@Bruce43 I appreciate your observations!
Our last guests had four stellar recommendations from other hosts. We had communicated well through the Airbnb message system too, prior and during their stay. I greeted them in person and oriented them to the house. They were a family of four (mom, dad, daughter, son) staying in our three bedroom "entire house" rental for four nights. A very sweet family.
It was not until checkout that we discovered the peculiar ways this family did things.
1. They slept on top of the bedspreads, not between the sheets. So instead of needing to just wash/dry sheets, we had to launder extra blankets and all three bedspreads too. They also pulled the warm winter blankets out of the closets. Our summer weather temperature was 80-90f (27-32c) this week. They could have slept between cool cotton sheets with a lightweight cotton blanket and lightweight bedspread over them. Instead they slept on top of the bedspread with medium blankets and heavyweight comforters over them. Then they told us what they did, so we would know the sheets were still intact for the next guests!
2. Even though we provide makeup cleaning wipes and require such in our house rules, the teenage daughter chose to clean her foundation makeup off with a white cotton wash cloth. Her mother tried to clean the foundation makeup off of the washcloth, and didn't succeed. Neither could I. A washcloth is a minor casualty. However, after their departure, we discovered the same color foundation makeup in several obvious places on the white cotton bedspread. I'm taking the white cotton bedspread to the cleaners to see what they can do. I'm worried the stains won't come out.
3. We show our guests how we recycle and include this request in our house rules and orientation manual. These guests managed to fill two 32gal trash bins during their stay and of course the recyclable items were mixed in with the garbage. Also, they had gone grocery shopping while they were there and threw out an amazing amount of unopened food, still in the original packages, plus left even more in the refrigerator. No wonder she asked me "What day does your garbage get picked up?"
4. Our house rules are clear that this is a strictly "no smoking" place, inside or outside. During their stay I stopped by to drop off some tourist information about beach excursions. The mother was sitting on the street curb smoking a cigarette and talking on her cell phone. I quickly handed her the information sheet and was on my way. So she didn't actually smoke in or on the property. But in the garbage there were two empty cigarette packages and some cigarette butts that caused enough of an odor that I quickly took them outside and turned on the house exhaust fans. The odor disipated quickly. Hmmm. I never said no smokers, only no smoking.
5. The mother decided to "clean" the entire house before their departure, including: Mopping our hardwood floors, which we treat very carefully; Washing towels and putting them in the dryer, which set some stains; Soaking the makeup stained washcloth in bleach (didn't work); and "tidying" up to some extent. When I and my assistant came to clean the house, we found all of the supplies in our cleaning cupboards in disarray. She had gotten into everything! But the house still needed a thorough cleaning. What usually takes 2 people two hours to clean, took twice as long. So instead of turning the place in two hours with my assistant and I working together, it took four.... that's 8 hours of labor!
6. We also found the items in the bathroom cabinet moved around and left in peculiar places. But the dishes in the kitchen were all in their rightful spots, which was surprising since they did use the kitchen to cook meals and dine at home.
So, even kind and well intentioned guests, with great reviews, can cause some concern. I used the Airbnb message system to followup with the guest about what had happened with the white cotton bedspread, so I would have a record in case the bedspread can't be saved and to leave open better chances for us to be reimbursed for its cleaning or replacement through the resolution center. She replied with an apology and said she would talk with her daughter about it, but did so from the hospital where her son was being treated for a seizure. So my compassionate heart strings are being pulled. Her son has autism and here's mom trying her best to juggle life and care for her son, while I'm worried about my bedspread. That sure puts things into perspective for me.
