Are you Airbnb Ready? Step Eight: Cleaning and all that
Who loves cleaning – not me! But, I love the results such as higher ratings and more bookings. I find it a lot easier to get going immediately after the guests have left and prepare the property even if the next booking is not for another week. This means that if you have a surprise booking in between, the property will be ready and you won’t need to re-organise your time to ready the it.
When cleaning, make sure you put your glasses on (if you wear them) and remove those cobwebs, dust the skirting boards and remove the grime from the stove top. I love venetian blinds, but these are the most time consuming to clean. Keep an eye on the dust levels of these and do the finger wipe test. If you can see where your finger has been, it’s time to clean! People like clean and some people will look for it.
All linen must be washed and changed and check the pillows for stains………. yes people dribble in their sleep. It’s important to have 2 sets of everything to cope with back to back bookings and wet wash days etc. If you can’t wash and dry them yourself, contact your local dry cleaners as they usually do laundry at very reasonable prices with a free collection and drop off.
Keep an eye on the consumables such as toilet paper (you will go through heaps of this!!), washing detergent/dishwasher tablets, tea towels and other consumables that you provide. Have a stash of these as it will make your life a whole lot easier. Don’t leave it till the last minute to top up. If you plan to leave a minimal stock of consumables for longer stays, make sure you put something in your house rules and let them know where the closest convenience shop is so they can restock for their stay.
Look back into the property when you close the door – how does it look and feel? Clean and fresh, right?