Products that might help hosts

[Robin4]

We see many posts from hosts who want help in dealing with situations relating to hosting problem guests.

Two of the most common issues are....

1/.....How can I stop guests wasting power, running the Air/con all the time or at an extreme temperature.

2/.... The guest has stained my linens, how can I clean.

There are two Aussie products which are available around the world which will solve either of these issues.

OK, to the air/con issue first.......

For the past two years I have been using this air conditioning remote control to control the unit in the listing cottage.....

It overides the main airconditioning control and allows the host to set a thin band of temperature range which the guest cannot overide!

I am just in the process of upgrading to the next stage which incorporates a motion sensor. If it does not detect movement for 10 minutes, it turns the air conditioning off!

It's called Airconoff and it is available for a very reasonable cost via this web site....

https://www.airconoff.com.au/

To the bed linen issue.

I have had to deal with all manner of stains from blood to make up, to wine and food ....beetroot being a fairly bad one!

I have only come across one product that easily removes all these common stains and it is called Sards Wonder soap and it is available in the US or the UK on this site.......

https://www.aussieproducts.com/searchprods.asp

 I am going to post more of these tips if hosts find them helpful.

Cheers......Rob

[Cathie19]

Thanks for the remote heads up @Robin4 . Can it work within a temp range, BUT not turn itself off after ten minutes?  Thank you 😊 

BTW: I love my Sards!

[Robin4]

@Cathie19 

Hi ya Cathie, yeah the base model, like mine, although the web page shows it in white now....is the same unit and just a colour upgrade but this unit only operates in a temperature range, it does not have the auto-off function. The cost of this unit is $69.00 AU! The auto-off units start at $190.00 AU.

It really does save a lot of power because it stops guests winding the thermostat down to 15c on a 34c afternoon before heading out for an afternoon and evening of fun expecting to have a duna environment to come back to at 10.30pm!

It is dead easy to set up Cathie, all you do is put your air con on standby, point the remote at the aircon and initialize. The remote scans through frequencies until it matches the units remote frequency, beeps three times, you press the ON button and the system then locks to that remote. The guest can set off/on from their original supplied remote at whatever they like, it will show on the display but the unit will only operate within the preset range, and if they want to alter that they have to know the code! This remote does not replace the original remote, it just overides certain functions!

I of course tell them that the air/con has been set to opearte in a certain temperature range and they seem happy with that!

The web site says it will save 10% but I can assure you Cathie, it saves a lot more than that.

Well worth the investment Cathie.

Cheers.....Rob

[Cathie19]

Yeah, this might be a goer! Mind you, our house currently has 8 air conditioners, with 3 in the homestay. When I go into clean they have been dropped down to a southern temperature, it can get frustrating. Worse, if I see the water running down the glass from the inside.....

It’s during the build up when the humidity is really really high that I get my worst  problems. But I  do have a little sign next to the exits (2” x 2.5”) stating to think of the environment as the  aircons should operationally, not drop below 24° Celsius in our humid climate, or they can be affected operationally. I think it works with some....

NB. For every degree below 24°Celsius the running cost actually increases by 10 percent. 

[Cathie19]

I’d need three! One for the living space and for each bedroom..... could this be my death by remote? LOL

[Susie111]

@Cathie19 @Robin4 

I would not be able to properly host if i did not have Sards!

It's the best!

Thank you Robin for a great post 🙂

[Kimberly54]

@Robin4 @Cathie19 , I have yet to look up Sards (and hehehe... San Diego... no heat/air problems), but if I can chime in with a bit of management issues, one of mine is ANTS.  This should probably be a separate thread, but seriously.  And they're not even after anything!  Weird.

Constant clean-up nightmare.

SO, HERE is the most groovy product on the planet, and if you do an internet search on insect repellants, you will start seeing the same ingredients--smells like Put Your Yummy House on the Market FANTASTIC, all of the stress lines on your face melt away, and fuzzy endorphins running through your blood and life is sooooo good.   And I have solved most of the problems of the Universe with this stuff.

Ready?

TropiClean Natural Flea & Tick Home Spray.  Maximum Strength.  Guaranteed.

I am NOT KIDDING. 

What's in this stuff??? 

Mostly glycerin (make it stick) THEN,

Clove oil

Lemongrass oil

Cedarwood oil

Cinnamon oil

(OK, some don't like sodium lauryl sulfate... not much 2.5%) 

Water, alcohol to spread the oils around.

If you look at a LOT of new insecticides, there are a TON of them with very similar formulations.

Exceedingly cool. 

Property management and enjoying life!

Best,

[Cathie19]

Thanks @Kimberly54. 

Im afraid that in the tropics, I pay for an annual pest control spray., to discourage the cockroaches, spiders and ants inside.  This probably assists with spiders and ant for  6 - 12 weeks. 

However, I begun to use DōTERRA “On Guard” cleaner concentrate, diluted in a spray bottle as a surface cleaner and I haven’t seen  any ants as yet, for six months! 

Besides the usual, such as water and others ingrediants, it has the following essential oil as well. Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Leaf and bark, Eucalyptus and Rosemary Leaf.

Smells lovely too..

[Jackie378]

Not an actual product, but u have a duster attachment for my vacuum with long soft bristles that is awesome for getting in nooks and crannies like window and sliding door tracts, and corners of cupboards. I use it for all my dusting. 

[Cathie19]

I have to admit, that in my basket of cleaning goodies, along with my magic erase sponge, An day PVC sponges which are stream free for wiping,  I cannot go without Gumption.

Being a creme paste, it seems to work smarter and quicker than creme cleansers that you pour as  a liquid. It’s fantastic with a soft damp cloth to remove those food rings and stains from tea, coffee etc on the light coloured bench tops.  

I also leave some under the kitchen sink in the homestay. Can be used in the bathroom, kitchen or laundry. Makes the oldest of sinks and taps shine, including wall tiles.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Robin4 

thank youuuuuuu for this post 🙂 

I've been thinking about this since I opened my Airbnb but everyone has told me my A/C is an old model and the temperature range can't be reduced.

I contacted the supplier from your link to ask if they ship to Croatia and I hope they do. Fingers crossed:)

I am just not sure if I understood you correctly...  this new controller where I set up the temperature range...... do I give it to my guests or my guests get the old controller but the old one can't override the new settings?  I am confused 😄

[Cathie19]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 The original remote stays in the space with the guest. You have the controlled remote that @Robin4 has recommended. If the guests tries to make it lower, they can’t, because you control it.

[Emily352]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

For owners of houses for rent in Europe:

https://www.aervirdis.it/

This product is designed to be installed on existing devices and systems.

Guests cannot change settings. An access code that only the owner knows is required to access the programming. This keeps guests from tampering with the temperatures the owner has set.

The sensors are applied beside the indoor unit and detect the presence of people in the room: if room’s empty, after a certain period of time (from 15min. to 1 hour MAX), they turn off the air conditioner.

[Robin4]

@Emily352  @Branka-and-Silvia0 

Yeah, exactly the same thing as I have and am promoting Emily. So, it looks like it is available around the world. When I first brought this over 2 years ago I could only find reference to it here in Australia.

Just a note, the base model which is the first one you see on that site does not have the auto -off facility. You need the two part system which has the remote plus a sensor station in order to set up auto-off. There is also an overide for the auto-off so that it does not turn off during sleep-time when guests are there but there is no movement.

There is a bit of programming involved here but it definitely saves a lot of coin and does not require the use of expensive installation personnel!!

@Branka-and-Silvia0  This device will only work with Aircon units that currently have a remote control. It covers the frequency of about 400 different units and models within each manufacturers range. But it will not work on old units that do not have an existing wireless remote control.

This does not take the place of the existing control! You leave that in place for the guest to fiddle with. It acts like a placebo! If you don't tell the guest, they are not aware that there is a master control doing the temperature setting. I tell them that I have an automatic temp/set function in operation but they are at liberty to turn the unit on or off whenever they like! They all accept that without complaint!

Cheers......Rob

[Cormac0]

@Robin4 

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/science-behind-modulating-heat-saves-energy/