House Cleaner Won’t Leave Airbnb

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1540941719408{margin: 60px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]“The house cleaner won’t leave and Airbnb guests are here – how do I get rid of the housekeeper?”

Here are some turnover cleaning tips to give your #Airbnb or #VRBO the best first impression.

If the house cleaner won’t leave let’s look at the Airbnb cleaning. Does the caretaker have enough time between checkout and check-in to complete the turnover?

Is the Airbnb cleaning job specific and on a schedule? If the house cleaner won’t leave the Airbnb host may need to set new rules.

Today’s sponsors for #AskaHouseCleaner are Savvy Cleaner (house cleaner and maid service training.) And HouseCleaning360. (A network of house cleaners and hospitality partners to run your vacation rental.)

Podcast Rss Spacer Savvy Cleaner

Listen: House Cleaner Won’t Leave Airbnb

YouTube Spacer Savvy Cleaner

Watch: House Cleaner Won’t Leave Airbnb

Hey there, I’m Angela Brown, and this is Ask a House Cleaner. This is a show where you get to ask a house cleaning question, and I get to help you find an answer. 450+ episodes just like this on YouTube.
Ask a House Cleaner DIY Question Spacer Savvy Cleaner

House Cleaner Won’t Leave Airbnb

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Confused WomanWhat do you do when your cleaning lady is still cleaning when your Airbnb guests arrive to check in? We’re going to talk about that today.

Now over the last couple of months, we’ve had an avalanche of Airbnb, vacation rental questions.  Thousands of homeowners are renting out their guest rooms to travelers.

The rooms, bathrooms, and kitchen need daily cleaning to clean the rooms from the last guest and turn it over for the next.

House Cleaner Won’t Leave – When Guests Arrive

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Woman Greeting HouseguestsOne of the common questions we keep getting is “What do you do when your guests arrive and the cleaning lady (or guy) is still there cleaning?”

This is a problem because it ruins the first impression. A weary traveler arrives and you want to greet them with a cozy home. There should be ambient lighting, soft music, essential oils diffusing in the background.

Meeting the host should be a fun and welcome experience as the guest settle in.

You get my point.

But instead, they see the doors and windows open, stacks of dirty laundry piled by the door next to a cleaning caddy. And in the background, they hear a vacuum. Oh wait, there’s a hot, sweaty, tired looking house cleaner in their room as well.

Completely different vibe and it’s not welcoming.

Why the House Cleaner Won’t Leave

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Woman Shocked Looking at WatchThere are two problems here. The first is the house cleaner not managing their time. You give them a window, say 11:00 to 3:00 and they think they have until 3:00 to complete the turnover service.

Maybe they didn’t show up until 1:00 pm, or maybe they underestimated how long it would take to flip the rooms.

Maybe they showed up at 11:00 am at checkout but stretched the job to fill the time provided.

The house cleaner’s time management skills are one of the problems.

Or, the House Cleaner Won’t Leave Because…

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Suitcase in BedroomThe other reason is that the last guests checked out late or the new ones arrived early.

Some Airbnb guests have valid reasons for overstaying and others have good reasons for checking-in early. In any event, it’s an inconvenience to the host and the cleaning staff.

In any event, the first impression a guest receives impacts the rating and review they leave about their stay.

If the house cleaner is still there and with enough time to clean the place, it’s possible she’s trying to delight you.

Many house cleaners like VRBO hosts are people pleasers. They want the place to be perfect for your guests.

Set Reasonable Time Limits to Clean

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Two Women Talking on CouchIf guests are checking out by 11:00 am, improve the process. Have the house cleaner come at 11:00 am and be gone by 1:00 pm.

This will give you time to put the last-minute finishing touches on the place before your guests arrive.

Setting boundaries and being firm allows you to set the stage for the image you want to present.

Guests Don’t Want to See Behind the Scenes

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Sweaty Woman Cleaning KitchenThe image you present of you and your vacation rental is part of your company brand. And your brand follows you wherever your guests travel. When they talk about you they will remember the highlights. A relaxed, well dressed, organized happy host.

A clean cozy bedroom that made them feel right at home. An easy to understand welcome book with neighborhood highlights and more.

Your House Cleaner Is Your Partner

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, Man Giving Woman PresentYour house cleaner can help you maintain and build your brand. If they understand the importance of being efficient and gone before your guests arrive they can make that happen.

But they need to feel like they are a partner and appreciated for the hoops they jump through. Your job as host is to coordinate the partnership with your cleaner.

While you are providing your house cleaner a job, short-term rental cleaning is often unsteady. There may be guests, and there may be cancellations.

A house cleaner who chooses to work with you is giving up the regular clients they would have during that time slot each day.  For this, they should well paid.

House Cleaner Won’t Leave Without Permission

House Cleaner Won't Leave Airbnb, House Cleaner Working in KitchenIf a house cleaner has cleared their schedule to have you be their only client each afternoon, after cleaning they may have nowhere to go.

Without another job to rush off to, complacency and loitering kick in.

As the host, you have to be firm about not allowing them to “hang out” and waste time after they’ve finished.

Be friendly, but be firm. You don’t have time to hang out. You need that time between cleaning and guest arrival to put the final touches on your place. Give them permission to clean and go.

Set a Schedule and Offer Rewards for Following it

Set a completion time; and have the maid service gone by 1:30. And keep track of the days he’s gone by then.

At the end of a week kick him an extra $20 for following your house rules and allowing you to maintain your branding. Money, gift cards, iTunes, Google Play or Amazon cards are always appreciated. It’s a little something that says “keep doing what you’re doing because it’s working.”

In the end, it’s your home. You’re the boss and you set the rules. You also set the stage for your guests.  Get this right and everything else falls into place.

0 Savvy Cleaner Spacer Savvy Cleaner

About the Show

Learn how the show came to be, interesting facts about the show host, and other frequently asked questions about the show.

Resources For This Episode

VRBO, Airbnb Cleaning Support Group on FB

How to Talk to Anyone at Work: 72 Little Tricks for Big Success Communicating on the Job – https://amzn.to/2Dejo8m

Management: Take Charge of Your Team: Communication, Leadership, Coaching and Conflict Resolution  – https://amzn.to/2DcCE6o

The Talent Journey: the 55-Minute Guide to Employee Communication, or How To Attract, Develop and Retain People Across Strategy, Values, Brand Engagement, Internal Marketing, PR and Human Resources – https://amzn.to/2PqSErh

The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People – https://amzn.to/2Jqw2Bv

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Permissions To Share

You Have Our Permission To Share This Episode

Show Sponsors

Savvy Cleaner Training – House Cleaner Training and Certification

HouseCleaning360 – Referral database for house cleaners and hospitality partners to run your Airbnb, VRBO or short-term rental.

My Cleaning Connection – Your hub for all things cleaning.

Savvy Perks – Employee benefits for your employees.

TurnoverCleaningTips – For VRBO, Short-term rental and Airbnb hosts[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][product_category per_page=”12″ columns=”1″ orderby=”” order=”DESC” category=”vacation-rental-business”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_facebook][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

More Turnover Resources

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Scroll to Top