What is Caulk? Do you mean the filler between tiles which we call Grout maybe? We have tiles in the bathroom but they stay ok with regular doses of what we call “exit Mould” after a scrub to remove the soap. But maybe someone can assist me with this problem: The same tiled shower has 2 glass walls and mould has somehow grown inside the glass corner join. Short of dismantling and re-assembling the entire shower which would be a major, I have not found anything that will penetrate the glass glue to kill the mould. Graeme
Caulk and grout are two different things. Grout is used, as you state, in between tiles. Caulk is used to seal between two disparate surfaces, for example, the tub and tile; the countertop and the backsplash. It is usually silicone based. You apply a small amount and then “smooth” it with either a dedicated tool or your finger.
Try using a spray bottle and spray chlorine bleach in there. Examine all the joints carefully to try to determine where the water is seeping in. Then try to get bleach in the same way.
That’s clear enough, thanks. We seem to call caulk “silicon” more often than not but your name is better since that is what it does. Given man on the moon and all that you would think we could get “caulk” that does not grow mould! Maybe that is the case with your suggested product; never know we might have it here. The shower glass is not “caulked” it is glued and how mould got into the glued joint is beyond me. If there is life in space I’ll wager it is mould.
I have glass shower screens and the lamination between them has separated, now have black mould growing between the layers. Only way to fix is to replace. Lucky it is at home and not at the rental!
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smtucker has answered you perfectly. We don’t really call it caulk in the UK; I was just trying to borrow US terms to explain! It’s silicone filler here.
My season is (theoretically) coming up, so after reading all your comments I decided to be unusually thorough today.
I had (and still have) the house ripped apart until I just happened to look UP in the bathroom.
Yee Gads - the bathroom fan filter was filthy!
Yikes!
And I can’t get splotches off the brass railing!
Aiiggghhh!!!
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I really don’t see how you can do all this in an hour! What about the walls inside the tub, shower curtains too. (Hair and bits shampoo) Then there is the loading up of soaps, toilet paper, tissues. fridge, counters, stove check the pots and pans, (people DO put them away dirty and think you won’t notice!) My place is a two bedroom apt so perhaps that adds time. I also use two pillowcases on each pillow (to protect the pillows as I’ve had experience with sleeping droolers)and there are four for each bed.(guest suggestion when I only had two) Admittedly I also do need to water plants which adds about 15 minutes because there might be plant grooming req’d. putting the furniture back where it belongs, checking to see that the carbon monoxide detector, iron, blow dryer, smoke detector, safety light, etc are all still in place. What about airing out the bedding and pillows! There are times that this is required. My cleaning regimen has taken as little as 2.5 hours and as long as just over three. The only time it has taken less than two hours is when there are two bodies doing the work. Maybe I’m too picky but I clean the way I would expect to find a place at an Airbnb. I’ve learned to have extra pillows on hand for each bed prepared ready to go onto the bed so time can be managed better for the changeover from one guest to another but I would still count the time to prepare the pillows and sheets for the next guest. I have my list and I make sure it’s checked before the apartment is considered ready.
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How do I do this in quick-time? Experience. First I collect and cart to the washingmachine all the linens, towels, and bath mat, and get them started washing (big washer takes everything in one load)
Then clean the basin/counter/mirror. Then the shower (no tub) walls and inner curtain get sprayed and allowed to run down, while I “blue juice” the toilet and wipe the tank. Step into the shower and wipe down from ceiling to floor on the walls and curtain. Down on hands and knees (getting harder now that I’m 70) I clean the floor of the shower and kerb outside the curtain.
No stove, but I wipe down the microwave and mini-fridge and counter and island top. We do the guest dishes and silver in the main house dishwasher. Switching to another cleaner I ‘wet dust’ the wood – mantel, bedside tables, bar chairs (2) and games table.
Clean out fridge, collect dirty cups and glasses. Sight inventory what needs replacing – 2 bottles water, bottle of wine, chocolates, coffees, teas, soap, tp, etc. Take trash and dirty stuff to the house, return with replenishment supplies…
Pillows get aired in the sun while the other cleaning is going on.
It’s only an 18x20 cabin with one queen bed, not a palace.
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I too am amazed at how quickly some people clean and it’s made me realise that I’m not very efficient. Sometimes I co-host and prepare a 3-bedroom appartment that can sleep 7. The previous cleaner apparently did it in under 2 hours. I couldn’t understand how that was possible until I hoovered under one of the beds and wondered why the machine stopped working… and let’s not even discuss the kitchen floor. It seems she only cleaned what was immediately visible. It seems to have worked, though, as there have not been any complaints.
@KenH I am not implying in any way that you fall into this category, btw! You clearly have an efficient routine and know your place well.
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Is your post checkout note a handwritten note, or a comment you make online after they have left?
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This is my routine at my 3 bed entire house. It has 9 rooms. Every clean I do one room as a deep clean, so after 9 cleans the routine is started again. It allows me to maintain the house and keep on top of it and nothing ever gets too out of control and it does not add hugely to the hours allocated to the clean. When the house is lightly used a big room is done, when the house has been full then an easier room is done. All stars have been 5 for cleanliness.
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Part of it, I think, is the nature and design of the space itself. Basically all one room 16 x18. Tile floor throughout and tiled shower enclosure make cleaning much easier, as do throw rugs rather than carpet. Minimal horizontal surfaces to collect dust. Bed accessible from 3 sides, Check out the photos, you’ll see what I mean:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9747142?
When we first started, I made a triage turnover list and tuned it over the first dozen guests. After that it has become a rote thing.
OK at the risk of ridicule, here is my super-detailed multi-step cleaning guide (I left it for my daughter as kind of a joke when she covered for me). By the way, my personal space (the main house) is totally UNtidy. I have no cleaning ganas left after cleaning the Air suite.
Airbnb Cleaning & Prep Guide
Between Guests:
- Turn on bathroom vent fan. Clean hair from shower drain with disinfectant wipe. Using hydrogen peroxide disinfectant, spray shower walls, bench, floor; spray toilet and surrounding wall, floor; spray sinks. Allow to sit for 10 min.
- Pull bed from wall. Strip bed (including sheets, pillowcases, blanket, spread and shams), pick up towels and bath mat, dish cloth, placemats; sort into white and color
a. Whites – Hot water wash with bleach*
b. Color – Hot water wash with Lysol disinfectant rinse in water softener ball* - Wipe down sinks, toilet, and toilet area, with paper towels. Rinse shower with sprayer. Scrub any soap residue with long brush. Squirt toilet bowl cleaner into bowl. Let sit.
- Check for water in washer/dryer filter. If used, drain filter into a basin, pull filter and wipe filter and interior with disinfectant wipe. Replace filter. Wipe front loader door gasket with disinfectant wipe. Leave door slightly open. (See instructions inside door.)
- Water plants if needed.
- Wash dishes if needed. Refill ice trays.
- Dampen microfiber cloth, dust and polish all surfaces – first, kitchen area (including fridge interior); next, rest of main room; last, bathroom, including chrome, shower glass and mirrors.
a. Rinse out cloth with hot soapy water, boil for 10 min.* - Scrub toilet with toilet brush.
- Vacuum floors with canister vacuum, including behind bed and closet interior. Use hand vacuum for cobwebs, windowsills, baseboards, etc. Empty hand vacuum.
- Wipe shoe tray and vacuum head with disinfectant wipe.
- Make up bed and push back against wall.
- Wet mop the floors with Swiffer.
- Replenish all guest supplies in bath and kitchen; hang clean towels and bath mat in bath; hang clean robes on interconnecting door; hang clean dish towel and set out placemats and coasters; switch out kitchen sponge.
a. Clean old sponge in dishwasher* - Empty all trash cans and replace liner bags.
- Turn off bathroom vent. Reset thermostat (75 summer; 68 winter). Write welcome note on whiteboard. Spray natural orange air freshener.
- Reset keycode.
*Later
Periodically:
• Wash pillow protectors, pillows and mattress pad with Lysol disinfectant rinse.
• Wipe baseboards, clean wall, touch up paint if needed.
• Clean windows and light fixtures.
• Wipe vents and replace vent filter
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I don’t want to stay at the Airbnb of anyone who would ridicule this. I don’t use all those disposable wipes though. I use my own homemade disinfectants and microfiber cloth. Did I miss the step when you disinfectant wipe all the light switches, lamp switches, remote controls, door knobs, cabinet handles,etc.?
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I microfiber the bits you listed, unless obviously gunky. Per stopthestomachflu.com biologist-mom tester:
“the Norwex cloths do a darn good job removing bacteria from the countertop. They seem to be better than Clorox wipe in my experiments”
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I just want to add here that as a guess if a host noted in their listing they don’t use disposable cloths & use environmental friendly products for cleaning etc then I would definitely choose that over a listing that didn’t. The environment is going to sh*t and we can all do our part IMHO, but obviously some guests don’t give a crap.
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Thanks for quoting my typo so I could note and fix. I meant to say I use microfiber, not disposable.
I’m not quite ready to tout that in my listing as I’m still buying some of the products like “scrubbing bubbles.” But I am moving more in the direction of trying to be more responsible both in the airbnb room and my life.
There’s a balance to be had here in the arid southwest where we have lots of landfill space but an average of 9" of rainfall a year. I recently started putting paper towels in the room after finding a few questionable things on towels and a wine spill on my bed cover. I’d rather they use a disposable paper product than things that need a lot of washing. With the dog business I use them a lot in my home too. Landfill/energy production from producing more products/water are in a complicated relationship here.
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I actually love reading people’s cleaning and organisation routines, it’s so interesting to me what other people do! And I get an almost warm and fuzzy feeling imagining how sparkling clean everything must be 
I used to love watching How clean is your house, and the one about the clean freaks in the uk for that same feeling!!! So weird
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My motto as a young mother was,
“A Clean house is the sign of a wasted life.”
Unfortunately, not the case for our airbnbs! We have become paid cleaners! Yikes!
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