Hi, I’m hosting already for almost a year and there is one thing which keeps me puzzled. I’m offering private room in my home, which means sharing kitchen with the guests. Most guests don’t wash their dishes properly!! I understand that everyone can have idea about cleanness, and I don’t use silverware polish after every use (actually not ever), but not leaving food pieces stick to them is basic requirement and nobody can go back on that! Or leaving spots of red sauce on white plates, how can they miss that? What bothers me the most is probably a grease. Few times plate almost slipped out of my hand, how much it was covered in grease. If it was just few guests, it wouldn’t be so big deal, but it’s most of them! Seriously, more than half of the guests are not able to wash the dishes. I never though this would be possible and it always make me wonder, what they do in their own home. Are they eating from dirty dishes? Does everybody have dishwasher and don’t know, how to wash dishes by hand (really doubt that, considering guests which book with us)? Do I have that high expectations, when I don’t consider dishes with food leftovers clean?
We too host a private room, however, for this exact reason (and fear of them scratching non-stick pans) we specify in our listing that it does not include kitchen access. Occasionally, we’ll have a guest that will ask if they can use the microwave, and we let them, but we never let them cook full on meals.
Hi @Rehny
I have a dishwasher and ask guests to rinse all items before going in the dishwasher.
So far, this has ensured that all the dishes come out clean (although I do ask them to leave any dishes they wash by hand on the draining board, so I can check them before they get put away.
I have a dishwasher as well, and I just tell my guests to put their dishes in the dishwasher. The guests like not having to wash their plates and cups, and I know that the dishes are being cleaned properly. So far, so good!
You may want to consider creating a little “suite” in the guest bedroom. Just a console table with a “coffe station” can go a long way. We used to host a guest studio with a full kitchen and switched to shorter term guests with just a coffee station: mini fridge, microwave, cups and utensils (only for two). It has saved us a major headache (!!) and we’ve learned that short-term guests (unless you’re in a remote area, or a “destination listing” <one where the accom. IS the destination, like in the mountains) don’t want to cook large elaborate meals when on [short stay] vacations and want to sample local fare. Up to you whether you provide the coffee, teas or anything edible. This worked for us. Try it. Super minimal investment. You can always go back to allowing kitchen access if it doesn’t work out. 
You have the voice to speak to them. Just take the dirty plates and show them the dirt. Make them understand what they are doing is not the good practice.
I would remove the kitchen access altogether. Honor the access for the guests who have booked and remove it for the new ones. Lots of hosts have come to this conclusion. New guests won’t even notice that you don’t offer a kitchen.
I state clearly that guest are welcome to use the kitchen to make tea coffee etc - a microwave is there for them to use if they want to eat in-
no cooking because I worry about
- health and safety - cutting burning themselves - and suing me
- have a dishwasher…
- any breakages - do inventory at start and end of stay
I don’t have kitchen cupboards everything is layed out and visible so if they break something its obvious and start and end of stay