Holiday cottage clear up etiquette

[Justkeepswiimming]

I'm the last night in a holiday cottage. I've swept up and will put the dishwasher on, and will have a final wipe round tomorrow morning, sort sheets and towels into a pile, but that's the most I'll do. Is that reasonable?

I have holidayed in self catering cottages since I was small and I always remember a huge clean up effort before leaving the evening before/morning we left. Part of me resents doing too much these days. For a start I'd like to think the place is being thoroughly cleaned, so what's the point in me doing too much as it will be gone over again.

Also I feel like the checkout time moved earlier and check in moved later over Covid due to cleaning, and has never gone back. How much can you really do as well as getting up and out, before 10? And finally, even 5-10 years ago, self catering used to be the bargain holiday. That isn't the case and more, and frankly at the prices you pay, people shouldn't be expected to do too much in the way of deep cleaning. How much does everyone else do?

I only ever do the washing up / run the dishwasher, and sometimes take rubbish out if there is instructions, never more than that. What else are you paying for if not to be cleaned after!

Sounds fine. As you've said the cleaners have to clean everything themselves to be sure it's up to standard so you aren't even helping them by doing it yourself.

As long as cleaners are coming afterwards, that will be fine.

That's all I do and put the bins out.

If I'm paying for cleaning, we do the dishes, if there are instructions about sheets/towels those are followed, and put the rubbish in the right bin. Nothing more, thats what we've paid for

Sounds fine to me. That's what I do and I have always got good reviews from hosts.

Some of the horror stories I have heard from friends who own or manage holiday lets you wouldn't believe!

My family have a cottage they rent out for self catering and that's exactly what they expect guests to do before leaving. I'd say most guests put the dishwasher on/do their last dishes, put wet towels in the bath or similar, put the rubbish in the outdoor bin, do a general wipe down in the kitchen type thing and leave the place tidyish. There is no expectation for guests to fully scrub the place or strip the beds.

I put bins out/deal with rubbish as instructed, gather towels into the bath or wash basket or whatever is most appropriate, put back anything that has been moved - side tables/stuff moved out of the way of kids/dogs/parents determined to trip over fresh air, and wipe the kitchen down and leave as I found it. I would sweep up any major mess but wouldn't think to hoover or sweep or clean any else or strip beds.

I hoover and mop my way out normally. Clean the bathroom, empty all the bins and make sure there are no dishes

That's what I would usually do, but just stayed in a cabin and read the rules (which I don't usually) and it said we had to empty bins, take any recycling to the bins provided and there was a hoover so ran round with that too

If it’s a 10am check out we wipe the main surfaces, make sure dirty towels are in the bathroom and put the dishwasher on. There’s no time with that check out time to let it run and empty it too.

I used to have a holiday let. We didn’t expect anything other than it wasn’t totally disgusting tbh. Dishwasher on was a bonus. Towels in the bath was “wow”. Most comedy changeover was when we turned up to find the garden full of fag butts, empty bottles and a large inflatable dolphin and the fridge full of about 200 quids worth of bbq food. Clearly they’d planned a bbq but then got wankered and not bothered cooking and just passed out. Cleaners were pissed about the garden but happy about all the free food.

Fold the bed back, collect up dirty towels into one pile, wipe down bathroom sink and check loo looks clean, empty bins and do the washing up/ wipe down kitchen.

I clean holiday lets. As long as your dirty dishes don't greet me I am happy doing the rest! It's meant to be a holiday op!!
It's my job. Honestly I don't mind stripping your beds and cleaning... Or I wouldn't have work!!

I treat it as home and clean and sort during stay if needed.
Do the beds, the bin and the dishes before leaving.
Game over.

You don't need to be hoovering, mopping or cleaning the bathroom. That's included in your rental price. If its not they will say so (and that is super unusual now)

We tend to put dishwasher on, wipe kitchen surfaces, put bins out, put all towels in bath, strip beds, quick brush of floors and I think that’s it.

No I know. I just do. I don't know why. I just feel better leaving it like we found it. Dp helps me. We got a lovely thank you from our last holiday let owners. They said we could come back every week!

Plus we have a very hairy dog. So the floor looks less than ideal

All I've done is ensure all washing up is done and put away, wiped down surfaces, and put sheets etc in the provided bag

No way am I stripping beds unless instructed. But I always collect towels together, wipe kitchen surfaces and put the dishwasher on. I do tend to leave decent unopened food in fridge for cleaners / hosts if I can’t travel with it home.

We ask that guests empty bins and fridge.
Thats it.
All guests leave it reasonable imo. Ie dustpan used if anything spilt in particular, surfaced wiped from crumbs, towels often in pile in bathroom.

I prefer guests not to strip beds. It’s easier for me to check bedding doesn’t have a mark on that needs pre cleaning when it’s on bed than in a heap pile.

Strip the beds
Take the rubbish out
Quick wipe of surfaces
Check the loos have been flushed (kids forget)
Take all my stuff and leave.

Strip the beds unless asked not to.
Wipe round kitchen and bathroom sinks, check toilets clean.
I do vacuum because we take the dog and that’s ‘extra’ fluff that would otherwise be lying around.
It doesn’t take long, I’ve got it down to a fine art now! It used to be a bit of a pita getting out for 10am when DS was small, though.

I own holiday cottages ( and clean them!) and thst is all I expect.

Another holiday let owner (that cleans ithem) here too. That is all I expect too. The main thing I want is that if it's 10am check out you actually leave at 10am.

Our times changed from 10am check out, 3pm check in to 9am check out, 4pm check in during Covid but have been back to usual for the last two seasons.