Most Malta hosts know what needs cleaning between guests. Fewer have a system that makes it happen consistently — whether they’re on-site, on holiday, or managing multiple properties from their phone.

This guide isn’t another room-by-room checklist (we’ve covered that in our short-let cleaning guide). Instead, it focuses on the operational side: how to document your property standards, communicate effectively with cleaners, and build a changeover workflow that runs reliably without you micromanaging every turnover.

Table of Contents

• Create Your Property Cleaning Documentation
• Build a Visual Standard Your Cleaners Can Follow
• Communicate With Your Cleaner Before, During, and After
• Set Up Your Changeover Day Workflow
• Build a Quality Control System That Scales
• Malta-Specific Notes for Your Cleaning Documentation
• Frequently Asked Questions

Create Your Property Cleaning Documentation

The difference between a host who scrambles every turnover and one who runs turnovers on autopilot comes down to documentation. If your cleaning instructions live in your head, every new cleaner means starting from zero — and every miscommunication means a guest complaint.

You need three documents. Create them once, update them as you learn, and share them with every cleaner who touches your property.

1. The Property Guide (One-Time Setup)

This is the document you share with a cleaner before their first visit. It covers everything they need to know about your specific property:

• Access instructions — door code, key location, building entry, any security systems to disarm
• Supply locations — where cleaning products, spare linens, bin bags, and light bulbs are stored
• Appliance notes — how to operate the washing machine, dishwasher, AC, and any temperamental appliances (every Malta apartment has at least one)
• Fragile or valuable items — anything that needs careful handling or should not be moved
• Quirks and warnings — the bedroom window that sticks, the bathroom door that doesn’t lock, the balcony table that wobbles if you lean on it
• Wi-Fi password and emergency contact — in case the cleaner needs to reach you during the job

Keep this document to one page. Anything longer won’t get read. A simple Google Doc or shared note works perfectly — your cleaner can pull it up on their phone when they arrive.

2. The Turnover Checklist (Used Every Clean)

This is the room-by-room list of exactly what needs to happen during every changeover. It should be specific enough that two different cleaners produce the same result.

Bad checklist item: “Clean the kitchen.”
Good checklist item: “Wipe all countertops with disinfectant. Clean inside microwave. Check fridge for leftover food and wipe shelves. Descale kettle if needed. Clean sink and taps — remove hard water deposits.”

For a complete room-by-room checklist built for Malta properties, see our short-let cleaning guide. Adapt it to your specific property and save it as a shareable document.

3. The Restocking List (Updated Per Season)

Separate from the cleaning checklist, this tells your cleaner what to check and replenish after each guest:

• Toilet paper — minimum 2 rolls per bathroom
• Hand soap, shampoo, conditioner — refill if below half
• Kitchen basics — dish soap, sponge, paper towels, bin bags
• Coffee, tea, sugar — whatever welcome amenities you provide
• Spare light bulbs — replace any that have blown

Keep a dedicated storage box or cupboard at the property with backup supplies. When stock runs low, your cleaner can flag it via message so you can restock before the next booking — not during it.

Pro tip: When you book through Rozie, you can share your property guide and checklist directly via the in-app chat. Even a first-time cleaner gets your full documentation before they arrive, which eliminates the “but I didn’t know” problem entirely.

Build a Visual Standard Your Cleaners Can Follow

Written instructions tell your cleaner what to do. Photos show them what “done” looks like. The combination is what creates consistency.

Create a Photo Set of Your Property in Perfect Condition

After your best-ever turnover clean — the one where everything looks exactly how you’d want a guest to see it — walk through every room and photograph it:

• Each room from the doorway — this is the angle a guest sees first
• The bed, made up — showing pillow arrangement, duvet position, any decorative throws
• Bathroom vanity — showing how toiletries are arranged, towel placement, mirror shine
• Kitchen countertop — showing placement of kettle, coffee machine, any welcome items
• Balcony or terrace — showing furniture arrangement, cushion placement if applicable
• Welcome area — showing where the guidebook, keys, and any welcome note should sit

Save these in a shared album (Google Photos, iCloud, or a simple WhatsApp group) that your cleaner can access on their phone while they work. These reference images should be the gold standard — “make it look like this.”

Why This Matters More Than You Think

A written instruction like “arrange the cushions nicely” means different things to different people. A photo of exactly how you want those cushions removes all ambiguity. This is especially important when you use backup cleaners during peak season who’ve never been to your property before — the visual standard gets them to 90% of your regular cleaner’s quality on their first visit.

Some hosts go a step further and record a short video walkthrough (2–3 minutes) showing the ideal state of each room. This works particularly well for properties with unusual layouts, specific décor arrangements, or high-end finishes that need extra care.

Communicate With Your Cleaner Before, During, and After

Good communication is the difference between a cleaner who does an adequate job and one who becomes your most valuable business partner. Here’s what to communicate and when.

Before the Clean (24–48 Hours Prior)

Confirm the booking and share any specific notes for this particular turnover:

• Guest checkout time — and whether you expect a late checkout
• Any special requests — “the previous guest had a dog, extra attention to the sofa” or “balcony furniture was rearranged, please reset”
• Extras needed — deep cleaning, oven, fridge, windows, if this is a periodic deep-clean turnover rather than a standard changeover
• Access changes — if the door code has been updated or there’s a new access issue

On Rozie, this happens naturally through the in-app chat after you book. You can send your message, share photos of specific concerns, and your cleaner has everything in one thread.

During the Clean

If you’re not on-site (which, during peak season, is most of the time), stay available for questions. A cleaner might discover something unexpected — a stain they can’t remove, a broken appliance, damage from the previous guest. A quick response keeps the turnover on schedule.

Resist the urge to micromanage, though. If you’ve given clear documentation and visual standards, trust your cleaner to follow them. Nobody does their best work with someone hovering over their shoulder — physically or digitally.

After the Clean (Feedback Loop)

This is the step most hosts skip, and it’s the one that matters most for long-term quality.

If the clean was great: Say so. A simple “looks perfect, thank you” after reviewing the property (or the cleaner’s completion photos) builds a relationship. Cleaners who feel appreciated prioritise your bookings.

If something was missed: Be specific, not vague. “The shower glass had water marks on the lower-left panel” is actionable feedback. “The bathroom wasn’t clean enough” is not — it leaves your cleaner guessing what to fix.

If there’s a recurring issue: Update your checklist or visual guide rather than repeating the same verbal instruction. Written documentation outlasts memory every time.

Set Up Your Changeover Day Workflow

A reliable changeover isn’t just about the cleaning itself — it’s about the sequence of events around it. Here’s a workflow that works for Malta hosts managing same-day turnovers:

The Night Before

• Confirm cleaner booking is locked in — check app or message to confirm
• Send the guest a checkout reminder with your checkout time and any instructions (take out rubbish, start dishwasher, leave keys on counter)
• Prepare your cleaner’s turnover notes if anything is property-specific for this changeover

Checkout Morning

For remote hosts: If you can’t be on-site, the cleaner handles the entire physical process. Your role shifts to: confirming the booking, answering any questions via chat, reviewing completion photos, and approving the job. This is where having clear documentation pays off — it replaces your physical presence.

What to Do When Things Go Wrong on Turnover Day

It will happen eventually. Your cleaner cancels. The guest checks out three hours late. The previous guest left the place in a state. Here’s how to handle each scenario:

Cleaner cancels last minute: This is why you need an on-demand backup option. Open Rozie, book another verified cleaner, and share your property documentation via chat. A new cleaner with your visual guide and checklist can deliver a good result even without knowing the property.

Guest checks out late: Have a polite but firm message template ready: “Hi [name], just a reminder that checkout is at 10:00 as our cleaning team is scheduled shortly after. Let us know if you need a few extra minutes.” Most guests respond quickly when they know someone is waiting.

Property left in bad condition: Document with photos immediately (for any damage claim). Message your cleaner to flag specific areas. If the mess is significantly beyond a normal turnover, consider adding extras like deep cleaning to the booking — or book a longer cleaning slot for the next turnover.

Build a Quality Control System That Scales

When you manage one property and do every inspection yourself, quality control is straightforward. When you’re managing three, five, or ten properties during peak season, you need a system that doesn’t depend on you physically being everywhere.

Option 1: Self-Inspection (1–2 Properties)

Walk through the property after each clean. Use the same route every time (entrance → kitchen → bathroom → bedroom → living area → balcony) so nothing gets skipped. Compare what you see to your visual standard photos.

Take condition photos after approval — timestamped images of each room that prove the state of the property at check-in. This protects you against guest damage claims and cleanliness disputes.

Option 2: Completion Photos From Your Cleaner (2–5 Properties)

Ask your cleaner to send photos of each room when they finish. Review them on your phone before the guest arrives. This takes 5 minutes per property and catches most issues without requiring you to visit.

What to ask for: one photo of each room from the doorway angle (matching your visual standard set), plus close-ups of the bathroom (toilet, shower glass, sink) and kitchen (countertops, sink). If something looks off, message immediately for a fix.

Option 3: Spot-Check Plus Photos (5+ Properties)

Require completion photos for every turnover, but only do physical spot-checks on a rotating basis — perhaps every third or fourth clean per property, or randomly. This keeps quality high without consuming your entire day during peak season.

When spot-checking, focus on the areas guests complain about most: bathroom cleanliness (especially shower glass and toilet), kitchen surfaces, and dust on visible surfaces. If your spot-check reveals consistent issues, update the checklist and have a conversation with your cleaner.

Malta-Specific Notes for Your Cleaning Documentation

When building your property guide and checklist, include these Malta-specific instructions that generic templates miss:

Hard water reminder on every checklist. Every bathroom clean in Malta should include limescale removal on taps, shower glass, and sink. Put this as a specific checklist item — not just “clean the bathroom.” If your property is in an area with particularly hard water (most of Malta, but especially older buildings without water softeners), note that a dedicated limescale product is required, not just all-purpose spray.

Dust and salt accumulation. Add “wipe windowsills, balcony furniture, and exterior door handles” to every turnover checklist. In Malta, dust and salt build up between every guest — not just seasonally. Coastal properties in Sliema, St Julian’s, Buġibba, and Valletta waterfront need this at every single turnover.

Ventilation step. Include “open all windows for 15–20 minutes during cleaning, then close and set AC to 23°C before leaving” in your checklist. Closed-up Malta apartments get stuffy fast, especially in summer. Guests notice musty smells immediately.

AC filter check. Add a monthly AC filter clean to your documentation (not every turnover, but flagged as a recurring maintenance task). During June–September when AC runs constantly, dirty filters create a musty odour that cleaning alone won’t fix.

Scirocco season alert. During spring and autumn when Saharan dust storms hit, add a note to your pre-clean message: “Dust storm recently — extra attention needed on all surfaces, windowsills, and balcony.” This gives your cleaner a heads-up to allow extra time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I share my cleaning standards with a cleaner who’s never been to my property?

Send them three things before they arrive: your one-page property guide (access, supplies, appliance notes), your turnover checklist, and your photo set showing the ideal condition of each room. On Rozie, you can share all of this through the in-app chat when you book, so the cleaner has everything in one place on their phone.

Should I be on-site during every changeover clean?

Not necessarily. If your documentation is thorough and your cleaner is experienced, being on-site adds limited value after the first few cleans. Most hosts transition to reviewing completion photos remotely, with occasional spot-checks. For a new cleaner’s first visit, being present (or at least available by phone) helps establish the standard.

How do I handle a cleaner who consistently misses the same areas?

First, check whether the issue is in your documentation. If “clean the shower glass” is on the checklist but your cleaner keeps leaving water marks, the instruction might not be specific enough — update it to “wipe shower glass with limescale remover until streak-free, check from eye level.” If the documentation is clear and the issue persists after one direct conversation, it’s time to find a different cleaner.

What’s the most efficient way to manage turnovers for multiple properties?

Create a master template for your documentation, then customise it per property (different access codes, appliance notes, specific quirks). Use completion photos for quality control instead of visiting every property. Stagger checkout and check-in times across your listings where possible — if Property A has a 10:00 checkout and Property B has an 11:00 checkout, the same cleaner could potentially handle both in sequence.

How far in advance should I book my changeover cleaner?

During peak season (June–September in Malta), book 48–72 hours in advance. During quieter months, 24 hours is usually fine. On Rozie, you can schedule a specific date and time when booking, so your cleaner is locked in well before turnover day. Last-minute bookings work for emergencies, but shouldn’t be your default — consistent, early booking makes you a priority client.

What should I do if my guest checks out late and the cleaner is already on the way?

Message the cleaner immediately to push their arrival by 30 minutes. Simultaneously message the guest: “Friendly reminder that checkout is at [time] — our cleaning team is on the way so we can prepare the property for the next guest.” Most guests leave within 10–15 minutes of this message. Build this scenario into your workflow by telling cleaners to arrive 30 minutes after checkout, not at checkout time.

Get Your Changeover System Running

The time you invest in building your documentation, visual standards, and communication workflow pays off on every single turnover. Create the system once, and it works whether you’re on-site, on holiday, or managing ten properties from your phone.

For the cleaning booking itself, Rozie takes the friction out of the process — book verified cleaners in a few taps, share your property documentation via chat, add extras like deep cleaning or window work, and see pricing before you confirm. Download on the App Store or Google Play.

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