How to Clean Your Airbnb So You Get Better Reviews
A spotless space keeps guests happy and earns great reviews.
As an Airbnb host, keeping your rental space clean is one of your top priorities. Clean spaces lead to positive reviews, and positive reviews lead to more bookings.
On the other hand, a lack of cleanliness is one of the top reasons guests leave a negative review, according to Airbnb.
But cleaning a rental isn’t like cleaning your home. While you may not notice a little dust in the corner or dingy sheets and towels, your future guests will. And if you have a rental that is as thriving as you want it to be, you don’t have a lot of time between bookings to clean between guests.
As you can see, it’s essential for hosts to know how to make their rentals as clean as possible as efficiently as possible. Here are a few tips to help you do just that so that you can get the best reviews, more bookings, and less stress.
Focus on the pain points
While keeping the entire rental clean is important, there are a few pain points that you need to pay particular attention to. These include towels, sheets, floors, and the bathroom - all which translate to guests how clean and hygienic the rental is.
These areas need to be thoroughly cleaned between each guest. Consider investing in periodic deep cleans to cut down on work between bookings and save time in the long run.
Wash sheets and towels separately
When washing linens and towels, take a cue from the pros - wash them separately.
This is because they are made from different materials. Towels are thicker than sheets, so they require a different dryer time to maintain their integrity. Washing them together may leave you with under-dried towels that could breed mold or mildew, and sheets will be over-dried, shortening their lifespan.
Try these host hacks
Airbnb hosts have so many ideas for tackling the unique cleaning needs of an Airbnb property. Here are a few you can try to make sure you clean your rental property fast and efficiently.
Load the washing machine first. “The first thing I do is get all the bed linens and towels and throw them into the washing machine, and that’s going while I’m doing the rest of the cleaning. It’s efficient.” —Emma-Kate
Polish wood floors. “I have hardwood floors. I polish them on a regular basis so when guests walk in they see gleaming floors. It gives an overall perception of cleanliness that’s reassuring.” —Tammi
Clean light switches. “Those things can get nasty, but you don't notice them because you're used to them. A bit of rubbing alcohol should do the trick.” —Adam
Look under beds and in bedside drawers. “There’s nothing worse than finding left-behind personal items in the bedroom.” —Rob
Clean window sills, light fixtures, and ceiling corners. “Sometimes these can be full of dirt that you'd never notice during the day when most cleaning takes place. But a guest lying in bed at night will see that.” —Sarah
Don't forget the shower curtain. “The shower curtain often gets forgotten. I have a plastic liner, and I spray it and wipe it down after every guest. I also replace it every month or two.” —Tammi
Fold the bathroom tissue. “I fold the bottom of the toilet paper. It’s a small thing, but it feels fresh and shows you care.” —Emma-Kate
Top off hand soap and shampoo bottles. “It’s nice having bathroom amenities that feel new. A full and closed bottle makes the guest feels like the first person to use it.” —Alex
Hire a Professional Laundry Service
As a rental property owner, it’s important to seek out professional help when you need it. One of the best ways to ensure you get raving reviews from guests is to hire a third-party laundry service to take care of the laundry for you.
A professional laundry service like OrangeBag will not only make the cleaning process easier, but your sheets and towels will be noticeably cleaner. This is because commercial washers are more powerful than household washers.
To offset the charges of using a professional laundry service, it is common to add a cleaning fee to your guest’s charges. You may also want to offer your guests a laundry service they can use for their personal washing needs.
It is helpful to develop a close relationship with your favorite commercial laundry service so you can offer your guests a great deal on their laundry and so they can help you manage inventory and prevent damage.
Earning your best host title
Being an Airbnb host is not an easy job. But with a little effort and using these helpful tips, you’ll be well on your way to raving reviews and increased bookings for your rental property.