Do you have posted kitchen rules?

[Laura2592]

There is always a fine line between making expectations clear with guests and being too crazy about your house rules. I find myself debating putting up a little sign in the kitchen with some simple rules like "empty the coffee filter before you check out" or "don't leave dirty dishes in the sink." A lot of this seems very common sense but when you get a run of several guests in a row who don't do these things (and frustrated texts from the cleaning crew) you do wonder if you should be more explicit. 

Anyone there have posted rules in the kitchen? Or stayed at a place with this? Is it helpful or a guest turn off?

[Sam4347]

Leaving a few notes out is not a terrible idea but personal messages go a lot further when they are inviting and warm(not a wordy list of rules). I have used notes in the past to welcome my guests and outline some "house rules" and the guests seemed very reseptive of the messages. The key to the notes is keeping them short sweet and informative. EX. Utilize the kitchen to make some delicious food and please clean your dishes for the next time you cook! 

At the end of the day, minor clean ups come at a small price when you have guests who felt care free and enjoyed their stay! 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  I decided to add a few check-out instructions to the end of my entry instructions, while I have peoples' attention.  Simple things like washing up dishes, dropping used towels in the basket, and bagging up trash. So far, four out of my last five guests with the new format have followed instructions exactly. 

In a couple of places in my space I have note cards - in the bathroom, regarding disposal of non-flushable items, in the sink area for how to find the recycling containers.  Labels on the containers indicate what is for what. 

I also have my house rules posted on the back of the door. 

[Lisa723]

@Laura2592 we have some very basic check-out requests, but on the whole I think it's best to assume your turnover crew will have to do a complete cleaning without any assumptions/requirements about what outgoing guests will have done, and set your cleaning fee accordingly.

[Elaine701]

@Lisa723 

I agree with that, as its important to remember that (at least in our case) guests are coming for holiday, and often duly "switch off". They don't want to be happy ded a list of petty things that they must do. Although most are conscientious about basic cleanup, they're unlikely to empty the coffee filter or empty the rubbish bins. Many do, but it's rather petty list every little item. You should assume they won't. 

However there's a few things worth pointing out. For example, our dishwasher has a variety of programmes. The 45 minute programme works brilliantly. The other programmes can consume thousands of watts of energy for hours, with little if any discernible difference. So it's worth pointing that out. 

Guests are there to relax and get away from it all. Having too many rules, particularly petty ones, can seem a bit overbearing, especially when thats what they're trying to avoid. And if it's something they'd always do anyway, it can be a bit insulting, as if you're expecting them to behave that way. What kind of place are you running here? Do most of your guests live that way?

Just my tuppence.

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 

Maybe times, I wish guests wouldn't wash their dishes. I will often enter the space to find the kitchen nice and clean. It isn't until I open the cabinets that I find all the half-washed dishes still caked with dried food and fingerprints (something that would really turn me off if I was the next guest.) That's when I get frustrated. I've learned that dishwashing is a skill that needs to be taught and many people just don't have it. So leave it alone and let me do it. 

No to petty kitchen rules. Your cleaner will likely have to clean it again anyway. And if she doesn't, because she takes the guest's clean-up as a "professional clean," then that scares me. 

[Laura2592]

@Emilia42 well even if she doesn't clean behind (and she does) we clean behind her. I think its more an annoyance that people aren't more courteous with basic things. 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592 @Emilia42  I think it starts to get complicated once folks have stayed in Airbnbs many times. 

I was often getting frequent travelers requesting my check-out instructions. I didn't have a firm list.

I realized that it's also complicated for guests, not knowing what is expected of them at each location, since every host is different. 

Some want the beds stripped, some don't. Some want dishes done, some don't.  Really, what's a guest to do ?

I think leaving some basic instructions, written in a friendly tone,  helps everyone. I'm not sure I would ever think to empty a coffee filter, actually. The only coffee-making appliance I have at home is a French press. 

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 we have a page in our house guide with a few very basic check-out instructions. My cleaner suggested we do a sign in the kitchen with some additional (brief) info. 

The coffee filter thing is annoying to her because its a) usually overfull and b) damp. When she goes to remove it it often tears and spills causing additional work for her. The majority of guests don't do this, but she has had a few in a row. Also because we don't do back to back reservations sometimes its been sitting a day or two and is just gross by the time she gets there. So I have thought about doing instructions on how to use the coffee maker to include throwing out the old grounds. But its not the only "leave behind." And again, I don't want to be annoying with rules. But it would be nice to have some consistency. 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 Do you provide the ground coffee? You could print a nice little note and put it in a frame next to the coffee maker. Please enjoy your morning coffee on us. Sugar is in the cabinet. Throwing away used coffee grounds is much appreicated.

As @Ann72  would say, guilt trip them into doing what you want. No "rules" but suggestions that make them feel like good people.

[Colleen253]

@Emilia42 Framed notes are a great way to convey info and avoid the post it note look. And I agree how one words them is helpful.

I bought several cute but mismatched frames from the thrift store and spray painted them all the same color. Placed around the house with guest notes in them, they blend right in very nicely. 

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  I bought a French press for my suite last year, and then I also had to figure out what to do with the grounds, since I don't have a waste disposal, and coffee grounds washed down the sink would be a plumbing disaster !

I have a jar labeled "Used coffee grounds for the garden". I'm sure it gets a chuckle, but people do use it. 

[Colleen253]

@Laura2592 You could print out a small note to empty the grounds after each brew, or at checkout, and tape it to the coffee maker. 

To avoid eyes glazing over syndrome, I try to limit the guest instructions to only the most essential, but even so, I find that some of the items on my short and sweet house manual page get overlooked. I think it’s because many times only one person in the party is reading the page, and the rest don’t get the info, and also because by the time one has read to the bottom of the page, some items from the top have been forgotten. 

So I’ve taken to posting the most vital info around the house for all to see instead. i.e in the bathrooms I have printed instructions at each toilet to flush only toilet paper. This is info that each guest needs to be aware of. 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 Yes, I agree. I wish everyone followed the leave no trace rule wherever they go. But on the other hand, guests are paying to relax and do minimal chores on their vacation. Before I open the door after checkout I always recite a little mantra in my head: I got $XXX.XX from these strangers

[John5097]

@Laura2592 

I use an embossing labeler with info all over the place. I have one on the front of the dryer to "Please clean lent screen after every use" and had to add "toss in trash" as someone put it back down the dryer exhaust. A lot of people don't understand its to prevent your dryer from catching on fire, and will automatically shut off if its restricted. So far its always cleaned. Also a remider to keep doors closed or mosquitoes will get inside. 

I wouldn't put one on the coffee maker. I'll probably just get a Kurregg and coffee press. 

I'll admit that it has been annoying and predictable. Its the first thing I do now is clean all the dishes, coffee pot etc. 

Funny thing about the embossing labeler is that I remembered my mom had one when we were growing up and asked her if she still had it, but both her and my sister don't remember it at all, while I remember exactly where it was kept. Thankfully they still make these old school style.