Cleaning room upon departure

[Railman83]

Perhaps I’m trained by having a condo rental that I rent out (guests take out trash and load dishwasher, strip beds), but I’m wondering what the protocol is upon check out.

May sense is most people don’t bother and leave dishes and trash and Wyndham doesn’t really care, but I have no idea....

What do people do for clean up?

 

[Passepartout]

There's usually a page, or paragraph or two that outlines the procedure in the notebook guests find in the unit. Some people help out the housekeepers, some don't. Some tip, some don't.
I usually strip beds, put used linens in the tub, start the dishwasher, tip the housekeepers $20 or so for the week (1BR) if I haven't done it earlier.

 

[bobinmich]

I strip the beds, and put everything in dishwasher....BUT when I called the desk...they said "THEY JUST APPRECIATE if I would take the trash bag to trash area"...that is all they really ask...at least that was at the NASHVILLE resort. Bob

 

[jwalk03]

I take out trash and start dishwasher. Never stripped the beds.

 

[pedro47]

Empty trash and place all soiled dishes in the dishwasher and hit the start button.

Also place all the dirty towels and wash clothes in each bathroom.

We do not strip the bed linens.

 

[TheHolleys87]

We too load & start the dishwasher and pile all the used towels in one place. We don’t strip beds or take out trash unless instructed to do so.

 

[OutSkiing]

We try to empty the refrigerator, take out trash, load and start dishwasher. I've seen my wife and sister in law throw all the towels in the tub or a pile .. frankly I think letting them dry on the towel rod cuts down on potential mildew.

Bob

 

[hjsweet2002]

We strip the beds and put the towels and linen in the tub. We load the dishwasher and start it. We empty all the trash and place it in the trash bin provided in the hallway. We always clean the lint filter on the dryer after each load. The only thing we have been asked to do anywhere is to load and start the dishwasher. We do the above just as a courtesy. We also leave a tip for the housekeeping staff.

 

[BDMX2]

Empty trash and place all soiled dishes in the dishwasher and hit the start button.

Also place all the dirty towels and wash clothes in each bathroom.

We do not strip the bed linens.

This is what we do too.

I also try to clear the fridge as much as I can. Anything unopened and non-perishable I leave in the "Wyndham Cares" bin, but perishables in unopened packaging I will leave in the fridge in case housekeeping wants it. I use the criteria of whether or not I would take it if it were offered in the break room at my office...if I'd pass on something then I toss it out.

I also leave a tip for housekeeping. I had occasion to run back to the room once at Bonnet Creek where I had left a tip, and housekeeping was already there. She thanked me so profusely for the tip...that extra cash is so genuinely appreciated.

 

[pedro47]

Thanks BDMX2, we also clear the fridge, empty the ice tray, and leave a tip for housekeeping.

 

[BDMX2]

Thanks BDMX2, we also clear the fridge, empty the ice tray, and leave a tip for housekeeping.

Oh, emptying the ice, that hadn't ever occurred to me. Thanks Pedro!

 

[dioxide45]

We try to empty the refrigerator, take out trash, load and start dishwasher. I've seen my wife and sister in law throw all the towels in the tub or a pile .. frankly I think letting them dry on the towel rod cuts down on potential mildew.

They probably don't dry enough before housekeeping comes along and throws them all in a big bin anyway. They are likely washed in super hot water with bleach anyway. So mildew probably wouldn't be a problem.

 

[SNA27]

In Wyndham Sundara Cottages at Wisconsin Dells, it's mandatory that you take out the trash and start the dishwasher! They actually leave you a message about that. I wonder why that is. Perhaps because there are no resort staff at this site. I think cleaning those cottages is sub-contracted out to individuals. I saw a middle-sged lady come in her van and change the linen etc. They are managed from Glacier Canyon Resorts two miles away.

 

[Joe33426]

We strip the beds and put the towels and linen in the tub. We load the dishwasher and start it. We empty all the trash and place it in the trash bin provided in the hallway. We always clean the lint filter on the dryer after each load. The only thing we have been asked to do anywhere is to load and start the dishwasher. We do the above just as a courtesy. We also leave a tip for the housekeeping staff.

We also do exactly what you do, including leaving a tip. Housekeeping is a tough and dirty job.

I've often wondering where we picked up stripping the beds. Must have been from one of the resorts, and we've just continued the habit. We also wipe down hard surfaces, return any furniture or items that we may have moved, and make sure that the refrigerator and freezer are completely empty. I just can't imagine housekeeping wanting any food stuffs that are left behind.

 

[Family_travel]

Interesting post.
I have never thought about stripping the bed.
I have also not left a tip. I didn't think about it since it's not daily servicing.
We do leave the Kitchen clean (frig emptied, dishes in dishwasher, trash taken out, etc) and put furniture back in place.

 

[Silverdollar]

Perhaps I’m trained by having a condo rental that I rent out (guests take out trash and load dishwasher, strip beds), but I’m wondering what the protocol is upon check out.

May sense is most people don’t bother and leave dishes and trash and Wyndham doesn’t really care, but I have no idea....

What do people do for clean up?

As you said, some people don't bother and leave dishes and trash, etc. Here are a few reasons why I clean up before departure:

1. I try to live by the Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
2. It helps to expedite check-in for those coming after you. Wouldn't we all like to check in to our rooms as soon as possible?
3. If the cleaning crew is paid by the unit, it can help them out by allowing them to clean more rooms and make a little extra money.
4. Or, it provides the cleaning crew additional time to do a more thorough cleaning, rather than having to rush to get through. Wouldn't we all like to have a nice, clean room upon check-in?
5. Finally, if it takes more time to clean a room because of those who don't bother to clean up, Wyndham has to hire more cleaning crews, which costs more money and results in higher fees for all of us.

 

[CruiseGuy]

We take out the trash and recycle bag, and we make sure all the dishes are either clean or in the dishwasher (typically including the coffee pot and ice bin in the dishwasher). We really don't do anything else. But we also don't make much of a mess in the unit either. Some people must, because I've yet to have a unit anywhere where my socks or feet weren't black after walking on the floors.

 

[TravelTime]

We clean up the trash and load the dishwasher. We also make sure not to leave any food in the refrigerator.

 

[Jan M.]

[QUOTE="CruiseGuy: I've yet to have a unit anywhere where my socks or feet weren't black after walking on the floors.[/QUOTE

If the tile floors are dirty enough that my feet or socks are filthy after walking on them then that unit wasn't properly cleaned and checked. When you mop floors with dirty water you get dirty floors. I've had to train then supervise the janitors for a business I managed. I can tell you that it is one or more of the following: poorly trained housekeeping staff, poorly supervised staff or the staff being too lazy and oblivious to what they are doing to change the water in their bucket each and every time it gets really dirty.

We just recently had a stay at a resort that I kept using the same pair of socks for our evenings and mornings there rather than ruin a second pair of socks. After one time wearing them they were so dirty they were still gray on the bottoms after I washed them.

The best way to check the floors to see how clean or dirty they are when you first get there is to take several paper towels, told them into a pad and dampen them. Wipe a small area on the kitchen floor, unfold the paper towels to a clean part and wipe somewhere else. If the paper towels are really dirty call the front desk to have them send housekeeping up to re-mop your floors. When they dump the dirty water in the bathtub make sure they then re-clean the tub.

If we all made an effort not to accept it when the tile floors are dirty it would make a difference. It doesn't go unnoticed when they have to send someone to do the job correctly. Expecting clean floors when you first get into your unit isn't being picky or demanding!

 

[Jan M.]

We've owned for 17 years and you had to do more back in our earlier years than you do now. However I still strip the beds, put the used towels on the edge of the tub or the sink, gather up the trash and start the dishwasher.

A hint about leaving a tip. Don't leave the money sitting out in plain sight. Over the years we've stayed at a number of resorts with Fairfield and Wyndham and so many through RCI. It isn't unusual for the maintenance people or a housekeeping supervisor to make a quick sweep through the units to grab the tips. Leave your tip hidden somewhere it will be found when the housekeeping staff are actually cleaning the unit to make sure that they get it.

 

[Sandi Bo]

We've owned for 17 years and you had to do more back in our earlier years than you do now. However I still strip the beds, put the used towels on the edge of the tub or the sink, gather up the trash and start the dishwasher.

A hint about leaving a tip. Don't leave the money sitting out in plain sight. Over the years we've stayed at a number of resorts with Fairfield and Wyndham and so many through RCI. It isn't unusual for the maintenance people or a housekeeping supervisor to make a quick sweep through the units to grab the tips. Leave your tip hidden somewhere it will be found when the housekeeping staff are actually cleaning the unit to make sure that they get it.

That is pretty much me, too. Although I don't always strip the beds any more (but I might, lol). Old habits die hard. I'll put the trash down the the trash chute, if there is one.