Check out instructions?

[Bryan-and-Corey0]

I'm curious how other hosts handle check-out. We host a 3 bedroom house so we tend to get big groups. Even if they only stay 1-2 nights, there is a lot to do to clean for the next guest. So I started posting a "Before you leave" list.  

I ask that they wash all the dishes, strip the sheets off the beds, take out the trash. I also add a few helpful hints like check under the beds, log off all accounts on the smart TV, let me know how their stay could be better, etc. I'm not asking them to clean or vacuum.

Is this too much or not enough? Should I let guests know my expectations when they arrive or right before they leave? Should I post it on the listing where I'm sure it won't be read but just in case someone says, "but I didn't know!" How do other hosts handle this?

[Rachael26]

@Bryan-and-Corey0

I have guested at several Airbnb and am a host of a man cabin retreat. If I see a long list of 'to do' things as part of my rental - as well as paying a cleaning fee - it can raise the hackles a bit.

Your list seems OK and even helpful u - I would just question the value of stripping sheets. That's the one that doesn't add much to the time saver factor - and it may even cause problems as it may lead to stains or damage being missed. It doesn't take long to remove the sheets from a bed - and as a guest I would not want to do this.

Cleaning dishes, securing garbage etc

etc - absolutely, and it should be that your guests are leaving the place clean anyway.

Best Wishes .

[Sarah2537]

In times of Covid, I think stripping the sheets is very important to reduce exposure to hosts.

[Holly471]

I host a 3 bedroom house with 5 beds.  I want guests to strip sheets so I know which beds were slept in.  Don't want to play a guessing game as to which sheets to wash, and definitely do not want to leave a used bed unwashed!

[Vanessa-and-Kurt0]

Your expectations are fair for a whole house rental but I would give check in/check out instructions before they arrive as well as post them in the home. I don't mind stripping the beds and all but I would be unhappy if I was asked last minute - packing up is stressful enough. 

[Kate157]

Hi @Bryan-and-Corey0 my checkout instructions are to leave the key behind and leave the apartment door open so I know they have gone. That's been enough for over 4 years. I alwys arrange  to have the place thoroughly cleaned after each stay, including trash, bedding, towels, etc. I see this as my job, not the guests'.

[Ike8]

Hi Kate, how do you arrange to have it thoroughly cleaned? do you do it yoursellf or have someone do it. Please can you share tips

[Allan-C-0]

We are very new to Airbnb, this has been very helpful.  Thank you all!

[George591]

Are you still Airbnbing? I’m new to it and so far, so good. 

[Tatyana5]

Guests are on a holiday. I charge for cleaning. I do expect guests to treat my house with the common respect any house guest would and that includes not leaving the place in a mess. However, apart from dishes and possibly the rubbish/recycling, I don't expect or even want them to stress themselves with chores of any type before they leave.

I think it is nice to remind guests to check under beds or mention other helpful things like leaving out any used spare blankets/towels out, so I know they need to be laundered for next guests etc., but nothing more. When I am a guest I would not expect to pay a cleaning fee and then have to do anything (not even strip beds).

[Cynda0]

We have listed our house for the summer and found the guests to be respectful of our property, however, I have some reservations about the current guests who have crawling babies. When they checked early they stayed while we were still in the process of organizing and cleaning. The mother didn't own up to the fact that she spilt hair spray on the stairs as my mother overheard her telling her friends.She placed a potty on the antique diningroom table. When addressing  this she moved it to the kitchen counter. I suggested that I be present at check out. Is this an exceptable procedure? 

She has no reviews, so I'm concerned that she has I poor rating. What are the checkout procedures? 

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

We stayed at a new listing with HomeAway (my friend booked the place). It was a beautiful place and perfect stay until we read the long list of items the host wanted us to do for departure. We paid a $100 cleaning fee for a two bedroom/1 bath house, in addition to the nightly rate. The host expected us to strip the beds and start a load in the washing machine. She also wanted us to cart our garbage and recyclables to a bin outside at the bottom of the hill. My two girlfriends had to leave earlier than I on that last day, so I was the one left with the "chores". It delayed my departure by an hour. Needless to say, I was not happy about it.  Since the host was new and wanted to know how she could improve our stay,  I left her some constructive feedback in a handwritten note. Make it easy on the guests and don't ask too much from them. 🙂

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

Make it easy for you too.  We ask guests to leave linens on the beds and beds unmade. We use a lint roller over sheets before we gather them into the laundry basket.  We keep an eye out for stains as we strip the beds.  We ask guests to put used towels in the bathtub. This gathering of the towels is quick and easy for the guests to do and keeps damp and wet towels off the wooden floors and furniture.   We ask guests to leave the garbage in the garbage bin and recycables in the recycle bin in the house. I have to double check those anyway before transferring to the pickup bins outside because most guests don't know how to properly recycle (even though we provide instructions with pictures to show what can go into the bin and what can't).  We could get charged extra if its not done right and the wrong items end up in the pickup bins.  One time I found one of our good bath towels in the outside bin!  I got it clean in the wash. What were the guests thinking! The few times guests thought they were doing us a favor by washing our bed linens or towels, they caused stains to inbed permanently in the fabric. I had to make it really clear to the guests to not do our laundry. That's my job and I'm okay with it. 🙂

[Heather133]

We ask guests to strip beds. We use a cleaning crew and I never want them to have a question about whether a bed was used or not. When I explain it that way, our guests seem very understanding. We ask them to start the dishwasher, lock doors and windows, close fireplace flues, turn thermostats down. Most of our guests follow the instructions. 10% never read anything we send them or instructions posted in the home. I try to focus on the 90% who do.

[Paul41]

I ask guests to bag rubbish separate recyclables and to load the dish washer . I rent o groups of up to 16 and the house is generally left tidy. I

[Nicole1913]

Hi - I’m new to hosting (2 stays so far) and curious how you handle the guest reviews of those who don’t follow the check-out procedures. 

Just had a fellow not follow half of the list. Nothing broken or damaged during his stay, so am I supposed to just be grateful for that and ignore the rest?