Checkout instructions, How much is too much

[Sam544]

Hey all,  

Why do some guests get upset when asked to follow checkout instructions? Am I asking too much of my guests if I ask them to follow the steps listed below?

I try to stay very conservative with my cleaning fees since I am asking this of my guests, for instance the place with these checkout instructions listed below is an entire retreat by a private lake and books for $413 a night base price, I charge a $70 cleaning fee.  The reason I am asking people to start a wash cycle is because when I have a same day checkin it is very hard for my cleaning lady to get the laundry all done in time.

1.Wash any dishes that you have used and put them back where you found them.

2. Bag your trash and throw in the barrels at the end of driveway.

3. Pull bed sheets, pillow cases, and all towels that you have used, put in washer- add detergent and start a wash cycle and leave it. (DO NOT PUT COMFORTERS IN WASHER)

4. make sure the overhead door is closed and latched.

5.Lock the doors and put the key in the lockbox.

 I would like to get some feedback on what you all do for checkout instructions and how much is too much? Is it better to have a higher cleaning fee and ask less from the guests?

Thank You!

[Anonymous]

@Sam544    I think steps 1, 2, 4, and 5 are perfectly reasonable. But I 100% do NOT recommend asking guests to wash the linens, for so many reasons! First and foremost, either you or your cleaner must inspect the linens for stains or damage before they gets laundered in order to apply the proper treatment before it's too late. If severely damaged linens were found in the washer after you put guests in charge of that task, you have no chance of getting any compensation.

From the guest perspective, your linen instructions leave the impression that the sheets they're sleeping on were cleaned by the last guests rather than by the housekeeper, and that the comforter was not cleaned at all. This will seriously gross people out, and make the cleaning fee look like a joke. 

Bottom line: don't ask guests to do your laundry. If necessary, raise your rates to make sure they leave you enough to cover additional time on the clock for your housekeeper or a professional linen service.

[Gordon0]

What @Anonymous says. And the >>DO NOT PUT COMFORTERS IN WASHER<< warning (in both senses of the word) would see my finger hit the 3* for cleaning, @Sam544, regardless of whether it looked clean. No, just no. 

I'd also be asking my cleaner to re-wash the dishes. 

[Sam544]

@Anonymous  Thank you for your input. Very helpful and I will be making some adjustments soon.

[Amanda660]

As the boys have said above, all good bar starting the laundry.

I ask my guests to load their dirty dishes in the dishwasher and switch it on.  That way we can check everything is thoroughly cleaned before putting away. 

[Mark116]

@Sam544  I agree with the previous posters, the time you think you save by asking guests to start the laundry will not end up being worth it.  You will find stains set in and large sheet sets roughly handled and some guests will resent it.  We ask guests to wash their dishes but not put them away, as we're a little OCD on having everything lined up properly, so maybe nix that.  When we have had guests who stayed for several days and did a lot of cooking we always have to spot check the dishes and very often they will be poorly washed and need to be redone, so keep that in mind.

Everything else is super basic and should not be a problem.

**Some comforters won't fit in a regular washing machine and have to be sent out to a laundry.  This is the reason we switched to quilts, because not only was it costly in terms of $ and time, but the comforters still got ruined after a few months because most are simply not constructed to be laundered on a weekly plus basis.

[Sam544]

@Mark116   Thank you sir. I appreciate your advice.

[Helen3]

Pay your cleaner extrato take bed linens and towels home to wash @Sam544 

[Sandra856]

Hi @Sam544 🙂 If I were you I would charge a bit more (cleaning fee). $70 is not much for a whole house - especially considering your base price. I imagine your guests would rather pay $100 for instance than have to deal with laundry etc. Your listings are not budget places and it is absolutely fair to charge a fair cleaning fee that covers the turnaround. 

[Sam544]

Hi @Sandra856  Thank you, I will be making this adjustment.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I tell my guests to close all the windows, turn off all appliances, leave the keys on the table and close the door behind them. That's all

I don't like if they stripe the bed bc I could overlook the stains

They don't have to start the washing machine, I take the bedding to the laundry service

They don't need to throw away the last used garbage bag bc there is always some garbage after cleaning (used paper towels, rugs, empty detergent bottles etc..)

I am not stressed if they leave some dirty dishes in the sink, I will wash them by hand in a few minutes.

[Louise0]

Absolutely ditch requirement #3.  You do not want guests stripping beds, let alone washing the linens.  Also, I don't see how you can do this and meet Airbnb's hygiene expectations.