roaches

[Robin-and-Mami0]

We've been hosting in a tropical environment where cockroaches are part of the ecosystem for 10 years ~ 500 guest stays.  Although we've worked hard to keep our unit pest free invariably this is a top nagging issue travelers report.   We think it's partly because the travelers that report them 1) don't come from tropical areas and don't have experience with them.  2) don't read-understand or agree with our house manual section on roaches.

This is how our defense has evolved.  If anyone has errors or omissions to point out I'm sure not only we will be grateful but many others that host in tropical environments would love for you to post your comment(s) here. 

House Manual - Cockroaches:

They are part of Hawaii's warm, tropical ecosystem.

If you can’t abide them, maybe vacationing in Hawaii is not for you. People that live in warm or coastal cities are most familiar with this aspect of nature (National Geographic Video  About Cockroaches) https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/cockroach_german.

(American Housing Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, top 10 cities. Roach infestation statistics).  https://hawaiihome.cc/listings/islandcolony/2206/roach.jpg

We as hosts do our part to minimize pests in the condo by 1) seal openings through the walls such as around plumbing pipes, electric wires and doors 2) thoroughly clean before each guest check in 3) monthly treatment by licensed pest control experts.

During and after check in, cockroaches can enter the unit the following ways: 1) hitchhike on your luggage – from contaminated airplane luggage holds or vehicles 2) whenever the front door or Lanai door or Lanai windows are open 3) on back packs, purses or other carried accessories they can board while you are on outings.

What attracts cockroaches 1) warmth 2) food 3) water or moisture 3) dirty laundry. How soon will cockroaches respond to an “invitation”? – Virtually immediately.

What you can do as a guest to avoid attracting cockroaches:  1) hang towels on towel bars – don’t leave moist towels or footmat on the floor. 2) always wash and dry dishes directly after meals – don’t leave drinks or dirty dishes out. 3) Keep all food in the refrigerator – don’t leave food in cabinets - even in sealed containers 4) keep your laundry clean, dry and odor free. And, of course, don't leave food crumbs on the floor or elsewhere!

Following the steps previously mentioned, we minimize exposure to pests. As you can imagine, even Halekulani – the most expensive hotel in Hawaii will have unwelcome visitors if the pest avoidance practices shown above are not observed.

PS.  We have also tried

1) anti-cockroach electronic systems

2) putting boric acid in inconspicuous places (as recommended by local licensed pest control agents) - 2 lines of defense not currently mentioned in our house manual.

Aloha and Mahalo for your kind consideration

[Robin-and-Mami0]

Sarah,

Loved your story.  It's good to maintain a sense of humor and not get to bent out of shape about anything.

[Rebecca181]

@Robin-and-Mami0 - I like what you have written, and the suggestions you have gotten here for revisions as well. You might also try doing something that has worked well for me thus far: The Cottage I rent out is large but there is no kitchen - There is a kitchenette, which was a laundry room that I converted into a kitchenette so guests could cook and eat in if they wanted. I have every cooking appliance imaginable, but there is no stove. I have put this in my listing in multiple places, and yet, some people (in the past) arrived and were disappointed that there was no stove. Not a great way to start out, and annoying, because this Cottage property is really very special and has so much to offer guests. Although it only happened on rare occasions, and no one every complained to Airbnb or cancelled over it, I wanted to avoid this sort of scenario.

Now when people book, including Instant Book, I reply with my usual 'thank you' message and I ask on Airbnb's messaging system if they have read the House Rules, 'Other Notes', etc, and do they understand that there is no stove. Most everyone confirms (in writing) that they are fine with this; I have had only one traveler who had sent me a booking request decide they did not want to stay at the Cottage and appreciated me emphasizing the lack of stove. 

It just goes to show you that travelers rarely read most of our listing (as most of us here already know). Having their written confirmation that they accept that there is no stove also gives me something to stand on if a guest were ever to complain later, and I would have a case for not issuing a refund (why should I pay for their decision not to read my listing?)

So that is something you might try  - If you are not doing this already!

[Robin-and-Mami0]

Rebecca,  Thank you.  We do a similar procedure.  Within minutes of the guest booking, we thank them for their booking, include a link to our house manual and ask them to review it at their earliest convenience, and let us know if they have any questions or concerns.  Our house manual is very detailed, explaining how to get from and to the airport, self check in, operate all the devices (appliances, TV, sofa sleeper).  For example, for the keyless locks, TV, and sofa sleeper we have text operating instructions (in english and japanese), the manufacturers video and our own youtube video so there is no question about how to operate things.  We leave the TV on so when the guest checks in they know it's working (otherwise, some guests will scamble the TV settings - then tell us the TV never worked).  We've found it's worthwhile to over-kill the instructions, proof that everything is working.  In addition to that we photo key areas - dishes, sheets, appliances and video key items such as fold out sofa sleeper - prior to each guest check in so we have proof those items were clean, complete, not broken, operating properly - as some guests will say they were broken or missing when, in fact they broke them or left them at the beach.  Our house manual also contains things to do, where to get groceries, the shortest walk to the beach, etc.  And it re-affirms what our Airbnb ad says about the size of the unit - floor plan, apartment dimensions, square footage, size of beds in standard, metric and japanese jo measurements - sometimes guests arrive and say they thought they were getting a 4 storey mansion instead of this studio apartment.  Some will confirm they read the house manual - no questions - and still - we discover when they arrive, they didn't read a word of it. You know, I am sure, how entertaining it can be to be a host!

[Sarah977]

I actually don't mention bugs at all in my listing except to say that there is a mosquito net provided in the guest room. I figure that people should do some research into an area they are traveling to, and if they don't, that's on them. If they are not aware that insects are endemic to the tropics, well, they will learn something new. I wouldn't book a holiday in Finland and expect to be drinking margueritas under swaying palm trees.

When a guest arrives and I am showing them their quarters and explaining how everything works, I tell them that it's the tropics and there are lots of bugs. That if they have a cookie wrapper in their room, rather than the kitchen which they have full access to and which I keep clean, it might be swarming with ants within 15 minutes. I tell them that they may see spiders occasionally, but that the ones in my house are harmless and shy and that I vacuum their room thoroughly before their arrival, but can't guarantee that new spiders won't wander in. That cockroaches are endemic here, but that I do all I can to discourage them. That there are scorpions about, but that I have only found 10 in the house in 10 years and that they don't just wander around looking for people to sting and I show them where I keep the antihistamine should they get stung by anything.

So far no guests has mentioned anything about bugs in their reviews and only one guest asked me if I could please remove a spider on the ceiling.

[Sarah977]

Basically, I talk to the guests about the bugs in a really casual manner, just like showing them where the light switches are and letting them know that it takes a minute for the hot water to work its way through the pipes to their shower. I find if I acknowlege things without making a big deal of them, the guests are likely to follow suit. Which doesn't necessarily mean I won't someday have a guest who has a major freak-out if they see a cockroach.

[Amy38]

@Robin-and-Mami0@Rebecca181

If you have ever dealt with roaches, you know that it is possible to never see one, then move books from an upper cabinet and they come pouring out (my first NY apt which was sprayed monthly)

or suddenly appearing around the kitchen sink (my house, also sprayed monthly) or popping out of the toaster.

Our exterminator told us we were bringing them in...not true...a couple of weeks dusting boric acid around the kitchen sink where I saw juveniles solved the problem...they take it back to the nest and eventually everybody dies. I havent had a recurrence in 40 years.

If you are on the 22nd floor and are not completely over run, then nest may be at your neighbors. I would try to enlist all my neighbors in using the boric acid or whatever.  

The best thing about roaches is that you either have them or you dont.  If you can get everyone near you to follow a regime, you can eradicate them.

Good luck!

and I would tell guests that they might see an occasional bug...just assure them that you place not infest, that they wander in from neighbors, which I think is probably the case.

[Linda108]

The Air BNB marketing tag line includes "live there" as the mission of the shared housing market.  Nothing makes you feel like a local than to meet and greet the local critters.  Although I was born in Hawaii, I have a bit of a phobia about cockroaches so this discussion thread is creepy to me but REAL.  @Robin-and-Mami0 good for you with helping travelers understand that the tropics is not just all hibiscus flowers and surf, but includes a closeness to bugs and geckos.  😄