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Vacation Rental Home Cleaning Checklist

Person cleaning bathroom vanity at vacation rental property

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When guests stay in your vacation rental, they expect cleanliness – and in today’s times, cleanliness is more important than ever.  The cleaner your vacation home is, the better reviews you will get online, and in turn, more bookings. 

Hiring professional pest control service at periodic intervals might be a good idea. Keeping your vacation rental clean is your golden goose. Plus, the credibility of a clean, well-sanitized vacation home has soared through the roof post the pandemic.

Here are a few cleaning tips to impress your guests:

Hire A Cleaning Crew

Unless you are doing it all yourself, you will need the help of a professional cleaner or cleaning company.  Be sure you interview properly and the cleaners understand the importance of cleanliness to your guests and your success.  Even one review with less than 5 Stars for cleanliness can be detrimental to your business!    

Create A Cleaning Checklist

Make sure you keep a checklist handy for your cleaning staff: 

  • The Kitchen – ensure dishes and cookware are clean when your guests leave. Empty out the refrigerator and cabinets of any food that may have been left. A clean kitchen will help keep away pests and rodents too. 
  • Bedrooms – make sure floors are swept, mopped or vacuumed after each guest.  Vacuum under beds and furniture often. Show your cleaner how to check for bed bugs and do this often! These pests are generally invisible to the naked eye but can wreak havoc on your guest’s luggage.
  • Living room – dust and vacuum the entire  room, and also organize the space. If pests are a problem in the area you live in, consider steam cleaning your furniture and upholstery to get rid of dangerous pests like beetles and moths who would have also made the vacation rental their home along with your guests.

Vacation Rental Home Pest Control

An empty vacation home can be a haven for rodents like mice  who can enter the house through small gaps and openings and wreak havoc on your wiring, furnishings and more.  They can also scare away guests, and if the guests do spot a rodent, you can bet your home will get a bad review! This can be detrimental to your business. 

Additional Cleaning & Rodent / Insect Checklist:

  • Get your air-conditioning unit serviced often to ensure there is no standing water or leaks to attract bugs.  
  • Vacuum dust from vents.
  • Wash down patio furniture and keep the grill clean. 
  • Make sure there is no standing water which can breed mosquitoes 
  • Make sure there is no brush or undergrowth near your property which can lead to mice and rats or even snakes. 

These vacation rental cleaning rules can help you establish your brand — what renters should expect from your vacation rental home, a large part of which is how clean it will be. 

Your guests will expect cleanliness, so it is important to live up to their expectations.  Take any criticisms seriously. Commit to your cleaning protocols and make sure your cleaner knows exactly what is expected.

Check out this seasonal house cleaning checklist to keep your vacation rental home bug free.

Author Bio:

Raymond Web has taken the task to educate people on pest prevention and control strategies, helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe, and pest-free. Being the digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, a top-rated pest control service in Tracy, CA, he has an in-depth understanding of people and their pain points due to pests, which he uses in his content to educate.



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