High cleaning fee?

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Sorry, I know this is going to sound as though I’m here just to criticise your management company and that’s not entirely the case. But…

It’s the height of the season here in South Florida. You’re in Miami. There’s currently a wine and food festival, there’s an Art Deco weekend coming up, Celine Dion is in concert soon, there are Miami Heat games … much much more. There are always so many things to see and do in Miami at any time of the year.

Also, new hosts receive the ‘new host boost’ from Airbnb. No one knows for sure but that effects your listing, boosting it, for about 4 - 6 weeks. During those weeks, you should be able to get bookings for the next few months. (I think I had bookings for at least six months, taken in the first few weeks).

So, bear in mind that it’s the height of the season, there are lots of events going on and your listing currently has the new host boost. And yet you have no bookings…

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23

You forgot the SuperBowl on February 2nd…

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Yikes! So I did. The OP should definitely be booked for that - and at a premium rate, too.

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I think the OP is asking about the cleaning charge they pay, Not what is actually charged to the guest. I would agree as a guest I would find that charge High.

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27

You’re right. I misread it the first time.

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I have a 1000 sq ft home. 2 br/1.5 baths. Chefs kitchen plus outdoor living space and hot tub.

When I hired cleaners (just for the living space-no linens, not hot tub). I was charged $400.

I estimate a minimum of 12hrs of cleaning/guest prep for each stay.

I raised my cleaning fee to $300 to partially recapture the cost of my time. I got dinging by a couple of guests on “value”. I also had some guests relate that my fee was higher than other stand-alone homes of my size.

That guest also told me that they don’t see the cleaning fee until they book and it is an unexpected/unpleasant surprise.

I’ve adjusted my fee down and tried to roll it into my nightly rate.

Between the extra insurance I have to pay, the damage I have to cover out of pocket and the lousy support from Airbnb- I’m seriously considering ending my participation.

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31

Wow! That’s a big cleaning fee and a lot of cleaning time – 12 hours!

We have 1300 sf and 1 bath, three bedrooms. It takes my one cleaner six hours. A different cleaner takes about 4.5 hours but really doesn’t do as thorough a job, but a good job.

So 12 hours seems excessive to me, as does a $300 cleaning fee for such a small unit.

Consider looking at your average and minimum booking stay and building in some or all of the cleaning fee in your nightly rate.

32

We have a neighbor that charges a $550 US cleaning fee on a $500US a night Raye for up to eight people. But they accept one-night stays (most of us have a minimum of at least four nights) so it’s their way of discouraging shorter stays.

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Hi guys, love the topic. I am an Airbnb cleaner and follow the blogs of hosts to better understand how I can be more beneficial and competitive in my market.

It’s a hard one to conquer. I am constantly thinking of adjusting fees as well due to the fact that we do not know what we are walking in on, where as we would have that benefit to price a job prior. Most cleaners typically charge anywhere from 15 to 35 per room depending upon light to deep clean. Because the turn around and cleaning is so repetative, should be no real need for deep cleans, but on no same day check ins, make your cleaners aware of that and those should be the days that all rugs and duvets (not just covers are washed). I wash everything anyway if the washer can handle the capacity. It takes me 4.5 hours to clean a 3 bed, 2 bath rental and that’s washing everything including the rugs.

An issue we run into as cleaners is when you have multiple cleaners cleaning one rental and there is no system in place. This is obviously geared towards the bigger outfits with multipules. I love what someone said earlier in the thread about " i MAKE NO REVENUE ON CLEANING, IF THE CLEANER IS EFFICENT AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN THE REVIEWS, IT PAYS FOR ITSELF ON TURN AROUND AND BOOKINGS!!! So few hosts understand this.

It’s not even that they don’t understand, they are not ready and on point to justify where the money goes to the guests. Have that costs broken down for them…especially if they aren’t being made aware of the fee until after booking. I even get on threads of guests as well as hosts AND communtiy members. Since we are on the topic…

another huge mistake I see hosts make is not having the lawn and trash up kept. Hosts have to keep in mind the economy we live in…a lot of community members aren’t happy about short term rentals for political reasons. They rally together and get on the news which is one thing, but they will use things like calling the city everytime you turn around if your garbage cans are on the curb for more than 2 days. Get this call more than once, now we are talking 50 to 500 dollar fines. Your neighbors can make your lives hell and effect you on a real finacial level that def diminishes that revenue. I’ve even saw some “Karens” call the city mulitple times for that, as well as the yard, the trash being put in the wrong bins etc. Once they are out to get you…watch out!

So all of this being said, I’m adjusting how I move as well as a cleaner. Pointing all of this out to the host. Being transparent and taking initives to find out trash schedules, write pick up days on bins, actually thinking of only taking future host that agree to one cleaner to avoid the “too many hands in the pot” issues I’ve run into with hosts hiring on the fly cleaners.

Maybe I’m just old school or the fact that I’m a home owner…but I do the little things like brush the beds off before I wash the sheets to preserve your washer/dryer vs a 80 dollar vaccum. Portion control to extend supply life, checking battires in remotes etc…the little things that add up as a whole. I charge 150/ house flat rate. I get complaints about that? I am learning from you guys as well and we are literally all in this together! So I hope to find a solution together also! Good luck to all and thank you for letting me share. I hope it is okay that I’m on here considering I am not a host, but this is my rekon!

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34

I’m just a host on this forum, not a moderator or anything, but I sure don’t mind you posting here. And I like your attitude and take on things.
I only have a private room/private bath listing, and I do my own cleaning. But it’s always interesting to hear how long it takes others, be they hosts or their cleaners, to do a good job.

I’d have to say that when I clean the Airbnb space, I always do what other people might consider to be a deep clean. The only things I don’t do every time are wash the windows and the curtains, the little throw rug, and the ceiling fan. Other than that, I clean every square centimeter, even though I only host one guest at a time and most leave it pretty clean and tidy. However, I don’t have knicknacks around in the guest space, and the furniture is easy to move around and clean under. Also, my guest stays average a week to 10 days, sometimes two weeks, so I don’t have to clean on a daily basis.

You sound like a very responsible cleaner and you for sure shouldn’t take on jobs for hosts who don’t appreciate your work and compensate fairly. I’ve read some posts over the years from some pretty clueless hosts who have obviously never really cleaned well in their lives. One young couple thought it shouldn’t take their cleaner more than 45 minutes to clean a one bedroom apartment, because that’s how long it took them.

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35

I get this quite a bit, which I find interesting considering they’re quick wash cycles are anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes long dependingon make model year of washer! That’s just to wash one load if guests started towels.

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One thing to take a look at is what the manual says about its quick wash cycle.

For example, the Electrolux washers says that the quick/fast wash cycle is for 3-5 pieces, and it says that the agitation cycle is ‘aggressive,’ which I interpret as creating more wear and tear.

Our LG washer says it is for 2-3 ‘garments.’

I know that many people load their washer normally, reason that the sheets are lightly soiled and then select fast/quick wash. But this cycle selection is often inconsistent with the manual’s instructions.

What do folks here think? Are these manuals just ‘off’?

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And there are varying opinions among hosts re asking guests to do things like start a load of wash. For one thing, they aren’t going to check for stains that might need pre-treating, and if they are washed in hot water, those stains will be set in and never come out. And while it’s fairly standard and reasonable to ask guests to wash their dirty dishes, clean up their personal mess, and leave the place tidy, asking guests to do things like starting a wash is often seen by guests as “doing the host’s cleaning for them” and resented, especially if they paid a cleaning fee. And many hosts think that isn’t something one should ever expect guests to do. I certainly wouldn’t. If the place can’t be cleaned and the bedding and towels washed in the cleaning time allotted, IMO, the host shouldn’t be trying to do same day turnovers.

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38

I personally have an LG (with agitator) at home with a 25 minute quick wash cycle. In short, I think most of the quick washes are a joke as far as actually cleaning linens. I have access to every washer known to man and that is why I personally chose the LG with an agitator! And yes, quick wash is still a joke.

The problem is…most of your linen fibers are microfiber. They are being washed in extremely hot water repetitive when care actual calls for cool, warm if your battling certain stains…but never hot! And…if you have white linens…you should NOT be using bleach on microfiber!! Shout is your best friend in a hurry, vinegar when you have extra time…borax and Never washing soap! Makes those pesky hairs stick and saves them for your dryer:/

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yes, I think they are off. My manual says of quick “For washing lightly soiled garments in a faster time.” No mention of limiting the load, and i can still choose the spin speed myself.

you must mean most or “my” linen fibres. I use cotton sheets. I rarely wash sheets on the hottest setting, because as you say, in addition to the fabric you need to consider the stain as well when it comes to washing, and your energy bills! In Australia we’ve mostly all switched to front loaders, and I bemoaned that when I first made the switch as I think my top loader did a better job (due to all the clothes actually being in the water the whole time? and “being gentle on clothes” doesn’t always clean them!), but i’m so used to my front loader now I don’t notice a difference.

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Its hit and miss with the towels. Ive saw a few comments from guests mentioning that after cleaning fee. Its one of those time issues that a guests shouldnt be expcted to understand. Thats the whole idea right? As if no onehas ever been there…so we cant make that the guests problem in forcing them to think about the next check in…I agree with you…and honestly I only run into the towels not being started on the one night stays…Id be curious to know if the revenue pays for the headache on turning that button on! Its a notable difference in clients and cleanliness thats for sure!

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Not on this forum they aren’t. Microfiber sheets are totally gross, IMO, microfibers are being found in the environment, polluting the water, and most hosts I know and who post here would never use them.

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42

beat you to it, haha.

Actually i have 1 bamboo blend set that we use on our personal bed, in winter, as the “warm” sheets. I got them online on special and didn’t realise what they were, we absolutely can’t use them in summer.

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43

I understand pros and cons of microfiber. I understand why large outfits tend to use them. Mostly costs and life of linens. I agree a lot could be done to reduce footprints, but that’s a whole other forum!

I do understand where your coming from, truly. I just have to be very careful of expressing opinions on a persoanl note in one way or the other if that makes sense.

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Oh I almost forgot…apologies for my assumptions on the microfiber. I tend to know more about microfiber polyester blends bc that’s what my clients use. This actually may not be the right place for me to gain the kind of knowledge I’m seeking, some of my clients have 40 plus properties. I can tell you guys are very hands on! I commend you! If nothing else someone may happen upon this and chose a different material or at minimum learn something new! Have a great night guys!