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Spotless Stays: Airbnb Cleaning Options Compared
From stubborn stains to schedule stress, there’s more to cleaning than simply some light dusting. Here are the main options you have to ensure a guest-ready property.
Being an Airbnb host is undoubtedly something that requires quite a lot of effort. You need to be particularly thorough when it comes to the cleanliness and maintenance of your property.
This is something that’s going to make a tremendous impression on your guests. Guests will have no issue airing your dirty laundry in a review. Therefore, this is one of the things you should put at the top of your vacation rental checklist while preparing your property.
You don’t necessarily need to take on this huge responsibility on your own as there are different Airbnb cleaning approaches that you might consider. So, let’s take a closer look at the options available.
Airbnb Cleaning Options Available for Hosts
1. Cleaning up yourself
While cost-effective as you only need to pay for cleaning supplies, this particular approach could take up a whole lot of your time (and is probably not the best answer to ensure happy hosting). The time involved and physical labor required is something for which you need to account.
As such, it’s better suited for hosts with some spare time and only one property to manage. After all, in some instances no one is going to do a better job on your own property than you.
2. Hiring a property management company
Hiring a property management company is undoubtedly a good course of action. While it’s more expensive in comparison to the previous approach, it will save you a considerable amount of time and stress. Plus, the more tasks like laundry, mopping the floors, etc. you can delegate, the more you can focus on achieving Superhost status and growing your business.
Moreover, by hiring a professional company, you can improve much more than just your cleaning routine. They can take care of multiple other aspects regarding managing your short-term rentals such as guest verification, key exchange, maintenance checks, replenishing your Airbnb’s supplies, returning items left behind to guests, etc.
3. Airbnb cleaning service
This is usually one of the most common options. It can be comparatively affordable and you don’t need to invest in equipment like a vacuum cleaner, depending on the Airbnb cleaning company you choose. Plus, to cover the expenses relating to cleaning services, you might consider adding a cleaning fee to your listing.
That said, you should be very careful when selecting one for your business. Unfortunately, hosts sometimes have to deal with delays in cleanings, and this is something that you definitely want to avoid. So, do your research to find a great vacation rental cleaning company. Ask other hosts on popular forums and go through some customer reviews online.
4. Hiring a Subcontractor
Hiring an individual cleaner is another affordable strategy. Unlike professional cleaning companies, individual subcontractors usually charge less. With the help of a good cleaning checklist, you can better control the quality and reduce the impact that human error can have on your next guest’s stay.
Although this option may seem the most attractive one in terms of cost, it has some disadvantages.
A cleaner may fall ill or just fail or forget to complete a task (like cleaning the shower or unpacking the dishwasher). So, in addition to your cleaning checklist, also create a list of other cleaners ready to help you in case of illness.
One more thing to keep in mind is that professional cleaning services run background checks on their employees and provide insurance. By hiring a subcontractor, you can’t be absolutely sure that you’re covered if something goes wrong while they’re working at your home
Top 4 Platforms to Find a Subcontractor
Yelp
Yelp is a crowdsourced local business review site that lists loads of various services. Here you can search for Airbnb cleaning services and subcontractors in your area. By reading real reviews from customers, you’ll be able to hire a company according to your expectations and budget.
Angi
Formerly called Angi’s List, Angi is an American home services website. Here you can find various service providers based in your location, compare options and read customer reviews.
Handy
Handy is an online two-sided marketplace for residential cleaning, installation, and other home services. Founded in 2012 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the now New York-based company operates services in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Airtasker
Airtasker provides an online and mobile marketplace that users can use to outsource everyday tasks. Users describe the task and indicate a budget and community members can then bid to complete the task.
Cleanster
Via Cleanster, you can instantly book vetted cleaners for your vacation rental unit in North America or the United Kingdom. In addition to regular short-term rental cleaning, they also offer deep cleaning. One of the benefits of using them is that they use checklists specifically designed for Airbnb hosts. Plus, if you’re already using iGMS, you can easily integrate your iGMS account with Cleanster.
Turno
Turno is another cleaning service for Airbnb hosts and property managers that you can integrate with iGMS. In addition to the US, they also have cleaners in Australia and cities across Europe. Included in their list of features are automatic scheduling and payment, photo checklists, and inventory management.
Go One Step Further: Automate Your Cleanings
Using vacation rental tools such as iGMS can be a real life-saver for busy hosts. This is a software solution that allows you to manage your vacation rental properties in one place.
Whether you work with a cleaning company or a subcontractor, iGMS can organize and automate cleanings for your properties. You will be able to set cleaning tasks, like disinfect the dishwasher or add extra linens, for specific crew members and they will be notified in advance via email and/or text message. This helps to ensure your rental space always gets cleaned on time before guests check-in and after they check out.
No matter what option (or tools) you choose, it is essential to make sure your Airbnb cleanings are always performed thoroughly and in a timely manner. You need to be sure that your next guest will stay at a property that looks spotless.
Then, a good practice is also to schedule seasonal deep cleans in addition to regular ones. Although regular cleanings will keep your vacation rental fresh and neat, a deep clean is a great opportunity to clean your property from top to bottom. This is when you can also check and replace your amenities and appliances, if necessary.
