Last Updated on June 26, 2019 by Lucienne
This week I want to discuss Airbnb bathroom essentials to compliment my two previous posts: Ultimate List of Bedroom Essentials and Ultimate List of Kitchen Essentials.
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Before we get started on the bathroom checklist there are a couple things to note about the bathroom.
It has to be spotless! When changing your unit for the next guest make sure you give the bathroom a good clean.
Try to include a picture or two of your bathroom in your listing. Our bathroom is quite small so it is difficult to take a decent picture. I have nevertheless included a picture in my listing to give people an idea of the size.
The things needed in a bathroom checklist are as follows:
Essential Bathroom Basics
The list below are Airbnb bathroom essentials that are must haves before hosting the first guest. These basic needs are what every guest will assume are provided, and if not provided, could lead to a nasty negative review.
Towels
The best towels for Airbnb are fluffy white towels. White towels give that luxurious hotel feel. They also look great on listing photographs.
Having said that I don’t use white towels. I find it impossible to keep them sparkling white and in my opinion there is nothing worse than an off-white towel.
Instead I have used duck egg blue towels. I leave the towels on the beds for the guests’ arrival and the colour fits in well with the bedroom decor.
Toilet Paper
Provide enough toilet paper to last at least a week. As a self catering the expectation is that any guests staying longer than a week can top-up on their own toilet paper supplies. This depends on your arrangement that you have made with your guest.
You could even have a little fun with toilet paper origami to add a little quirky touch to the bathroom.
Toiletries
When it comes to toiletries I would say that the guest bathroom essentials should at least include hand soap, body soap or body wash and shampoo.
I have included a shower cap in my bathroom and I was surprised at how many people use the shower caps.
My preference is to provide the small 20ml size bathroom toiletries that one gets in the larger hotels. They add that hotel feel to the bathroom. The smaller pack also means that guests can take the soaps away with them.
Hot Water
Every guest will be expecting hot water to bathe themselves. This is one of those basic needs that if not met is likely to result in a horrid review. Geysers burst at unexpected times though, so it is a good idea to have a good plumber you know you can call on at anytime.
Dustbin
Provide a lined dustbin, preferably with a lid, in the bathroom. No-one wants to have to walk around in their towel to throw away their floss, cotton wool or empty toilet roll. Providing a few sanitary bags for ladies to dispose of their waste aids cleaner disposal too.
Towel Rail/Hooks
Towel rail or towel hooks are a necessary convenience. Hanging the towels helps to keep them dry. They also help to keep the bathroom tidy rather than towels being left on the floor.
Essential Bathroom Cleaning Materials
While I don’t expect my guests to clean the bathroom, cleaning materials are part of my Airbnb bathroom essentials list, so that guests can clean the bathroom if they want too. This is especially relevant for long stay guests who may want to clean the bathroom more often than the weekly cleaning service that I offer.
Toilet Brush and Toilet cleaner
A toilet brush with a neat cover and tucked just behind the toilet is most ideal.
I prefer the toilet duck sort of cleaners as the duck shape necks help to get the detergent under the lip of the toilet.
Shower Squeegee
Glass shower doors are much better and easier to clean compared to shower curtains. A shower squeegee makes the cleaning job far quicker and easier too. Leaving a squeegee stuck to the glass in the shower might encourage guests to use it after each shower.
Nice-to-have Bathroom Extras
The following section of the Airbnb bathroom checklist are items that you don’t necessarily need when you initially start up your listing but are things to add over time.
Bathroom Scale
When we first started our cottage, I found that so many guests asked to borrow our bathroom scale. Not to check their holiday body weight gain but rather their holiday baggage gain. We have now added a digital bathroom scale to the bathroom for luggage weighing.
Toiletry Basket
A toiletry basket with travel size extra toiletries add a nice touch. This is especially great for those travelers who have lost their luggage along the way.
Included in this basket could be items such as tooth brush, toothpaste, dental floss, deodrant, facial wipes, facial cream, sanitary pads and tampons. The list is endless and depends entirely on what can be afforded.
If you don’t want to make up your own guest basket there are travel toiletry sets available for men and women that include all the essentials.
Hairdryer
A hairdryer is one of the amenities that could be considered as a basic for some guests. I did not have a hairdryer when I first started my cottage and still got some bookings.
I have now added a hairdryer and learnt that some guests filter places to stay based on whether there is a hairdryer or not.
First Aid Kit
A first aid kit could be a very useful extra for those little emergencies. Pain killers for headaches, plasters for cuts and blisters, re-hydration solution and something for sensitive tummies would make-up a good basic first aid kit.
The trick with a first aid kit is always to check it after each guest has stayed and to make sure it is always fully stocked. Remove any items that have gone past the expiry date.
Bathroom Maintenance Checklist
Checking your bathroom regularly from a maintenance point of view could prevent an embarrassing mishap when you have guests. A detailed bathroom maintenance checklist is an important item on your Airbnb bathroom essentials checklist. It could prevent an unwanted bad review.
I had an occasion where our geyser burst so I had to turn a guest away at the last minute. On another occasion our shower door fell off it’s rails. We have since replaced the geyser and the shower door. Luckily our insurance covered the geyser but not the shower door.
I now have a bathroom maintenance checklist that I try to run through on a monthly basis. Included on the list are the following:
Shower door in working order. Geyser still producing hot water. Toilet system stops running after flushing. Extractor fan working. Taps are fastened and not coming lose. Ceiling clear of mildew.
If you happen to find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a bathroom breakdown while a guest is staying, try to turn the situation into a positive one. Respond quickly to the problem by getting it fixed. Depending on the severity of the problem offer a free meal or a free stay in the future. Quick responses like this can turn a potentially dire situation into a five star review.
This is my list of guest bathroom essentials, I hope this list helps when setting up your Airbnb or has given you a few ideas to add to your guest bathroom.
What items have you got on your bathroom essentials list? I would love to hear from you.
Related posts:
Airbnb: Ultimate List of Kitchen Essentials
Airbnb: Ultimate List of Bedroom Essentials
My Amazon picks for airbnb bathroom essentials: