Cleaning and maintenance are the most crucial factors in a successful short-term rental business. That's why we're bringing you this vacation rental cleaning checklist.
In this guide, find out which responsibilities to ask your guests to take care of and the must-clean areas in rooms throughout your rental.
Vacation Rental Guest Cleaning Responsibilities
Want to make your cleaning crew's jobs a little easier? Consider offloading the following tasks onto your short-term tenants:
- Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher
- Put used linens and towels in the washing machine
- Collect and remove all trash
- Check for personal belongings
Having these few things done beforehand can save you or your cleaning person a lot of time and effort.
Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
The kitchen is usually one of the most-used areas of a vacation home. Spend a little extra time ensuring all of the following are complete:
- Run and empty the dishwasher
- Replace trash bags
- Clean and disinfect surfaces
- Clean the oven range top
- Clean the inside of the microwave
- Clean the kitchen appliances
- Sweep and mop the floor
- Replace dish towels and disposable sponges
- Clean and disinfect refrigerator shelves
- Clean and disinfect the sink
- Run the disposal
Enforce rules around tenants cleaning up after themselves to avoid chaos in the kitchen after checkout.
Bathrooms Cleaning Checklist
Bathrooms can get pretty disgusting. Avoid buildup by performing the following thorough cleaning tasks each time a short-term tenant checks out:
- Clean and disinfect the toilet
- Sweep and mop the floor
- Clean the mirror
- Clean and disinfect surfaces
- Polish the sink and shower faucets
- Replace body and hand towels
- Replace the toilet paper
- Clean and disinfect the sink and tub
After you clean the bathroom, replace any complimentary toiletries like shampoo or conditioner if you offer them.
Bedrooms Cleaning Checklist
As one of the least-used rooms in a vacation rental, bedrooms only need a quick cleaning run-through. The following tasks should suffice for a spick and span bedroom:
- Make the bed with new sheets and pillowcases
- Fluff accent pillows
- Sweep and mop the floor
- Vacuum the rugs or carpeting
- Clean and disinfect TV remotes, alarm clocks, and light switches
- Wipe down surfaces
Asking short-term tenants which bedrooms they used during their stay can streamline the job and prevent unnecessary cleaning in unused bedrooms.
Living Area Cleaning Checklist
The living areas are among the first rooms your guests see when they check-in. Provide an excellent first impression with the following cleaning tasks:
- Clean windows and doors
- Sweep and mop the floor
- Vacuum rugs or carpeting
- Wipe down the sofa and vacuum between crevices
- Disinfect light switches and TV remotes
- Wipe down the TV screen
- Replace throw blankets
- Fluff throw pillows
Living areas should be comfortable, inviting, and relaxing. Provide plenty of blankets, pillows, and things to do, and watch your ratings soar!
This Is Your Vacation Rental Cleaning Checklist
Keep this vacation rental cleaning checklist handy to make checkout a breeze. Or give it to your cleaning service provider to ensure every guest gets a five-star experience.
Need help managing cleaning at your short-term rental? PMI Breck has nearly 20 years of experience managing Breckenridge properties like yours. Contact us today to learn more!
