The Benefits of Hiring a Third-Party Cleaning Service

How does a third-party cleaning service benefit vacation rental owners? If you’ve ever considered booking a vacation rental property, cleanliness is at the top of the criteria list.

Why is cleanliness important in the vacation rental industry?

One study found that “Gender impacts buying habits. After reading a review online…women are less likely to do business with facilities receiving dirty reviews.” This influences renting decisions even more if the women have a family with children.

These two groups, women and families, are important influencers in the vacation rental industry. According to a study in the United Kingdom, women (of all age groups) outnumber men as vacation rental users.

But, what does any of this have to do with hiring a third-party cleaning service?

Cleanliness impacts bookings within the vacation rental industry. Especially if women are your target audience. Keeping your vacation rental property clean is the goal.

Because let’s face it, guests don’t want to think about the previous guests. They want a beautiful vacation destination that’s all their own. This means keeping your property well-maintained and clean.

To achieve this, you should hire a third-party cleaning service.

The Benefits of a Third-Party Cleaning Service

Quicker Turnover

An occupied vacation rental makes money. The faster you can clean your property, the more guests you can book. Third-party cleaning services quickly and efficiently clean your property. As a result, you are able to turn around more bookings and maintain your reputation.

Professional Experience

If you paid an employee to clean your vacation rental, it could take longer. When compared to professional cleaners, the quality can differ and affect guest experiences.

Thus, hiring cleaning professionals who have experience and recommendations is the best decision.

Spend Your Time Growing Your Business

Some vacation rental owners operate their business remotely. Cleaning the vacation rental property after every guest would be impossible.

Scheduling a third-party cleaning service allows for a smooth transition between guests. It also helps vacation rental owners stay on task with the big picture of their business.

Why You Should Hire a Third-Party Cleaning Service

Differing Opinions of “Cleanliness”

If you expect your guests to clean the vacation rental before they leave, prepare to have a variety of experiences. First, is the differing views of the word “clean.” What one person considers clean, might not match your expectation as the vacation rental owner.

Leaving the cleaning up to the last guest could affect the new guests’ experience. If you don’t inspect or clean up after a guest checks out, new guests will have to tidy the property themselves.

Areas to focus on cleaning:

• The Kitchen: Particularly the counters, cupboards, and cookery
• All bathroom surfaces
• Seams of cushions in the living room and bedroom, under and behind couches
• No dust or cobwebs anywhere
• Vacuum and mop areas of major foot traffic

Hiring a third-party cleaning service allows for constant cleanliness. So there is no discrepancy with how the property appears for one guest or another.

Avoid Negative Reviews

One of the worst reviews to receive is that your vacation rental is dirty. When guests look for vacation properties, you want them to think of words like relaxing, cozy, or beautiful.

You don’t want a guest’s first experience to be that your property is dirty. No guest should have to clean their vacation rental property to feel comfortable staying in it.

Expecting Guests to Clean

This is a hot topic among vacation rental owners. Should your guests clean up after themselves during and after their stay?

The answer to this question depends on the vacation rental owner. Do you want to hire a maid to make beds, do laundry, and clean the rooms each day? Or will you hire a third-party service to clean the entire property following checkout?

Are you somewhere in between? Do you leave a final “checklist” for guests to complete before they leave?

Or should guests have to clean anything at all?

We can’t answer these questions for you because it depends on how you run your property. These are some points to consider:

• If you charge high prices, you shouldn’t expect guests to clean.
• Guests are on vacation! This means they do not want to do the everyday household chores they are escaping from.
• If you charge reasonable prices, include a cleaning service fee to cover the third-party cleaning service.
• Communicate your expectations in your description:
• Does your vacation rental have a kitchen? A dishwasher? Guests who cook for themselves should clean up after themselves.
• If you want pre-departure cleanup, list your expectations beforehand.
• Example: Tell guests to bring the trash cans to the curb. Leave the lights on. Turn off the dishwasher and appliances, etc.

You Save Money

Hiring a third-party cleaning service to maintain your rental saves you money in the long run.

Keeping your property clean helps the property age. Taking care of your tiling, lighting, furniture, and space decreases the likelihood of something breaking.

Thus, spending money to take care of a property means less output over time. As an added bonus, a beautiful vacation rental property increases your bookings and reputation.

Where Can You Find a Third-Party Cleaning Service?

We recommend Googling a third-party cleaning service specifically for your area. Make sure to read the company's reviews, services, and pricing. Choose a company that works best for your vacation rental.

Here is a list of websites to help with your research:

• Maids.com
• Myclean.com
• Taskrabbit.com
• Angieslist.com

Do You Hire a Third-Party Cleaning Service?

Third-party cleaning services save time, money, and your reputation. Hiring a third-party cleaning service assists with bookings, and maintaining guest expectations.

Should guests clean the property before they leave? Remember to consider your pricing, rental property, and guest experience before making this decision.

What are your thoughts about third-party cleaning services? Share this on social media with your thoughts and comments.