‘Cleanliness is a sign of Godliness’ goes the common phrase.
Well, guests aren’t necessarily looking for a higher being when they arrive at your property, but they are looking for basic sanitation.
Cleaning one’s property is a clear indicator of the amount of respect one holds for their space.
Imagine you walked into a friend’s house and the dishes weren’t washed, or there was trash everywhere. You wouldn’t want to stay around too long and your opinion of that friend may deteriorate.
Now that’s the same perspective that a guest may feel if you haven’t afforded them the courtesy.
Likewise if you walked into a friend’s house and they clearly respected their space and looked after it, you would also tell your other friends that they kept a beautiful home.
In a previous post, we made the case as to why you should seriously consider becoming an Airbnb host. But, earning income from your home, like any other income sources, needs some legwork.
Regular cleaning and housekeeping is one of these Airbnb home management tasks you’ll need to work hard on; you would want to get it right or you could negatively affect your ratings and Airbnb pricing.
With this in mind, let’s explore some of the ways you can keep your property spic and span.
Garbage and Waste
Sounds obvious but you’ll be surprised by the amount of rubbish left over after a guest has checked out.
The key here is to search thoroughly and disinfect as you go along.
Empty the bins in the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms and never ever leave bins in the hallway or outside your property to fester.
Ventilation and Dust
As soon as the previous guest has left, you want to open the windows and doors to ventilate the space.
Research has shown that the air inside your home is more polluted than the outside, a real damning statistic.
So regularly ventilate your property to kill lingering microbes and generate good air quality.
Another bugbear for guests is finding dust.
Dust is a sign that the space hasn’t been cleaned properly in a long while as it accrues slowly over time.
Either hire a proper cleaner or get the duster out yourself.
If you take the recommended top-down approach, you can start from the highest corners and end up on the floor. In this way, you can be sure to have covered all the bases.
Kitchen
A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen.
Fridges are notorious for spills and moldy food so clean and remove as soon as the guest leaves.
Also pay close attention to the cupboards, stove and microwave.
These areas of the kitchen are often neglected as they are regularly used, but you have to remember that a new guest doesn’t care about that, all they know is that they want to cook in a clean environment free of germs.
Throw a freshly cut lemon into the fridge from time to time to remove bad odors.
Bathrooms
There is a high percentage of negative reviews on Airbnb that comes directly from the guest’s experience with the bath/washrooms.
With all the water and moisture that can accrue in the bathroom, its no wonder it’s a sensitive area for guests.
Comments are regularly made on the shower area, especially the scum that builds up in the shower head or the hair that clogs the drain. Not only may you be getting bad reviews, but you are also increasing the chances of getting a few costly plumbing expenses coming your way if not dealt with in a timely fashion.
Toothpaste marks, unkempt glass and hair are areas that are regularly highlighted in post-exit reviews.
Hair especially is a real no-no for guests. They would rather the perception that another person hasn’t used the same equipment as them. So imagine their dismay if they were to find stray hairs all over the place; your ratings would take a huge nosedive in that instance and with that, so does your bookings and occupancy rates.
Additional Cleanliness Hacks
- Mopping: Make sure you have mopped all your floors before a new guest arrives. The easiest way to clean your mop is to throw it in the washing machine, that way you aren’t just spreading more dirt around.
- Fresh Linen: Have spare linen ready in case anything happens to the current set. Use white linen just like hotels to convey cleanliness.
- Wipe down Surfaces: There is nothing more off-putting than smear-marks and dirt on surfaces. Regularly clean all tables, counters and windows to give your guests that feel- good factor.
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