It might not be the answer you want to hear
Today’s post is brought to us by Neel Parekh who is the CEO and Founder of MaidThis, a top-rated cleaning business franchise that offers hassle-free house cleaning for vacation rental hosts (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.).
So why are we featuring an article on cleaning when we are a design firm? Because cleaning directly impacts how beautiful everything looks, so although cleaning isn’t directly in our wheelhouse, it’s a big part of your short-term rental looking as amazing as it’s supposed to be. So we asked Neel a question we knew our subscribers would love to know and not only did he answer us but he went into detail on the why’s of his answer.
What Is the Ideal Number of Days You Should Allow for Airbnb Turnovers?
As a vacation rental owner, you are faced with the same task at the end of each guest’s stay: getting the entire unit cleaned up and ready for the next guest. Yes, each post-stay cleaning turnover is absolutely critical for keeping ratings high and ensuring that every one of your guests’ stays is nothing short of impressive. You likely even hire a professional vacation rental cleaning company like MaidThis to take care of each turnover. However, have you been struggling to figure out how many days you should allow for each clean-up?
It is absolutely vital that you determine just how long each turnover should take, because you will lose out on potential profits every day that your unit is off the market getting cleaned. That said, here is what to keep in mind.
One is #1
We get it – you probably want to maximize revenue by always having one set of guests check out in the morning and another set check in later that afternoon, squeezing in a clean-up in between. However, according to MaidThis’s vacation rental cleaners, a one-day gap in between each guest’s stay is ideal for doing a thorough cleaning of an entire unit. For example, if a guest checks out on Tuesday at 11 a.m., the next guest should ideally not check in until Wednesday.
But What About Same-Day Turnovers?
Cleaners prefer a one-day turnover over a same-day turnover, as it helps ensure that they are not rushed and can actually identify damages or issues. For example, a guest might “forget” to mention that they accidentally broke your unit’s top-of-the-line coffee machine (which is always an attention-grabbing selling point in your rental listing). By giving cleaners time to do a thorough cleaning, they will be able to discover any problems that need to be fixed right away. This will help prevent the damage from getting worse and ensure you don’t receive negative reviews from future guests who had to deal with unforeseen problems.
Yes, we know you are running a business and would like to try to squeeze in as many reservations as possible with same-day turnovers, but it doesn’t allow cleaners to address all of the unit’s needs. Remember that the cleanliness rating is an important factor for bookings, so you want to keep it high! A same-day turnover can provide a lot more room for error and cause oversights, which can ultimately lower your ranking and hurt your profits.
Airbnb Agrees!
Even the folks behind Airbnb recommend a one-day turnover for cleaning based on COVID-19 guidelines — allowing for a full day in between stays to clean will help ensure that the entire unit gets aired out, making it even safer for guests. As the rental unit’s owner, don’t you want your guests to be as safe as possible? The last thing you would want is for one of your guests to get sick just because the unit wasn’t thoroughly cleaned and aired out.
Use the One-Day Turnover Rule to Your Marketing Advantage
You can even use your one-day turnover rule to better promote your vacation rental! Mention in your listing that you are taking the greatest cleaning precautions in today’s pandemic era by doing one-day turnovers in order to ensure the utmost safety of every single guest. Prospective guests will really appreciate that you care about their well-being so much and may use that as the deciding factor in selecting your vacation rental over its competitors.
Don’t Forget to Schedule Regular Deep Cleanings
Yes, every basic cleaning in between stays will keep your vacation rental looking fresh, neat, and ready for the next guest. However, it is also imperative to schedule DEEP cleanings of your entire unit several times a year. Over time, carpets can become dirty from traction, the insides of the refrigerator and oven can get dirty, crumbs and debris can collect under appliances, etc. Regular deep cleanings will take care of these issues and others that are not usually included in a cleaning company’s basic services.
Summing It All Up
Cleaning your vacation rental after each guest’s stay is paramount for keeping your ratings high and ensuring that every person who stays in your unit has a pleasant experience. Opt for a one-day turnover for cleaning rather than a same-day turnover, as it will help give cleaners the opportunity to do a thorough job and identify any issues that need to be fixed right away. Airbnb even agrees, and you can use your one-day turnover rule to better market your listing as well as keep your rental clean, pristine, and profitable in the long run.
MaidThis is the first and ONLY US-based vacation rental cleaning franchise that exists. Their goal is to make the customer experience super easy and super seamless – this is what a lot of people want but many local companies cannot provide. MaidThis meets the increasing consumer demand for websites that make online bookings and automated reservations a breeze. They leverage the newest technology and software to create a low-cost, fully remote franchise — this means it is easier than ever for entrepreneurial folk to become a franchisee. www.maidthis.com