One of the first things that every Airbnb guest notices the second they walk into their rental is the cleanliness (or, in some cases, the lack of cleanliness). If you’re running an Airbnb business, an unclean rental can lead to bad reviews, which can be very damaging to your listing’s reputation.
For this reason, it’s highly recommended to get a contract with a high-quality Airbnb cleaning service, as it will help you to keep customers happy and have them coming back on subsequent visits to the area. Today, we’re going to look at what a 5-star Airbnb cleaning company can do to help you grow your business.
What a 5-Star Airbnb Cleaning Service Should Include
First, it’s essential that they properly clean and disinfect the highest-touch areas in the property, especially door and toilet handles, light switches, television remotes, and kitchen counters.
Bathrooms are perhaps the most essential rooms to clean and should be completely spotless. This includes toilets, sinks, floors, and showers. They should also take special care to make sure that no hairs are left behind, as it can easily be overlooked. Guests, however, will likely notice them right away.
Bedrooms should be “hotel-ready”, which is to say that guests should be confident that their beds will look and feel like they’re in a 5-star hotel. The bed should be neat, the surfaces tidied, and the sheets should be freshly cleaned.
When vacuuming and mopping floors, it’s important to look at the corners and edges. Hasty cleaning can leave these dirty, but your guests won’t likely enjoy seeing yellowed linoleum or other surfaces in the corner of the kitchen.
Have a Guest-Ready System: A Simple Plan a Good Airbnb Cleaning Company Follows
The first step towards cleanliness should be to conduct a quick walkthrough with a special emphasis on problem areas. Any messes, stray hairs, garbage, or stains should be identified so that they aren’t missed during the actual cleaning process.
It’s also important that the cleaning crew uses the exact same order every time: reset, disinfect, detail, and floors. Floors can become messy through the other three processes, which means they must always be done last. Each room should be cleaned according to a checklist to make sure that nothing is accidentally overlooked during the cleaning process.
Finally, you’ll want to complete a guest-ready check. Imagine that, instead of a cleaner or Airbnb host, you’re a guest stepping into your new lodgings for the first time. Does it smell good? Are the mirrors cleaned? Does the bed look good enough to sleep in? Are the floors clean enough to walk on with barefeet? These are the types of questions you should ask yourself during the walkthrough.
A Good Cleaning Company Should Work with Hosts
As with most interactions between people, communication between cleaning companies and Airbnb hosts is essential. A good Airbnb cleaning company should follow the host’s checklist and set up preferences for every appointment. They must also respect the owner’s house rules, like not touching valuable items and avoiding certain areas with locked doors.
If essential items are provided by the host, like paper towels, toilet paper, soap, coffee basics, or others, they should be restocked during cleaning. If supplies are running low or the cleaning company notices another concern, like stains or broken or missing items, they should contact the host immediately.
After they’ve finished cleaning, it’s also important for the cleaning services crew to make sure everything is guest-ready. If not, checklists should be revised, and special care should be taken to make sure the mistake doesn’t happen again.
How a Cleaning Company Should Handle Turnovers
It’s important to know the check-out and check-in times at the property and to always be on time for cleaning sessions. If the cleaning staff arrives too early, it will make guests feel pressured to leave more quickly. If they show up late, they may still be cleaning when the next guests arrive.
Tasks should be prioritized, which means critical areas should be handled first. These include bathrooms, the kitchen, beds, floors, and any other areas of emphasis specifically mentioned by the host.
The cleaning service should also use clear access and entry instructions to avoid any delays, which can also put the cleaning company in danger of not being finished by the time the next set of guests arrives.
Once the crew is finished and the unit is fully cleaned, it’s important to contact the host to confirm that the job is done and the property is ready for the next set of guests to arrive. At first, the host may want to see pictures of specific areas or come by to conduct an inspection to make sure everything’s perfect.
As time goes on and they build trust with their cleaning company, they’ll begin to develop trust in the hard work already demonstrated and begin taking the cleaning company’s word for it.
Extras a 5-Star Airbnb Cleaning Service Should Offer
There are a few extras that a truly 5-star Airbnb cleaning service should offer to its customers that set it apart from the competition. These include, but are not limited to:
- Laundry and linen service that includes washing and folding sheets, as well as setting up beds properly
- Deep cleaning when necessary, including appliances, cabinets, and showers
- Fur and odour control, as well as other pet-friendly cleaning services
- Updates and pictures of the cleaned Airbnb are sent directly to the host
The Final Expectations of a 5-Star Airbnb Cleaning Service
A 5-star quality Airbnb cleaning service works to keep the home or apartment 100% ready to meet the guest’s expectations. They focus on providing quality cleaning consistently, rather than a single “good cleaning” when contacted.
They’ll also focus on completing cleaning checklists for the property and will maintain a good, open line of communication with hosts. Simply put, a 5-star cleaning company will take the 5-star standards that made them great and pass them on to your Airbnb rentals. The result will be a cleaner property and happier guests who will book your unit every time they come to town.
Need a 5-Star Airbnb Cleaning Service in Ottawa?
If you’re anywhere in Ottawa and looking for a quality 5-star Airbnb cleaning company, look no further than The Urban Mop. Our experts will leave your rental property looking great and ready to get rave reviews from your guests. For more information about our Airbnb cleaning services or to join our list of satisfied clients, contact us and start having the cleanest rental properties in Ontario today!