Topic: How-to

  • What is a deep clean and when do you need one?

    A deep clean is not a more thorough version of your regular clean. It’s a different type of clean entirely — covering areas that a standard visit doesn’t touch, using different products, and taking significantly longer. Here’s what to expect.

    What a deep clean covers

    • Kitchen: inside oven, extractor fan and filter, inside all cupboards, behind appliances, descaling around taps and sinks
    • Bathrooms: descaling shower screens and taps, cleaning grout, sanitising all surfaces including behind the toilet
    • Bedrooms: under beds, inside wardrobes, window tracks, skirting boards
    • Living areas: inside and behind furniture, light fittings, blinds and shutters, plug sockets
    • Floors: edges and corners, under furniture, grout on tiled floors

    When do you need one?

    • After a tenancy ends — before a new tenant or guests arrive
    • When a property has been empty for an extended period
    • Before you put the property on the rental market
    • Once or twice a year as a reset, on top of regular cleaning
    • After building work or renovation

    How long does it take and what does it cost?

    A two-bedroom apartment typically takes 4–6 hours for a deep clean. A larger villa can take a full day or require two cleaners. Expect to pay €150–€350 for an apartment and €300–€600 for a larger property. Always get a quote based on your specific property — condition and size both affect the price significantly.

  • Short-term rental cleaning checklist: what Airbnb hosts in Spain need to know

    A poorly cleaned property gets a three-star review. A well-cleaned one gets five stars and a rebooking. If you’re managing a short-term rental in Spain — whether in Marbella, Málaga, or anywhere on the Costa del Sol — this is the checklist your cleaner should be working to.

    The full turnaround checklist

    Bedrooms

    • Strip and replace all bed linen
    • Dust all surfaces including behind headboards
    • Vacuum mattress if no protector is used
    • Check under beds and in wardrobes for left items
    • Wipe light switches and door handles

    Bathrooms

    • Disinfect toilet, seat, and flush handle
    • Clean and descale shower screen or bath
    • Wipe sink, taps, and mirror
    • Replace or restock toiletries and toilet paper
    • Empty bins and replace liners

    Kitchen

    • Clean hob, oven, and extractor
    • Wipe all worktops and cupboard fronts
    • Check fridge for left food — discard and wipe
    • Run dishwasher or hand-wash and dry all crockery
    • Restock washing-up liquid, sponge, and bin bags

    Living areas and terrace

    • Vacuum sofas and rugs
    • Wipe all hard surfaces, TV, and remotes
    • Check for left belongings
    • Sweep or mop the terrace
    • Wipe outdoor furniture

    Photo reports: why they matter

    If you’re managing your rental remotely, a photo report from your cleaner after each turnaround is one of the most valuable things you can ask for. It shows the property is guest-ready, flags any damage before the next guests arrive, and creates a record you can use if there’s ever a dispute.

    SAM cleaners can provide photo reports as part of their service. Ask for it when you post the job.

    How long does a turnaround take?

    A standard two-bedroom apartment with a same-day turnaround (checkout at 11:00, check-in at 15:00) takes around 2.5–3 hours for an experienced cleaner. Factor in extra time for linen changes if you don’t have a laundry on-site — or use a linen hire service and have fresh sets delivered.

  • Airbnb cleaning between guests: the complete turnaround guide

    The gap between one guest checking out and the next checking in is often just a few hours. In that window, your property needs to go from lived-in to hotel-ready. Get it right consistently and guests notice. Get it wrong once and they’ll mention it in the review.

    What a turnaround clean should cover

    A proper Airbnb turnaround is more than a quick hoover. At minimum it should include: all bed linen stripped and replaced, all bathrooms disinfected, the kitchen cleaned including hob and oven, floors vacuumed and mopped, bins emptied, and the property restocked with essentials (toilet paper, washing-up liquid, bin bags). Any damage or missing items should be noted and reported before the next guests arrive.

    Timing and logistics

    A standard two-bedroom Airbnb takes 2.5–3 hours to turn around properly. If you have same-day checkout and check-in, confirm the turnaround time is realistic before accepting the booking. A 10:00 checkout and 12:00 check-in with a linen change is tight. Give your cleaner enough time to do the job properly.

    Linen: if you don’t have a washing machine on-site, use a linen hire service. Fresh sets delivered before each clean remove a major bottleneck from the turnaround process.

    Handing it off completely

    The cleanest setup for a remote Airbnb owner is a dedicated cleaner who has keyholder access, knows the property, and handles the turnaround automatically after each checkout. They message you when it’s done, send photos, and flag anything that needs attention. You don’t need to coordinate each clean individually.

    SAM cleaners in Marbella and across the Costa del Sol can work to this arrangement. Post a job and explain what you need — many cleaners are experienced with Airbnb properties and understand the requirements.

  • End-of-tenancy cleaning in Spain: what landlords need to know

    When a tenancy ends in Spain, the condition of the property matters — both for the return of the deposit and for getting it ready for the next occupant. Here’s what landlords and property managers need to know.

    What you’re entitled to expect

    Under Spanish tenancy law (Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos), tenants are required to return the property in the same condition as they received it, accounting for normal wear and tear. This means the property should be clean, with no accumulated dirt or damage beyond reasonable use. It does not mean brand new — but it should be genuinely clean.

    If the property is not returned in acceptable condition, landlords can deduct the cost of cleaning from the deposit (fianza). However, this is easier to enforce if you have an inventory and photo record from the start of the tenancy.

    What an end-of-tenancy clean includes

    • All rooms hoovered, mopped, and surfaces wiped down
    • Kitchen cleaned throughout including inside oven, fridge, and cupboards
    • Bathrooms disinfected and descaled
    • Windows cleaned inside (and outside where accessible)
    • All waste removed from the property
    • Balcony or terrace swept and cleaned

    Getting it priced

    End-of-tenancy cleans are almost always priced per job rather than per hour. The final price depends on property size, how thoroughly it needs cleaning, and any specific tasks (external windows, pool area, garage). Expect to pay €200–€500 for a typical two-bedroom apartment in poor condition. Post a job on SAM with photos of the current state and cleaners will quote accordingly.

  • Pre-arrival home preparation: getting your Spanish villa ready

    You’ve booked your flights. You land Friday evening. The last thing you want is to arrive at your villa to find it dusty, stuffy, and with an empty fridge. A pre-arrival clean, arranged a day or two before you land, makes sure the property is ready when you walk through the door.

    What a pre-arrival clean should include

    • Full clean of all rooms — dust, hoover, mop
    • Fresh bed linen on all beds
    • Bathrooms cleaned and stocked with essentials
    • Kitchen wiped down and checked for any expired food in the fridge
    • Windows opened to air the property
    • Terrace swept and outdoor furniture wiped
    • Air conditioning tested

    If the property has been empty for months

    A property that’s been closed up since October needs more than a quick clean. Budget for a 3–4 hour airing and clean rather than a standard hourly visit. Ask your cleaner to run all taps, check for any damp or leaks, and open all windows for at least an hour before closing up. Properties near the coast accumulate salt air and dust quickly in closed rooms.

    Coordinating from abroad

    Post a job on SAM 3–5 days before your arrival date. Specify the property, date and time you need it completed by, and whether it’s been empty for an extended period. A photo report when it’s done means you can see it’s ready before you even board the plane.

  • Villa cleaning checklist: what a professional service covers

    A villa clean is not the same as an apartment clean. More rooms, larger surfaces, outdoor spaces, pool areas, multiple bathrooms — the scope is significantly broader. Here’s what a professional villa cleaning service on the Costa del Sol should cover.

    Interior

    • All bedrooms: dust, vacuum, fresh linen if required
    • All bathrooms: disinfect, descale, clean mirrors and taps
    • Kitchen: worktops, hob, oven exterior, sink, appliance fronts
    • Living and dining areas: dust, vacuum/mop, wipe all surfaces
    • Hallways and stairs: vacuum/mop, wipe handrails

    Exterior and outdoor areas

    • Terrace swept and mopped
    • Outdoor furniture wiped down
    • Pool surround swept (pool maintenance is separate)
    • Garden paths and entrance swept
    • BBQ area wiped if used

    What’s usually not included

    Pool maintenance, gardening, window cleaning (external), and laundry beyond linen change are typically separate services or add-ons. Clarify when getting quotes what’s included and what’s charged additionally.

    How long does it take?

    A 3–4 bedroom villa with outdoor space typically takes 4–6 hours for a thorough clean. Larger properties or those that have been empty for a while will take longer. Getting a quote based on your specific villa is the most accurate way to budget.

  • Apartment cleaning in Málaga: regular vs one-off service explained

    Whether you own an apartment in Málaga as a primary home, a holiday rental, or an investment property, the type of cleaning service you need depends on how the property is used. Here’s how regular and one-off cleans compare.

    Regular cleaning

    A regular cleaning contract — weekly, fortnightly, or monthly — is suitable if the property is occupied or actively rented. The cleaner learns the property, builds a routine, and the work stays manageable with each visit. Regular clients almost always get better rates than one-off bookings, and you don’t need to brief someone new each time.

    For Airbnb apartments in Málaga, a regular arrangement with a dedicated cleaner who handles turnarounds automatically is the most efficient setup.

    One-off cleans

    A one-off clean makes sense when: you need a deep clean before putting the property on the market, a tenant has just moved out, you’re arriving after a long absence, or the property needs a reset before the summer season. One-off cleans are priced per job rather than per hour, and cleaners will quote based on current condition.

    What does each cost in Málaga?

    • Regular fortnightly clean, 2-bed apartment: €50–€80 per visit
    • One-off standard clean, 2-bed apartment: €80–€120
    • One-off deep clean, 2-bed apartment: €150–€280

    Post a job on SAM with the details of your Málaga apartment and the type of clean you need — cleaners in the area will quote directly.

  • Check-in / check-out cleaning for holiday rentals in Spain

    For holiday rental owners in Spain, check-in and check-out cleaning is the operational heartbeat of the business. Get it wrong — late, rushed, or incomplete — and you’ll see it in your reviews. Get it right, consistently, and guests notice.

    What check-out cleaning involves

    After a guest leaves, the property needs to be returned to guest-ready condition. This means: stripping and replacing all linen, cleaning all bathrooms and the kitchen, vacuuming and mopping, emptying bins, restocking supplies, and a final check for damage or left items. The cleaner should also note anything that needs reporting before the next guests arrive.

    What check-in preparation involves

    Check-in prep usually happens at the tail end of the turnaround clean, or as a brief second visit: confirm the property is guest-ready, put out fresh welcome items (if you provide them), leave keys in the agreed location, and send a confirmation to the owner or property manager.

    Timing

    The most common pressure point is same-day turnarounds. If guests check out at 10:00 and new guests arrive at 14:00, you have four hours. A two-bedroom apartment takes 2.5–3 hours to clean properly with a linen change. That’s workable but tight — make sure your cleaner knows the window upfront.

    Photo reports

    Ask your cleaner for a photo report after each turnaround. A set of photos showing the cleaned rooms, made beds, and stocked bathrooms gives you confirmation without being there — and a record if any damage is disputed.

  • Post-summer deep clean: what holiday rental owners need to do in September

    August is over. Your last guests have checked out. And your property has been turned around 15 times since June. Now is the time to do a proper reset — not just another turnaround, but a thorough deep clean and property check that sets things up properly for the quieter months ahead.

    Why September matters

    After a heavy summer of short lets, properties accumulate wear that a standard turnaround doesn’t address. Grout gets stained. Ovens get caked. Mattresses get compressed. Sun cream gets on soft furnishings. Taps and shower screens get scaled. A post-season deep clean sorts all of this before it becomes a permanent problem — or a reason for a bad review from an autumn guest.

    What a post-summer deep clean covers

    • Full kitchen deep clean including inside oven, extractor, and all cupboards
    • Bathroom deep clean: descale shower screens, re-grout if needed, replace worn sealant
    • Wash all soft furnishings: sofa cushion covers, curtains, throws
    • Clean all exterior shutters and window tracks
    • Deep clean terrace and outdoor furniture
    • Check and clean AC filters before switching to heating mode

    Other September tasks

    Check your inventory — note anything broken, missing, or worn that needs replacing before next summer. Review your listing photos — if you took better photos this summer when the property was full of light, update them. And if you’re closing the property for winter, arrange a monthly check visit to keep on top of any issues before they compound.