Everyone loves a party (except for the cleaner)

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Everyone loves a good party. Well, maybe not everyone.

Just this weekend it happened to us again. A crazy rager inside of a beautiful Airbnb. Bodily fluids throughout, alcohol on the floors, questionable substances left in the fridge, damaged furniture, the works.

It’s like being at a frat party the first weekend of college. Except these were supposedly dignified adults with jobs. While it was likely a blast for the party-goers, it’s a total nightmare for the cleaner.

This email breaks down what to do when you come across the aftermath of a crazy party and how to address it with the host.

What’s that smell?

It’s probably the first thing that hits you - the smell. It’s a weird combination of alcohol and, well, regurgitated alcohol. It’s enough to make your eyes water and turn back to the car. You know that whatever is waiting for you on the other side of the entryway is not going to be worth the money.

But, you’ve driven all the way out there so you might as well check it out. The entirety of the house screams college frat house. Empty alcohol bottles, cigarette butts, broken dishes, blood, urine, everything. It’s a mystery the cops weren’t called or the host didn’t notice anything odd.

Walking into a scene like this makes you forget the words to the country song “(I Believe) Most People are Good” and instead start singing “It’s the End of the World as We Know It“.

You know that your plans for the day are immediately thrown out the window and this is going to take you much longer than anticipated.

So, what do you do? What is expected of you in a situation like this? Here’s what we do at our company:

Step 1: DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING

The very first rule when it comes to a party clean is to not touch anything. Leave it all exactly how you found it and break out your phone. Start taking pictures of everything (the stains, the alcohol, the cigarettes, the broken items, the vomit, everything). These pictures will be used for a lot more than just another Instagram reel of a messy house. These will be used to put more money in your pocket, compensating you for the additional time and work that will be required.

If you start cleaning first and only then remember to take photos, you’ve likely already cleaned up the worst of it. As soon as you enter the door and see the signs (alcohol, cigarettes, bodily fluids, etc.) take photos immediately.

Step 2: Houston, we have a problem

Your next step is to tell someone. Not your husband, best friend, or social media followers. Tell the person who is going to make sure you get paid. That could be your cleaning manager or the host. You need to let them know that there was a party and that you will likely require additional time to complete the cleaning. Although it’s impossible to estimate how long it will take, you should remind them of your hourly rate and let them know that the best thing to do will be to charge this clean hourly instead of flat rate. Review this post for a refresher.

If the host values you and the work you do, they will 100% understand and work with you to ensure you are compensated fairly. The last thing they want is to be left with a party property that they need to clean up themselves. But remember to be reasonable, you don’t want to take advantage of the situation and risk losing a good client or tarnishing your reputation.

Once the host is clear that there will likely be additional charges, get to it. Be sure to make note of anything that is permanently damaged and anything that will require an extra wash to remove stains. It’s going to be a long day, but you got this!

Step 3: Clear your head and report

Because the property is such a disaster and likely unrecognizable from its typical condition, as soon as you’ve finished cleaning, it’s best to take a break. Go for a walk, get lunch, clear your head, etc. Every cleaner knows that after a while in the same house, the small things become invisible. Take a minute and leave the property. Just for a quick break.

Once you’ve had a chance to decompress after the cleaning, go back through and walk the property as a guest would. Look under beds, at the base of toilets, in drawers, etc. to ensure that you’ve gotten 100% of it. Even if it was a total disaster when you first arrived, the next guests will have little sympathy if something wasn’t done right.

When you get back home, make sure you send host a professionally-worded email with a description of the damages, photos, etc. including the additional fees you need to charge. They will need all of this information to file a claim with Airbnb.

A big thank you

If you’ve survived a party clean, give yourself a pat on the back. No matter the condition of the property, you are the miracle worker that brings it all together. Airbnb cleaners are responsible for making each property look brand new each time and you should be proud of yourself. Without cleaners, there wouldn’t be an Airbnb and your host likely wouldn’t be in business.

If you’re looking for the best way to break into Airbnb cleaning for the first time, or if you’re looking to grow your business from a one-person team to a well-oiled machine, check out our Airbnb cleaning course. It’s just $49 and will add 100x to your business. Do yourself and your business a favor and sign up today!

Stay strong out there!

Until next time,

Logan

Get the goods 🧼 

Want more knowledge to build your cleaning empire? The below are some of the best pieces of information to grow your business, perfect your clean, and become an expert in the field.

• Complete Airbnb cleaning checklist

• Airbnb cleaning business course

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