this HILARIOUS story on Reddit. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueOffMyChest/comments/uy9sr2/i_tried_waffle_stomping_for_the_first_time_t...

there's not pics people, so it's not gross, it's just a hilarious story of an idiot.  I can imagine him having a Lady Macbeth "out **bleep** spot" moment with his big toe for the next few weeks. 

[Gillian166]

@Laura2592  and because this story just won't go away, i was brushing my teeth in the shower last night, and dropped a big bit of toothpaste on the ground, and then ended up using my toe to squish it through the grate and guess what that made me think of? 

euww. once we know, we can't unknow.

[Amanda660]

@Laura2592  I feel a lot more educated now than I was 10 mins ago - hilarious. 

[Adria0]

OMG, this hits close to home. We have houses right next door to each other. A guest booked and told me he had been there before, I had no record of his name, asked when he stayed, but never heard. No biggie, he was happy to be back. I granted early check in, but then later I got a flurry of messages that he was locked out.
Long story short, he had booked the house next door to the house he stayed in previously. The house he had been in last time was unlocked as the manager was coming back to do laundry (she lives next door, we leave doors unlocked not infrequently in our little town) so he went in the wrong house.

Ok, we get him moved, she checks the house and recleans the hall bath, everything seems fine.

2 days later I arrive for a maintenance stay and when I open the lid in the master bath, I am greeted by horrific unflushed evidence of GI distress, it's clogged, it's encrusted, it's gross. (BARF) I did as @Kia272 did and got the gloves and got busy. 

When I walked in, though, the TP in the roll was in the specific fold in which my manager leaves it, so you know it's not been used. That's why she did not check that room (she learned a lesson there & I am blessed it was me that arrived, not a real guest!) because it still appeared unused in her little fold of the paper.

Someone was bad sick, clogged the toiled, put the lid down, left it there, went next door and stayed AND never used the TP?! (probably flushed their own wipes & that's what clogged it)

Like @Kia272  this was a nice repeat guest who obvi was unaware of the behaviour of someone in his group. I didn't mention it in the review, though I may have docked a star on cleanliness.