Appropriate cleaning fees for my area!

[Angela3931]

I do not live in my area where I am hosting, and I am not sure whether to have guests, when they are leaving to strip the beds and put the towels and everything in my laundry room and when my cleaning lady comes to put linens back on- have her do all that extra work because she’s going to charge me an extra $60 for her time. BUT I also want guest to have a good time and Not have to do all these chores when they leave! I am wondering what other hosts do in the area. I do have a management gal I use but she’s going to charge me the same amount to clean linens…

[Cheri354]

(we live on the same property so do our own cleaning~)

My two cents 🙂

I have read that it's easier for the person doing the wash to have guests leave the linens on the bed. The reason is one can see better at a glance if there are any stains to address/soak, etc. If you ask guests to pull the linens off or start the washer, why should they pay a cleaning fee ?

[Ward1098]

Angela, cleaning and cleaning cost have proved to be the top 2 issues with my  'Nice Place' 

in Columbus, Ga.  Once  the place was setup and running I found that in order to have the place Really Really clean, I was going to have to do it myself. I would want the shower, tub, sheets and kitchen sink and utensils immaculate in order to make me feel completely comfortable and relaxed. I accept dogs, preferably small and I add $20 pet cleaning fee plus $30 regular cleaning fee. 

If I had to depend on someone else to clean that place up to a 5 star level, I know I would charge $65. That is over half of the $105 nightly rental cost. The only way I'm making it and doing well is to simply clean and do everything else myself too.  That gives me $105/night plus $30 or $50(w pet) added onto the entire stay. I get a-lot of 1 and 2 day stays in my area which makes cleaning cost pivotal. A larger nicer/more expensive rental could bring in enough to make the $65 less of an issue and in that case I'd happily let someone else do it. So, the average stay needs to bring in $300 to make $65 cleaning palatable in my opinion.

 Sincerely, Ward

[Kia272]

@Angela3931  It's not the guests' job to do any of that, and it will likely result in poor reviews if you ask them to, along with paying a cleaning fee. 

Your cleaner can charge you by the hour instead of by the job. Because it's your property, you should know exactly how long it takes to clean, and you should be able to reach an agreement with a cleaner. It's not really "extra work", it's part of cleaning the house.

If the cleaner already has you up against a wall with this issue, something else will likely happen soon, and you'll be entirely at the mercy of this cleaner and your property manager. You may want to think twice about who you are working with. 

[Angela3931]

Agreed and appreciate input!!!

Thank you!!

[Ana2038]

@Angela3931 , personally, I have an issue paying a cleaning fee and then being asked to strip sheets, start laundry, wash dishes etc… that’s s not my job!  As a host, I prefer my guest(s) do not make the bed as it’s easier for me to see any stains that need to be treated.  I spray it right there as I’m stripping the sheets etc…I do the same with towels. I don’t have a full kitchen (we have a small coffee/tea bar area) so there no dishes to wash. There are 2 coffee cups which I prefer to wash to ensure they are washed properly. Can’t tell you how many times I have had to re-wash dishes at the places I’ve stayed due to food residue or coffee/tea stains being left behind. I do my the cleaning, and laundry (our unit sits behind our primary residence) so I know the place is clean as I would want it to be if I stayed there. 

Best—

[Sophia]

Hey @Angela3931, just wanted to check in on how you dealt with this situation? Did you take onboard the advice shared by your fellow Hosts? 😊 It would be great if you could share with us what you eventually did, it may help other Hosts in the future!  

[Angela3931]

Hey Sophia!!

So, I am going to change my cleaning fee from $160. to $200.
I already have a discount on my daily rate, and I feel Im loosing a lot of money initially on this home- expected until we get reviews. Our 1st guest only left a review in guest book- I did politely prompt her to rate on Airbnb app- not sure she will…Once we get a few 5 star ratings we may adjust daily pricing. Using Wheelhouse data for this. Amazing app!

[Yael69]

I am host and cleaning company owner . What size of your house and how much you pay your cleaners ?

i don’t have any chores for guests and told my clients (another hosts) removed all chores . It is ok for us to clean dishes and of course to strip beds and wash towels .