Would like to add that it is very helpful when the Owner communicates where we can find the broom/dustpan, mop, rags, cleaning liquids, vacuum. Also some instructions for the clothing washer. They are all so different!
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It’s something you should ask when you do the handover @PVGemini. You can also search on YouTube to find out how washing machines, dishwashers, cookers etc work if you haven’t been shown by the owner or don’t have a handover
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“Obvious” might not be obvious to everyone. Different people have different ways of doing things as well as different priorities. This isn’t some kind of test that either sitters will pass or they won’t. If what I want when I come home is for the bed to be stripped, than actually asking for that is the most likely way to get there.
I’ll give you an example because I also sit. I was on a sit where the HO did NOT want the bed stripped. She knew her cat. She knew the cat would scratch up the mattress pad if the bed was bare, but not if there was a sheet on the bed.
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Sorry, I didn’t realise you were an owner. Some owners do say to just strip the bed but if I have time I’ll wash and dry the bedding, I’ve even ironed it occasionally! I wouldn’t take too kindly to an owner leaving me a list of cleaning jobs. However, what one set of owners did was put their THS cleaning instructions on the fridge, not necessarIly for me to follow, but I did and they were what I’d have done anyway
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I clean before leaving always trying to leave it as good or slightly better than I found it. How much I clean depends on the state of the house when I arrived, the length of the sit, when we are leaving and anything agreed with the owner.
I will always clean anything I have used or dirtied obviously but if time allows when leaving I will replace bedding and wash and dry the used bedding (not possible if leaving early morning)
For a longer sit will dust and vacuum all rooms but if only a weekend may not spring clean the house and just clean the rooms we were in. If the home was not clean I clean it to a point that is comfortable and better than it was but I’m not going to clean your fridge and dust the tops of your cupboards. Except for descaling kettles. Always love descaling kettles.
Don’t time your return time so you expect sitters to be out early morning and also do a through cleaning.
Definitely put down you basic expectations so people know what is expected if they applied. Check reviews as people who clean well get this mentioned in the reviews owners leave. Much prefer someone to be specific about what they want for their home and pets so there is no mis-interpretation
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I must admit, I think we’ve done the cleaning subject to death on the forum. We keep saying the same things and I’m sure that most of us sing from the same song sheet.
If anyone is interested just put ‘clean’ in the search field for a stream of posts.
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I’m not talking about “a list of cleaning jobs.” I’m talking about something similar to what I’ve seen Airbnb hosts do: Please take out the garbage. Make sure there are no dirty dishes in the dishwaster… But it is, IMO, really important to be specific as not every HO does things or wants things left in the same way. My point was that sitters are NOT mind readers and that if you tell someone very directly what you want, they are less likely to get it wrong, and then everyone is happier. Of course, all the THS sitters have gone above and beyond what I’ve listed.
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I agree that clarity can help. The thing with the THS dynamic is, because it’s voluntary exchanges, tone can make a big difference. And some folks will avoid sits with a list of duties. So the HO has to decide what kind of balance they strike vs. potentially not getting a sitter.
Typically, the best sitters — those with experience, strong reviews and flex on sits — will have the greatest choice of sits. That means they can most easily afford to pass up on sits that strike the wrong tone or seem overly demanding. It also can strike some as patronizing to see a list of stuff they automatically do. Frankly, the sitters who need guidance the most usually aren’t the strongest sitters.
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OMG this. The forum has made me SO anxious as a PP. But I can’t keep myself from reading the threads 
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I appreciate clear and detailed instruction on pet and property care so I would be quite happy to see a listing stating how the house should be left, laundering and general garden maintenance especially on a longer sit.
Pets are very sensitive to changes in their routine so details are good for us.
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First, this was not with THS, and a number of sits using other sites were less than exemplary. It was the first time it had ever happened to us and we were so shocked we didn’t know how to respond. It was also a perfect storm in a way. This happened last year and we’ve been sitting regularly since 2012 from referrals (although THS we only started with them about 2 years ago) but this was wild.
Unfortunately, we arrived late at night and we escorted to our room with dim lighting. The HO’s left early morning and were out of service at their offgrid cabin before we were able to recover. They only go to town once a week to check for messages when out there so we couldn’t reach them. And the perfect storm was that their emergency contact couldn’t be reached because they had an accident and was in the hospital.
So by the time we reached them, my wife had done so much cleaning that she was not interested in leaving. Also, once cleaned, the place was lovely. And the animals were so sweet.
After 2 years of sitting, one of the things I am not always certain about is the linens. In general, after 8 sits, I rarely see any instructions about it. If you don’t explain to me where to put dirty laundry ready for washing, then you leave it to me to decide what to do, right? I would normally (on a 1-2 weeks sit) not do any washing. At home, I collect this stuff until I have enough to have a full machine to wash. But we all have different expectations, so if you expect something state it clearly, but also state where to leave dirty linens and how you expect your sitter to use the washing machine. Some people are very specific about what to wash and how. But for me, it is also obvious that I will hoover the rooms I used and clean the kitchen. But whatever more depends on the situation. And even though you can be thorough in the information to share, if you exaggerate it also becomes a negative. There is always something left to interpretation. And as we are all different and from different cultural and social backgrounds, being open-minded, flexible, and easygoing is a plus.
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Thanks for these suggestions, Mark. I think I gave these instructions verbally as I was walking the sitter through the house at beginning of sits, but I will implement putting notes in laundrey basket in the guest room about “pls launder the linens if there’s time, otherwise leave them in this basket or in the washing machine”. I like these flexible compromises, and hope it will end the other extreme of the sitter leaving their dirty unmade bed with kitchen and bath towels laying around. I think It’s better to put these detailed instructions right on sight and not clutter up my welcome manual or listing. I could add another note in kitchen detailing “pls leave appliances in clean condition, inside and out”.
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I have a similar issue. I recently had my 4th sitter. The first three were amazing. In particular, they left my apartment even cleaner than they found it! I really appreciated that. The fourth sitter was not as diligent. She was great in many ways, however, and I don’t want to lower her rating but calling her out. The issues are minor but they stood out in contrast to my previous experiences.
There was hair in the bathroom sink and on the tub surround. There was half an empty tray of ice. Half a bulb of garlic on the kitchen table. Some items were moved around in the apartment. I know these things are trivial but TH sitters have trained me to expect the best, so I really noticed them!
My thinking is that I will reach out to her directly to gently note these things. Not that I’m upset about them, but I feel she should know that the cleaning standard, in my experience, is higher than she may realize. Does that make sense?
This service is so great and I will continue to use it. I want all parties to have a great experience without having awkwardly to spell out what is expected in terms of cleaning.
Or maybe you could get used to a few ice cubes missing.
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Please do remember @ClaireT that we are not professional cleaners and all we are asked to do is leave it as clean as we found it. I know it’s very hard not to compare sitters but if your apartment was clean and tidy with only those trivial issues mentioned and your pets were well cared for then that is a job well done by the sitter.
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These seem beyond trivial to me, and not even worth mentioning to the sitter.
Part of the “problem” of so many sitters going above and beyond in cleaning is that some HOs then expect that that’s the standard. Which then feeds into sitters feeling like they are being taken advantage of.
(I’m a HO, BTW)
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The issues you raised seem super minor and petty to follow up on. If I knew this about a HO, I’d avoid their sits. And I say that as someone who gets raves about cleanliness and tidiness.
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@ClaireT you have described your concerns as to the last sitter’s cleaning as ‘minor’ and ‘trivial’. You are correct.
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I cannot BELIEVE that there are 39 posts about cleaning a house. I was raised on cleaning a home, how to do things correctly and not just easily. Clean it, properly. I would never in my wildest dreams, go into someone else’s home and not clean it to my own personal standards when leaving, ever.
Say what you will about sitters going over and above, not sitting to be a cleaner, leaving as you find it etc etc etc - but it’s basic manners! Do as you yourself expect YOUR home to be treated and respected, regardless.
Expecting recourse but gee it’s not rocket science cleaning a home.
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