Refundable cleaning fee/ deposit

[Rex2]

I would like to have a refundable cleaning fee. Ideally the guests will leave the house in the condition it was in before they arrived, but in cases when it is not, I would like to have some security deposit for seemingly small petty issues like dirty dishes.

[Niki0]

You could always mention it in your listing as some kind of incentive then offer a refund at the end of the stay.

This would not work for me however, as the place gets deep cleaned regardless of condition, as it has all been 'used' as it were.

Hope that helps!

[Frank10]

@Rex2 I agree with @Niki0. It's easier for you to collect the money for cleaning and then offer to refund it at the end of the stay if all is well. The small cleaning issues that you are talking about I would say are more likely to be reflected in the guests review then in a cleaning fee, though. 

The problem you're going to get into here is that if you start charging up front for cleaning, the guests might say "well, I paid for this in advance so I won't bother tidying up." 

In my case, I print out a "check out checklist" for every guest. I review it and leave it with them in the apartment. It says "No dishes left in the sink." But I don't care if they leave them in the dishwasher. This has worked well for me and I've had no dishes left in the sink and I don't charge a cleaning fee. Also like Niki I pay someone to clean every time, so my cost is always the same. I will give someone poor marks in their review for cleanliness though!