Offering Guests to Self-Clean. Save on cleaning fees / Allow more back-to-backs

Research
18

So to be clear, self-cleans are only ‘occasional’ problem solving for me, but all have been not just ok, but EXTRA good. Really. Guests seem delighted and enthusiastic, and fully understanding the deal. If anything, it’s uncomfortable that some have done like extra cleaning above what was mess from the prior guests!!

So I always have a FULL set of change over linen at least. I always say ‘Don’t feel obliged to do laundry, and you can just make your bed with the spare linen and that’s ok’… but so far almost all have done full laundry, and some folding so neatly!

I feel quite fine to have a self-clean on it’s own as there is always the spare linen ready. But I agree, if you have two self-cleans, if the first didn’t do laundry, it becomes a problem. I may get more linen, but honestly Its not been so common, yet somehow I now have three in a row. I do have a super large 15kg washer dryer and have made it very clear what the deal is. So let’s see how we go lol.

But I raised this thread, as cleaning and back to backs are a problem, yet they seem to be solved by this approach to a large degree, and it’s got me thinking.

And by cleaning I mean ‘Make your own bed’ and clean up mess in the kitchen as the basic. It’s not obviously mopping floors and doing windows, as 99% of the time the ‘mess’ is standard guest mess. So as long as we are regularly cleaning professionally, it’s all under control.

I’d also point out that self cleaning after a two night stay is different to after a 7 night stay (which is more concerning re mess). Most in my home in Bowral go to weddings (Bowral in Australia is a bit of a wedding capitol!) and come back to sleep, so maybe the ‘mess’ profile is different to others. Linen is the majority of mess to handle, so not a big issue.

TBH I have expected some self-clean results to find me ending up with double linen to wash, but so far all guests have taken it on themselves to wash the linen from previous, AND fold in some cases… a bit above and beyond, but there you go!

I don’t know if it’s cheeky to wonder about making this more of a thing, or maybe it’s just the guests I allow to self clean are those I am solving a problem for (check in date change or early check in)… not sure.

Maybe there could be something in offering a discount for self-cleaning is what I am thinking… as the discount would be less than the cost of cleaning… and the guest is already there, so it’s easy to do laundry etc. This is assuming it’s not a wedding party on their wedding night of course lol! But so far, I can report all bar one guest who just said ‘No thanks, we will be ok to check in usual time and prefer not to self clean’, all others have been very positive.

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Bizarre that you think the linen is the “big mess” and that making the bed and wiping the kitchen counters constitutes basic cleaning.

It sounds like you have no idea the standards to which an Airbnb is normally cleaned.

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20

Re Covid, the policy is requiring cleaning. So where you say ‘I can’t offer you to check in early, unless you accepted we can’t clean’, then this is the policy. That’s the whole point. So long as guests are made aware of the risk, then, if they really want to have the change and are ok with the risk, and it’s clear, then they KNOW there is no cleaning. This is not some ‘surprise’. The policy is in place to ensure guests who are worried about this stuff can feel safe. Those who are told there will be no cleaning after the previous guests know the deal, and I imagine zero of guests who worry about Covid from surfaces or recent ‘air’ being breathed by guests who left a few hours ago will be interested in self cleaning.

As I said, it’s not a common thing, only so far a solution to a problem. And guests are made very clear what the deal is, and it’s always so far been 'I can’t accommodate you, well, not unless… if you were comfortable… you understand that… ’ and so on.

We should not worry about things that are very clearly explained like this. It’s just an option, it’s not something that guests will ‘unexpectedly’ find they are required to self clean lol

Regards damages, you are 100% correct, you don’t know who damaged what. But my home is in a safe area, and nothing really damaged for a long time so far. It’s risk. But opening your home to others is a risk. Goodness, when Airbnb and Uber began, millions were rolling their eyes… But what about damage! What if they damage your house or car!!! Now we don’t worry… Self clean is like anything in life. Risk. Yes, they may break or steal and you can’t blame them directly if self-cleaning. Yet is this likely?

If it did happen a bit, I’d probably stop self-cleaning, but so far it seems to have delighted the guests who took it up. So it’s working for me, so far at least.

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Bizarre? Oh Muddy, seems maybe you were triggered a bit! I didn’t mean to. But I can clarify to put your mind at rest.

Big mess is the ‘largest amount of time required to spend working on cleaning’ because laundry and bed making IS time consuming.

Wiping kitchen counters is part of basic cleaning - Forgive me if I was unclear in my word ‘big’. I meant that wiping kitchen counters was ‘a lot less time consuming’. But there are many things to do, like emptying the bins, doing the showers and cleaning out the fridge. There are many things that are part of cleaning. For sure :slight_smile:

TBH I bet that you are a super host of many, many years just like me, and we both do excellent cleaning, and have amazing reviews. It’s good to be in community and to help support others. We both agree I think, that high quality cleaning is important as the gold standard.

Self cleaning can’t offer that. And nor should it. It’s different. Nobody would dream of getting into a random private persons car, but now we do with Uber and don’t care if there is some kids toy in the back as we know it’s not a commercial taxi… it has different standards if it’s a personal car or home, to a sterile hotel. Some say it’s part of the charm. So in a way, self cleaning as (currently) the only way we can accommodate some guest requests, as an option, as clearly explained, seems… well valid I think. Surprisingly so!

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Yes, hosting for years on four platforms, and across two countries and a few addresses over the time. Airbnb used to be the majority of bookings, but that has fallen a lot, or maybe other platforms increased in volume, though still a number from there. I’d say they are the best for platform though.

But I think it would be a good feature request to allow some Allow self-cleaning filter. For now it’s only where I have no alternative, but I do wonder if it could be more used given how positive it seems (albeit it’s still not what I would call even remotely ‘common’).

Having it as a more formal filter control could normalise it, for those who want. Because things like Covid cleaning don’t apply if there is no cleaning of course, so I make it very clear (to the few I’ve allowed) what to expect. Only if the guests is really ok with it, and super clear, do we agree. There are no surprises here, and as you can Airbnb a tent in a muddy field, and goodness knows what… so long as you are clear exactly what the place is, and guests agree and accept knowing your muddy field tent has mud on the floor and chicken poo and what not, then so be it, it’s part of the charm lol.

The point I think is to be super clear what is offered, and have no surprises. If that’s the deal, then it seems fair and reasonable and within policy. E.g. Re Air’s Covid policy, if the guest acknowledges we are NOT cleaning, then that’s the deal. Otherwise the policy is what guests SHOULD expect. And that is fair.

At any rate, I am not advertising self cleaning, just that it’s oddly come up several times, and now three in a row. So I am curious what others think about this.

Was interesting to know some hostels offer this… I never knew! I would not want to be seen in this category at all, but if there is a choice between not accommodating a guest request at all OR offering them an option (that they seem to like), then what is the harm.

Maybe it could be a new category for Airbnb to offer more widely, though I assume more for lower priced offerings.

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Try arguing that with Airbnb if a guest claims they contracted Covid, because you offered the guest to clean themselves. I can guarantee you’d lose.

No, you offering the guest to check-in a day early if they do the cleaning isn’t “the policy”. Airbnb isn’t interested in your agreement with a guest if it contravenes their policies. And if you have signed the cleaning protocol and it appears on your listing, that is the only thing they will look at.

This may never happen, I’m just giving you the reality.

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24

I would bet any amount of money that Airbnb will never do this and certainly not during an ongoing pandemic. As long as they have to manage any complaints that arise from this, it’s going to be a no for them. They already have too many complaints already from guests about hosts who supposedly are held to account on cleaning.

They seem to be interested in moving the other direction, towards more deluxe accommodations with higher standards. They could call is Airbnb Minus.

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25

First time I was on this forum, someone said “Never ask guests to 'treat my home as if it were your own”. As far as the guests, bags of rotting garbage or congealed grease on the floor might be how they treat their own home!

I like to think that my cleaning standards for my airbnb is higher than the MOST anal guests. As it should be. And as yours should, too. I am sure your ‘self cleaning guests’ do not clean under the toilet, clean all the door handles, or carefully mop the floors as you do (or should).

We read all the time how guests put away dirty dishes into cabinets, leave pots and pans slimy with grease. No, sorry, guests do not get to ‘clean the place’.

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26

Then there are the hosts who don’t wash everything on the bed.

The point seems to be that guests are willing to rent a less clean space in exchange for saving money and getting the dates open on the calendar that they need.

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27

No, no, a thousand times no. I’d be horrified, but polite to you even with a free night.

I clean to exacting standards and I would not want to spend 8 hours on a 5 bedroom home cleaning on my first day of holiday.

You answered your own questions. NO.

Unprofessional. That’s the word my coffee-starved brain was looking for.

Weddings and you want them to clean? Stop accommodating back to back if you can’t get reliable cleaners.

Your replies appear to be a continual defending of a practice that most of the hosts here don’t agree with.

Asked and answered that most of us would not do it, would not want it, and with Covid a huge deal in Oz, I’m surprised you’re not blocking a day in between to air the place out and clean.

Or that you’re not following Air’s cleaning protocols.

Ick.

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28

Let’s be honest, hosts were forced to “accept” this and many aren’t following it. Airbnb has no way to enforce it aside from guest complaints.

I wouldn’t stay in a place that didn’t have high cleanliness ratings but lots of people obviously would and do.

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This is quite true. But there’s a big difference between a host perceiving wearing a mask and gloves to transport the clean laundry to be absurd and pointless (which it is) and therefore ignoring it, and offering guests the option to clean the place themselves.

And while neither guests nor Airbnb would know whether the host did the former, they would certainly know if hosts did the latter.

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He’s risking his ratings and reviews but if you don’t do this on Airbnb bookings I guess it doesn’t matter.

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I think it’s unique. Ultimately I don’t know how you guarantee that you meet your cleaning standards with guests doing the cleaning. I won’t lie - the idea of doing this scares me - but I have zero faith that my guests could do this consistently without issue. You may also live in a more civilized area than we do hahaha!

However every property is different and people rent all sorts of places from rooms , apartments , cabins , whole houses etc.

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Weddings? I would feel less comfortable asking them to self clean.

Re stop accommodating back to back? I don’t. I can’t. My settings DO NOT allow it. Because I can’t get a cleaner. I know a lot of text, but maybe you missed the whole point here. I am not asking for self cleaning, not advertising it, and do not have bookings that force it. I am not offering any free night. Only, if they want to come a day early and I can’t accommodate them otherwise, then I am not charging them. Think of it as well, you can come, but only if I can hire you as the cleaner, for the same price as your first night stay! It’s not currently an ‘incentive’ - get a free night if you do the cleaning I mean. There is no advertising here.

HOWEVER in a few cases, and seems slightly more (though still uncommon), guests have requested a day arrival early (Covid changes everything / topsy turvey world it seems). Now it is blocked by the calendar as I can’t clean back to back. However, given such a request, I am sure most would say bad luck, you can’t come a day early. I used to do this, till I tried it one day and the guest was delighted… so I’ve offered it a few other times as it came up, and always it seems positively received.

You said you don’t want to clean 8 hrs on the first day of your holiday. Sure. I can’t imagine cleaning 8hrs, that seems excessive, but if your flights changed (as happened to my guest), and you needed to arrive a day early… I assume you would rather be told you can’t be accommodated and need to find other accommodation. Where others may feel open to an alternative, if it’s presented to them clearly, and is the only option that allows them to arrive as needed due to a change in flights (or other). Totally get you would prefer to not self-clean. But I do hope you would not be horrified to be told ‘No, you can’t come a day early, well, there is one option…’

I want if I may ever so politely and gently suggest that words like A thousand times no and Unprofessional and ick seem very emotive. I get it’s not your thing. That’s totally fine. But those words were said about Airbnb when it began, and Uber. I used to drive for Uber before regulation even. Then, I would hear some folk say I would NEVER get into a random person’s car… Ick. Except then, after some years, I heard young women say ‘A taxi? Ick. I would never trust a taxi’. Total change in mindset.

So here it seems some are worried this is being forced on guests, pushed on them, surprised, incentivised. Yet it’s completely not, it’s only a ‘I can’t accommodate you, well unless’, and secondly, I am wondering if there should be something in this.

It sounds so weird to self clean, but only as weird as it was 20yrs ago to stay in a random home or drive in a random persons car. Now that’s normal.

And as for cleaning protocols, that’s the whole point here. That’s the point. I can’t clean, I can’t follow, so unless you take the responsibility FOR this, in entirety, without any coercion, and with consent… then you are responsible for the cleaning!

Cleaning policies are for guests who arrive at a home that has been cleaned. The cleaning policy is not designed for guests doing the cleaning themselves.

I hope this is seen not as some renegade mischief, but a valuable solution to a problem, and it seems to work, and seems to be with consent, and not cause any problems or break any laws. I accept it’s not for everyone. But I was surprised when I dared offer it as a solution years ago, and have continued since, and so far, it seems surprisingly positive… to the (admittedly few) guests which have asked for a change I could not otherwise accommodate.

In life, if given an option to our request, we can of course be offended (if we don’t like the sound of the option), or we can say politely no. I’d prefer to at least be given the option.

Remember, millions of people said ‘ick’ at the idea of Airbnb and Uber… before it became mainstream, even though some still say Ick.

Maybe ick can be a relative concept is all I am saying. But thank you so much for all who have responded.

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You’ve asked a couple of questions:
(My answers)

Would others consider doing this?
(Possibly but probably not)

Would others value this as a filter on the Airbnb platform?
(No)

34

@KKC is correct—I’ve done a version of this for years. My rentals have excellent cleanliness reviews. I think my guests leave it cleaner than the resort cleaning crews who run in, do the minimum & run out.

My guests clean after their stay including washing the linens. They are cleaning their own germs from the bathroom, not someone else’s poopy stains in the toilet.

Many guests bring their own linens so not doing laundry the day of checkout.

I love getting the occasional Cleaning OCD guest!

I’ve had 2 problems in 6 years of hosting 2 properties. Not bad.

Many of my guests tell me they appreciate not having a cleaning fee & they always clean when they arrive at any rental so not concerned a it was not cleaned by a professional crew.

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I once had a guest tell me that he’d taken out every piece of crockery and cutlery and washed them as he always does that when he first arrives at a rental. I didn’t tell him that I’d done exactly that in the rental about two hours before he did. :slight_smile:

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36

I business-traveled with a lovely woman who always had a large suitcase.

I traveled using carry-ons.

We were about to be late for an appointment. We were waiting at the luggage carousel. I was getting antsy. “This is why I pack carry on…what do you have in there?”

Her, “my cleaning supplies. I always clean the room before I unpack”.

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37

If someone is going to use this strategy, cleaning up after themselves makes a lot more sense than the next guests cleaning up after the guests who just left. At least on Airbnb a guest can be dinged for cleanliness. It seems a lot fairer if it’s a rating of a guest cleaning their own mess.

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