Guest Calls Out Airbnb Host Who Wants To 'Normalize' Requiring Guests To Take Out The Trash & Bring The Bins Back
They often charge guests for a cleaning fee anyway.
Gorodenkoff | Shutterstock An Airbnb host is calling on guests to take on more responsibilities when it comes to cleaning and let's just say it didn't go over well. She is of the mindset that guests should be expected to take out all of the garbage and collect the bins at the end of the driveway.
One guest is shouting from the rooftops that this is not going to fly, and her expectations are ridiculous. He argued that being on vacation and paying for an Airbnb means housework is off the table.
The guest argued that the Airbnb host should not require her guests to take out the garbage and put the bins back.
Matt Lipari responded to a TikTok video shared by an Airbnb host revealing her controversial take on guest policies and expectations. “As an Airbnb host, can we talk about normalizing requiring your Airbnb guests to take out the trash and then put the bins back as needed?” the host wrote in the text overlay of her video depicting herself dragging a couple of trash bins up the driveway.
Juanmonino | Canva Pro
However, not everyone agreed with her take, including Matt. “What's next? Should I build the furniture in the Airbnb, too? Just leave the IKEA boxes there; I'll take care of it. I'll pay you, and I'll build the stuff,” he sarcastically said. “It's my vacation. I'd love to do errands for you.”
On a serious note, Matt pointed out how most of us feel when we're on vacation — like we shouldn't be responsible for any housework. “I should go to an Airbnb, and you feed me chocolate bonbons the second I walk in the door,” he said.
The guest was simply brave enough to say what everyone else was thinking.
“That's why I went back to hotel stays. Airbnb is getting ridiculous with all the fees and rules and expectations,” one TikTok user commented.
“Stopped using Airbnb for this reason. Whole list of things to clean and then $300 cleaning fee,” another user shared. “It’s like they forget that Airbnb is an alternative to a hotel stay. It should be like that. If you want jobs done, get a long term renter and rent it long term,” another noted.
Even if guests are instructed to do some of the cleaning before they leave, they are still often charged a hefty cleaning fee. The average fee falls anywhere from $50 to $80 but can be more depending on how big the property is and how long your stay lasts.
If guests are getting sick of cleaning fees, especially if they are expected to do some cleaning themselves, why do Airbnb hosts continue to charge them?
It may be due to the limited resources Airbnb hosts have when it comes to cleaning compared to hotels. Hotels can utilize commercial-size laundry machines and necessary cleaning supplies that Airbnb hosts cannot.
VGstockstudio | Shutterstock
Therefore, hosts may throw in a cleaning fee to cover all of the supplies they need in order to properly clean the space in preparation for the next guest. A 2021 memo issued to Airbnb hosts stated, "Aim to use the cleaning fee to cover the expense of cleaning — not to make additional money."
However, some will still charge a substantial cleaning fee while expecting their guests to do all of it for them. Instead of normalizing guests taking out the trash, let's normalize Airbnb hosts doing their jobs and not expecting their guests to do it for them.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.