Airbnb Host and Investors Forum General Advice « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 9 Next » A Short Term Rental (STR) Forum Community

[hpark23]

As a host (1 listing in another state 4 hours away by car), the number one thing that has helped keep us sane and made the whole business model work is by having a good and trusted cleaner. At first we tried out one of those "large" local companies which had close to 5 star reviews (found through Google, not Turno) and they charged close to $200 for a 1100 sq ft 2 bed 2 bath house. The crew they sent over were sloppy, could not communicate in English, and you could tell that they just wanted to get the job "done" as quick as possible so they could go to their next job.

We found a local cleaner with experience in hospitality on Turno which was 30% cheaper, and although she couldn't guarantee same day turnover (we always leave a 2 day gap anyways) she has done a fantastic job going above and beyond - making sure the dust on the baseboards are gone and wiping away scuff marks on the doors. She's even went to buy more toilet paper and cleaning supplies when we were running low.

We have not had a single cleanliness complaint yet in 30+ stays. If any of you are using a large company with no face, highly suggest you look for a someone you can trust and who you can call right away with issues.... it will simply make your life much easier.

[sokolov]

We have a great relationship with our cleaner.. we make sure we send her a Christmas card around the holidays and acknowledge her hard work quarterly. We've tried the large companies as well and the turnover rate at those places meant there were new faces that we had to teach every few months.

[Amflier]

I personally love to support the small business individuals but when it comes to cleaners I hire a cleaning small business not a personal person doing it. This way there is a staff , and I deal with the owner and he makes sure someone is coming.

[Paule123]

I’m extremely generous on what we pay our cleaners. Whenever I add specific items or tasks, I approach it delicately and offer her more money. Take away the additional money and she seems unable to ever implement changes. It can be frustrating, but the whole equation falls apart without strong and reliable cleaners as you mention.

[Inspired]

Use turno and read the cleaners reviews. It's pretty easy to spot the one's who you can trust.

[ChrisFromTheOC]

As part of any successful airbnb operation I would always try out a few different cleaners, check up on their cleaning after they are done and make a decision with who to go with. On top of that, you should always have a backup in mind who is familiar with the property. If a cleaner does quit (and lets be honest.. the industry doesn't have the highest retention rates) you don't want to be scrambling to train and find a replacement. It may be a good idea to even have two sets of cleaners and use them interchangeably.

[cba13]

Sometimes it's not just about the money.. if you're going to invest in a cleaner in the long term you need to also make sure you are making their job as simple and clear as possible. That means preparing a cleaning manual with a checklist and pictures which show how all the staging should be completed. When the cleaner's job is easier it's less likely that money becomes an issue and if the job isn't difficult there's less of a chance they will want to leave. Make sure you have a checklist of all the to-do items and also a staging guide with pictures. Lastly, remember that some heavy duty cleaning tasks are simply not the job of a regular cleaner and you should pay extra for a deep cleaning or take care of it yourself.