While we all like to keep our homes clean and tidy, a vacation rental clean differs in several important ways from a regular household clean. You’re cleaning for paying guests, who don’t want to be reminded that strangers have slept in their bed or eaten from their plates. A vacation rental cleaning needs to be thorough, efficient, and fast enough to limit downtime between checkout and checkin.
Areas that you might only clean once a week, once a month, or even less frequently at home need to be cleaned between every guest at a vacation rental property. That means changing the beds, washing the linens and towels, wiping down the fridge, microwave, and other appliances, and getting into all the nooks and crannies a regular household clean might overlook. In fact, a vacation rental clean is closer to deep cleaning a property than carrying out regular weekly chores. But don’t worry, our comprehensive turnover cleaning checklist will keep you covered! Keep reading to learn more.
What is the fastest way to clean a vacation rental?
Speed is critical when it comes to turnover cleaning. Often there are only a few hours between one group of guests departing and another arriving. Nobody wants to spend the first day of their vacation waiting for the cleaners to finish working! Learning how to effectively clean a property in an hour or two is important for any host, whether you’re renting your property privately or through a service such as Airbnb or Vrbo.
The first step is to get organized. Clean from the top down, and from inside-out. This prevents you from spreading dust or dirt in areas you’ve already cleaned. You should also factor in how long each task will take. For example laundering bed linen will take an hour or two in a washing machine, so make sure you start by stripping the beds and starting a load. The linens can finish washing while you clean the rest of the property.
Can I do a vacation property cleaning myself?
Some rental property owners prefer to do their own cleaning in order to save money. It also gives you an opportunity to inspect the property for damage between guests. However before deciding to take on the job yourself, ask a few key questions:
- Do I have the time to do a thorough cleaning between guests?
- Will I be available during turnover hours to clean the property?
- Is the property close enough for me to reasonably visit?
- Is my time better spent elsewhere, rather than cleaning?
- Do I enjoy cleaning, or will I get bored and start cutting corners?
- Is cleaning the rental property something I want to do?
Cleaning a rental property to an appropriate standard isn’t something everyone wants to do — and remember, you might have to do it several times a week in peak seasons. If it all sounds like a lot of work, you can always rely on a vacation rental cleaning service instead. These cleaning Pros can prepare a property for your next guests in just an hour or two, freeing up your time and ensuring your guests always leave glowing reviews.
How much does it cost to have a vacation rental cleaned?
The price for a short-term rental cleaning service will depend on a number of factors, including:
- Size of the property
- Extent of cleaning
- Frequency of service
- Number of properties
- Location of property
If you own several vacation rental properties, you can save money by asking for a group rate for cleaning. You’ll save even more if the properties are close together and cleaning all of them can be done by a single crew in the same timeframe.
Calculating an Airbnb cleaning service cost will also depend on location. If your property is in a high cost of living area such as New York City or L.A., expect to pay significantly more than a similar sized property in a different part of the country.
Generally speaking, it will cost a little more for a turnover cleaning than for a regular household clean. That’s because your cleaners will need to go above and beyond, cleaning appliances and fixtures that aren’t cleaned so regularly in most homes.
