What do you think about sending this note to guests?

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

What do you think about sending this note to guests?

One of my homes gets consistently downgraded for cleaningness. It is old. The hardwood floors are extremely worn, cabinets are patched up, there are really old odd sized air registers (can not be replaced). There are many layers of paint and some have dirt specs stuck in the paint. It is scrubbed clean every time. All furniture and bedding is brand new. Anything I could do (stair treads, , wall decals etc) has been done. Now I just need perspective of the guests and see old as old not as dirty. I am thinking of sending this message to every guest prior to arrival:

 

I am looking forward to hosting your group. One note about the house: it is a traditional older Wicker Park home. I hope staying here will contribute to your authentic experience of Chicago. I have put a lot of time and effort into making it sparkling clean. Every corner has been scrubbed, every linen washed. It still remains to be an older home with worn out hardwood floors, multiple layers of paint and squeaky stairs.

I kindly ask that you consider these factors when judging the cleaningness  of the home. If you find that the actual quality of cleaning has been compromised – please contact me immediately so it can be remedied. My goal to offer an all around five star service.

 

26 Replies 26

@Inna22  That note was really good, right up until you said "five star service" and completely gave your game away. Even a first-time guest would easily pick up on the grade grubbing, and it punctures a huge hole in your all-around classiness.

 

I also live in an old building, and when people mark down on cleanliness they tend to comment on that oldness as if it were a problem that I'm supposed to fix.  I'm annoyed that the kids working at Airbnb have decided to put the word "sparkling" next to "clean." A great many surfaces do not sparkle when they're cleaned; the term was probably coined to market a car wash rather than describe a home environment.

@Anonymous  That "sparkling clean" has always irritated me as well. It reminds me of 50's TV commercials where the housewife is exclaiming orgasmicly over how clean her floors look when mopped with xx brand cleaner..

Too true @Sarah977 ! Lol...

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Sarah977 

I had a guest who ticked the 'Sparking Clean' icon, and then proceeded to give me a 4 star for cleanliness!

Sometimes I think their attention spans fails to comprehend more than one thought at a time!

 

I am with you on the connotations of 'Sparkling clean.....and so are a few others maybe!

images.jpeg

 

 

Cheers.......Rob

@Robin4  Perfect graphic. And of course all housewives always wore heels, pearls and a nice dress to do the laundry, wash the dishes, mop the floors, make dinner, change poopy diapers and clean up baby puke.

Do you know the history of this 50's glorification of housework? During the WWII women took over factory and other jobs since the men were all off fighting. When the war was over, the men wanted their jobs back. That was when they came out with all these ads on TV and magazines making it look like staying home and having a "sparkling clean" house was something every woman should feel was some sort of honor and aspire to.

 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Sarah977 

Oh I don't know Sarah, there was another side to them.......

Fast cheap and easy.jpg

 

The 50's saw technology enter the kitchen Sarah, mixmasters, dishwashers, can openers, garbage disposals, Ranges with timer ovens and of course that plethora of built in cupboards stocked to the gunnels with every food handling tool imaginable. And the best way to show off all this culinary advancement was that statuesque, hour-glass waisted  Marilyn Monroe smilingly wearing something she had actually loathed all her life, an apron!

 

Come to think of it the Nick Scali adds on TV show, time has stood still!

 

https://youtu.be/tn7vPU5n2oc?t=5

 

Cheers.......Rob

 

 

Solveig0
Level 10
Lørslev, Denmark

@Inna22 

 

I think its great to be upfront with the guests. Which listing does it relate to? I went through your listings and couldn't see which ones its about, they all look so clean and modern. 

 

My listing is an old "vintage charm farmhouse", so simply with the description I think people know what to expect - the floors in the hallway are the originals from when the building was an active farm (pig sty, actually, but very well cleaned 😄 :D). And there's spiderweb in every corner, even when I clean it out same morning...its hopeless...but charming...oh well...

 

 

 

 

 

I’m so thankful to read these post. My property is an older property as well. And I struggle with the same issues. Thank y’all so much. 

I think your note is great but I would send this message when acknowledging their booking when  they first make it.  Then they have the option to cancel and you still have plenty of time to rebook if it is not acceptable to them.  I feel it is all about transparency.  Even putting the description in your listing would be even better then there is no comeback that you incorrectly misrepresented the property description.  If you do this play on the quirky and historic features adding to the atmosphere to counteract the negative.  I would also use the note again in the message you leave them just before checking out as a reminder they have read it before.

Sharyn

@Sharyn15 Interesting insite. I am not sure I agree. The guests will never remember that I sent it to them by the time they actually check in and look around if I send it right away and I really do not think anyone will cancel over this. And it is in my description

Jeannette45
Level 2
Wales, United Kingdom

Thanks for the tips