Cleaning and doing laundry

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

I’ve been sitting for 3 months. it takes me approximately 3 hours to clean up an apt and one time it took about 5 hours to clean up a large home.

I also have been asked to wash the sheets and make the bed once or twice.
and of course I want to leave the home clean, and, I think after sitting for free, for any length of time, esp for a longer sit, the HO should do the laundry as a gesture of kindness and gratitude for having someone look after their pets really well, for free.

it seems the HO’s who ask the sitter to clean their sheets don’t actually realize the amount of labor that has to happen in one day’s time. and sometimes early in the morning.

on top of packing up our own bags which can be done the day before, and that is not an issue, the issue is I do not take any of my things out to my car until the day of departure bc im in a city environment where car theft is rampant. I have a couple bags of food I take from one place to another, olive oil, vinegar, spices, and refrigerated items.

then there is cleaning up the kitchen, and the floors, and the bathroom(s,) bedroom, and floors and surfaces. I start to do those also a day or two ahead of time. and there is still more to go.

on the day of departure, I have gone over all surfaces, swept up anything I missed, and be sure the fridge is clean. then I bring all my things out to car, and drive to the next place and then I have to take all the things and food out of the car again, and bring into new home, sometimes up many steps, and then I have to unpack again!
this is a lot of labour that is added on to looking after the animals.
I think it is enough for the HO to ask to strip the bed and the towels and put them in the washing machine or a laundry bing. it’s more than enough .

and im thinking to make it clear im only going to strip the bed ahead of time.
bc I am too busy keeping the home clean and for me, it’s too much work in a short amount of time. I do an amazing job of keeping the animals safe and secure and fed on time and that is really what I think should be the focus rather than the laundry. the HO have the option of choosing to wait a few days to do the laundry when they have gathered themselves after the trip. the pet sitter doesn’t have the same luxury.

2

I think most hosts are fine with just the bed being striped. If it is their own if course it would be ideal to remake with fresh sheets if available. But like all tasks involved, clear discussion prior to starting the sit is gold.

3

It will depend on what time the hosts return and/or whether you have to leave early. I always ask owners what they want me to do with my bedding and towels & in most cases they say to just strip the bed. If I’m there until the afternoon then I would wash them and put if dry enough then remake the bed I used. I’ve never been expected to wash the owners’ sheets. As for cleaning then we all do that and are expected to leave the home as we found it. Remember this is an exchange, sitters have free accommodation & owners have a free pet sitter. If you’re disgruntled about this way of life then you’re probably not right for it.

4

I always ask about the laundry (sheets & towels & tea towels etc) and I give clear options: should I strip the beds and place in laundry baskets or place into the washing machine. Notice that I give just the 2 options. I’ve NEVER washed sheets for the HO, I might remake the master suite bed if we used that, but using bedding already available & clean.
My one exception was on a long split sit where the middle sitters also wanted to use the master suite, so we put the sheets we’d used in the washer for them to remove and put into the dryer then the linen cupboard. They did the same for us thus sharing the load. (Split sit was 5/6/5 weeks)

5

I suggest that you raise priority issues (from your perspective) during the video chat. Maybe something like: Let me share how I approach sits. … (Then describe accordingly, including your stripping bedding or whatever.) That way, you introduce the topic and your approach first and early. If the hosts object, they can do that then and you can decide whether you take the sit anyway.

Later, if they send a welcome guide that mentions washing bedding and/or remaking the bed, you can note that, as we discussed during our video chat, I will strip the bedding, not do X. (Likewise if they otherwise later mention wanting more than you discussed during your video chat.)

6

Am I the only one that thinks both sitters and home owners make ‘sorting out the bedding’ into a far bigger issue than it needs to be? If I can, I do. It’s not always possible, depending on departure timings, laundry facilities, or weather if you’re based in the UK! At the very least, I strip the bed, but I certainly don’t fret if I haven’t managed to get laundry washed, dried and back on the bed before I leave - it isn’t always possible.

7

I agree with your @ Becca

@healthycat this subject has been raised dozens of times - if you use the spy glass and type in “Sheets” all previous threads will be listed which should help you.

I have been sitting since 2010 with over 150 house sits. I just ask “Do want me to strip the bed” and they usually say Yes and tell me where to put them.

Don’t stress!

8

We’ve NEVER EVER been asked to clean the bedding/towels, although we’ve done it on many occasions if we’re staying until later in the day, sometimes dried them and made the bed up again, and sometimes not if they’re still drying (eg UK sits and rain), but the owners we’ve sat for have only ‘expected’ us to strip the bed, nothing more.

9

I’m with you 100% on this.

10

I don’t require my sitters to remake the bed - but almost all of them have, which is kind. I would want to know if a sitter considers that an unreasonable ask (even if it’s not one I make) during the application process, however.

11

I only ask sitters to strip bedding and leave it on the floor of the guest room, with used towels. A couple of sitters have remade the bed but I wash them again anyway to be sure they are clean.

It’s probably only an issue if you are staying in the HO bedroom. In that case ask if they have an extra clean set of sheets and definitely remake the bed for them, but I assume just leaving the used sheets somewhere is fine.

And by the way, all the tasks associated with packing and unpacking apply to the HO who are travelling as well - and we have to clean and sometimes reorganize to make space for a sitter. Packing/unpacking is all part of travelling.

12

I wouldn’t put it in your profile. I would just ask the homeowners on the video call what they want done. I’m sure most HO’s, like myself, will just ask to strip bed and towels on the floor. I want my sitters to have a good time and take great care of my animal. The last thing I want is a sitter worrying about housework.

13

I always leave the house the way we found it. So we usually clean the bedding and towels and put back. All those who have sat for us have done the same, a few had the bedding or towels still in the wash when they left which is good with us as well.

14

Wake up, roll out of bed, take bed sheets of, put them into the washing and leave it there. takes literally 2min

Never had anyone complain about the sheets being left in the washing. If there is more time in the day, I will wash them and hang them out.

It’s basic gratitude from both angles, the HO leaves the house clean and the House Sitter does the same.

15

Also, you are talking from the point of view as if you are forced into this lifestyle of moving from house sit to house sit.

If you don’t like it that much, why are you still doing it?

16

We make a point of asking sitters NOT to strip the bed. They sleep in the guest room and when no one is there, one of our cats sleeps on the bed and covers it with fur! The bed is only changed just before the next guest/sitter arrives.

I just expect sitters to leave the house in the same state that they found it. I appreciate that it takes time to clean etc, but it has also taken me time to clean and prepare the house, at the same time as trying to get ready for a holiday.

17

that’s a great idea to ask for an extra clean set of sheets.

18

If you are traveling by car you could always bring your own set of sheets so it’s one less thing for you to concern yourself with. Tell the hosts you have your own sheets and you’ll make your own bed and then take your sheets with you (of course asking the size of the beds before arrival)

You make it sound like this is a burden for you to relocate from sit to sit - yet this is your choice. You are applying for these sits bc you want them…that’s the assumption on THS. You are under zero obligation to apply for and accept these sits.

It’s very simple to ask hosts “what would you like me to do with the sheets, put them in the washer and run the cycle before I go or leave them in the hamper?” Not hard to ask. If I am sleeping in the hosts bedroom then I would expect to leave them clean sheets for their bed.

I/we RARELY take sits where I sleep in their room but if I do, they will usually say “just strip the bed” in which case I’ll ask if there is a spare set of sheets - if so, I’ll toss mine in the washer, start the washer, make their bed w fresh sheets bc they, too, are coming back from travels and wouldn’t it be nice not to have to make the bed upon arrival if possible?

As a sitter I appreciate this for sure, so I imagine the hosts would too.

Sometimes departure times make this too difficult but I try. We rarely sit via car travel so flight times can mean not enough time to do laundry but I just use the “do unto others as you’d have done unto you” rule when possible.

As a sitter I would really appreciate arriving to an empty and clean washer and dryer. Yesterday I had to really clean both machines as they were caked in pet fur as well as having a very full dryer of damp towels and rags and all the laundry hampers full of items - so nowhere really to put stuff.

19

I like this!

20

i like pet sitting. i dislike being extra fatigued on the last day of the sit and i see that many other sitters agree. i also read that many HO’s also are not demanding the sitter to do extra work on their last day as well. that’s called being gracious and having compassion. i leave the place spotless with healthy and happy animals. that’s good enough. and i’ve fulfilled my part of the exchange. this chat was so helpful from a couple of great ideas from the other sitters. i am encouraged.