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Housekeeping is crucial to getting consistent 5-star reviews. Several studies show how cleanliness is one of the factors affecting a person’s decision to book a stay in a hotel. The more positive reviews on a hotel’s cleanliness, the higher the chances of improving occupancy rates. The same is true for short-term rentals (STR). A clean and well-maintained STR directly affects the guest’s first impression of the property.
Imagine a guest who comes in tired after hours of travelling. They want to take a shower to refresh themselves - only to find that the water heater isn’t working. Or a weary couple coming in with a toddler who is cranky and ready to take an afternoon nap - but they couldn’t do it because the bed looks unkempt and used.
How do you think these guests will react to the property? They’ll be disappointed and could end up leaving a negative review.
But if a guest comes to a clean property with fresh linens and bath towels and everything is working, they’ll feel right at home. Add a welcome basket of freebies on the kitchen counter and you’ll have a happy guest on your property.
What does this tell you? The efficiency of your housekeeping services sets the tone for the rest of the guest’s stay. If you can make them happy the moment they step into your short-term rental, it would be easier to get them to leave a positive review.
The more positive reviews you collect, the higher the chances of improving occupancy rates and earning potential.
In this article, you’ll learn more about housekeeping best practices, specifically those that’ll help you secure more 5-star reviews. You’ll also discover common housekeeping challenges for short-term rentals and how to overcome them to improve your reviews and ratings.
Challenges in Housekeeping for Short-Term Rentals
Providing efficient housekeeping services has specific challenges for property managers. It’s more complex for short-term rentals because, unlike hotel rooms, you have a whole flat to clean and sanitise - bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, etc.
To meet expectations and improve satisfaction ratings, you need to understand the specific demands of incoming guests. You have to be proactive in identifying the challenges of short-term rental housekeeping so you can implement solutions to ensure overall property success.
Take a look at the 4 common housekeeping challenges in short-term rentals.
Tight turnovers
Proper housekeeping takes time and this is something that short-term rentals don’t have. Some properties have back-to-back bookings that’ll only leave a couple of hours to clean and sanitise a property. This tight schedule makes it harder to be thorough in cleaning the property. This could lead to missed spots or lingering odours - which are enough to make guests disappointed and leave negative reviews.
Different guest expectations
Studies reveal a strong link between meeting personal preferences and overall satisfaction. Understanding what each group expects of the cleanliness and sanitation of properties is crucial to elevating guest satisfaction. Some people are very particular about sanitation. Business travellers have different expectations as a couple with young children. Knowing the difference would allow you to meet these expectations and improve the guest experience.
Balancing cost and efficiency
Another challenge faced by STRs is balancing the high standards of cleanliness with the cost. The time constraints can only be overcome by investing in high-quality service, cleaning products and equipment. These increase housekeeping costs and could compromise profitability. Property managers should find the balance and deliver impeccable cleaning services while keeping costs low and operations efficient across multiple STRs.
Maintaining consistency
Ensuring consistent cleaning standards across different short-term rentals is another challenge. Failure to maintain a specific standard could lead to a negative review that can affect the reputation of the property management company or manager. With each property presenting its own housekeeping needs, it’s important to stay on top of every demand so no space is compromised.
Best Practices to Get Consistent 5-Star Reviews
Exceptional housekeeping services go beyond cleaning. It should be treated as a strategic part of your property management operations.
The Covid-19 pandemic changed how people view sanitation. Expectations are high when it comes to cleanliness and hygiene. This is why the hospitality industry had to step up with its housekeeping services. Hotels and short-term rentals are expected to implement safety measures to ensure guests come to clean and sanitised accommodations.
Take a look at the following best practices to elevate the housekeeping services of short-term rental properties so they meet the high expectations of guests.
Have a standard cleaning checklist
Create a comprehensive cleaning checklist and implement it in all the rental properties you manage. This deals with the consistency challenge mentioned earlier. This checklist will define the standard and will cover everything from the high-touch areas like door handles and light switches to overlooked spots like behind the furniture or under the bed. It ensures that no matter who does the housekeeping services, the output will be the same.
Train and monitor housekeeping staff
Setting a standard for housekeeping also means providing the staff with the right training to help them do the job correctly. Invest in training the staff so they follow the same process and techniques in cleaning and maintaining short-term rentals. Schedule regular training sessions to update everyone on new techniques and cleaning protocols. Set up a system to monitor the housekeeping staff to identify areas that can be improved. Make it easy for guests to leave feedback so you can maintain a high standard of service at all times.
Use high-quality and eco-friendly cleaning products
Provide the housekeeping staff with the right cleaning products - preferably eco-friendly options. According to reports, 80% of the cleaning industry understands the importance of sustainability to their clients. This increased the availability of eco-friendly cleaning products for consumers to use.
Partner with sustainable suppliers who offer high-quality cleaning agents that eliminate the toughest dirt without leaving harmful chemicals. By reducing the negative impact of your housekeeping services, you’re not just doing the environment a favour. You’re also increasing the sustainable appeal of the short-term rental property.
Invest in the right equipment
Apart from the cleaning products, consider investing in the right cleaning equipment. This will solve the quick turnover problems without compromising the high standard of housekeeping services. Use high-powered vacuum cleaners, microfiber cloth and steam mops. This will give the staff the right tools to deliver a thorough cleaning even with the time constraints.
Schedule regular deep cleans
At Opago, we recommend conducting a deep clean for rental properties every 4 to 6 months. The higher the occupancy rate, the more frequent deep cleaning should be done. These will keep the grime and dirt from building up, specifically in hard-to-reach areas. It’s also important to keep high-use areas sanitised like bathrooms and kitchens.
Deep cleans maintain the premium condition of rental properties and ensure the guest’s well-being.
Deal with repairs and maintenance quickly
Include in the standard cleaning checklist a reminder to check anything that’s broken and in need of repair. These should be reported and dealt with immediately. Faulty faucets, broken light switches or flickering lights are enough to disappoint guests. To avoid negative reviews, deal with the repairs as soon as possible. If the guest is already on the property, communicate with them and provide a clear schedule for the repair. Your diligence in solving issues can turn negative impressions into 5-star reviews.
Pay attention to cleaning blind spots
There are areas that guests don’t usually see so housekeeping staff tend to skip these when time is tight. This isn’t advisable because detail-oriented guests can still notice these details. Don’t forget about the top of the cabinets, under the bed, behind appliances and furniture and even window tracks. To ensure positive reviews, keep the property spotless at all times so no area or surface should be left untouched.
Prioritise timely and efficient turnovers
Set up a system to ensure cleaning and maintenance are done within the turnover period. This is of utmost importance, especially during the peak season. The back-to-back bookings can get complicated and having a system ensures timely turnovers every time. Consider using technology to track all housekeeping services across multiple properties. Keeping up with the turnover schedule and maintaining high-quality housekeeping services will leave a clean and welcoming atmosphere on the property. This ensures a positive impression on guests and higher ratings for the property.
Elevate the Guest Experience With Proper Housekeeping
Proper housekeeping is a powerful marketing tool to improve the performance of your short-term rental properties. You need to be transparent with how you clean and sanitise rental properties because it’ll attract more guests to book a stay.
Understanding the typical housekeeping challenges faced by STRs so you can provide impeccable services that’ll impress your guests the moment they step on the property. Implementing housekeeping best practices and striving to continue innovating will make your rental properties stand out. The level of service and the consistent premium condition of the properties will lead to more 5-star reviews. Accumulating positive reviews will attract more bookings and improve the property’s overall performance and profitability.
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