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:)

[Amy38]

Tomas, this is a lovely 2 bedroom apartment...not a spare bedroom.  What do local hoels charge fo up to 6 guests?

[Basil17]

I agree with you 100% 

[David126]

I would expect to leave things tidy, I would not expect to clean. 

If I have a beer and am at a table I would normally return my glass to the bar, I would not wash it.

[Jann3]

Well, to me it would matter if I was renting "shared" environment in a home vs a studio/1BR/etc. If I was in shared environment I don't know that I would wash it and put it back as many hosts (including me) feel that dishwashers are far more cleansing in a shared environment and the host may not wish us to load their dishwashers. 

In a separate studio/1BR, etc I would either put it in the dishwasher or wash it myself. The mindset - to me - is different if I am renting *my own* place vs a shared space with regards to washing dishes. I would never leave things unwashed in the sink or on counters in a standalone studio/1BR,etc. Yes, you pay more for "separated" spaces but you also agree to keep things cleaner cos you are the only one messing them up. No housemates to blame.

[Tammy129]

I am new to the community and certainly find all these posts very helpful!  Thank you so much.  I have added a house rule to please ensure you stack your dishes and flatware into the dishwasher and start it before check out.  I hope this helps my guests not leave dirty dishes laying around, but even if they just load it and forget to turn it on, I will be happy.  I have hampers in the bathroom and have asked folks to put their towels and face cloths in the hamper, easy for me to grab it and take downstairs to launder them.  I am so thankful for the tip to have duplicate sheet sets too!  I notice some comments about taking garbage out, I was going to do this myself with the bins in each room.  Do most people ask their guests to empty the garbage bins?  Thanks!

[Beth313]

Tammy,

I request the guests remove the trash from our studio and place into a garbage bin outside to help in the clean-up process. Most guests have done this, and no one has complained.

[Grace264]

Hi Tammy129,

In our case, yes we do ask guests to empty all garbage bins before checking out as well as to recycle ♻️. Instructions on what goes in the green bin (compost), black bin (garbage), blue bin (plastic containers etc.), gray bin ( glasses), yellow bag (paper) are posted in the kitchen area  aIong with other check out instructions.

Glad to say that mostly guests complied with it.

Happy Hosting and Take care.😀😄

Best Regards,

Grace

[Cathie19]

Hi David.

Thank you for your succinct comment. Anything beyond a tidy and respected space, is a bonus. 

[Andrea218]

is that what you do in your house?  would you do that at a friend's?  is cleaning a glass really that much of a burden to you?  

[Des3]

I always wash everything up again as my kdv of cleaning is better than mists guests. Also, people are often in a rush, are packing and perhaps have children with them.

Better to be safe than sorry. I’d hate for a guest to pull out a plate or fork etc and find something disgusting that may colour their view.

Especially as they’re paying to rent my flat. It’s not a gift,

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

I'm a host but I honestly don't understand hosts asking guests to "leave the place in the condition you found it". But then again, it doesn't matter if you are staying in a hotel or Airbnb - NO ONE has the right to trash a place. I don't care if you paid $10K+ for a night!!! Money does not give anyone the right to trash a place. 

Yes, people have different standards when it comes to cleaning and tidiness and hygine. Honestly, even my own sister and I don't agree on what we consider "clean". My listing is not a hotel and I'm not the guest's maid, but I do recieve money to host. So to some extent, it's my responsibility to provide a clean living environment for each guest that stays with me - they are the GUEST.

I don't expect my guests to scrub the floors, or change the sheets, or vaccum under the bed when they stay with me. I don't expect my own sister to do these things when she comes for a visit. I do expect them (my sister and guests) to clean up after themselves, put things where they belong and not be a disgusting slob. 

[Beth313]

I agree with your sentiments. I don't expect a guest to clean, per se, but I do expect them to keep things tidy by cleaning or picking up after themselves. Cleaning, to me, means dusting, sweeping, mopping, scrubbing the bathroom, etc... That would be silly to expect that.

[Nancy949]

I always try to leave the place as clean as possible. Some hosts don't leave any cleaning supplies. I can't wash towels if I am not left detergent. Your comment has common sense. 👍

[Andrea218]

well put, @Jessica0 and Henry !

[Lane311]

This is one of the (many) reasons why I only stay in Airbnbs if absolutely necessary (i.e. massive savings or zero hotels nearby).  As a client, you cannot keep up with the differing standards of the hosts.  I think a few marginally dirty dishes in the sink should be acceptable (but not a sink chock full of disgusting dishes).  One host will say nothing about it, another host will say you 'have cleanliness issues' over merely a few dishes and a full trash can.  That's not 'cleanliness issues,' that's just a some dirty dishes and a trash bag that the host can throw out.  

Some hosts most definitely do have the idea that you should leave the place spotless, which is ridiculous.  I have stayed in one place with cleaning instructions, and I think they still charged a cleaning fee.  

With all the varying charges, fees, and standards of hosts, it's becoming much less advantageous, financially and logistically, to actually use Airbnb outside of rare or special occasions.

The only way to solve this particular issue is for Airbnb to hold ALL hosts and guest to their general rules, and allow only specific comments by hosts of egregious behavior.  These generalized complaints could be taken to mean ANYTHING when all someone did was leave a few dishes, or didn't think it was their responsibility to clean the toilet only after a few days stay or something like that.  

Airbnb is a business with clients and maybe some hosts have still not realized that it is a professional service.  Of course, I can only imagine some guests are filthy and that's not right either, but there is too much grey area and too many unspecific comments and standards and that is problematic for guests and hosts alike, as well as for the entire Airbnb service.

Advantage, hotels.  No worries about cleaning.  It's all understood and no extra fees.