10 Vacation Rental Cleaning Hacks You Need to Know

Guest post by Alanna Schroeder of The Distinguished Guest

Introduction

Positive reviews mentioning cleanliness are a source of pride for vacation rental owners. These effective tips enhance the guest experience rather than cutting corners.

The 10 Cleaning Hacks

1. Wear Gloves

Gloves protect skin from harsh chemicals while preventing germs from spreading to linens. This is especially important when transitioning from dirty jobs to making beds.

2. Keep Extra Clean Linens Ready

Having backup sheets and towels available speeds up turnovers since you won’t need to wait for laundry cycles to complete. The key is hiding these backups from guests, as they will use them if discovered. Wash as much as possible on-site and either take remaining items home or use a laundry service.

3. Use Ice Cubes to Remove Sheet Wrinkles

Running creased sheets and duvets in the dryer for 5-10 minutes with ice cubes or a damp towel steams them smooth, eliminating wrinkles effectively.

4. Maintain Bright White Linens with Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing

This hospitality industry secret helps maintain brightness or reverse yellowing in white linens, creating that desired hotel aesthetic.

5. Apply Bleach Pens for Stubborn Stains

Clorox Bleach Pen works well for spot-treating small stains on linens and towels — apply, wait an hour, then wash.

6. Use Magic Erasers for Wall Marks

This sponge effectively removes scuffs and stains from walls with just water and minimal scrubbing effort.

7. Thoroughly Clean Coffee Pots Quarterly

Mix one part vinegar with two parts water and brew normally with a filter. Let sit for 30 minutes, scrub if needed, then run clean water through the machine.

8. Eliminate Hard Water Stains with Vinegar

Soak a cloth in warm vinegar, wrap around affected surfaces like showerheads or faucets, let sit for one hour, then brush with an old toothbrush to remove calcium buildup.

9. Address Carpet Stains Immediately

Keep reliable carpet cleaner on hand between guests. Folex is an affordable and highly effective option.

10. Steam Clean Microwaves with Lemon Juice

Squeeze one lemon into a bowl, add half a cup of water, microwave for three minutes, let steep five more minutes, then wipe the interior with a sponge.

Looking for tools to put these ideas into practice? Explore Properly’s solutions:

Autoscheduler — automates turnover scheduling so nothing falls through the cracks
Properly for property managers — streamline operations across your entire portfolio
Real-Time Inspection — lets you verify property condition remotely after every turnover