Never Schedule Short Term Rental Cleaning Again!

Never Schedule Short Term Rental Cleaning Again!

Luke CarlPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes

1. (Optional) Bought cleaner a computer for $300 (not necessary they can also do it from their phone).

2. Created cleaner a gmail.

3. Imported all of my properties (AIRBNB* and VRBO**) into google calendar on that gmail.

4. Gave each property a different name and color.

5. Gave cleaner the email address and password for her new very own gmail with all of my properties set up on the calendar.

I'm done with scheduling for the rest of my life. For Free. Boom.

* Airbnb 

  1. On airbnb.com go to Host and select Calendar
  2. Click Availability settings in your calendar view
  3. Under Sync calendars, select Export Calendar
  4. Copy and paste the Airbnb calendar link into your iCal applications

** VRBO 

  1. In your reservation calendar, click the Import/Export arrows icon
  2. Click Export Calendar
  3. Copy the URL and follow the instructions on your external calendar in order to import

    You're welcome :)

    13Reply
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    Most Popular Reply

    Rental Property Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2017 · 23 posts · 23 votes
    6y

    I am doing this as well. Works like a champ. Can also add notes for cleaner on the calendar like setup for special events such as honeymoon, birthday etc.

    See this reply in the discussion

    17 Replies

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    • John UnderwoodPro Member
      Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
      6y

      Very nice. Hopefully this works out.

    • Luke CarlPro Member
      OP
      Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes
      6y

      @John Underwood oh it works I’ve been doing it like this for 6 months :) 

    • Rental Property Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2017 · 23 posts · 23 votes
      6y

      I am doing this as well. Works like a champ. Can also add notes for cleaner on the calendar like setup for special events such as honeymoon, birthday etc.

    • Michael BaumPro Member
      Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
      6y

      Awesome. I just lost my down the road cleaner for this year. Gotta find me a new one.

    • Rental Property Investor · Castle Rock, CO · Member since 2017 · 335 posts · 387 votes
      6y

      i have always shared my calendars but mine don't show cleaning days they show everything. How did you make it show "cleaning". Here's what mine look like

    • John UnderwoodPro Member
      Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
      6y
      Originally posted by @Luke Carl:

      @John Underwood oh it works I’ve been doing it like this for 6 months :) 

       That's awesome. 

      We had a problem at one time where Airbnb was showing was showing the checkout day one day early on the google calendar. Not sure why this was happening.

    • Luke CarlPro Member
      OP
      Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes
      6y

      @John Underwood I remember this issue from a few years back although I don’t recall the exact circumstances it had to do with one of the platforms blocking the calendar differently. For instance if the booking was Tuesday night to Friday night check out Saturday morning, it would run the block on the calendar from Tues to Fri. This was not consistent with the other platform and caused a discrepancy. I can’t remember the exact issue. Too much hanging out with uncle Paul perhaps.

      None the less if you follow the above instructions you’re golden!

      Of course it boils down to the system. If your cleaner as 20 self managers and the other owners don’t want to conform -your cleaner might say “no thank let’s keep doing it the hard way.”

    • Avery CarlBusiness Member
      Real Estate Agent · USA · Member since 2016 · 909 posts · 1k+ votes
      6y
    • Real Estate Agent · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 2 votes
      6y

      Thanks for the share! @Luke Carl earlier you were using TurnoverBnB correct? I’ve been using a google drive spreadsheet that I update constantly. I’m ready for a new system and looking for great start to the year!

    • Luke CarlPro Member
      OP
      Rental Property Investor · Tennessee Florida · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 5k+ votes
      6y
      Originally posted by @Craig Channer:

      Thanks for the share! @Luke Carl earlier you were using TurnoverBnB correct? I’ve been using a google drive spreadsheet that I update constantly. I’m ready for a new system and looking for great start to the year!

      I still use turnover on one of my cabins. Thats what that cleaner uses. It goes back to my system comment. I've only got one property with him so I don't mind because it's free (for one property) and it accomplishes the same goal.  

    • Member since 2020 · 2 posts · 1 vote
      6y

      Thank you @lucas carl

    • Real Estate Agent · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 2 votes
      6y

      Thank you again! 

    • New York, NY · Member since 2014 · 36 posts · 6 votes
      6y

      Thanks for sharing this. Very helpful tip.

    • Plantation, FL · Member since 2009 · 329 posts · 119 votes
      6y

      It's all a matter of getting them to adopt the new system, which in my experience is the biggest challenge.

    • Property Manager · Aurora, CO · Member since 2014 · 221 posts · 210 votes
      6y

      Lucas, I have a question about this.

      I know how to get the "export calendar" URL from the listing sites, but not how to add it to the google calendar. I don't really want to create a separate Gmail account for the housekeeper, instead I want to create a calendar in my account & share it with them.

      It seems that after logging onto my Gmail account and opening up the calendar I can either:

      1) Settings > Add calendar > Create new calendar

      OR

      2) Settings > Add Calendar > From URL

      At first, I used "From URL" and pasted the ics URL there. Thinking that after the calendar was created I would be able to share the calendar with particular people, I chose not to check the box next to: "Make the calendar publicly accessible". 

      But I found after the calendar was created that there is no way to share it with anyone. That option only seems to be available if you use the first option ("Create new calendar").

      So I thought, well, ok, I'll create a new calendar. But after I did, I could not find a way to import the ics URL to the new calendar.

      I'm stumped. Any

    • Member since 2021 · 1 post · 0 votes
      5y

      How did you get the calendar to show only the cleaning date? Mine imports differently from Airbnb and VRBO.

    • Rockford, MI · Member since 2018 · 97 posts · 26 votes
      5y

      @Luke Carl thank you for sharing! Always looking to upgrade efficiency!

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