Are guests required to follow cleaning instructions by hosts?

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Lani20
Level 2
San Diego, CA

Are guests required to follow cleaning instructions by hosts?

My friends and I have stayed at a few Airbnb’s over the past couple of months and I noticed all of them left cleaning instructions that they were expecting us to follow. They wanted us to wash our towels, take out trash, wash our dishes, strip the beds/pillows of sheets, etc. They all charged us a hefty cleaning fee, so I don’t understand why they expect us to do most of the cleaner’s job. I mean I definitely believe in respecting the units and keeping them tidy, but normal mess like laundry, trash, dishes should not be the guests responsibility.  We had to wake up extra early to ensure all those tasks were done on top of packing our things and getting ready to check out by 10 or 11am. And I’m sorry, but when you’re on vacation, having to wake up early and clean is very annoying. For that reason alone I will most likely not be using airbnb again. At hotels, they don’t require you to do anything. So why do we pay 200 dollar cleaning fees when we do a lot of the work?

1 Best Answer
Donna316
Level 4
Tasman, New Zealand

As a host I dont charge a cleaning fee.  Would like to though but have thought it could put off prospective guests. So a $200 cleaning fee astounds me!  All I ask guests to do, "in the manual" is if they get time before they leave it is appreciated if they could wash and dry their dishes and put away. Most do not.  The most that is done is maybe washed and left on bench.  I do find most guests dont wash things properly anyway so I quite often have to rewash them.  I do have a vacumn in the Studio in a corner but that is for me to use so I dont have to carry it there everytime I clean. I also have a spray bottle of cleaner and clean cloth under the kitchen bench, but again that is only for if guests were to spill something I ask if they could clean it up.  Once in a blue moon I have had the sheets stripped off the bed which is awesome but I definitely do not ask for it to be done.  I would never ask guests to put washing on as someone said above, I always check for stains, that would require stain remover. If guests are staying for some days I do leave extra bin liners for inside rubbish and tell them where our large outside rubbish bins are so they can dispose of it, but if guests only staying for a night or 2 I don't expect them to do that either.   When I am a guest in a hotel, I always wash and dry my dishes and put away and wipe down bench.  I make sure to get up early enough to make time. I leave all wet towels in a pile in the bathroom and also leave the rest of the place how I found it.  As I said above if I was paying a $200 cleaning fee, (I wouldn't book a place that had a fee that high!),  I probably wouldn't be so pedantic with the dishes etc.

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46 Replies 46
Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

Hi, @Lani20 each host has their own policies re. cleaning fees and check-out requests so this varies a lot.

 

The check-out procedures you mention are not uncommon for vacation rental properties, even with a cleaning fee, regardless of booking platform. Stripping sheets allows cleaners to quickly and accurately know which beds have been used. Taking out kitchen garbage prevents the attraction of pests. Starting a load of laundry takes two minutes and saves the cleaners 45 minutes of washing time. I think the vast majority of hosts would expect guests not to leave a significant quantity of dirty dishes under any circumstances.

 

I don't know what "etc." includes but the specific tasks you listed are definitely not "most of the cleaner's job," which includes thoroughly cleaning/sanitizing bathroom and kitchen including appliances, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, washing and folding laundry, making beds, cleaning windows, restocking kitchen and bath supplies, disposing of trash and recycling, as well as inspecting the property for damage or missing items.

 

You're certainly correct that hotels don't expect you to do any cleanup-- of course you are still paying for the housekeeping service as part of your nightly rate. Some guests are more suited to hotels and that's fine; it's your choice. Other alternatives would be to book only rentals that charge no cleaning fee (where of course, you are again paying for cleaning in your nightly rate), and/or to clarify check-out expectations with your prospective host before booking and avoid properties that have any.

Thanks for your detailed response. As I mentioned, I do believe we should respect the hosts and their units. I think it’s common courtesy not to leave a significant amount of dirty dishes or food laying around that would attract pests. I would never do that. It’s tasks such as laundry, folding towels, taking out ALL trash, stripping beds, and separating cans/plastics that makes me question why I am paying a hefty $200 cleaning fee. If starting a load of laundry only takes 2 min, then the cleaners should have no problem starting a load and waiting for it to finish as they’re cleaning the rest of the house. Me doing the laundry doesn’t save them time, it saves them from having to do the tasks themselves. I really don’t mind paying a $200 cleaning fee, but not when I am being asked to do part of cleaning too. But you’re right, it is my choice, and I should definitely avoid properties that have these type of expectations in the future. Cheers!

@Lani20 actually at a vacation rental laundry is often the most time-consuming task. At our larger house there can be up to 8-10 loads to get through, so a 45-minute head start is significant and can save them from having to wait that much time to finish and/or take the laundry with them to finish. I would not expect guests to run the dryer or fold-- though a few do-- or take out any trash other than kitchen garbage.

@Lani20  $200 is high unless the space is huge or a whole multi floor house. If it’s $200 for a one bedroom apartment I would say don’t book it, lol  🙂

One of them was $180 and the highest was $210, so I roughly estimated $200. Also, this was in Hawaii, so maybe that’s why it was high

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

We expect guests to recycle, to take out their own trash or contact us to do it for them, and to wash all of their dishes/pans.

 

We don't ask guests to strip beds, and would never ask them to start the laundry in case there are any stains that need treating.

@Mark116  -- illustrating the point that expectations vary widely.

Donna316
Level 4
Tasman, New Zealand

As a host I dont charge a cleaning fee.  Would like to though but have thought it could put off prospective guests. So a $200 cleaning fee astounds me!  All I ask guests to do, "in the manual" is if they get time before they leave it is appreciated if they could wash and dry their dishes and put away. Most do not.  The most that is done is maybe washed and left on bench.  I do find most guests dont wash things properly anyway so I quite often have to rewash them.  I do have a vacumn in the Studio in a corner but that is for me to use so I dont have to carry it there everytime I clean. I also have a spray bottle of cleaner and clean cloth under the kitchen bench, but again that is only for if guests were to spill something I ask if they could clean it up.  Once in a blue moon I have had the sheets stripped off the bed which is awesome but I definitely do not ask for it to be done.  I would never ask guests to put washing on as someone said above, I always check for stains, that would require stain remover. If guests are staying for some days I do leave extra bin liners for inside rubbish and tell them where our large outside rubbish bins are so they can dispose of it, but if guests only staying for a night or 2 I don't expect them to do that either.   When I am a guest in a hotel, I always wash and dry my dishes and put away and wipe down bench.  I make sure to get up early enough to make time. I leave all wet towels in a pile in the bathroom and also leave the rest of the place how I found it.  As I said above if I was paying a $200 cleaning fee, (I wouldn't book a place that had a fee that high!),  I probably wouldn't be so pedantic with the dishes etc.

I agree with  @Donna316     I don’t book places with huge cleaning fees (if that’s my only option I just book a hotel room)  but even if I did I would reset the apartment and put my dishes away. At my last one I stripped the beds even though I didn’t have to because I know what a host goes through. And I bet tha5 host has had prior guests that left the space unkempt before the rules were written. 

 

i only charge $50 even though it takes 4 hours to clean the apartment even if one person stays. We strip the beds, but ask that guests wash their dishes or run the dishwasher,   put used towels in the laundry hamper and bag their trash. Most of my guests have gone above and beyond.

 

Even with this help the home has to be thoroughly inspected and cleaned between guests. We even have the bathroom drain snaked for hair to prevent clogging. So we charge for the costs of the person who helps with the laundry and we cover the rest out of the rental fee.

 

Most hosts would gladly incorporate the cost into the rent but unfortunately that makes us look expensive compared to those who add it as an extra charge. Plus the cleaning fee is fixed so it decreases as a per day cost the longer someone stays. We just booked a guest for six weeks. The cleaning fee is still $50 even though we’ll probably take the unit off line for two days to deep clean. I still expect those guests to return my apartment neat and tidy.

 

So choose or don’t choose based on the clearly stated rules but on average your Airbnb stay is significantly cheaper than a hotel but includes things and spaces you won’t get unless you book a residence hotel.

 

i hope that helps.

A lot of guests think a short term apartment rental is similar to a hotel room. It is not. Hotels have inventory whereas each property is unique. My 106 m2 and 100 m2 flats take 6 hours minimum and that is really tough.

@Lani20 

You would have known about the cleaning fee prior to booking the place and about what is expected of guests thru the listing description. If you were not happy with paying a $200 cleaning fee and having to do so much clean up prior to check out...... you could have simply chosen another listing with little or no cleaning fee and less check-out requirements - which would have had a higher nightly rate. 

 

As many have stated, expectations differ and so do the way hosts price their listings.

 

It's your decision.....which ABB you choose, or if you opt to book a hotel instead of an ABB....... it's all up to you. It's the guest's responsibility to read listing descriptions and find/book a place that provides what YOU want. 

 

Fyi, I don't have a cleaning fee because I built it into the nightly rate which makes my nightly rate higher than my competition. But I tend to target guests who stay for longer periods and I have a longer min. stay requirement than most hosts. My listing set up, house rules, pricing strategy is completely different a host who prefers 1~2 night stays. What I offer is unique to my home 🙂 

 

I expect guests to read my offer, my listing, my house rules and book if what I'm offering is a good match with their needs. I have no intention of changing the way I do things in my own home to accomodate a guest who wants something I can't or don't want to offer/provide. 

Once again, I am not complaining about the price of the cleaning fee. Yes, I knew about it in advance. That is NOT my issue. My issue is having to pay that fee when I am expected to do part of the cleaning myself. I don’t mind paying a $200 cleaning fee and in Hawaii where I rented, I expect fees to be higher. Again, the price of the cleaning fee wasn’t my issue. It’s the fact that we have to do part of the cleaning ourselves AND pay that price. Also, the house rules were not provided until AFTER I had already booked the place and the 48hr full refund time period had passed. So no, I could not have chosen another listing because I only would have been refunded 50% of my money back. That was their cancellation policy.

@Lani20 you have no obligation to comply with rules not disclosed before booking.

@Lani20 

@Lisa723  is correct. Guests are not obligated to follow rules that were not provided and agreed on prior to booking. 

 

As soon as you found out about the cleaning requirements/expectations, it would have been enough of a reason to contact ABB to ask for a full refund for a cancellation stating the host was not upfront about house rules in the listing description and surprised you with additional rules not mentioned prior to your booking being confirmed.