Cleaning Tips

Pest Control Strategies for Vacation Rental Cleaners

Getting complaints about pest infestations in your rental vacation home is not a pretty situation to deal with, especially during peak seasons. Taking responsibility to provide your guest with a satisfactory stay, as a vacation homeowner, you must undertake regular maintenance to deal with pests. That will ensure that your rental property remains visitor-friendly while […]

By The Turno Team

Last updated: October 31, 2023

Getting complaints about pest infestations in your rental vacation home is not a pretty situation to deal with, especially during peak seasons. Taking responsibility to provide your guest with a satisfactory stay, as a vacation homeowner, you must undertake regular maintenance to deal with pests. That will ensure that your rental property remains visitor-friendly while saving you a lot of money against pest damages.

Pests, Problems, and Protection

We are here to save the day by bringing you a comprehensive property maintenance checklist. It contains strategies vacation rental cleaners can use to deal with and prevent pests like bedbugs, roaches, bees, wasps, ants, etc. out of your vacation house:

  • Roaches – Being one of the most difficult pests to deal with, preventing their arrival in your rental property is better than seeking a cure. To achieve this, keep the area clean, cover the food suitably, regular floor cleaning, move the furniture frequently to reach hidden spaces, and repair all broken drainage pipes immediately.
  • Bees/Wasps – Bees usually attack when they feel threatened, while wasps are habitually aggressive and infectious. Since bees come under endangered species, steer clear of destroying a beehive that they have built in your vacation home. Invite a local beekeeper to relocate the hive safely. For wasp nest removal, get in touch with exterminator services.
  • Rodents – Mice and rats are curious animals who can survive on minimal food and no water. They generally reside in tiny holes in the floors and can climb over ceilings or enter via unclean attics. Investing in regular rat control services will ensure that these little carriers of harmful diseases don’t damage your vacation rental home.
Rat. Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash.

Small Critters, Big Problems

  • Bed Bugs – We are not exaggerating it when we say that bed bugs can make your property go off-listing if not handled appropriately. They test your vacation rental cleaners’ management and maintenance because it is difficult to prevent them entirely. The reason being, your guests, too, could be the carriers of these vicious, blood-sucking insects. The best way to handle a bed bug infestation is to de-list your property and seek professional help.
  • Ants – An army of ants can enter your vacation house due to a variety of reasons that might not be in your control. Crumbs from sugary foods, uncovered food, wood from trees are just some of the sources attracting ants. An ideal strategy to handle them is to inspect the trail and use repellent sprays to remove the entire colony.
  • Mosquitos and fleas – You are already well aware of the extensive range of serious diseases caused due to mosquito bites and infections carried by fleas. To keep these pesky insects away from your holiday home is vital to prevent water accumulation, remove all the garden waste, clean the pools, as well as properly seal all the drainage outlets. That will cease them from delivering their eggs and breeding over unattended garbage or accumulated water. Consider landscaping and yard maintenance to prevent and keep pests under control.
Ants on fruit. Photo by Salmen Bejaoui on Unsplash.

Although your vacation rental cleaners can take measures to prevent a lot of these pests, in case of infestation, don’t wait for more damages to increase your vacation rental cleaning charges. Getting these damages under-control will raise your expenses while lowering guest reservation rates. It is preferable to hire professionals for year-round vacation home pest control. They have the know-how, tools, and training to deal with all sorts of pests efficiently.

Owning a vacation rental property is a huge responsibility. The health of your guests depends on you. Learn to take the complaints about pests seriously to avoid them nesting in larger colonies. Aside from that, it is paramount to keep your rental home clean, especially during off-seasons, to maintain a guest-friendly property on time.

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The Turno Team , The Turno Team researches and publishes articles designed to provide short-term rental Hosts, Property Managers, and Airbnb Cleaners with insightful, useful resources. Articles written by the Turno Team cover a wide range of STR interests, from the latest industry data and best practices to real-world, practical advice on running efficient, revenue-generating vacation rental businesses in an ever-changing market.