Guests broke dishwasher

[Trude0]

Our guests who checked out yesterday evening, broke the dishwasher. 

They put washing up liquid (for doing dishes by hand) into it, which I thought everyone knew you cannot do, it will permanently damage the machine...? There were no more dishwasher tablets, so they probably thought the liquid could be used instead.

They have later explained the following in messages in the Airbnb app:

Foam started to leak out, they simply scooped it up and let the full program run, even though ”a lot more foam kept coming, maybe we used too much detergent?”... 

By the end of the program, the machine was broken, sounding strange,  and could not be turned off, so they pulled the plug. Did not ask me for help and did not tell me about the issue, until they had checked out, when they mentioned that they had left some dishes in the machine, because soap had leaked out the first time they had used it. 

Do you think there is any point in making a claim with Airbnb? Or will they just say it was my fault for not explaining in the house rules how to use the dishwasher/forgetting to refill dishwasher tablets?

[Sarah977]

@Trude0  Have you investigated what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so?  If it's a not too expensive fix, I'd not even be that concerned about charging for it, and otherwise, not sure how Airbnb would view the claim.

But "They put washing up liquid (for doing dishes by hand) into it, which I thought everyone knew you cannot do" is the sort of assumption a host can't make. There are many people in the world who have never used a dishwasher before and wouldn't know anything about how to use it properly. I myself have never had a dishwasher, and altho I am aware you can't put regular dish soap in them, I have to ask my daughter to remind me how to use it every time I stay with her.

That these folks actually bothered to message you about it, even if it was after they checked out, speaks in their favor- they realized something wasn't right and let you know they may have done something wrong. I wouldn't go after them for repairs- it obviously wasn't willful or neglectful damage- they simply weren't aware that you couldn't use hand dishwashing soap, you hadn't left any instructions, and there wasn't any supply of dishwasher pods left. I'd chalk it up to the cost of doing business and a lesson learned about providing clear instructions and ample supplies of pods, rather than making assumptions about what people do and don't know.

[Trude0]

Of course I know it wasn’t willful damage - but this does not in itself mean a host cannot/should not make a claim regarding the damage, in my opinion. The cost, damage and extra work is the same. 

Regarding whether or not it was neglectful damage, I tend to disagree with you:

Actually, they did not realize or let me know they may have done something wrong. They just informed me (after check out, not when it happened) there were dishes in the machine and they had not run it before check out, because it had leaked soap the first time they used it. They did not tell me the machine had been sounding strange, been impossible to turn off, and that they had needed to unplug it to stop the noise. Nor did they ask for more tablets, or ”contact us a.s.a.p if anything does not seem to be working correctly”, both of which I ask in my welcome folder. 

I discovered myself that the machine was not working when I tried to start it after check out.  Asked them to please describe what happened, and they explained that although the machine had been leaking lots of foam continuously, they had let the full (3 hour...) program run it’s course, and just kept scooping up the foam from the floor. But apparently not quickly  enough, as both the wall behind the machine and a skirting board next to the machine are damaged from the leakage. The skirting board needs to be replaced. 

I realize that some people may not be familiar with dishwashers. But if you rent a place and do not know how a machine (any machine) works, it probably would be a good idea to ask the host (I was right next door and we were in contact several times per day via messages  - all was great, apparently...), and not just try your way and hope for the best.  

Yes, I investigated the damage, even though the internet had already told me the sad fact: Using washing up liquid in dishwasher will usually cause permanent damage to the machine. Sometimes also to the plumbing, I read 😱. Spoke to a technician at a company my husband owns - they sell dishwashers, a.o things...😂 It was broken, no doubt. Was able to have it replaced already today (husband’s company, slightly transport damaged machine) for only around $ 100. Not the nice, built in model we had, but that would be much more expensive, and no time to place a special order as new guests are coming on Tuesday.

Airbnb seem to be reading all messages between hosts and guests, because without my having contacted them, they sent me an email with instructions on how to make claims through the resolution center, referring to this specific guest by name...

Having said that, we did decide not to make a claim, as the cost for replacing the machine was not that high, and we were able to fix it before the next check in. Have no time or energy.  And the guests were good apart from this. Not the tidiest ones I’ve had, but then again I don’t ask my guests to tidy up or take trash out either (even if the vast majority do), so I will not complain about that. 

Have not had any issues at all with the 24 bookings I’ve had since I started hosting in late May, only great guests, so I guess it was my turn to have a bit of hassle! 😄

[Sarah977]

@Trude0  Ah, the way you wrote it in your OP made it sound like the guests volunteered the info. Yes, indeed irritating that they never asked for more pods even though you mention that in the house manual. And I so agree about not using machines or tools without instruction- so many people do such things or try to force something when forcing it will just break it. 

Sorry you had such damage, and a $100 cost to remedy. Hosting is sometimes a frustrating and costly lesson in assuming what people know or that they have any common sense or bother to read what we spend so much time trying to make clear.

[Annabelle---Torsten0]

I seriously doubt that the dishwasher was broken.

Or at least was broken through the the use of a regular dish cleaning liquid.

That stuff is way less aggressive than the regular tabs that you use in a dishwasher.

And the foam is unpleasant to deal with but nothing big.

Just clean the inside of the dishwasher; remove the remaining water with some towels or using a  sponge.

Clean everything that is contaminated with the wrong cleaning liquid.

Empty the area beneath the dirt filter. Read  the manual for instructions on how to do it.

Than fill up a cup with a mixture of salt and vinegar and place it into the dishwasher.

Wait a few hours and start a regular program.

Repeat that procedure and your dishwasher is cleaned from the inside and ready to do his work again properly without flooding the whole kitchen.

If there is a error displayed on the machine, just google how to reset that error.

Usually there are manuals out on in the great plains of the internet, that tells you how.

[Trude0]

@Annabelle---Torsten0 

Thanks for your suggestions!

If it wasn’t for the fact that my husband owns a company that sells and specializes in a.o dishwashers, and it was a tachnician at his company who said it was broken, I would certainly have tried your route before replacing it! 😄

[Luana130]

Hi,

You shouldn't assume everyone knows that. I did not know, and would definatly put regular detergent inside.

I know is it is normal in the us to have them, but most other countries I have visited and lived at, they are not a norm. 

My parents had one when I was a kid, but I never actually used it. 

I learned to put signs for everything I can think of, because you never know when someone is going to do it wrong.