How to handle cleaning with short turnarounds?

[jaquo]

@Carmen

it’s the little things like fixing a problem that will really delay you

I had this just the other day. I had five hours to get the apartment ready so I was pretty confident (OK, smug) and being leisurely. I changed the duvet cover (white) and found out that a scratch on my arm had opened up, was bleeding like a bugger and that the duvet and white cover looked as though I’d just slaughtered a pig on there!

So my leisurely turnover turned into a mad frenzy of stain treatment, soaking, band aid application and locating a spare duvet and cover

Luckily I keep spares of everything but it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the most bizarre eventualities!

[Mearns]

The responses thus far here are so correct, one can tell are based on experience:
1-Keep a good supply of things (linens, cleaning items, toilet paper, garbage bags,etc) so no need to do laundry on top of things or run to store because ran out of something.
2-Always ask next guests when they think they will arrive, 50% are always late;
3- Light cleaning and deep cleaning: I reserve one full day after every TWO guests for deep cleaning, depending on length of stay;
4- Reserve enough time for yourself in case there is a small unexpected issue to address (like jaquo’s, LoL) and
5- Bathroom and beds (and kitchen if applicable) are the first 3 things prepared.
6- Only thing to add: allow one extra hour for yourself, so don’t look like a frazzled cleaning lady when they arrive. LoL

[faheem]

@jaquo

It’s a good idea to keep a small box or lidded basket of cleaning materials in the room. Shove it under a table or somewhere. (In our apartment, it’s a whole cupboard). It’s a good idea to put something that they might need (paper napkins, one of those mini sewing kits, Windex, air freshener, stain remover etc.) in there and mention those items so that they know that the cleaning kit is not off limits to them.

That sounds like a good idea. I’ll do that, thanks.

[Yana]

No one can use guest’s bathroom but to not clean it for 2 weeks it’s s bit too much.
I don’t have these many long stays but if I do I tell them ahead of time that I clean everything once a week. They have extra sheets if they want to change beds more often.

I just rented to 2 young women for the whole month of June with monthly deeply discounted rate as its so slow here. I will be traveling part of the time and I told them they will need to clean themselves.
Usually it takes me 30-45 minutes to clean one room. I always have spare sheet set to not wait for washing and drying.

[Chris]

@faheem

One specific question - is it correct to say that the guest room/bedroom is off limits to hosts while the guest is staying there? This is certainly my understanding.

For us it isn’t. We check rooms/apartments on daily basis.
When we know the guests are not in, we check the lights and heating, check toiletpapier, water the plants and every 2nd day we change towels.

Because we check on daily basis, we know what to expect.

[sylvainbg]

We are also watering the plants when guests are not there.

[dcmooney]

Never let 'em see ya sweat, is my motto.

[Mearns]

Good one dc. Always look like you know what you doing.