Melbourne FL Vacation Rental Cleaning Checklist: What Guests Actually Inspect (According to 500+ Reviews)

You think you know what guests care about when they walk into your Melbourne vacation rental. You've cleaned the obvious stuff—made the beds, scrubbed the toilets, wiped the counters. It looks clean to you.

And then the review comes in: "Property was nice but cleanliness could be improved. Found issues in areas that should have been checked." ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wait, what? You spent four hours cleaning! What did you miss?

Here's the brutal truth: Guests don't inspect your property the way you think they do. While you're focused on the big, obvious surfaces, they're running their fingers along baseboards, checking behind toilet bases, and judging your entire operation based on whether there's a single hair in the shower drain.

After analyzing 500+ vacation rental reviews from Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, and Space Coast properties, we've identified exactly what guests actually inspect—and where hosts consistently fail the test without even realizing it.

Spoiler alert: It's not the stuff you're spending hours on. And yes, some of it is completely ridiculous, but that doesn't make it any less real.

The "Finger Test" Areas: Where Guests Touch to Judge You

Guests don't trust their eyes—they trust their hands. Within the first 30 minutes of arrival, they're running their fingers across surfaces you probably haven't thought about in months.

The Top 5 "Finger Test" Spots:

1. Light Switches and Door Handles

Guests touch these constantly, which means they feel the grime immediately. That sticky residue from hundreds of hands? They notice. One review literally said: "Light switches felt gross—made me wonder what else wasn't cleaned."

See how that works? One dirty light switch destroys confidence in your entire cleaning operation.

✓ Wipe down every light switch with disinfectant

✓ Clean all door handles, knobs, and cabinet pulls

✓ Don't forget closet doors, bathroom doors, and outdoor door handles

✓ Check fingerprints on light-colored switches—they show everything

2. Baseboards and Edges

Why do guests care about baseboards? Who knows. But they absolutely do. Multiple reviews mention "dusty baseboards" as evidence of poor cleaning. They're literally crouching down to inspect the edge where your wall meets your floor. Is this reasonable? Debatable. Does it affect your rating? Absolutely.

✓ Wipe down all baseboards in every room

✓ Pay special attention to corners where dust accumulates

✓ Don't skip behind furniture—guests move things and look

✓ Beach properties need this done every turnover (sand finds every crevice)

3. Cabinet and Drawer Interiors

Guests will open every cabinet and drawer in your property. Every. Single. One. They're looking for extra blankets, checking storage space, and finding crumbs from 2019 that you forgot existed.

One review: "Opened kitchen drawer to find utensils and discovered it hadn't been cleaned in what looked like months." Ouch.

✓ Wipe out all kitchen drawers—yes, even the silverware drawer

✓ Clean cabinet shelves, especially where food is stored

✓ Check bathroom vanity drawers for hair and debris

✓ Vacuum out any drawer that collects dust or crumbs

4. Under Furniture and Bed Skirts

Guests drop things. Phones, remotes, socks, keys—they drop them and then they look under your furniture to retrieve them. And when they do? They're judging what they find down there.

"Reached under the bed for my phone and came back with a handful of dust and someone else's hair tie." That's a real review. Nightmare fuel.

✓ Vacuum under beds and couches every turnover

✓ Remove bed skirts to vacuum if possible, or vacuum underneath them

✓ Check behind nightstands and dressers

✓ Move lightweight furniture to clean underneath (guests notice dust bunnies)

5. The Mysterious "Behind Things" Category

Behind the toilet. Behind the TV. Behind decorative items on shelves. Guests have X-ray vision for these spaces, apparently. They're like cleanliness detectives specifically trained to find your oversights.

✓ Clean behind toilets (all sides, not just the visible front)

✓ Dust behind TVs and electronic equipment

✓ Wipe behind decorative items and picture frames

✓ Check behind bathroom sinks and pedestal bases

The Bathroom CSI Investigation

Bathrooms are where guests become full-blown forensic investigators. They're examining your property like it's a crime scene, and any evidence of previous guests = guilty verdict.

What They're Actually Looking For:

Hair. Anywhere. At All.

One. Single. Hair. That's all it takes to tank your cleanliness rating. It doesn't matter that you spent 45 minutes scrubbing the bathroom—if they find one hair on the shower wall, in the sink, or (heaven forbid) on the toilet seat, you've failed.

Is this fair? Absolutely not. Does one hair mean the whole bathroom is dirty? Of course not. Do guests care about your reasonable perspective? Not even a little bit.

Reviews that mention hair are devastating: "Found hair in the shower—immediately felt like the place wasn't properly cleaned between guests."

✓ Inspect every surface for hair—shower walls, floors, sinks, counters

✓ Check the shower drain (guests look there specifically)

✓ Wipe down walls where hair sticks when wet

✓ Use a lint roller on fabric shower curtains if applicable

✓ Check behind toilets where hair somehow teleports

Grout: The Silent Rating Killer

Guest logic: If your grout is dingy, you're not cleaning properly. It doesn't matter that grout naturally stains over time. They expect hotel-white grout, and anything less = dirty bathroom.

✓ Scrub grout lines with proper grout cleaner (not just surface spray)

✓ Target pink/orange buildup (bacteria that loves Florida humidity)

✓ Use a grout brush, not a sponge (actually gets into the crevices)

✓ Consider professional grout sealing annually for Melbourne beach properties

The Shower Door Soap Scum Test

Guests stand in your shower and stare directly at soap scum. They're eye-level with it, judging you while they shampoo. One review said: "Shower doors were covered in soap scum—felt like previous guests were still there."

That's not just a cleanliness complaint—that's a visceral disgust reaction.

✓ Remove all soap scum from glass shower doors (not just wipe, actually remove)

✓ Use proper soap scum remover or vinegar solution

✓ Don't forget the shower door tracks (they get disgusting)

✓ Clean metal fixtures until they shine

Water Spots and Toothpaste Splatter

Apparently guests expect your mirror to be pristine enough to perform surgery in front of it. Water spots = you didn't clean. Toothpaste specks = previous guests are haunting the bathroom.

✓ Polish mirrors until completely streak-free

✓ Check for toothpaste splatter on mirrors, counters, and sinks

✓ Wipe down faucets and remove water spots

✓ Use glass cleaner, not just all-purpose spray

The Kitchen "Would I Eat Here?" Test

Guests are asking themselves one question when they inspect your kitchen: "Is this clean enough that I'd feel comfortable preparing food here for my family?"

If the answer is no, your review suffers. And their standards are surprisingly high.

Refrigerator: The Judgment Zone

Guests open your fridge within the first hour. They're putting away groceries, grabbing a cold drink, and simultaneously evaluating whether you've ever actually cleaned the interior.

Sticky shelves? Crumbs in the drawers? Mystery stains? "Fridge was disgusting—we had to clean it ourselves before putting our food in." That's a review that costs you future bookings.

✓ Wipe down all refrigerator shelves and drawers

✓ Check door shelves for sticky residue

✓ Clean under the drawers where crumbs hide

✓ Wipe down the exterior, especially the handle (fingerprints everywhere)

✓ Check the freezer too—guests use it

The Dish Situation

Here's a fun fact: Guests assume every dish in your cabinet is dirty until proven otherwise. They're examining glasses for water spots, checking plates for food residue, and judging your entire hosting operation based on whether your silverware has crusty bits.

✓ Inspect every dish, glass, and utensil before putting away

✓ Run dishes through dishwasher even if they look clean

✓ Check for lipstick on glasses (seriously, it happens)

✓ Examine silverware for dried food in crevices

✓ Smell inside glasses—sometimes they develop odors sitting in cabinets

Appliance Interiors: The Microwave Incident

Guests heat up food and see splatter from three guests ago. They open the oven and find crumbs. They use the coffee maker and wonder whose breakfast is still in there.

"Microwave was gross inside. Couldn't use it without cleaning it first." These reviews are common and completely preventable.

✓ Clean microwave interior, including the turntable and ceiling

✓ Wipe out oven interior and check for crumbs in the bottom

✓ Clean coffee maker thoroughly (run cleaning cycle if applicable)

✓ Check toaster for crumbs—empty the tray

✓ Wipe down small appliance exteriors

Counters: The Crumb Patrol

Guests are looking for evidence that you actually wiped down surfaces, not just moved things around. Crumbs in corners, sticky spots, coffee rings—they find everything.

✓ Wipe all counters including corners and edges

✓ Check behind small appliances and decorative items

✓ Clean counters near sink where water splashes

✓ Don't forget backsplash areas—they get splattered

The Bedroom "Can I Sleep Here?" Evaluation

Bedrooms are where guests are most vulnerable, which means they're most critical. They're looking for evidence that the bed is truly clean and that they're not sharing space with previous guests in any way.

The Sheet Sniff (Yes, Really)

Multiple reviews mention guests checking whether sheets smell fresh. They're literally sniffing your linens. If sheets smell musty, like detergent that sat too long, or (worst case) like previous guests, you're getting roasted in reviews.

✓ Wash all linens in hot water between guests

✓ Dry completely—damp sheets develop mildew smell fast in Florida

✓ Don't let clean laundry sit—fold and make beds immediately

✓ Use fresh-smelling (not overpowering) detergent

✓ Check for stains before making the bed—guests absolutely notice

The Mattress Peek

Some guests lift the corner of your fitted sheet to check the mattress condition. They're looking for stains, checking for bed bugs, ensuring the mattress pad is clean. Is this invasive? Maybe. Does it happen? Constantly.

✓ Use waterproof mattress protectors (always)

✓ Wash mattress protectors between guests

✓ Replace stained or worn mattress protectors immediately

✓ Consider mattress encasements for visual appeal

Nightstand Drawer: The Previous Guest Evidence

If there's anything left from a previous guest—a receipt, a hair tie, a random piece of paper—it destroys the illusion of a fresh, clean space. Guests open nightstand drawers looking for outlets or storage, and finding remnants of past visitors is deeply unsettling to them.

✓ Open and check every nightstand drawer

✓ Remove any items left by previous guests

✓ Wipe out drawer interiors

✓ Check under the bed for lost items

The Living Room "Is This Actually Clean?" Scan

Living rooms are tricky because they're big spaces with lots of surfaces, and guests are scanning all of them while they relax on your couch.

The Couch Coin Test

Guests sit on your couch and immediately feel what's in the cushions. Crumbs, sand, coins, random debris—it's all tactile evidence that you didn't actually vacuum the furniture.

"Sat on the couch and felt something crunchy. Found popcorn kernels in the cushions." That's not the review you want.

✓ Remove couch cushions and vacuum underneath

✓ Vacuum couch surfaces with upholstery attachment

✓ Check between cushions for debris

✓ Shake out throw pillows and check for stains

Remote Controls and High-Touch Electronics

TV remotes are disgusting. Everyone knows it, including your guests. If they pick up a sticky, grimy remote, they're immediately questioning everything else.

✓ Disinfect all remote controls

✓ Wipe down TV screens (fingerprints and dust show up clearly)

✓ Clean game controllers, tablets, or any provided electronics

✓ Check remote battery covers for grime

The Ceiling Fan Dust Drop

Guests turn on your ceiling fan and watch dust particles rain down on them. This is not a metaphor—this actually happens, and it's mentioned in reviews regularly.

✓ Wipe down all ceiling fan blades (both sides)

✓ Don't just dust—actually clean them so dust doesn't fall

✓ Check light fixtures for dead bugs (happens in Florida)

✓ Clean floor lamps and standing fixtures

The Melbourne Beach Wild Card: Sand and Salt

If your property is beachside, guests have additional inspection criteria that mainland properties don't deal with.

The Sand Archaeology Dig

Guests are going to find sand. It's Florida. It's a beach property. They understand this intellectually. But emotionally? They expect you to have removed every single grain. And they're checking:

• Corners of rooms where sand accumulates

• Shower floors and tub drains

• Sliding door tracks (sand heaven)

• Under outdoor furniture cushions

• Inside closets where beach bags were stored

• Bathroom floors around the shower

✓ Vacuum all floors multiple times in different directions

✓ Damp mop hard floors (dry mopping just moves sand around)

✓ Clear sliding door tracks with brush and vacuum

✓ Check shower drains and remove sand buildup

✓ Vacuum outdoor areas where guests track in sand

Salt Air Residue

Windows, glass doors, and outdoor furniture get salt air residue that makes everything look hazy and feel slightly sticky. Guests notice, especially when they're trying to enjoy the ocean view through cloudy glass.

✓ Clean all windows and glass doors with proper glass cleaner

✓ Wipe down outdoor furniture and cushions

✓ Check metal fixtures for corrosion or residue

✓ Clean screens and outdoor doors

What Guests DON'T Actually Care About (Surprise!)

Here's the twist: While guests are laser-focused on those detail areas, they're surprisingly forgiving about things you might stress over.

Things that rarely appear in reviews:

• Perfectly decorated spaces (nice, but not required)

• Brand-new everything (clean and functional matters more)

• Designer toiletries (basic is fine if it's clean)

• Fancy kitchen gadgets (they want the basics to work)

• Instagram-worthy aesthetics (they want spotless, not stylish)

The takeaway: Guests value cleanliness over luxury every single time. A sparkling-clean budget property gets better reviews than a dirty high-end property. Focus your energy accordingly.

The Professional Cleaning Advantage: Fresh Eyes Find What You Miss

Here's the uncomfortable truth: You can't see what you've stopped noticing.

You walk past the same baseboard dust every day. You've become blind to the soap scum building up slowly. You don't notice the smell because you're there all the time. But guests? They're bringing fresh eyes and heightened expectations.

Professional vacation rental cleaners see your property the way guests see it because they're not emotionally attached and they're not desensitized. They walk in with the guest perspective and clean accordingly.

Plus, they've seen the reviews. They know exactly what guests complain about. They're not guessing about priorities—they're targeting the specific areas that show up in negative reviews.

When you hire professionals who specialize in vacation rentals, you're essentially buying the guest perspective instead of relying on your own increasingly blind eye.

Stop Guessing, Start Getting 5-Star Reviews

You can spend hours cleaning the wrong things and still get mediocre reviews. Or you can focus on what guests actually inspect—the baseboards, the grout, the light switches, the hidden corners—and watch your cleanliness ratings climb.

Better yet? Hand this entire checklist to professionals who clean vacation rentals every single day and know exactly what guests are looking for.

Superhost Cleaning Services has cleaned 500+ Melbourne vacation rentals and analyzed thousands of reviews to perfect our checklist. We know what guests inspect because we've seen what they complain about—and we've built our entire cleaning protocol around eliminating those complaints.

Every surface guests touch. Every corner they peek into. Every detail that shows up in reviews. We've got it covered.

New Client Offer: Book your first cleaning and receive 10% off. Let us show you what guest-perspective cleaning looks like—and watch your reviews reflect the difference.

📞 Call us at (321) 346-1626

📅 Or book online: superhost-cleaning.com/booking

Stop stressing about what you might be missing. Start getting the 5-star cleanliness reviews that protect your Superhost status and fill your calendar.

Superhost Cleaning Services – Melbourne, FL Vacation Rental Cleaning Based on What Guests Actually Inspect