The short waiting times make it difficult to grasp every detail at your fingertips. That is why you need a vacation rental cleaning checklist to keep your rental property spotless. This article gives a detailed cleaning checklist of what to clean before the guests arrive, during their stay, and after they depart.
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Cleaning Before Guests Arrive
- Living Room
Some of the things you should include in your checklist include dusting pillows, electronics, and other decorative items, vacuuming and mopping the floors, cleaning all mirrors and windows, dusting the shelves, and wiping the chairs and sofas. Also, do not forget to clean areas underneath the furniture and organize magazines or miscellaneous items.
- Kitchen
Your kitchen cleaning checklist should involve cleaning the refrigerator and dishwasher, sweeping the floors, wiping all cupboards and drawers, sanitizing countertops, and degreasing the microwave oven. Ensure that there are no food items in the fridge and make sure to empty and clean all trashcans.
- Dining Room
A few things to clean in the dining room include the tabletops, chairs, shelves, and floors. It is also important to polish the silverware, organize cabinets, clean the light fixtures and remove any unnecessary items. Be keen to check for cobwebs as they can build up overnight.
- Bathroom
Your bathroom needs to be sparkling clean. Some of the ways you can make this possible are by cleaning the sinks, sanitizing the entire toilet, wiping the showerhead and faucets, cleaning the mirrors, and washing or sanitizing the toilet brush. Also, make sure to replace and fold towels, dust shelves and décor, restock the cabinets, and vacuum any fabric inside the bathroom.
- Bedroom
The best way to keep your bedroom presentable is to make the bed, change the sheets and blankets, wash the curtains, dust the blinds, vacuum the mattress, and mop the floor. Check to ensure there are no cobwebs on the ceiling or light fixtures. Besides dusting the shelves, drawers, and décor, do not forget to vacuum under the bed.
- Home Exterior
First impressions last, so it is important to keep your vacation rental exterior as clean as possible. This could involve cleaning the gutter, washing exterior windows, sweeping the patio, emptying the trash bins, cleaning lawn debris and furniture, and power washing your driveway.
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Cleaning During Guests’ Stay
There are certain areas of your vacation rental that might require your attention when the guests are still around. This happens mostly when guests are hosted for a longer time. Keep in mind that shared areas tend to get dirty and messy very easily because many people access them every day e.g. swimming pools and patios. One of the things you can do to clean during your guests’ stay is to organize a cleaning once a week. However, it is important to talk to your guests and choose a day that best suits everyone.
You can also include a cleaning fee if guests prefer that you provide the cleaning. You can also store a few cleaning supplies inside the rental home so your guests can do the cleaning by themselves if they need. Do not forget to offer weekly replacements for sheets, pillowcases, towels, and blankets. You can also restock trash bags and toilet papers, and replace liquid toilet fresheners.
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Cleaning After Guests Leave
It is crucial to get everything back in order after your guests depart. You need to check for any damages before claiming the security deposit. Guests are more likely to forget other items when packing their luggage, more so when they are in a rush. The after-departure checklist involves checking the fridge or freezer for leftovers, inspecting hidden surfaces, checking for damages, and if all valuable items in the home are still in place. It is important to do a quick check to ensure your guests have properly sorted out trash if you use recycle bins. Generally, you need to ensure that everything is left in good condition and that unwanted items are disposed of.
A high level of cleanliness and hygiene not only makes your vacation rental comfortable and safe for your guests but also keeps them coming back every time they think of a holiday. Making your rental property spotlessly clean before your guests arrive, during their stay, and after they leave will yield greater rewards that come in form of stellar reviews.