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A couple of questions on this topic First:
How do you interpret this in regards to a detached casita / guest house where the host is present on the property?
Second:
If you have a no pets policy and then have a “service animal” stay, what are the necessary cleaning procedures to do after the stay in order to get the premises back into a neutral / allergy-free environment for those future guests (that are selecting the listing because it is a pet-free environment)? Specifically things (if any) that go above and beyond normal cleaning,
I’m going to be honest, I haven’t spent a lot of brain power on this or it just doesn’t stick with me because it’s a non-issue here. However there have been many threads on this that will help you determine what you need to know.
For me the cleaning procedures aren’t much different if someone stays with a pet. I do remove the throw rugs, any extra textiles like throw pillow. I have no more cloth in the room. I’ve changed the chair to non upholstered, taken out the drapes and I have a “pet duvet” and several “non-pet duvets.” If someone comes with a non-disclosed service animal I think we just have to suck it up, but I could be wrong.
I know there was a host here last winter who said her daughter had a severe condition and couldn’t be exposed to animals and even though they didn’t live there, how could they prevent animals, etc. Sorry I don’t recall the answer.
I said for awhile that I thought the best strategy would be to try to convince the animal owner to choose a different listing. @RiverRock has advocated the white lie strategy of saying their dog had died of parvo on the premises recently; I don’t think I could use that excuse but there it is. What kind of jerk would insist their right to bring an animal outweighed your allergies? Especially if there are other suitable listings that take pets.
And if you really want to be strictly allergy neutral you probably shouldn’t allow pet owners to stay in your listing. I think everything I own has dog hair on it. LOL.
Interestingly this is quite applicable to me when I go for to my doctor at the VA. The first time I went the nurse who took my vitals and did my initial intake got very allergically reactive…I have horses, dogs and cats and take of them for other people in my home and in theirs. I believe I may have had my horse ambulance jacket on and I know I had my regular boots (that I often wear to the barn) on. About half way through her doing my intake questionnaire she asked if I had animals and excused herself when I said yes. She had been starting to sneeze and cough and her nose and eyes were running. It caused her such a problem I understand she was done working for the day.
At my next appointment she asked me as she called me in and dropped me off at the weigh station for another nurse to “handle” me. She already had coughed and sneezed once…
I’m not surprised. Sometimes I’m turning over the room (yes with my headlight and sticky roller) and realizing a dog hair has fallen off me and landed on the nice clean white sheet. And my shoes in particular have dog hair on them as I go back and forth between the air room and my part of the house. Last thing I do as I exit the room is one last swiffer/dustmop swipe.
I think I have my approach down, but appreciate all the insight herein.
Up until about a year ago I’ve had a dog (or dogs); Admit-tingly I’m a bit of clean freak and despite that I still am finding stray dog hairs (in my house, not in my guest house). The latest find I think was a result of recently setting up Xmas decorations.
That’s why I have a concern for those who are really wanting to be in an allergy free zone. Once you’ve allowed pets (or service animals), I’m guessing it takes some time to fully neutralize the environment, especially when there is fabric and carpet details.
I would guess so, but people with allergies have such a wide range of triggers. Just do the best you can. Despite all the dogs here and even multiple people saying they have allergies, I’ve had no issues.
Just yesterday I was talking with a friend who has a reaction on her hands if she tries to knead bread bare handed. It’s a gluten allergy but only when contacting gluten. So far she can still eat it.
We are dog-friendly and also have our own dog so I would never even try to be an allergy-free setting (there are so many allergies these days it would be impossible anyway) - there are other issues as well as scented detergent, etc. However, we have had quite a few guests contact us to make sure that we don’t have cats or allow other guests to have cats and that seems to satisfy their cat-allergy concerns. They’ve always booked after I tell them there are no cats and no cats allowed. So, we can be a cat-allergy free zone at least and it’s a pretty common allergy. I don’t have any special approach other than ‘no kitties allowed’ I don’t dislike cats, we just don’t have cats and won’t allow guests to bring them.
I have a husky and husky mix at home, and visit a barn full of horses twice a day. I always change clothes completely before I go to my listing. It’s the only way I can guarantee no dog hairs or hay.
We have special “cleaning clothes” that are white so that we can see the dog hairs (black dog) and lint roll each other before going into the apartments
The note that the dog must stay with the guest at all times is the best advice I’ve ever received on this board! Just got a pet request and when I asked them to verify that the dog would be with them at all times per Airbnb policy, then crickets…
My cleaner taught me to vacuum my clothes off before cleaning the guest suite. It makes such a difference! Of course, I pull my hair back in a pony tail…
Not emotional, just dog situation. So how’d I do, fellow hosts?
By happenstance was in the kitchen baking cookies and saw my guest and another person in the driveway with a dog on a leash – no pets allowed in rules and in welcome book. Looked like the other person was just returning from a dog walk, they tossed a poop bag in the bin, then they both got in a car on the street with the pooch.
Situation is ambiguous as the booker used singular first person, “I am visiting the area,” but booked for 2 & I’m pretty sure there are 2 people staying (don’t care, no diff in my price). So I don’t know but suspect dog has been in residence. Tonite is last nite of the booking. Here’s the message I sent:
“Hope your stay has gone well and thanks for booking. I happened to see a doggy visitor in the driveway; reminder the house rules posted in the listing and in the welcome book do not allow pets in the suite. Also please do not allow the dog visitor to run free in the backyard – one of my dogs does not tolerate other dogs on the property, and I would not want a pet to be injured. Service animals specifically trained to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability under Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act can be accommodated. Thank you.”
I’ll be interested to see the guest’s response, if any. This is their first Airbnb stay.
I had a guest with 6 5 star reviews and a dog here Thursday night. It was not presented as a support animal and the guest paid the dog fee. In the room trash there were multiple pee pads as well as an odd situation with dog poop on a clothing item. I suspect a non housebroken dog. I took the duvet cover off and there was a huge pee stain on the duvet. All the stain came out on the duvet and cover with pretreatment, soaking in oxyclean. But I left the following review and only the 4th “would not recommend” (out of over 700 reviews) ever.
Danielle and her wife were easy to host and very self sufficient. Unfortunately their dog peed on the duvet and cover on the bed. I wash it anyway but this necessitated extra soaking because the stain had dried and they didn’t tell me about it, they just checked out. Given the pee pads, etc in the trash I suspect the dog isn’t house trained. Therefore I can’t recommend this family to other hosts if they are traveling with their dog.
It’s unfortunate as this woman travels through my city several times a year. @JJD, I won’t be making her a repeat or direct booking guest.
She left me a two word review “Great stay” and all 5 stars. If she read the review I left for her, she hasn’t responded yet.
I don’t dislike cats, we just don’t have cats and won’t allow guests to bring them.
