Dealing with a Dirty Airbnb: Practical Tips and Best Practices
Walking into an Airbnb that’s unexpectedly messy or below your cleanliness standards can quickly put a damper on your trip. Whether you encounter unwashed floors, leftover trash, or a bathroom that clearly hasn’t been disinfected, it’s normal to feel frustrated. But what’s the best course of action if your temporary home away from home isn’t as tidy as you’d hoped? In this guide, we’ll discuss practical steps to handle a dirty Airbnb, how to voice your concerns productively, and tips to ensure you’ve covered all your bases before and during your stay. We’ll also explore how both guests and hosts can proactively avoid cleanliness issues, as well as when hiring a professional cleaning service can make all the difference.
1. Evaluate the Situation Calmly
Before anything else, it’s best to take a brief moment to assess the severity of the mess. Consider the following questions:
- Minor or Major? Is it a few missed spots of dust on the windowsills, or is the entire property apparently uncleaned after a previous guest?
- Urgency Level: Do the issues pose a potential health hazard (like mold in the shower) or are they simply inconvenient (like unvacuumed carpets)?
- Possible Oversight: Is there a chance something was overlooked in the cleaning process, or does it appear no cleaning was done at all?
Taking a moment to clarify these points will help you determine next steps. If there are signs of serious negligence—like piles of trash, suspicious odors, or severe mold—document everything accurately so you can convey that information to your host with as much detail as possible.
2. Document the Issues
It’s generally a good idea to document the condition of any rental the moment you arrive. Even in a clean Airbnb, documenting your surroundings ensures you have a record of the property as you found it. In a scenario where something is not up to par, photo or video evidence will be extremely helpful if any disputes arise later.
Capture photos of dirty floors, stained linens, cluttered surfaces, trash or leftover items, and anything else that clearly shows a lack of cleaning or maintenance. Try to ensure your images are in decent lighting and at angles that clearly reflect the extent of the issue. If the property is merely a bit dusty, a high-resolution photo may still show unclean surfaces if taken close up.
3. Contact the Host Immediately
Communicating your concerns, and doing so quickly, is essential. You’ll want to contact your host via the platform’s official messaging system so that there’s a documented record. Here’s a format you might use:
- Start Polite: Be cordial—assume it might have been an honest mistake.
- Be Specific: List the items or areas you see as problematic. Mention stains on bedding, unclean bathrooms, or leftover trash so your host understands exactly what needs to be addressed.
- Offer Photos: If it helps illustrate your points, let them know you can provide photos.
- Request a Prompt Response: Ask how you should proceed and whether the host plans to remedy the situation soon.
Hosts have a vested interest in keeping guests satisfied. Sometimes, they might not be aware that the cleaning service skipped a thorough job or missed a crucial step. Giving them a chance to rectify the problem can often lead to a quick solution, such as hiring a same-day cleaner or offering alternative arrangements.
4. Utilize Airbnb’s Resolution Center if Needed
If the host doesn’t respond promptly or the resolution offered doesn’t address your concerns, Airbnb has a Resolution Center where you can formally file a complaint or request a refund. Before taking this step, confirm that you’ve given the host a fair chance to fix the situation. If the property is in extremely poor condition and you need immediate assistance, you might contact Airbnb customer service directly. They may guide you on how to proceed, possibly relocating you to a different listing if available.
5. Consider Temporary Self-Help Measures
In cases where you’d prefer to stay in the Airbnb but want it tidied quickly, a short-term solution might be to do a little cleaning yourself. While it can be frustrating, sometimes performing a quick cleanup or disinfecting high-contact surfaces—like doorknobs, light switches, countertops, and remotes—might help you feel more comfortable until the host’s cleaning crew can address the deeper issues. Here are a few suggestions:
- Quick Disinfecting: A package of disinfectant wipes will help you cover bathroom sinks, kitchen counters, and other surfaces.
- Wash Linens and Towels: If there’s a washing machine on-site, you can run bedding through a quick cycle for peace of mind.
- Tidy Up Clutter: Clear any leftover trash, wipe up light spills, and make the floors passable.
However, self-cleaning is not a long-term solution if you paid for a clean property. You shouldn’t have to do someone else’s job. Often, though, guests find that a 20-minute surface clean is enough to at least make the initial hours more bearable until the host takes more comprehensive action.
6. Leave an Honest Review
After resolving immediate issues and completing your stay, leaving an honest review of the Airbnb is essential—both for future guests and for accountability. In your review, discuss how the host handled your cleanliness concerns. Hosts who respond swiftly to fix a dirty Airbnb might still deserve a positive note for their customer service, even if the property required some extra attention at first. Alternatively, if the host was unresponsive or dismissive, warning future guests is a fair course of action.
7. Best Practices for Airbnb Guests
While you can’t control everything that might happen in someone else’s property, there are a few steps you can take to minimize issues:
- Check Reviews: Listings with consistently positive cleanliness reviews tend to be safer choices.
- Scroll Through Photos: Look for updated photos of bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. If the property has only a few dated images, you might want to clarify details with the host.
- Read House Rules: Sometimes, hosts outline how they expect guests to leave the property, which can signal whether they maintain high DIY standards or provide professional cleaning after each stay.
8. Best Practices for Airbnb Hosts
Naturally, the other half of this scenario focuses on ensuring guests always walk into a spotless home. If you’re a host, a well-maintained, meticulously cleaned property can keep your reviews strong, leading to higher occupancy and fewer complaints. Here are some host best practices:
- Hire a Professional Cleaner: Relying on professional cleaning services can help ensure your Airbnb is consistently at a high standard. If you operate in the Edmonton region, for example, partnering with a locally owned, detail-oriented cleaner is a helpful option. This can extend to in-depth move-in and move-out cleaning if you frequently need a property reset between different types of stays.
- Conduct Personal Inspections: If you live nearby or can delegate someone to do a quick walkthrough before each check-in, you’ll catch missed areas quickly.
- Provide Instructions to Guests: Politely requesting that guests dispose of trash or tidy up the kitchen before departure can reduce overall cleaning time and keep turnover efficient.
Beyond that, being transparent in your listing about any special considerations—like an older home that might have wear and tear—helps set correct expectations. But such transparency should never replace the need for a thorough clean.
9. The Value of Professional Cleaning
Although many hosts try to save money by cleaning themselves, keep in mind that professional cleaning can be a competitive advantage. Here are a few reasons why hiring pros can save you time, hassle, and negative reviews:
- Quality Control: Professionals use specialized equipment, cleaning agents, and structured checklists to ensure no corner is missed.
- Time Savings: If you have multiple listings or a demanding schedule, delegating cleaning duties allows you to focus on guest communication and property management.
- Consistency: A professional service will uphold uniform standards, meaning each new guest walks into the same level of cleanliness—essential for building a dependable reputation.
For Airbnb owners who want to offer a truly standout experience, investing in routine cleaning between guests will help maintain that fresh, cared-for feeling. Should you need deeper cleans, there are also specialized residential cleaning services that can help with bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and bathrooms. For those operating in Edmonton or the surrounding areas, working with a local team means faster response times and more reliable support.
10. Communication Is Key
Much of the frustration surrounding dirty Airbnbs stems from miscommunication. Hosts might believe the cleaning crew performed up to standard, but guests see something else upon arrival. Conversely, hosts might find that guests did not communicate issues soon enough, missing a chance for a quick resolution. Keeping lines of communication open goes a long way in solving problems.
11. When the Problem Persists
If you’ve followed all the steps—documenting the state of the property, alerting the host, giving them a fair chance to correct the issue, and contacting Airbnb support—yet the property remains unacceptably dirty, it might be necessary to leave and request a full refund. Try to ensure you have a backup accommodation plan in case the situation becomes unworkable.
12. Final Thoughts
A dirty Airbnb can disrupt a trip but doesn’t have to ruin it entirely. The steps outlined above—evaluating the extent of the problem, contacting the host promptly, keeping photographic evidence, and knowing your rights with Airbnb—usually resolve matters quickly for guests. For hosts, hiring a trusted cleaning team can prevent these complaints from popping up altogether. Addressing cleanliness issues swiftly and professionally not only preserves your peace of mind as a guest but also helps build trust and positive reviews when you’re on the hosting side.
Whether you’re a traveler looking to make the most of your vacation or a property owner aiming to offer a polished experience, cleanliness is vital. Proactive measures, strong communication, and occasionally investing in an expert cleaning service can keep the excitement of travel alive—and the hassles of a dusty or disorganized space at bay.
