Short-term rental cleaning has become a precarious balancing act with businesses trying to maintain profitability while meeting standards.
On the one hand, travelers say cleanliness is their number one priority when choosing a place to stay for the second year running. Even the most luxurious property can garner bad reviews and lose bookings if it’s not spotless.
On the other hand, some businesses have noticed cleaning companies have raised their prices. These services are matching their rates to the new demand and level of skill now required for satisfactory property care. While homeowners and businesses want to pay for top-notch cleaning services, these higher fees are cutting deep into their profits.
The answer isn’t to negotiate professional cleaners down but to create a streamlined approach to property care that minimizes expenses while keeping guest satisfaction high. Let’s discuss how to achieve this, no matter how many properties you manage or how busy your schedule is.
Why vacation home rental cleaning is so important
Cleaning has an indirect but significant impact on business performance. Because most properties charge a cleaning fee, guests have high expectations when it comes to tidiness and hygiene. They’re likely to leave a negative review or rating if you disappoint them.
But guest feedback is the lifeblood of your business. Losing a high rating due to cleaning on Airbnb and Vrbo can drastically reduce the appeal of your property to potential visitors.
Don’t believe us? According to an AirDNA study, listings with an average rating of 4.9 stars or higher had nearly 10% higher occupancy. They also charged about 7.7% more per night and earned over 18% more revenue than lower-rated rentals.
One-off issues can be a learning experience. Occasionally, you or your cleaner may have a bad day and miss a smudged glass or forget to restock the linen closet. You can repair the situation by sending guests a quick apology email and a discount for a future stay.
But repeated issues can spoil the guest experience and bring your rating down. The only way to prevent this from happening is to develop a reliable strategy for property care and maintenance that leaves zero room for mistakes.
Common challenges with vacation rental cleaning
Vacation rental businesses often can’t meet guest standards due to the complexity and resource-intensive nature of property care and maintenance. In fact, hosts rank cleaning as the second biggest challenge behind technology, according to the latest Hostfully report.
Here are some of the most common pitfalls:
- High standards: Guests expect visible cleanliness, not just tidiness. Sanitised surfaces and a hygienic feel are essential to meet today’s standards.
- Tight turnover times: There are often only a few hours between old guests checking out and new guests arriving, leaving little margin for error.
- Inconsistency across multiple properties: Ensuring vacation rental cleaners meet the same standards when you operate several listings is challenging, especially from afar or with lean resources.
- Limited oversight: Many hosts aren’t physically present and must trust their team or an external cleaning team to finish every task to the right standard.
- Last-minute surprises: The hospitality industry is unpredictable. Any number of scenarios, from last-minute bookings and messy guests to sick Airbnb cleaners, can disrupt your normal turnover schedule.
Best practices for effective vacation rental cleaning
While property care has become more challenging in recent years, many hosts have already found workarounds. Let’s explore some of the best ways to incorporate into your turnover processes:
1. Automate scheduling and team coordination
Use a property management system (PMS) like Hostfully to automate vacation rental cleaning. Our software lets you automatically assign tasks to your crew by registering triggers like a guest checking out and sending them a push notification. This reduces the amount of back and forth, essential when turnover times are tight and every minute counts.
PMS can also schedule recurring tasks like reordering cleaning products or disinfecting hot tubs. They can be as frequent as you need to fit your workflow.
Without automated scheduling, Phillip Foxall, Owner of Catchin’ Paradise, says his crew struggled to stay on top of tasks. “Before our cleaners adopted software for scheduling, we coordinated everything via text. It worked…until it didn’t. There were a few times when the cleaning schedule got mixed up and the home wasn’t ready by check-in.”
Automation has made all the difference. He says, “Since implementing a proper scheduling system, these situations have become rare.
2. Implement Standardized Cleaning Checklists
Create a clear, step-by-step checklist for each vacation rental property to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. You can generate these using top vacation rental cleaning software. Leading providers integrate with PMS like Hostfully so you can share information about tasks seamlessly between the platforms.
Digital cleaning checklists make it easier to manage cleaning remotely. They enable you to track progress and stay informed without constantly messaging your staff for updates. Plus, you can easily adjust checklists based on guest feedback or reports from your cleaning crew.
Alex Foti, President of Bretton Woods Vacation Rentals, has gone one step further with visual reminders. “One thing that has really helped has been adding the requirement to add photos of often missed areas (eg, under couch cushions). It forces people to remember to do that task!”
Foxall says his company has implemented a similar system at Catchin’ Paradise. “After cleaning, our team uploads photos of any damage or issues and marks the job as complete through their app. Then, an inspector follows up to verify everything is in top shape.”
Learn more about Hostfully’s range of turnover and property care integrations.
3. Focus on high-touch areas
Pay attention to areas you overlook, but guests are likely to notice. Making them part of regular turnover shows your guests how thoroughly you clean your property and how much you care about their health and comfort.
Such high-touch areas include:
- Doorknobs and drawer handles
- Smart locks and keypads
- Light switches
- Electrical outlets
- Remotes and power buttons
- Faucets
- Stair railings and banisters
While these small details are important, ensure cleaning crews wipe down large surfaces like baseboards and countertops, too. Guests might touch them less, but they’re still likely to notice fingerprints or dirt on them.
4. Use quality house cleaning supplies and tools
Invest in quality cleaning products to ensure your cleaners do their best every time. While you might be tempted to save a few dollars in places, weigh up the pros and cons. Cheap supplies and equipment make jobs harder to do and compromise your standards, costing you more in the long term.
The same applies to old products. Regularly replace and repair everything to ensure it’s in good working order. If you hold onto that ten-year-old vacuum, for example, it may be taking twice as long to clean the floors as a new one.
Keeping a backup supply of cleaning products can ensure you never run low. Cleaning crews can replace items quickly if and when they need to. You can also use Hostfully’s cleaning and turnover integrations to get reminders when supplies run low and it’s time to restock.
5. Conduct regular deep cleans
Occasional deep cleans keep standards from slipping over time. They take care of tasks that are impossible to manage during the short turnover times, such as:
- Pulling out large furniture to clean underneath and behind it
- Cleaning inside appliances like ovens and refrigerators
- Scrubbing tiled areas in kitchens and bathrooms
- Washing curtains, rugs, and upholstery
- Replacing items like mattress protectors, shower liners, and air filters
Try to schedule deep cleans for the off-season so they don’t interfere with guest stays. But don’t make that your priority. If you’re fully booked for months, you may need to block out time in your calendar to ensure your property gets the attention it needs.
Hostfully’s channel manager lets you block out dates across your website and listing platforms. There’s no need to worry about overlooking somewhere and accidentally accepting a reservation when your property is full of repairmen and everything’s disconnected.
6. Vet and invest in your cleaning crew
Choose the right people to look after your properties to bring you peace of mind. As Foxall says, this process can be trial and error. He says the first company he hired used the wrong linens for the beds and complained about the amount of sand the guests brought in — “which, given our coastal location, was a bit ironic.”
Foxall cut his losses and switched to a company that got proven results: “This team has been with us ever since, and we consistently receive compliments from guests about how spotless and well-maintained the home is. We’re equally impressed every time we visit. Their professionalism, consistency, and pride in their work have been essential to our success.
Besides finding the right people, treat cleaning crews well so they’re motivated to stay and do a professional job. Give them legitimate contracts, pay them competitive rates, and support them with issues. Most importantly, hear them out when a guest complains before taking action.
Should you choose DIY cleaning vs. professional services?
There are pros and cons to both DIY cleaning and professional services. So, when deciding whether to outsource property care, businesses should choose the setup that best suits their cleaning needs.
Many businesses go the DIY route because it gives them full control over the cleaning process and results. That’s essential when local services can’t guarantee the same standards. For example, Foti says, “We have not found a professional cleaning service that could meet our needs, neither in terms of quality nor scheduling.”
Instead, Foti invests in and supports his internal team. “You can achieve the impossible when you have a small group of highly motivated people working closely together.”
But those managing multiple properties with lean resources and limited expertise may prefer a professional Airbnb cleaning service. If you’re new to hospitality and service, you might not have a solid understanding of how turnover works. A professional service can fill the gaps in your knowledge.
Read our list of the top vacation rental cleaning services to find trusted providers.
How Hostfully enhances your cleaning operations
While it’s not glamorous, property care has always been central to effective vacation rental management. Spotless homes are the only way to guarantee those positive reviews, referrals, and repeat bookings.
Hostfully PMS can automate many operations to make it easier to impress your next guests. While you remain at your headquarters overseeing operations, the tool can assign cleaning tasks and prompt your team. You can still manually add tasks for ad hoc situations.
For further support, Hostfully integrates with top turnover software so you can create checklists and get photo confirmations. You can track progress in real-time and send follow-ups when something seems amiss.
All this makes it possible to manage property care from afar without overspending on labor or compromising your standards. You can be 100% sure properties are guest-ready without setting foot through the door.
FAQs
How often should I deep clean my vacation rental?
You should aim to deep clean your rental every three to six months to keep it fresh and in good condition. This prevents a buildup of dirt and ensures appliances are in good working order.
What are the essential items on a vacation rental cleaning checklist?
Essential items on a vacation rental cleaning checklist include:
- Dusting and vacuuming
- Wiping down counters
- Changing linens
- Restocking toiletries
- Sanitizing high-touch spots
- Checking for damage or maintenance issues.
How can I ensure consistency in cleaning across multiple properties?
You can use digital checklists to ensure consistency in cleaning across multiple properties. Regular inspections can also help you catch issues.
Are there specific cleaning standards for Airbnb or Vrbo listings?
Yes, both require thorough cleaning and sanitizing of high-touch areas following local health guidelines. Meeting these boosts guest confidence and helps you achieve more 5-star reviews.
