how clean do you leave a self catering holiday property

[Foxylass]

Just that really, how much cleaning do you do on a self catering holiday and how do you leave the property when you go?
Do you expect it is ok to not clean up - cos you've paid....? Or do you do your best to tidy up?

[noramum]

We clean all dishes, tidy up like putting pillows back where we found them, put books/magazines back where they belong, empty bins and fireplaces. Wipe down table and other surfaces I may have used since the last time.

If the weather was very bad I hoover/get the broom out for any large dirt but as we normally leave shoes at the door it is hardly necessary.

I don't do any beds and bathrooms. I pay - either in the rental price or agreed separately, - for the cleaning. If cleaning by the tenant is required I do not rent the place.

[Blu]

Kate - I didn't point out that it is not a hotel. I pointed out that IMO there are different expectations on both sides from staying in a hotel.

I can see why you got into a ruck on the holiday homes forum

[starfishmummy]

Beds stripped, bedding & towels in laundry bin.
Kitchen surfaces, hob and sink wiped. Dishes washed and away. Kit hen floor swept but not mopped.
Loo cleaned. Basin/bath gets a quick swish round.
Living room tidy but we only vac if we have made a lot of mess.
All rubbish in dustbin.

[WestmorlandSausage]

Just to clarify the dishwasher thing, it's not the end of the world if it gets put on when people are leaving, it's just a hassle later in the day and means someone has to hang around to sort it out. It also means the cleaner can't do the checks on it and clear the filters/etc if needed.

If it's full then it really could have been put on the night before or overnight. Even if you left it for us to empty in the morning that would be fine.

If it's only got a couple of breakfast bowls in then it's a bit of a waste to put it on really...

If people have had time to cook a breakfast that requires filling the dishwasher up again in the morning then they probably haven't been in that much of a rush.

Generally people just use a bit of common sense though, whIch is great, we very rarely have problems.

We don't leave any instructions / rules other than to come and ask us if they need anything or have any questions, to not go for nosey round the farmyard without letting us know as we don't want to accidentally squish anyone with a tractor, and where they need to put bin bags if they fill one mid week. Seems to work pretty well.

[NapQueen]

We rent a big lodge in Scotland annually (different lodge each year), usually around 15 of us.

We do:-
Beds stripped and all laundry piled up together somewhere
All bins emptied, recycling taken to where ever is advised in the book
All crockery/cutlery etc washed and put away
Surfaces wiped down
Run the vac round
All furniture put back where it belongs (we often move stuff to whatever rooms we use most)
A note left with any breakages (odd glass or plate over the last 10 years)

[purplefizz26]

Bizarre.

Only on mumsnet have I heard that people on holiday mop, hoover and deep clean the place they are staying.
Then on the other end of the scale people are so above washing some dishes in the sink but pull their face that it could be an issue to leave the dishwasher running incase it isn't finished and emptied in time for new arrivals.

Seriously, go on holiday and enjoy yourself, don't leave the loo in a mess, wash and put away dishes you have used and leave the place as tidy as you found it. That's surely all that is needed.

[Ivanaflump]

I am equally as that it's a huge problem to leave a dishwasher running in an otherwise clean house.
I am a paying customer, it's about time pressures rather than being 'too above themselves'.

Only on mumsnet could that be deciphered.

I am relieved to see some of the holiday home owners saying that it's not a problem.
Of course it shouldn't be, some of these rentals are very expensive.

[MysticTwat]

I have to add, I don't deep clean, and only mop if it's particularly dirty/muddy.

I know a cleaner is coming, but I just try to make it easier, so they have time to clean skirting boards and stuff. Some of the cleaners won't just have one property, but a few to do that morning,

[weegiemum]

We are holiday home LLs for 2 properties in the Hebrides, so have seen everything from walk-in standard (this person had even picked new flowers and folded the toilet roll into a point) to haven't-bothered-their-arses-for-a-fortnight (luckily only once or twice!) who left things like dirty scrambled egg pots filled with water from about 2 days ago - boak!

IME its the people with dogs that leave things the tidiest and cleanest.

We usually self cater ourselves and always leave things as clean and tidy as we can, knowing what its like to be faced with a certain amount of work before the next guests arrive on the next ferry!

[averylongtimeago]

I have a holiday let - there is no need to do a deep clean, hover or wash floors unless you have spilt loads of sticky stuff!
But please: wipe up spills as you make them - a week's worth of burnt on food on the hob is vile and difficult to clean.
Empty bins and do the recycling. I make it easy by providing labelled bins, it's not difficult! There is nothing so revolting as having to sort someone else's rubbish, to go through week old food waste, sanitary towels, nappies and worse. I have to do it or the bins won't get emptied!
Own up if something is broken so I can sort it out. I'm not going to charge you for the odd broken glass.

That's about it, I clean thoroughly between each let and yes, sometimes it does take 5 hours!
remembers the couple with two dogs who left me multiple dog shits under the dining table and the family who used every single pot and pan and then put them away dirty

[Foxylass]

We certainly do not expect guests to 'deep clean'.
Just leave it clean and tidy.....wipe around, put your rubbish and recycling out. Vacuum if you have traipsed muck, leaves or sand through the place.
Put things away.

We do make it clear before a booking is made and in the confirmation and upon greeting too (gently...I'm not a bossy monster).
We offer a mid-stay clean if required, for an extra fee. We provide washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, laundry powder, multi surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner and all cloths. Tea towels, loo rolls, Henry vacuum, mop & bucket and all bins have bags in them.

I do all of the cleaning myself (5 cottages) with my daughter. We are mid price range...not 'making a wad'! Even our laundry is done 'in house' to keep costs down.

I could never leave a place without cleaning after myself....I'd be ashamed!

[Notso]

We don't deep clean but we do clean. I vacuum on holiday anyway unless we are somewhere with a cleaner. I wouldn't mop unless there was a spillage/mud etc.

It annoys me if there are loads of rules about how clean/tidy to leave a place, especially if it's not that clean when we arrive. I often find lovely looking bedspreads and cushions on beds are grim because only the bedding is washed between guests. They swiftly get shoved in the wardrobe.

It also annoys me when cleaners interfere with things. Our villa last year was cleaned by the owner twice during the week. This was Greece so all toilet paper had to go in the bin except the bins in the bathrooms where not near the toilets so we moved them, she moved them back. We moved a stool out of the younger children's room to stop them climbing on it to open the patio doors in the room, she moved it back. She also told us off for using the air conditioning on our first night.

[pandoramummy]

I've been running a holiday cottage business for 1-1/2 years. We allow 2 dogs and the amount of cleanup is staggering. People can't even be bothered to wash out the dog dishes that we provide. On three occasions guests have gone out for hours, leaving their dogs inside and we have found the evidence when they've left. When we tell them that we found dog urine or feces in the cottage they either deny it ("my dog would NEVER do that") or they blame it on us. Where is people's sense of responsibility?

It's really not kosher to load up the dishwasher just before you leave a holiday cottage. You should get up early enough to have breakfast and wash the dishes before you check out. Leaving the fridge and freezer full of leftover food and opened jars and bottles is really inconsiderate. Putting dishes, pots, cutlery and glasses away without having thoroughly cleaned them is disgusting. Don't be surprised if you find the place less than sparkling when you check in, as there is simply not enough time for the owners or cleaners to put everything right.

If you find leaving a holiday cottage tidy and removing all your items too much work, stay in a hotel and pay the price.

If the holiday cottage owner doesn't complain to you afterward, this doesn't mean that the mess you left behind was okay.

[PrincessMargaret]

I try to leave as I find so I will make sure everything is clean and tidy, washing up put away, floors swept, surfaces , fridge , oven clean etc. I would also strip beds and put towels in the bath. Though we had a holiday let at Xmas and there wereNO instructions on what to do with rubbish. We had far too many bottles and bags of recyclable stuff and no,idea what to do with it.

[Secretdebt]

Empty bins, clean dishes, kitchen surfaces wiped, towels in bath and place tidy. Don't do any cleaning however as the owners should be doing a full clean in between lets. We would never have jam/crayon etc left places however.

[Serin]

I clean everything thoroughly when I arrive and carry on like that all week. I am beginning to think I might have a problem.
At our last holiday cottage (Mull) the cutlery drawer was a bit meh so I gave that a good scrub, the Hoover smelled so i changed the bag. The window was less than sparkling so I gave it a good wash. I like cleaning!!
We once redecorated an entire bedroom in Marazion (but that was because one of the DC pulled some wallpaper off 😂😂).

[brizzlemint]

Beds stripped and all the linen put in the bathroom together ready for washing, washing up done or the dishwasher loaded and started. We don't dust or vacuum, we leave the place tidy - i.e. put away anything we have used. Obviously the toilet would be left clean as well.

[brizzlemint]

Don't be surprised if you find the place less than sparkling when you check in, as there is simply not enough time for the owners or cleaners to put everything right.

If you rent holiday cottages out to people and they find it less than sparkling when they arrive then they will leave it less than sparkling. You are demonstrating to them what your standards are by the state it is in when they arrive.

[DobbyTheHouseElk]

I always leave the dishwasher running. Usually a half load of supper and breakfast bits. I thought I was being helpful.

Hoover, no

Mop. No.

But I clean when I arrive and clean as I go along, so it shouldn’t be dirty we are clean people.

Bins out, yes

Strip beds, no

Towels in bath or hung up

[reluctantbrit]

I always check that cleaning is included in the rental fee as I refuse to spend the last morning cleaning a house.

We do strip bed (if we are asked, it really depends on the landlord I found), tidy rooms so that all pillows are back where they originally were, blankets are folded, books/leaflets returned to their place, dishes are washed or the dishwasher is on (again, depends on the landlords instructions).

Sink and hob are clean. Rubbish is taken out.

If we managed to stain anything I do leave a note explaining with an offer of reimbursement (I once got a surprise period and stained bedding/towels).

We recently had two cases where the landlord asked for a deposit/credit card number against any damage found after we vacated. Quite fair in my opinion.

[Dowser]

Strip beds, wash up and put away
Surfaces wiped
Rubbish taken to external bin if there is one
Loo cleaned

I don’t do floors
I expect cleaners to put the final gleam on things

[PicaK]

I would never hand-wash dishes at home. I'm certainly not going to do that on holiday!

[Degustibusnonestdisputandem1]

Beds stripped and as clean as we found it, aside from scrubbing bath/shower.

[81Byerley]

I like to leave it spotless . My pride wouldn't allow me to do otherwise. But I keep it clean and tidy as I go along, so it's not a chore.