As hosts the most frequent issue we have with guests is that they were messy and left stains which have ruined perfectly good property, and we risk alienating ourselves if we say anything.
I have tried to adopt an alternate strategy which I know many others will dislike because it tends to breed careless guests…..but my philosophy is ‘careless guests are always going to be careless’ whether we call them out or not!
I have surrounded myself with some products that have made accepting guests carelessness much easier and I would like to pass these tips on to the community.
The main problem that keeps coming up here is….. Bed linens
1/…..To launder bed linens that are not stained but you want to be really clean and hygienic the best product I have found is a laundry detergent call…..’No Sweat’
It is available on Amazon via this link!
https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Sports-Laundry-Detergent-Eliminator/dp/B0081S4FSG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_...
and here is the product......
When I make that bed I know there is not a trace of unwanted bacteria.
2/……Some bed linens have blood stains either from men shaving or women’s cyclic issues. These are really easily taken care of with a product I have mentioned here before called….’Sard Wonder soap’
It is available via this website in the US and the UK.
https://www.simplyoz.com/products/napisan__dettol__gumption__sard/napisan_plus__napisan_oxyaction__w...
3/……Red wine features prominently in complaint files and I have come across this product that completely removes not only red wine, but mascara from wash clothes and hand towels….I tell you, this is amazing. I think it came from New Zealand and I always thought the Kiwi’s would come up with something useful one day!!!
Here is a bit of detail and a testament to how good it is.....
And just as a bit more proof of how good this product is here is the link to a short video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjgIV1qC_zM
4/......Another common host complaint is….’the guest ruined my countertop’!
There is on the market 3.6m x 600mm (9ft x 2ft) rolls of plastic benchtop protector. You can cut vegetables on it, you can put a boiling saucepan on it…..it will prevent damage going through to the counter top. Here are a couple of shots in my kitchen with and without protector! It does not detract from the countertop appearance but it sure can save you a lot of money when some guest leaves their brain behind!
Here is a 'blurry'shot of our countertop without the protector.....
And here is a shot with the protector in place.
When a guest arrives I wipe over the protector with a rag with a small amount of Olive oil and the scratches from previous careless guests just disappear!
As I said this comes in rolls and you can cut the required length from the roll whenever the protector needs replacing but I have found that it has lasted for the last two years and is still in perfectly usable order.
These things are a sort of insurance policy! I have never had to contact the Airbnb resolution centre to make a complaint because I have taken control of these situations without them individually becoming a problem!
In addition I have another 30 stress free tips like how to clean a microwave just with a cup of water and how to make a used sponge just like new again....if anyone is interested!
I hope this can help!
Cheers.....Rob