How to Find Your Perfect Short-Term Rental Cleaner: Essential Questions and Tips
When you’re on the hunt for team members for your short-term rental (STR)—like cleaners or handymen—look for those who share your passion for guest safety and experience. Instead of just filling a role, try to find people who genuinely care about their work.
I’ve learned that when my team offers proactive suggestions or thoughtful feedback, I know I’ve found the right folks to help keep my rentals running smoothly. This mindset shift has been a game changer for building a reliable local team and earning those coveted 5-star reviews!
Cleaners are some of the most important people in your STR success. When searching for the right one, focus on their experience, quality of work, personality, and work style, rather than just their price. Check out the questions and tips below, and feel free to customize them to find the perfect fit for your property!
Essential Interview Questions To Find Your Perfect STR Cleaner
1. Experience & Operations: How many years have you been cleaning STRs? How many people do you have on the team? How many clients are now you serving? Do you have business insurance?
2. Cleaning Checklist: Do you have a detailed checklist for what you clean during turnovers versus deep cleans? For example, do you include checking drawers, closets, chandeliers, baseboards, under beds, and kitchen appliances or BBQ grills? Could you work off my special checklist items?
3. Common Oversights: What are some cleaning tasks you find other cleaners tend to miss?
4. Bedding & Laundry Logistics: How often do you wash quilts or duvet covers? Do you take laundry offsite, or do you handle it on-site? If on-site, how do you manage washing machine or dryer issues?
5. Quality Control: With X people on your team, do you personally inspect the property to ensure quality?
6. Extra Touches: Beyond thorough cleaning, do you provide any additional touches that help earn five-star reviews? For example, would you handwrite a birthday card on our behalf?
7. Feedback Handling: We’re all human, and I understand that oversights can happen. How would you address feedback if guests raise complaints with photo evidence? Would you send someone to rectify the issues?
8. Reporting Issues: How would you handle late checkouts, and any rule violations or damages you notice?
9. Documentation: Would you send us photos or videos after each turnover?
10. Supply Handling: Do you charge extra for receiving shipments of supplies? Occasionally, would you purchase some supplies on our behalf and get reimbursed?
11. Communication: How do you prefer to receive new bookings or updates—via email or text? What’s your typical response time when clients reach out with questions?
12. Time, Costs & Payments: Based on listing photos, how many hours would you estimate for cleaning our property if guests leave it in good condition? How do you charge for cleaning? Do you charge extra for groups with pets? What payment methods and schedules work best for you?
13. Client References: Can you provide two client references for me to contact?
14. Tax Documentation: Before your first cleaning, could you provide a W9 so I can issue a 1099 to meet IRS requirements if total payments are $600 or more a year?
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Need help in building a reliable local team, improving operations and earning consistent 5-star reviews for your short term rental? Book a free 30-minute discovery call today.
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Tips for Conducting the Interview
Be Clear and Direct: Ensure your questions are concise and be prepared to ask some tough questions respectfully.
Listen Actively: Pay close attention to their responses and any hesitations.
Assess Fit: Consider not only their cleaning abilities but also how well they align with your communication and operational style.
Trust Your Instincts: Choose someone who makes you feel confident about maintaining your property’s standards.
Stay in Control: While it’s important to listen to the cleaner’s feedback when appropriate, don’t let them dictate how you operate your STR.
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Communication Pro Tips: Automate cleaner notification where possible, but always confirm with the cleaner directly to ensure they’re available for each scheduled clean. Share your cleaning tasks calendar link from your PMS and show your cleaner how to add it on their smartphone.
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🏡 At Savvy Breezy Vacation Rentals, we help short-term rental owners maximize revenue, save time, and enhance guest experiences. Interested in saving on taxes while boosting your rental income? Let’s chat! Book a free 30-minute discovery call today.