When preparing to receive guests, the question of cleaning arises: how can I best clean my house so that my guests feel comfortable during their stay? Although the notion of cleanliness is universal, we do not all have the same definition. By following these tips on how to handle cleaning during an exchange, you will avoid any complaints.
Thoroughly prepare your home
Before your guest arrives, it is essential to clean your house room by room. It is also important that the house is tidy and that your guest has a place to store their things. There are no specific rules, everyone handles cleaning in their own way, but if you want to prepare your home and you don't know where to start, here is a list of the most important tasks to do:
- Vacuum and clean the floors
- Clean the bathroom, shower, toilet, and bathtub. Remember to provide some toilet paper
- Wipe down kitchen surfaces
- Wipe down other surfaces (coffee table, living room furniture, etc.). Furniture can be oiled to prevent dust accumulation
- Clean the microwave, wipe down the outside of the oven, and clean the stove
- Empty all garbage cans
- Provide clean sheets and towels
- Remember to take out the garbage and indicate where new garbage bags can be found
- Outside: sweep patio/balcony, clean outdoor furniture, empty ashtrays
- Air out rooms
- Clean windows and mirrors
- Clean the inside of the oven
- Clean the cupboards and the refrigerator
- Wipe down blinds and baseboards
For second homes, it is important to check your home before each exchange. If you are not on site, you can, for example, call on a trusted relative. This will not only ensure that the house is clean for the next guests, but also allow you to see if there has been any damage.
Good communication with your exchange partner
Talk to your exchange partner
During an exchange, communication between members should always be the priority. This is the key to avoiding misunderstandings. Therefore, raise the topic of housekeeping before the exchange. Discuss it with your exchange partner so that everyone is in tune with each other's expectations. As a guest, also remember that you are not going to a hotel, so you should not expect the same standards of cleanliness, and you should sometimes be a little flexible with your hosts.
If you are using a cleaning service and want to charge extra, it is important that the cleaning fee is clearly stated in your listing and discussed before the exchange is finalized.
Put together a guide
As a host, you can also make a brief housekeeping guide and put it in your welcome booklet. It is also important to indicate where the cleaning supplies are so that your guest can leave the house in the same condition that they found it. For example, some people ask their guests to gather used sheets in one place, empty the garbage, or run the dishwasher before they leave.
If you have a swimming pool, also consider how to maintain it so that you don't end up with a green pool after a few days.