I know this topic has been discussed many times before. But cleanliness is in the eye of the beholder. THS states:
“I will create a clean, comfortable and secure environment for my sitter.”
We all have our definition of what is clean.
I think “clean” needs to be defined more clearly. If a sitter vacuums and wipes down counters, is this enough? What about appliances, I.e oven, coffee maker and espresso machine? If a sitter uses these items and makes a mess, shouldn’t these be cleaned also?
If a sitter does the cosmetic clean and doesn’t clean appliances, should these be marked down? Or is this being petty as a homeowner to state appliances were not cleaned.
@Jenny i think a clean environment needs more wording other than just clean. My home is immaculate when the sitter arrives and for the most part they leave it in the condition found, but there’s been a few times it’s not as clean as they found. It’s frustrating to have to clean up after a sitter when I come home from vacation.
In my opinion, clean should be more defined so everyone knows what is expected.
That’s why it needs to be more clearly defined. I’m not trying to create “drama”, just trying to get an understanding if I’m being too picky when I write a review. My house was clean, however the appliances were not cleaned. Do I mark down or just leave it? Yes it was clean but not everything. Why even have a category when it’s extremely subjective and there will always be debate because it’s not clearly defined.
The best bet for hosts–especially ones who may be more particular and keep a very clean home– will be clearly outlining in their guide things they would like cleaned that sitters could potentially overlook, such as appliances.
My husband and I always wipe down things like coffee machines, toasters or anything else that looks dirty because that seems obvious to us. But some sitters may feel a more cursory clean with just the ‘major’ spots covered, such as the kitchen counters, is sufficient.
I think whether to mark down would depend on how dirty they were upon your return–just a few spots on something vs looking like it hadn’t been cleaned in weeks?
While I agree that cleanliness is subjective, I think that is only to a point, and it doesn’t take long to move into objectively ‘dirty’ territory by any reasonable person.
HO here, been on the site for 1 year, 5 sits. Everyone received 5 stars all around. My opinion on this HAS CHANGED. Initially I was of the mindset that my house should be AS CLEAN as I left it. After spending some time here on the forum and a non-THS managed THS Housesitter FB group my thoughts shifted.
I have a cleaning service every 2 weeks, and bring them in right before a sitter arrives if the timing isnt quite right and I dont want to clean. I have had sitters leave my home as clean as I left it and I have had sitters leave it “clean” in their minds, I can see they put effort, but the countertop wasn’t wiped down, the comforter was put back sideways, some other small things. I didn’t mark anyone down for insufficient cleaning. What I learned and why I changed my mind is that the MOST IMPORTANT thing to me is my pets are cared for as specified and the sitter makes an effort to clean to the standard in which they found my home. If someone clearly didn’t put ANY effort then I would dock stars accordingly.
I feel the question has somewhat been answered in that it needs to be clearly defined but also is infinitely subjective, so impossible for THS to provide a broad sweep of guidelines of cleanliness that would match each definition of ‘clean.’
Therefore I would suggest it is down to you (and each sitter/ho) to set out these expectations in advance if each have there own specific ideas of what clean is and expectations - as in what your version of clean is and how you would like that to be the standard.
I think it comes down to this. The primary reason a host is using THS is for care of their pets in their own home. That is what the equal exchange is for - pet care for accommodation (which is clean, comfortable and secure). Sitters are not professional cleaners. I’m willing to think that the majority of sitters would leave a home clean and tidy but, as we agree, cleanliness is subjective. @avidtraveler Which is more important to you - the care of your pets or the smudges on the toaster?
I think the OP was referencing the definition of clean for the space provided TO sitters. Unfortunately, there’s no definition of clean in that context that someone won’t take exception to. What a sitter considers clean is to subjective.
For sitters, the definition of clean when finished with a sit is very straightforward: how clean the home was on arrival is the definition for the hosts.
I grew up in a household where the expectation was that any space you used you left cleaner than you found it. That’s pretty easy because it mostly means you clean up what you messed up. Duh. That rule has served me well for a lifetime.
It’s more than just smudges on a toaster. It’s the use of the oven where there are greasy spills and used over again without wiping out. It takes me an hour just to get the solidified grease puddles out of the oven. I don’t check the appliances when I get home. It’s only when I use the oven I find out when it starts smoking and smelling. It’s now happened twice. But hey, that okay since they are watching my animal.
Seems like it’s fine for sitters to complain about homeowners cleanliness, but it’s not okay for homeowners to complain. Double standard on this forum.
I’m on team @avidtraveler on this one, as a sitter probably because I am pedantic in cleaning whether it be my own home or someone elses, more so if it’s someone elses. I would never dream of not doing as avidtraveller has mentioned, ever. All of the house would be gone over with a fine tooth comb to ensure it was left exactly as the homeowners left it, if not better. It’s not a big ask surely and not only does it leave a good impression for the HO, it leaves me with a feeling that I did a great job for my own personal satisfaction. You are not only watching their animals, you are watching their home, it’s not an outrageous request surely.
I’m actually with you @avidtraveler that a home should be left in the condition it has been found. Like @ziggy, I take pride in how I leave a home entrusted into my care. I also have a reputation to uphold.
I used a smudge on a toaster as an example but you have now given a specific example of the state of your oven which I would find unacceptable. I think being very clear in your listing and welcome guide plus checking reviews of potential sitters for mention of how they leave a home will help in this issue.
@DieFledermaus if a sitter is a clean and tidy person themselves, surely cleanliness is what you would expect if it were your home being cared for. If a sitter isn’t normally clean and tidy in their own environment, well I guess that’s something they need to seriously look at if sitting for others.
I get it. Since my espresso machine had dried milk residue and coffee grounds not cleaned out, I’ll just move that appliance out of the kitchen and remove it from the amenities list. It’s just gross when it’s not clean.
I guess I’ll just put a note in the Welcome Guide about if using the oven please make sure all spills are cleaned up. Something to this effect without sounding bossy, entitled or being a difficult homeowner.
Thank you. It’s just difficult to review a sitter when the house is clean except the oven. Do I dock a star and viewed as difficult or petty or not. I did the review, gave 5* and did not mention the oven. Since it’s happened twice now, there might be a third time and want to know going forward if it’s petty or not. People are always saying “leave an honest review”, but……..
Thanks. I grew up camping and dirt bike riding and we were always told to clean up the campsite better than how you found it. Completely free from any trash. I guess that where my learning to be clean came from.
@avidtraveler i was raised probably by old school standards which was A place for everything and everything in it’s place. Plus! Our house was 100% clean and tidy despite 6 children and two adults in a small three bedroom home. Cleanliness and tidiness was the rule and that’s how I have lived my life.
I have given five stars when sitting, for far worse than an uncleaned oven, if the sit was good/great otherwise. Maybe sitters forgot about the oven, I do sometimes at home because it is so rarely used. Maybe the sitters left it to cool down and then simply forgot about it for that reason? Easily done. Personally I wouldn’t mark them down for it if you were happy with everything else and importantly, the care of your pets. Maybe just a very short comment in your next review that “ blah blah forgot to clean the oven after using which was probably an oversight but everything else was great”. That would at least highlight to the next sitter, oops I best not forget to clean the oven! On sits I avoid using the oven at all costs because of this, but I never forget the microwave because I use it primarily so never forget to clean it. I believe this handing out stars thing is a real worry and is sometimes given and taken far too critically. Stars are becoming far too nit picky (a term I tend to use a lot lol) I think. Sometimes we need to overlook some minor irritating things that don’t impact our life and simply look at the good that we receive from the mutual exchange. If you are like me, I clean before the cleaners arrive So maybe we just need to chill a little and score on the positives more so and just deal with the other slight inconvenience. So no, I wouldn’t dock for one minor mishap, and I “might” mention it, but I probably wouldn’t
probably because I am pedantic in cleaning whether it be my own home or someone elses, more so if it’s someone elses. I would never dream of not doing as avidtraveller has mentioned, ever. All of the house would be gone over with a fine tooth comb to ensure it was left exactly as the homeowners left it, if not better. It’s not a big ask surely and not only does it leave a good impression for the HO, it leaves me with a feeling that I did a great job for my own personal satisfaction. You are not only watching their animals, you are watching their home, it’s not an outrageous request surely.
So maybe we just need to chill a little and score on the positives more so and just deal with the other slight inconvenience. So no, I wouldn’t dock for one minor mishap, and I “might” mention it, but I probably wouldn’t