How long does it take to become an Airbnb Superhost or a Vrbo Premier Host? A long time, and any misstep can count against you, even as your’re learning the ropes as an Airbnb or Vrbo host. Oh, the lessons we have learned since becoming Airbnb and Vrbo hosts! We want to share as many as we can here so you can avoid getting a star knocked off your ratings like we did when we were first starting out as short-term rental hosts.
Here are three things we recommend every new (and current) Airbnb and Vrbo host do every time when preparing their Airbnb and Vrbo rental for incoming guests:
- Look under the bed(s). Every single time. Every single bed. Make sure you look under them, and not just for dustbunnies or dirt. The items we have found under the beds at our properties include a pair of jeans, socks, and even a sweet potato. That’s right: a sweet potato.
- Look under the sofas and chairs. Related to the first tip, you need to do this every single time you clean. We’ve found children’s toys, for example, but also things that can definitely get a star knocked off in terms of cleanliness including an empty water bottle and a baby bottle filled with formula.
- Sweep, mop or Swiffer the floor. The carpet or floor may look clean, but it’s usually not. Always take the extra time to sweep the carpets and rugs and clean the floors before guests arrive, because believe it or not, some guests do look at the bottom of their socks and their feet and if the floor makes them dirty, that could spark both a star removal and comment when it comes to cleanliness.
We hope you’ve found these tips for new Airbnb and Vrbo hosts helpful. Stay tuned for more. What lessons did you learn the hard way as an Airbnb or Vrbo host? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
