​
Context: We run 6 apartments in the same building (mix of 2-bed and 3-bed units). One cleaner has handled them for the last 2 years.
Typical workload:
Around 70% of the year: 2–3 turnovers per day
Peak days: up to 6 turnovers
Main issue: The quality is inconsistent.
Some cleans are excellent. Other times we get poor reviews for:
Smelly bed linen or towels
Glass/debris on floor
Floors not swept properly
Dirty bathrooms
Surfaces missed / not wiped down
Pattern: When we raise it, she is very apologetic and improves for a short period, then standards drop again.
What I’ve already done:
Bought an extra dryer to reduce laundry bottlenecks
Created a checklist/SOP for each clean
Given repeated feedback with examples
Tried to be flexible because she helps out with urgent/out-of-hours issues, which has real value
Why I’m conflicted: She has been loyal and helpful, so I don’t want to just replace her. But bad reviews directly hurt the business, and from a scaling perspective the current setup doesn’t seem sustainable.
What I need advice on:
Is this a systems/process issue or a people issue?
How do you manage cleaner accountability without constant micromanagement?
Would you split units across 2 cleaners?
Do you inspect every clean?
Is pay structure/incentives usually the real issue?
How do you handle laundry quality control at scale?
At what point do you stop trying to fix it and move on?
Extra context: Most units are in the same building, so travel time between jobs is minimal. On busy days not every apartment checks in immediately, so there is usually some flexibility on timing.
Would appreciate advice from hosts or cleaning managers who’ve solved this properly.