Airbnb ‘leave as you find it’ but paid a cleaning fee. Someone’s house.

[crawlingovertheline]

We’re staying in an Airbnb and it’s someone’s home. It’s a bit weird if I’m honest.
the food in the cupboards is there’s, including milk in the fridge. We are to replace everything we use.

We’ve paid a cleaning fee but the instructions are to leave it as we find it (we have children and dog).

Im worried I won’t be able to get it immaculate by our 10am check out.

AIBU to think the cleaning fee should cover the cleaning (we would always leave it clean and strip beds but mopping the floors? Not usually)

Did you know this when you booked? I’d just not put myself under that pressure.

I think if you've paid a cleaning fee then leaving it as you found it means putting things back in the place they were when you arrived (including things like furniture, cushions or bedding that you've moved around for your comfort, and dishes and cookware that you've used). I wouldn't expect it to be immaculate, because the cleaner is coming in to wipe down surfaces and clean floors, but if your dog is particularly hairy I'd expect you to have done a bit of hoovering to address that before you leave. I normally move things back to where they came from and do a bit of hoovering if necessary the night before we leave, and then in the morning you just need to do the breakfast dishes, pack your things and leave.

I’d take it as tidy up and wash dishes etc, strip beds. Not do a proper full on clean

Oh, and also make sure that you remove rubbish and recycling from the property too. There's usually instructions on where you can leave it.

I would wash up and put away dishes, wipe kitchen surfaces, rearrange furniture you moved as it was, then leave it. If they complain, I would leave a review and complain to the company that they are charging a cleaning fee for nothing.

I always expect "leave it as you find it" to mean wash the pots and put away, put the bin bag in the outside bin etc not thoroughly clean. We also never used any of the bits of food left if they are not obviously meant for us (like welcome baskets etc)but then this hasn't happened often as we normally seem to book places that are only used as AirBNBs not peoples houses they have moved out of for us to stay.

Always get good feedback from hosts so I guess we are doing it right.

I normally do one better than I would in a hotel. Put things in the right place, wash dishes, bring rubbish out. I might just give the sink a quick wipe to remove hairs etc. You don’t need to do a deep clean.

No you don’t need to do a big clean. I’d put the dishwasher on and have a wipe round. Take rubbish out. Only strip beds if they ask (but this annoys me - I would refuse to book somewhere if they ask this).

Surely paying a cleaning fee covers you if you don't leave the place up their standards?

Just put things back where you found them and wash up kitchen stuff you’ve used. Strip the beds if you want. That’s all I would do.

I’d take it to mean put rubbish in the bins and put back any furniture moved etc. No way would I be stripping beds, taking bin bags outside or mopping floors if I’ve paid a cleaning fee.