Housekeeping Hacks: Ensuring a Safe and Spotless Stay

Tea Popaja
9/4/2026

To keep up with the ever-growing expectations of guests and owners, it is our commitment to provide a functional, safe, and clean vacation rental, especially during peak illness season. Our focus is to ensure that proper cleaning procedures are being followed by maintaining high standards and guaranteeing a worry-free stay. 

Whether you employ in-house housekeeping or prefer to outsource to external vendors, creating a standard operating procedure that outlines detailed instructions and expectations is crucial to your operational success. Clear instructions and expectations minimize confusion, reducing time spent on clarifying tasks and processes. 

Inspect what you expect! Your process is only as good as your follow-through. Establishing a system of checks and balances ensures clear expectations of the cleaning process and that these expectations are being monitored. Inspecting your cleans in real time will provide insight into whether your standards are being met and will build consistency, which will directly impact the quality of the clean on every turn. 

With illness season approaching, here are five recommendations and practical tips for maintaining cleanliness and safety standards:

1. Use a professional laundry facility. Linens should be laundered in a commercial laundry facility, ensuring all items are properly sanitized. Laundering linens using the hottest water temperature possible for the fabric and drying them thoroughly sanitizes linens, kills bacteria, and gives your guests peace of mind. 
2. Schedule deep cleans at least once a year. This allows your team to dedicate additional time during busy turnover days to perform more thorough surface cleaning between guest stays. Heavy-touch areas should include railings, light switches, remote controls, doorknobs, handles, kitchen cabinets, and sliding glass doors. It is essential to consider the outdoor spaces also, as guests often spend significant time outside while on vacation. Regular cleaning of outdoor tables, loungers, and chairs between guests is imperative to maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
3. Use cleaning products that include a high-quality disinfectant. All surface areas in the home should be disinfected and sanitized on each clean. Although cleaners such Fabuloso and Pine Sol make for a better-smelling home, they do not have disinfecting agents. We recommend products such as Nutra Max, a great all-surface disinfectant germicidal detergent and deodorant. Not only does it smell good, but it gets the job done properly.
4. Use the correct tools. Using the correct detergents is only half of the solution. Ensuring that the proper mops, such as a wring mop, are used will add to the effectiveness of the cleaning. The mop water should be emptied frequently, as dirty water can spread contaminants rather than remove them. 
5. Don’t reuse products left behind by guests. To further enhance the guest experience and focus on minimizing germ exposure, eliminate reusing spices or cleaning products left behind by previous guests. Offset this by supplying a starter pack of wrapped paper towels, toilet paper, and single-use kitchen and bath soaps to guarantee guests get the essentials they need in a safe and sanitary way.