I have had quite a few guests from couchsurfing, warmshowers, trustroots, bewelcome, etc. Nobody has been cleaning. Of course, they tidy up after themselves, but no vacuuming, laundering, dusting, and that kind of stuff.
I am so surprised that it is such a thing here. When it is primarily the pet’s hair etc.
And people complaining about missing ice cubes!
I think of couch surfing typically appealing to folks who are more easygoing and just generous in general. On THS, it’s typically a different crowd, different dynamic. More of an exchange, even among folks who genuinely want to build relationships. And on THS, a number of HOs just want the exchange.
@pietkuip I’ll agree with you on one thing lol Missing ice cubes??? I do fill the entire ice cube holder when I arrive at a sit as I enjoy a scotch or something and always refill it as soon as I use it BUT! I would never consider a HS not refilling it as an error! That one is just a LITTLE over the top 
Totally agree, ‘Ziggy’, until you find a Home Owner that 3 weeks (!) later, drops you a review Star with a comment “House could be cleaner”, but at arrival home/hand-over, and indeed until our departure, gave not just stellar accolades but pleading invites to return because their home was immaculate and tidier than ever and “the pets care fantastic”!
Yes, this HO’s review writing must have been soured by factors beyond our control, but… the rating is on our profile!
No wonder Sitters get nervous.
Also not filling up ice trays or even leaving half a bulb of garlic (which to me says the HS isn’t wasteful and should be applauded for not bining something perfectly usable) is in no way related to cleanliness standards! Hair around the sink maybe but then again was it their hair, how long where they sitting etc. and it happens. If the HS loses a star for that I’d like to send them a sympathy card. If actually writing it in their feedback is being considered I would strongly recommend writing it down without posting and then reading it a day or two later and see whether it still looks reasonable. The reality is other sitters, especially experienced ones, will check what kind of feedback HOs have left for previous sitters and seeing nit picky stuff like that will make many of us run for the hills to the nearest Hilton…
Agree, Ziggy. Well put.
Yup, I’m kind of new here. I realize comparing the “over and above” is not. fair.
That makes sense to me, thanks! I will adjust my expectations accordingly. As I mentioned, these were trivial things. My kitty was well cared for.
@Tasmazias my dear fellow Aussie 
Your overall rating will still be five and I would bet my bottom dollar that no future HO would even take an ounce of notice of that comment, given your other reviews.
I can see you are still reeling from this comment as you posted about it previously. Please don’t let it sour you? It is their shortcoming, not yours, and I think we all pretty much strike “one of these people” at some stage in our sitting lives, particularly when doing a lot of sits, as I think you have done. But it stings, I know, and I feel for you! 
I appreciate this from you Claire. I hesitated about posting something last night, regarding the ice cubes (or lack of) and the half clove of garlic, because I knew forum members were going to mention something and didn’t really know how to express how very little importance these issues had to most people, compared to what can be read on this forum, regarding lack of hygiene.
I like your reply and the fact that you realise that might be a little much is really reassuring to see: I am sure you will find lovely clean sitters in the future.
I would have been a little uncomfortable for you if you had mentioned in your review of the 4th sitter, the ice-garlic incident, as it would have deterred me (and probably more sitters) to apply, as we do read reviews left on other profile sitters before making our decisions.
Gross! I’d be mortified to leave that kind of mess for a sitter!
I’m happy to hear that. And, it wasn’t a house on THS for reference. We wanted to have a talk with the HO when they returned but never got to because it was incredibly chaotic for a number of reasons that I’ll leave off in case they ever become members here.
A list like yours would be helpful, as you say, each person has their own priorities. I was once given a very compehensive cleaning list saying if i didnt want to conplete it i could pay $150 instead. It was a short term sit and listed everything a maid coming in would do. I found it offensive and unreasonable since we were there a short time.
I have also noticed not everyones idea of clean is the same. The homes I find the cleanest going into often leave reviews saying the home was cleaner than they left it (not sure how accurate that is since they were very clean to start with). The few whos homes weren’t as clean as our standards, were definitely left cleaner than we found them, but no mention in the reviews. One of the sits where I actually did clean their fridge, felt like I had to want to eat out of it, only gave me 4 stars for cleanliness. The house wasnt as clean as I would usually leave it, but the homeowners contacted me in the afternoon that they would be home that evening. I wasnt expecting them for a few more days. I had plans to meet an old friend that afternoon and didnt want to cancel. I figured the house was as clean as I found it so I wasnt worried. I also did not wash and remake the bed, which was a first, but I didnt want to sit around for a few hours waiting for the wash the next morning before I left.
How cheeky. What did you do when presented with that cleaning list or the option to pay??
Some pet owners (a small minority I think) are just taking the ***. I had someone add more animals and a lot more duties to the sit between the time we arranged the sit and the time I got there. Then they gave me one star for cleaning because I didn’t have time to clean everything to perfection.
‘Ziggy’, firstly, thank you sincerely for your Welcome home greeting (cold, sleet, snow showers, wind wayyyyyy down here… we should still be in autumnal Geneva!) and I’m pleased to say, yes, I’m recovering from the ‘house cleaner’ comment on ‘that’ 4* review that really stung. Several sessions with a counsellor, daily relaxation massage and a spouse promising a quick flit to Fiji for a week, has also helped. We’re strange creatures aren’t we when unfairly criticised… but, on to planning the next ‘Sit’ adventures!
Take care up there in “Northern Tassie”!!!. Happies!!
As a pwt sitter it is nice of course to arrive to a “clean” house, however I think we all have different views on what is “clean” based on our upbringing, how much they been taught by parents and also the parents might not done much cleaning! Also the culture and the country is to consider, and the age of the people! For example in my culture we are not allowed to walk in outside shoes inside the house. And i always have slippers even if HO says it’s ok to wear shoes inside. But when you’ve been told all your childhood you were not allowed, it is not easy to stop this “custom”.
Also, i can surely say wheni was 18 and now 40 my cleaning standards are different! I have now years of cleaning experience for myself, as a hired cleaner, experience renting my flat on airbnb gave me even a better appreciation and understanding of cleaning!
However, I do get annoyed with arriving to not cleaned houses for pet sitting. I didnt have a lot of such experiences, but today I am starting a new sit where the HO is already away and I took over from other pet sitters. They left the house uncleaned- dirty floors, used crockery not put away, 2 big boxes of recycling not taking out, full big kitchen bin with rubbish, hair and dirt all over the bathtub and pubic hair on the toilet sit… yes, the main 2 tables been wiped clean and they put the dishwasher on (of course who is to empty it?! Meee), they washed the bedding… the pet sitters were a young couple… I can give the understanding to the age, but i think rubbish is a co.min sense! Especially we all get a notification from THS to clean the house before leaving!
So! I am between telling the HO about this or not. Because if the HO in the first place didnt take rubbish out and left the flat not clean, it could be that the pet sitters followed the suit? But i always clean and take rubbish out even if HO left and haven’t done that themselves…
I know nobody gets paid for doing it but if we are going to make it worse and worse, people will stop advertising for pet sitting or pet sitters will feel this is too much of a burden!
Take photos and tell the HOs this is how you found it @mititeika - partly for your own protection, partly so the HO knows what the other sitters were like and partly because it’s the honest thing to do. You could say “this is how I found the house today” and leave it at that. Really don’t like split sits for exactly this reason 
I did message the HO, they thought that there might been a misunderstanding with the bins as the pet sitters were from another country and when they told them about the bin collection days, the pet sitters might thought to take rubbish out only on those days. Of course i was told i could leave the rubbish for the HO but i cant either stay for almost a week with a smelly kitchen, i had to carry a bin almost size of me far away as the bins are not by the house but outside the housing compund. In the heavy rain too… Regarding the cleaning, again i can’t stay seeing dirt so i had to clean and wipe everything. Not a great start, but the pet is very nice and affectionate and I am trying not to think about it.
However, when it comes to me to leave the review, do i score low on cleaning and explain the reason in the review, or not score on cleaning at all?
@mititeika - what a disappointing start for you.
I would not take over from another sitter for that very reason.
As suggested I would definitely have taken photos of how I found the property.
When it comes to reviewing you can say you took over from another sitter to make it clear that is not how the homeowner may have left it.
Currently you do not score in separate categories but give an overall score. The new review system is coming ‘soon’ and only THS know if separate categories will be part of the process.
The first sitters may have requested a review from the homeowner already so I am not sure how that would work if the owners haven’t seen the pets or home.
Yeah, I wasn’t made aware of taking over from another pet sitter until a day before my sit, when I asked the HO what time should I come over…oh well, ill be adding few more queations to my list of Qs to ask the HO when i apply for next sit! Lesson learnt!