These work great in the oven
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This is true! My business model is this: I want my guests to feel that they are using a beloved multi-generational family vacation home, not a sterile impersonal vacation rental. “Our stuff” is here, yes. Books, art, even family photos, although their aesthetic is in keeping with the age of the house. We have clothes in some closets and drawers, but guests till have room for their own belongings. I’ve been hosting for over a decade and my reviews are stellar. I mostly attract guests who understand what I offer. It has worked for me.
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Guests have a right to be upset with imperfections that are avoidable – like an oven that had enough of other peoples’ residual grime that they were grossed out to the point of delaying their dinner. A guest looks at that and thinks “Host isn’t even trying… because they could have cleaned this up.”
One of my properties has an unblemished 5.0 (overall), the other has only had only one review less than 5.0 (overall) in seven years… because my spouse and I check and re-check until we are satisfied we have done everything humanly possible to make it perfect. There ARE imperfections in our lodgings, but we try to make sure that none of them are such that the guest thinks “The hosts could have made thisbetter if they had cared to…”
If another host doesn’t want to be that zealous, fair enough… but if that’s where they draw the line they should expect to get occasional complaints & bad reviews about “imperfections”
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We have a lot of “our stuff” in our Airbnb suite – in particular, books and art, and that’s part of the charm. However, if “our stuff” included residue from family meals cooked in the oven, I would expect the charm to wear thin pretty quickly.
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If you’re relying solely on the oven’s high heat cleaning mode to clean, that’s part of your problem. You just need to clean the oven EVERY time there’s a spill, as soon as possible, and use oven liners for the bottom.
I’ve never had a problem cleaning a modern oven, even after making the mistake of roasting a duck without a covered roasting pan, baking pies and pizzas, and lots of cookies. All you need is rubber gloves and modern cleaning products. I’ve never found a mark I can’t remove.
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Most stove tops lift, too, and many folks don’t know that, so they never lift the drip pans, and never clean under when it takes only a minute. I also replace the drip pans upstairs about every 6 months and move them to my stove downstairs.
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As someone else suggested, she needs to get another fridge to put in the garage.
We wipe out the oven after each guest, which usually does the trick. Occasionally we run the self cleaning function. We also keep our glass clean and have even removed the oven door to clean drips between the glass. Here is a link on how to do it.
It was a quick job with two people lifting off the door. If you don’t have sealed burners, these silicone oven sheets lining the bottom should also help.
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I need to put her in the “other kind of guest” category, because in the 3 years I have rented my home not one complaint about the food I leave in the frig, oven cleanliness, and the blinds (which are being replaced this year). I have done major renovations though; lighting, paint inside/out, new furniture, roof, and floors this February. Maybe I’m too focused on the bigger things.
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Thank you for the tips!!
Yes, I stay elsewhere, lock off my master bedroom, 2 cabinets in kitchen with my personal food, linen closet, garage closet, and storage area in basement. I do provide amenities that many other homes in my area don’t have; billiard table, ping pong table, neighborhood pool, tennis, pickle ball, walking trails.
The stove is cleaned each time, drip pans scrubbed. It’s the inside the oven she was upset with. I have tried to clean the glass, but I’ve never been able to get the markings off completely. I need to try with different products and keep at it.
I have never heard of liners, those I will be buying today. As for products for the glass, and recommendations? What I’ve used in the past doesn’t work.
I appreciate your points and what the guests perspective may be. 
True, and I didn’t check inside the oven this time. I will not forget this going forward.
In my cart! Thank you:)
I do state very clearly in my listing that it is my home that I vacate during their stay. But, as we know some guest don’t really read the listing thoroughly.
I don’t keep any of my clothes, ect. in the space, that I why my master bedroom (bathroom) is locked off. I only have one small wall area with photos of my daughters. Otherwise, it is decorated to fit the area of forested area, river down the path, ski area 20 minutes down the road.
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Most of the homes in my neighborhood are 2nd/vacations homes. I think I am the only one who rents as lived in primary home. After my divorce I was lucky to find this home, it came furnished but was dated. So, the rental income has allowed me to do needed major renovations/maintenance and replace living/dining room furniture. I am very excited that new floors are going in this February, then new blinds and countertops:) I have friends in Bend that also rent their homes and vacate during guests stays.
Point well taken, it will now be the first thing I check, too! I got sloppy with that because I don’t use the oven much. I use my toaster oven:)