Please share your tips for making your place "feel" clean

[Inna22]

Another four stars from a guest today who did not feel my place was clean enough. Not only my housekeeper cleaned from top to bottom, I came in personally to make sure and put some final touches. I did not think the floors were clean enough and paid her overtime to rewash them all including every corner. At this point I think is more of an overall feeling by guests rather than anything specific. Do you have any tips for making a place feel fresh? 

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  Don't forget light fixtues. Because homes generally get cleaned during daylight hours, you might not realize that there may be a pile of dead bugs and dust in there that guests will see when they turn on the light. I always swipe a cloth down the cords of things, too. Those tend to get dusty.

And the sides of dining tables. I know I would catch my kids and grandkids when they were little wiping their greasy, foody hands on the edge and underside of the table. 

[Helen427]

@Inna22  check the curtains and windows are sparkling clean, it's amazing how many Guests notice and comment on those little things, including around the inside where the window opening edge and frame are.

[Michelle53]

@Inna22   Nobody has mentioned this one, yet, but lighting in a space makes a difference. I had an older fluorescent light fixture in my space, and changed it out for an LED, and it made an enormous difference to the look and feel of the space. 

There are so many "colors" of white LED bulbs available - warmer ( a bit more "red") , daylight, cooler (a bit more "blue") - you might want to try playing around with some different options.  

I have halogen recessed lighting in my kitchen, for example, a central ceiling fan with LED bulbs, and LED strips under the kitchen cabinets. Using different combinations of those lights changes the look of the kitchen completely. 

[Sarah977]

@Michelle53  I always use the "warm" LED bulbs. I can never figure out how the "cool" ones are supposed to be like daylight- the light they put out seems really harsh to me. Like fluorescent.

I stayed at a hotel recently that used those cool light bulbs everywhere. It was awful, especially in the bedside reading lamp at night. 

[Michelle53]

@Sarah977  I generally go for something in the middle - something that approximates natural light. My kitchen fan lights are "warm" and the halogens are on the cooler side, but they actually make my floors and counter tops look better.   Weird. 

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 as someone who has remodeled way too many kitchens in my relatively short lifetime I agree a million percent. Lighting makes a huge difference. As do paint colors and undertones. 

Its always interesting to me what people view as "clean." For many its what I would call "sterile." 

[Inna22]

@Laura2592 yes, I think the expectation is sterile. I even use the term with my housekeeper. I often wonder what these peoples own homes look like. I doubt they’re all sterile or even clean.

[Sarah977]

@Inna22 I can understand the expectation that a str should be cleaner than one's own home, though. In your own home, you are constantly sharing germs with your own family. In a rental, you are coming in after a constant parade of strangers have stayed.

You wouldn't mind if your daughter sat on your bedspread in her underwear or even naked, I'd venture a guess, but the thought that a stranger might have, and it didn't get washed, is different.

[Inna22]

@Sarah977 @Yes, of course, I get that. I am just saying that so many have such high standards, beyond just clean, and I wonder how their own homes look like

[Linda3345]

My husband and I like the cool/blue LED bulbs. Maybe it is because our eyes are getting older, that it helps us see better?

Wonder if our guests will comment on their LED preferences?

[Laura2592]

@Inna22 and all-- another thing we just got feedback on-- new sponges. I hate throwing away a perfectly good but partially used sponge, so I take those from the ABB and switch them with a new one as soon as they start to look worn. I use the ABB sponge in my house. I had a guest tell me how much she appreciated the new sponge because used sponges made her feel like the place wasn't clean. 

TBH my cleaners wring out the sponges and spray with bleach, then microwave them for 10 seconds so they never smell. But some guests have a thing about sponges. 

[Inna22]

@Laura2592 interesting sponge tip. I hate stinky sponges!

[Fred13]

Great thread and bringing up complimentary lightning is a great point.

@Inna22 I have often wondered why you cater to so many people (16). Wasn't once 24?

I often wondered if 12 will do and make your life easier, including keeping the place 'feel' cleaner.

[Inna22]

@Fred13 I have a group of 15-16 may be once a quarter. Here is my reasoning for putting down 16

1. I see how many here are dealing with extra people sneaking in. If I am hosting bigger groups, even 12, that is going to happen. Rather I allow the maximum and do not charge per person. No headaches for either side. I have really strict rules after that (no guests even if stopping by) but at that point it has to morph into a party- most people are not travelling with a group of more than 16
2. Bigger groups plan far in advance. At that time everyone is excited and claims they will come along. When it comes down to it, not everyone does but originally they want to book a house that will have room for the aspirational traveler
3. My properties are very unique. I have big houses downtown Chicago. I have very little airbnb competition but a lot of hotels. Some end up being cheaper than me and hotel tax is much less than airbnb tax. My niche is big groups that also want common space to be together - greet a bride to be when she arrives, have drinks before they go out etc. I can only charge my prices if I cater to those groups and that's where points 1 and 2 come in

[Fred13]

I guess that makes sense. I see 16 guests in one place and gives the shivers. 🙂