Today’s discussion is about end-of-sit cleaning expectations. It comes up from time to time in the Community, and because “clean” means different things to different people, it can cause friction.
Pet sitters… What does your standard end-of-sit clean look like? Have you been asked to do anything that you felt was unreasonable?
Pet owners… What matters most when you get home? Is there anything that you think sitters could do more consistently?
I’d love to hear more about your experiences and expectations, the good and the bad, and feel free to share any tips that you think would be useful!
Owners have never asked me to do anything over and above what is normal.
I ask them if they want me to strip the beds and ask where the bedding should be left. (I choose sits where there is a guest room so don’t need to consider making the bed up for anyone to sleep in upon their return)
Owners tend to be very generous in their reviews
Over the years and reading the Forum, many sitters seem to stress about this subject which I am sure many hosts would not want to happen
Agree with this completely! Also, just follow the guidelines left and don’t do ‘more’. Overachieving is not always helpful - for example if HO says strip sheets and leave them on the floor, then simply do that. Don’t wash and remake the bed unless asked, as then I have to re-strip and wash them again anyway.
I’m with HappyDeb on this. We leave the home like tĥere was no one there. We appreciate the opportunity to stay in their home and care for their animal(s), so we want them to feel stress-free and unburdened when they get home.
Even though I don’t try to do more and that’s been enough for strong reviews, some hosts have reviewed, saying I left their home cleaner or tidier than they left it.
I like to live cleanly and tidily. Even if I didn’t, I still wouldn’t leave anyone’s home worse than I found it, whether as a sitter or as a guest. To me, that’s ill mannered and disrespectful.
I avoid dirty sits. Have had only one sit that was substandard, with a dirty kitchen and dining area. From that early experience, I learned to avoid sits unless sitters specifically write that the home was clean. (People might gloss over with five stars, but they’re unlikely to outright write a lie about cleanliness.)
I bring my own organic spray and while in my hand, I do get a little nuts. I clean the top and outside of the garbage can in the house and sometimes the inside so it smells nice. I once cleaned the outside of a washer and dryer that looked neglected I think because they had kids. They did write I left the house cleaner then they left it. I always do the toilet I used as well. Having a cleaning service most of my life, I know how good it feels coming home to a clean house. I save the cleaning for the last day and only wash dishes daily during the sit. I hate making beds and luckily only one person requested it. I always word it, would you like me to strip the bed and put the dirty linen in the washing machine?
As a homeowner with a shed-free dog, I have the home deep cleaned before a sitter arrives. That means everything is neatly put away, all indoor surfaces, light fixtures, appliances, and windows are dusted and wiped down, dog bowls are washed, and the floors are vacuumed and mopped. Fresh bedsheets are put on the morning they arrive.
I ALWAYS give the incoming sitter drawers in the bathroom and bedroom, along with a little bit of closet space.
I honestly do expect things to be relatively clean when I return. It doesn’t need to be as clean as it was before I left, but I do expect basic upkeep — Dog bowls always clean, surfaces dusted, floors vacuumed, and any areas that were dirtied during the stay spot-wiped. Used bedsheets are expected to simply be placed in the hamper.
I also meet the sitter at my home upon return so we can go over any concerns from their stay, and I can leave them a tip based on how well the sit went. It’s not at all a requirement but just an extra way I like to show my appreciation if all went well.
Our rule of thumb has always been pretty simple: we clean as we go, then do a final clean before we leave so our hosts can walk back into a home that feels just as welcoming as when they left.
We’ve occasionally had to do a little cleaning when we’ve arrived too , which only reinforces how much a clean, tidy home is appreciated by everyone.
For us, it’s less about doing “extra” and more about leaving the home as you’d hope to find it yourself.
@Jenny I realise the question refers to end of a sit but I feel this should be broader as it points to just the cleanliness provided by the sitter and not the cleanliness provided by the host for the sitter which is equally important.
Thanks @temba, this one’s posted specifically in the Sitter section, so I kept it focused on sitters for that reason. Expectations for owner cleanliness sounds like a great topic though. Would you like to start one? I’d be happy to add it to our “Featured Topics” on the Forum homepage if so!
@GoodHomeOwner this is awesome - after reading your reply I can see you’re clearly living up to your username!
@SeniorSitter1 I’d love to hear more about your organic spray - is this something you make yourself?
Thanks to everyone for your replies so far, it’s really interesting to hear how you like to manage things - keep the replies coming!
I buy on Amazon or when at a health food store. I also bring my own organic liquid hand soap for the kitchen and bathroom and organic dish soap as I wash the same one plate, one bowl I use while there by hand. I have sensitive skin and I use these at home and drive to sits so easy to do. Dollar store hand soap irritates my skin and you never know what products hosts leave for the sitter to use.
As a sitter, my aim is to leave a home as I found it, as if I’ve never been there. As an owner, I’m happy if the bathroom and kitchen are as clean as I left them, I can deal with the rest.
I’ve made it hard on myself, by doing what I have done with all of my AirBnb stays; clean it completely, any sign of my being there is removed. All dishes are clean, linen and sheets are clean and beds are made. I vacuum, I clean the bathroom completely and all counters etc… trash is emptied, the yard is clean of any dog doo. It is my mission to basically amaze the owners with how their house looks when they return. It is really impressive to a potential owner when they read my reviews and see the responses.
However since THS has started charging sitters a booking fee, the same amount as the owners and the same membership fees as owners, my attitude is being challenged, Since we sitters already are doing a service that is normally paid for and it is actual work my ultra clean policy feels less important. Although the owners on my current sit left me $70 dollars of “Fun money” which I greatly appreciate. All owners should do the same and show more appreciation to the sitters. That would inspire their sitters to in the very least, return their home to the condition in which they found it.
I do feel that if the home is not especially clean, as I have experienced with a few of my site, I don’t feel I have to go overboard to leave the home before I leave.
, which only reinforces how much a clean, tidy home is appreciated by everyone.
