As an Airbnb host, ensuring that your rental property is spotless is essential for the comfort and overall happiness of your guests. However, cleaning a vacation rental can be time-consuming and daunting, especially when you have multiple bookings to attend to. To help ease the burden of cleaning, we’ve put together some insider vacation rental cleaner tips that will make the process easier and more effective.
To develop these tips, we turned to Amy Thompson, a vacation rental cleaner from New York state. She’s been working in the industry for over 10 years, and these are her nine most important cleaning tips!
Top Tips from Amy, a Vacation Rental Cleaner
Create a Cleaning Checklist
Before you start cleaning, create a checklist that outlines the tasks that need to be completed in each room. This will ensure that you don’t miss anything and will help you stay organized throughout the process. Lucky for you, Team DPGO has created one for you! You can access it here on the dedicated cleaning checklist blog post.
Use a Cleaning Caddy
A cleaning caddy is a portable container that holds all your cleaning supplies in one place. This is a convenient way to move around your rental property without having to go back and forth to grab different cleaning tools. Make sure your caddy is stocked with essential cleaning supplies like all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, disinfectant, microfiber cloths, sponges, and gloves. Always wear gloves when you’re handing products with potentially skin-irritating ingredients.
Start from the Top
When cleaning a room, start from the top and work your way down. This will help you avoid spreading dirt and dust to areas that have already been cleaned. Begin by dusting the ceiling fan and light fixtures, then move on to cleaning the walls, windows, and surfaces before finishing up with the floor.
You Can Never Have Enough Microfiber Cloths
Microfiber cloths are a must-have cleaning tool for any vacation rental cleaner. They are highly effective at trapping dirt, dust, and other particles, and they can be washed and reused multiple times. When cleaning surfaces, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the area, then follow up with a dry cloth to remove any remaining moisture. To keep dust at bay, try a little Baby Oil on your microfiber cloths.
Pay Attention to the Smaller Details
It’s the small details that can make a big difference in the cleanliness and overall appearance of your vacation rental. Make sure to clean areas like light switches, door handles, and baseboards. Also, don’t forget to check for cobwebs in the corners of the room and wipe down any mirrors or glass surfaces.
Try Natural Cleaning Products
Many traditional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to both your guests and the environment. Consider using natural cleaning products that are eco-friendly and safe for use around children and pets. Some natural cleaning products that you can use include vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. A great way to fight limescale and soap scum is a spray bottle filled with one part vinegar to two parts water. It works wonders on glass shower doors!
Deep-Clean the Bathroom
The bathroom requires extra attention. Make sure to clean the toilet, sink, shower, and bathtub thoroughly. Use a disinfectant cleaner to kill any germs or bacteria, and don’t forget to scrub the grout and tiles. Also, ensure that you replace any used towels and washcloths with fresh ones. I like to check how well the sinks and the bath/shower are draining, just in case there are any blockages that I need to remove before the next guest checks in! It’s also a good idea to add a bin in your bathroom and make sure you empty it and replace the bag before every new guest.
Fresh, Soft Linen Goes a Long Way
Guests expect clean and fresh linens when they stay at your vacation rental. Make sure to wash all bed linens, pillowcases, and towels with an extra hot machine wash after each guest’s stay. I also like to add a cap of disinfectant, just to be safe. Additionally, consider investing in high-quality bedding that is both comfortable and durable. This will not only enhance your guests’ experience but also reduce your need to replace linens frequently. I always recommend skipping the fabric softener and using white vinegar instead. It’ll keep your towels and bedding fluffy and soft for longer, I promise!
Do Regular Inspections
Regular inspections of your rental property will help you identify any areas that need extra attention. Regular inspections can also help you catch any potential maintenance issues before they become more significant problems. I always make a note to check the batteries in remote controls, flickering light bulbs, dripping faucets, loud appliances (like fridges and freezers), and ill-fitting doors and windows.
Realistically, this list could go on forever. There will always be a small part of your listing that could be cleaned better, but as long as you remember the four most important things: bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen, and floors. These are the areas where your guests are going to notice dirt almost immediately so be sure to pay extra attention to them! You can also hire a vacation rental cleaner, so you don’t have to handle any of this yourself! It just depends on your budget.
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