Are guests required to follow cleaning instructions by hosts?

[Lani20]

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?

[Sandi173]

I like how you said you never know what is around the next corner!  I have been very fortunate too but still things get broken or towels washed by them have bleach spots (I do not ask guest to do any laundry).  I just expect trash to be taken out and no food left.  I ask that they wash the dishes and like you said but they still need it again sometimes.  Washing the dishes is mostly just so bugs aren't attracted to come in.  I like the beds to be left as is so they can be checked for stains.   They just need to be tidy and clean up their own messes made.  When I stay anywhere I always pile up the towels and bag up the trash and just leave it tidy.  I definitely don't want them to be stressing over cleaning right before they leave.

[Mika8]

.. actually, you do not have to mention the cleaning stuff in your house rules .. as it is clear stated in the TOS, https://www.airbnb.ch/terms#sec8

11.1 As a Guest, you are responsible for leaving the Accommodation (including any personal or other property located at the Accommodation) in the condition it was in when you arrived.

Nevertheless, I would mention it, especially if they are as extenxive.

.. but btw .. not to clean your own dishes - my view - is really disrespectful in this kind of accomodation ..

[Steven614]

I’m new to hosting but I just added a $6 cleaning fee mostly because I’m washing bedsheets and towels every single guest. And some leave their personal .....fluids... on the towels. So I’ve also invested in latex gloves, the disposable kind. And I go over the room and bathroom with a good cleaner and the floors get done as well as a spray down of the shower and tub if used or needed and the floors get vacuumed and steamed regularly.  I don’t think $6 is too much per stay some ppl leave the room pristine and some are sloppy. 

[Emilia42]

@Steven614, I bet you could up it to $10 and guests wouldn't bat an eye. You would make an extra $4 per booking which you could put toward a "damages" fund. That way if you had small damages like replacing a stained towel or a broken cup you wouldn't have to bother with the guest or Airbnb.

[Steven614]

Tha k you that’s a good idea. I just put that on too.  I am incrementally adding these things like security deposit and cleaning fee. I didn’t charge any for the 4 day stay because I’d don’t know better but believe me I do now. I found crumbs and grime on every surface from this one. The floors all needed a thorough going over.  And my home is brand new and I found 2 scuff marks on the doors to the closet. But that’s really minor I can paint that over at some point. I was really appalled at how there seems to be granola or something all over bother rhebbathroom and the bedroom floor in small bits everywhere.  I swept and swiffer washed and am about to steam clean and also washed even the floor mats in bathroom which somehow were left more than damp.  

[Emilia42]

@Steven614 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will probably take out those scuff marks. Give it a try.

[Steven614]

I’m going to try right now - I buy the amazon special by the 100 pack. Thank you! 

[Angel288]

As a host I would rather do everything you mentioned myself to make sure it was done properly & sanitarily as I clean for a oprofession... And if i had to do everything you listed at an Airbnb as a guest I would rather just check into a hotel. When you pay any kind of money you shouldn't have to expect to pick up after yourself. Now I know to keep this in mind should I ever travel via Airbnb myself.

[Pratik15]

I rented apartment only 1 time through Airbnb which was in 2018 in Paris. I left apartment by cleaning  as per owners instructions behind the door, stepped bed sheets, clean dishes, vacuumed apartment ( it was not in instructions) clean kitchen after paying hefty cleaning fee. After all these host left bad review on me stating good group but left my apartment dirty. (In group there was myself, my wife, 7 year old and 5 year old) 

The host was not in country when we talked to him upon leaving. Fortunately I took pictures of every corner of apartment with time and date stamp to show we cleaned apartment. 

I sent pictures to host, Airbnb but no response from either one. Airbnb did not help at all. This whole experience left me with bitter experience for Airbnb. I have rented through VRBO several times but never had this kind of experience. 

I respect hosts house/unit. 

So my question is, what should be real expectation for host from guest? Is this normal practice on Airbnb host? What should I check before booking? I am sure all host are not same. Is there any resource available to read as new guest. 

Inbetween, since then I never logged in Airbnb and today when I logged in it shows I am member from 1st November 2020

[Sarah977]

Yes, different hosts have different expectations as far as guests cleaning before check-out. The best way to inform yourself of these expectations is to send an Inquiry message to the host before booking a place and ask for the list of pre-check-out instructions regarding cleaning. If it's more than you feel is fair, then look for another listing to book.

Some hosts want guests to strip the beds, start a load of laundry, start the dishwasher, other hosts don't expect guests to do more than clean up their own personal messes, like make sure you don't leave the stovetop covered in grease, dirty dishes piled in the sink, and garbage strewn around- like you say, basic respect for the space.

Some hosts don't leave fair reviews, just as some guests don't leave fair reviews. Not much you can do about that, but you do have the option to leave a brief response to the review.

@Pratik15

[Pratik15]

Thanks Sarah, I will follow the recommendation. This gives me more conference and less anxiety of getting charged more.

[Francesco1366]

@Pratik15, 

in addition to what @Sarah977  correctly wrote that I agree, I would like to add the following.

It does not seem to me correct the behavior of your host and it is not the norm here on Airbnb. As you can see here there are many more apartments than in VRBO, so also many more personalities. The Airbnb rule is clear, if nothing is written in the house rules and you payed a cleaning fee, what you have done is much more than enough. I would like to point out that here and also on VRBO it is always better to clarify what a host expects just as Sarah suggested.

I don't understand why Airbnb didn't help you. Did you have to pay an additional cost?

Regarding the date of November 1st, perhaps you are referring to the last time you were in here, which is November 1st. In other pages, which I don't find, you may also find that you are a member, but only of the community, from November 1st. In your Airbnb profile I see that you have been an Airbnb member since 2018, you should also see it in small under your name.

[Debra300]

@Pratik15,

@Sarah977 has given you some advice.  If it's not posted in the house rules, ask the host if they have a checkout list, and what level of cleaning is required.  Maybe the wording is confusing to some people, because they think the cleaning fee means that they have housekeeping service.  Many hosts, like myself, consider that the cleaning fee pays for the preparation of the space for a guests arrival.  This includes the deep cleaning the entire space, laundering all linens and towels, disinfecting high-touch areas, making beds, cleaning windows and ceiling fans, sweeping, mopping and vacuuming the floor, stocking the kitchen with seasonings, coffee, tea, paper towels and cleaning materials, stocking the bathroom with hand soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, bath mats and towels, stocking the laundry room with detergent, fabric softener, bleach, and dryer filters, and putting in garbage bags in the bins. 

In my checkout list, guests are required to clean up their spills and dropped items, throw away food items and other personal trash in the bins, put dirty towels in the hamper and dirty dishes in the dishwasher (not start it, we'll do that).  We leave dust towels, a broom, mop and bucket, and cleaning supplies in our spaces for guests to clean up any mess that they've made.  We don't expect them to do the same level of cleaning and preparation that is required to host the next guest, but the space shouldn't be visibly untidy, either.

I checked your profile, and it shows that you joined Airbnb in 2018, and joined the Airbnb Community Center (blog) in November 2020.

[Francesco1366]

@Debra300,

I agree with you but providing the checkout list is a precise host's responsibility. It doesn't seem he have provided it.

[Debra300]

@Francesco1366,

I typically don't provide the checkout list until the night before checkout.  However, I do mention in my greeting message, the Things to know section and the house rules such things as the guest must clean up their spills, don't leave out open food and beverages, and to throw rubbish in the trash bin.  The cleaning tasks in a checkout list shouldn't be much more than those items anyway.  The other things that I list are reminders to turn off appliances, and where to leave things.

I certainly would send a guest the checkout list if they asked about it during before making a reservation.