Owning a vacation rental is a great means of passive income, but the reality is that there's nothing passive about managing it. While it's both a challenging and rewarding venture, it takes a lot of effort to keep your guests returning for more.
Cleanliness is probably one of the biggest factors in the overall customer experience of your rental. Even an oversight such as leaving something in the fridge can lead to poor reviews and decreased rental revenue.
These deep cleaning tips for vacation rentals can ensure a five-star experience for your guests - new or returning customers.
1. Focus on High-Touch Surfaces
These are the surfaces that your guests will notice the most. They include areas such as the bathroom and kitchen sink, faucets, light switches, door handles, kitchen countertops, and appliance remotes.
Make sure to focus on these areas and ensure they're as clean and well-sanitized as possible.
2. Get Into the Hard-to-Reach Spots
Deep cleaning is all about cleaning and sanitizing the areas you might not initially see or think about. Take the time to clean hard-to-reach and out-of-sight areas, such as:
- Behind and underneath furniture - move the furniture, vacuum, and mop up any specs of dirt/dust
- Vacuum and clean underneath loose rugs/carpets/floor mats
- Clean the toilet area thoroughly - this means behind the toilet bowl too!
- Thoroughly vacuum and mop all the flooring
- Dust window sills, skirting, door frames, and window shades/blinds
Deep cleaning between guest stays is absolutely essential in maintaining the highest standard of hygiene, as well as your reputation.
4. Keep the Sleep Area Fresh
A key component of any guest's stay is the quality of sleep they get - and the bed plays a major role in this. It's so important to keep the sleep area fresh by always using a mattress protector to keep the mattress hygienic and free from bed bugs.
Always refresh the linen and ensure there are no stains, discoloration, or odors. Make sure to provide additional bedding for longer guest stays.
5. Do a Thorough Check of All Appliances
The last thing you want is for a guest to check in and discover that an appliance is not working, dirty, or dysfunctional. During your deep clean, do a thorough once-over of each appliance.
Check that they're clean (especially the fridge, microwave, and coffee maker) and in good working order.
6. Prioritize Bathroom Hygiene
If there's anything that'll put your guests off your vacation rental, it's poor bathroom hygiene. Your deep clean must always include a thorough scrub-down of your bathroom and all its components.
From the toilet to the shower, sink area, faucets, floors, door handles, mirrors, and even the toilet roll holder, everything needs a thorough cleaning and sanitization.
7. Tackle Unusual Odors ASAP
There's nothing worse than entering a rental only to be confronted by an odd smell or the remnant smells of previous guests! Be aware of unusual or odd odors and do your best to tackle them as soon as possible before new guests arrive.
Air out the space, and use a natural deodorizer or a pleasant room spray.
Looking for More Deep Cleaning Tips for Vacation Rentals?
Keeping your rental in tip-top condition takes effort, consistency, and regular deep cleaning to ensure all areas remain up to standard. If you're on the hunt for additional deep cleaning tips for vacation rentals, how to attract guests, pricing strategies, and more, take some to explore the rest of this blog.
PMI Property Management is here to help you become a better property owner. We can assist with a multitude of tasks - whether it's coordinating bookings, responding to queries, vacation property management, and so much more.
