What should a guest do before they leave re: cleaning/tidying?

[Jill41]

I have just had a guest who left unwashed crockery, one of the toilets was disgusting, wet towels everywhere, duvets on floor, gas hob thick with grease and dirty greasy kitchen surfaces. I wrote a neutral review saying they were friendly and communicated well before the hosting. I choose to let him know privately that I was surprised at how the apartment was left but made it friendly and offering understanding if there had been a problem but I got this back

'Did you really expect us to clean the house before leaving? I think you don't even know what kind of service you are offering. Airbnb is about renting your house as a Hotel, It is not like couch surfing, where people do it for free. I paid more than 400 € for only 3 nights in your old apartment and after that amount of money, that is almost a robbery for the quality of the flat, you are cheeky enough to tell me about the cleaning? You are charging almost a half monthly salary for only 3 nights, you must be able to clean it after all. We didn't break anything, but as you should understand like when I go to a hotel I don't care about tidying or cleaning, because I don't have to do it. .....the house full of boxes everywhere, and the bathrooms were pretty dirty when we came in. So please, stop saying bull**bleep**, take your money that you probably don't even pay taxes for that and this business is totally under the table and don't text me again. I will tell you again just to make it clear, when you pay such a crazy amount of money for a renting, you don't have to clean after being in the house, you must take care like we did and don't break anything.'

The apartment is professionally cleaned in between each guest and the bathrooms are spotless so he has lied about that. I don't charge a cleaning fee. There are no boxes laying around and there is no smell - so my question is this - how should a guest be expected to leave a rental? Everyone else who has stayed has said the apartment is really clean and have left it fine. I expect to have to clean but not this level, am I expecting too much from my guests? 

He left me a great review.

Thanks for any advice so i can put it on my hosting:)

[John1080]

@Carmen609 By your description, it sounds like you left everything perfectly fine and as I would expect in my space. The fact that you remember how you left things and you're bothering to post about it here, shows you were conscientious in the first place, I think. 

Hosts should not expect guests to clean. Tidying up, yes, which you did. A drop of shampoo in the tub is nothing, as the tub would need to be cleaned anyway. The host sounds insane. 

[George154]

 Sounds like you did very well and that the host has unrealistic expectations.  No host can expect their place to be left exactly as it was found, although I've been lucky enough on several occasions to find mine that way.  But no host can require their guests to clean surfaces and wash linens, etc.  However, if the host had left specific instructions for check-out with respect to the linens and garbage that weren't followed, then I could see them being a little upset at them not being followed.  But all sheets and linens usually need to be washed anyway, so where they're left in the space shouldn't be a big deal to a host.  If a host wants their place left exactly as it was found, then they need to charge a cleaning fee, not ding the guest for not being perfect.  This sounds to me like the host had other issues that had nothing to do with you, and he/she just decided to take it out on you.   

[Victoria567]

Hi @Carmen0

on a lighter note, these hosts perhaps were waiting for your next party trick= walking on water!

You sound as if you were a very considerate guest, so I would  sleep easy knowing that, you left the place in a good condition and that you have good standards of behaviour.

Just as there are poor quality guests there are also poor quality hosts who follow the Basil Fawlty approach to hospitality.

You just have to have  a belly laugh over them, just like we laugh over dear old Basil!

[Gretchen51]

Hi Carmen,  My expectations are similar, wash dishes, take out trash, i'll pick up towels and sheets...I have them written on the door, the book right under the Wi Fi password and in my advertisment.  However, seems most of my younger guests don't read it.  They leave their dishes and trash for me.  I have started leaving them less than perfect feedback.  I feel I ask so little.  I am not a guests mommy, but I hate to say I feel like it when someone can't or won't read a HUGE font notice at eye level posted where anyone can see it.  When I have styed at others places, I have read their rules and followed them.  Simple.  People just don't read.  Perhaps some kind of standard would help..IF guest read them!!

[Mark116]

I don't get this idea that guests don't have to do any type of cleaning.  It's not a hotel room, hotel rooms don't have dishwashers and washer/dryers or stoves. People need to respect and acknowledge the deal and privilege they are getting with an airbnb that allows them to cook and have space to relax in.  

We don't ask and don't expect that things are left fully clean, but certainly we expect them to wash dishes, take out trash and recycling, and follow instructions on towels and bedding, as well, to respect the space and not drag furniture around or go in the linen closet and help themselves to an extra comforter or 10 towels.  And, to clean up or advise of any major staining/spillage.

[Hongbo0]

I do think it's based on the education and manners they got when people grew up. I always make the bed and clean a little bit even I stay in a 5-stars hotel. You can't really expect all guests will do so. Their home probably are also very dirty and filty.

[Suzanne371]

I’m only a guest on Air BnB. But as a guest I would act as required by the host. I would act as my parents did when we went on self catering holidays as a family. Just buy some cleaning products and give a thorough clean before I left, it’s the fair and honest thing to do. Strip the beds, fold the bedding and leave in each respective room. Vacuum each room. Leave damp towels somewhere to dry in the bathroom to air them. It’s someone else’s home they’ve been kind enough to let me use. Respect is key...

[Sarah977]

@Suzanne371    You are every host's dream guest!

[Suzanne371]

Thanks. I’ve been reading some right terrible stories on here about Air BnB. It’s a shame that some people aren’t greatful enough to their host to be gracious and obliging. What a horror they are!

[Laurel47]

I’m very new to this but in my checkout list I ask that they strip the bed and put sheets in the hamper. Toss the towels in the tub and load and start the dishwasher. I charge. 25.00 cleaning fee and I’ve not had any issues. 

[Letti0]

@Laurel47  You should always tell them to leave the bedding on the beds. This way you can see damage and treat the sheets correctly when washing them imho.

[Laurel47]

@Letti0 Good point! Thanks for that info. I’ll tweak my listing. 

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

There is a lot of truth to what he said.

[Fred13]

"What should a guest do before they leave re cleaning/tidying?"

   Leave a nice tip?

Seriously, we ask our guest to do nothing, yet they all do leave the place 'immaculate'. Doesn't do any good however, for my Mrs is such 'clean freak' she will turn the place upside down any way.

[Letti0]

@Fred13  I ask two things only, please do not wash our towels or linens and leave the beds unmade. I have a sign framed over our washer that states: Please Do No Wash the Towels or Linens if You Need More Please Ask. We have only had 2 groups not do this. One used the towels to clean up some red juice and washed the towels leaving pink streaks all over them washing them incorrectly. The other did wash them correctly and cost me $40 less on my cleaning bill I refunded her the $40 I saved from my cleaning bill. She did wash them correctly, but I don't want them to do this more do it wrong than right.