What has to be cleaned during turnover time in a rental property?

It goes without saying that tenants care about the condition of the property they will be renting. While some tenants might have a preference for location, facilities, and price; cleanliness of the apartment has no preference. All tenants prefer to rent a property that is clean.

Landlords could find it challenging to have proper cleaning done especially after a tenant moves out and a new one is expected, or turnover time. While most tenants do clean before they leave a property to get a full refund on their security deposit, landlords should use this list as a way to streamline the turnover time process.

Related: How to Streamline the Post-Guest Process for Your Investment Rental Property

Property Cleaning Options

There are two ways for owners to have the cleaning process done, 1) doing it themselves or 2) hiring a company. If owners clean the property themselves, that gives them the assurances needed that the property will be cleaned to their standard. Cleaning the property personally requires a considerable amount of time and effort, especially if the rental property is listed on a vacation rental website like Airbnb, because turnover rates are higher.

Related: How To Increase Your Airbnb Passive Income

The second option is hiring a property management company that deals with cleaning the apartment, maintenance and almost everything needed. Hiring a property management to do these tasks will cost the owner money. The way to decide if you’ll need the services of a property management company is simple. It all comes up to the type of rental property you own. If the property is listed on Airbnb for example, then a property management company is advisable. A listing could have multiple bookings in one week and it could get overwhelming for a host. Turnover time with a property management company becomes a matter of finances for the owner rather than convenience.

Related: Consider Property Management Options for Your Property

To have a high quality rental property, you must adhere to these cleaning standards for every tenant who rents. These are the cleaning steps needed to have the minimum requirements of a clean property.

Kitchen

• Cleaning all appliances, including oven and microwave
• Vacuum all cabinets to remove any crumbs or dust
• Cleaning the sink and its surroundings
• Sweep and mop the floor of the kitchen to leave a scented smell

Bathroom

• Scrub the entire floor of the bathroom
• Check that the drains and plumbing of the bathroom is clear to not cause any clogging in the sink, toilet or tub
• Clean the sink, shower head, and all metallic surfaces
• Use cleaning detergents that will kill any bacteria and to give a good smell to the bathroom.

Living Room

• Clean the cupboards, coffee tables, bookshelves and TV tables
• Vacuum the floor and underneath the sofa to get rid of all the dust and dirt

Walls

• Paint over walls that have been damaged or have marks over them.
• Clean any molds you find on the walls using bleach.

Windows

• Start by cleaning them from the inside
• Hire a window cleaning service to clean the outside part of the windows
• Be sure that the windows open and close safely

Furniture

• Vacuum all the furniture, which includes sofas, mattresses and chair
• Remove any stains on furniture if found
• Clean all wooden furniture with a cloth and a wood friendly detergent

Rugs and Curtains

• Remove any stains on rugs and curtains with a sensitive detergent
• Vacuum curtains and rugs accordingly to remove any dirt or dust

In the case of Airbnb rentals then the owner has to provide clean towels, linens, pillows and all the essentials for their short stay. This is why Airbnb is more work because it is of a higher standard of service than traditional rent.

Conclusion

The more turnover time you have as an owner, the more cleaning you will need to do. But this is all part of the job that comes with being a rental property owner. To decide whether or not it’s better to have a company clean the property or not, the determine factor should be time, especially in the case of a vacation rental.