Crockery, hangers, hairdryer: the inventory before arrival

Counted crockery, hangers, hairdryer, iron, chargers, TV accounts, board games: what to check at every clean before guests arrive, and how.

8 min read

A property can be spotless and still disappoint within fifteen minutes of arrival: four glasses for six guests, a wardrobe with not a single hanger, a hairdryer that smells burnt, a TV still logged into the previous guest’s account. None of these are dirty, yet all of them end up in the reviews. This guide covers what guests use and borrow: what needs counting, what needs testing, and what needs erasing.

What to check, and when

Task	Frequency	What to look for
Count the crockery	At every clean	What’s missing, what’s chipped
Restock hangers	At every clean	Around ten per wardrobe, all matching
Check the hairdryer	At every clean	Tested, clean filter, cable untangled
Check the iron	At every clean	Empty tank, clean soleplate
Check the chargers	At every clean	One tested charger by each bed
Disconnect TV accounts	At every clean	No guest accounts remaining
Check board games	Every 4 cleans	All pieces present, boxes closed

These are Comfort tasks from the CleanClac library, each with its own tip and default frequency. None takes more than two minutes. The reason they get forgotten is that they don’t involve cleaning: a rushed cleaner ticks off what they’ve washed, not what they’ve counted.

Crockery: counted, not just washed

A clean kitchen missing glasses is still a poorly prepared kitchen. Crockery disappears for ordinary reasons: a broken glass no one reported, a mug taken by mistake, a plate left on the terrace, and the shortfall only becomes obvious when a family sets the table.

The standard that works in most rentals: a full set per guest, plus two. Dinner plates, soup bowls, side plates, water glasses, wine glasses, cups or mugs, cutlery. Add the utensils whose absence is immediately noticed: corkscrew, tin opener, a sharp kitchen knife, chopping board, colander, salad bowl, frying pan and saucepans.

Counting is done by stacks, not piece by piece: six plates stacked are counted at a glance, as are six glasses lined up. Three rules apply:

Write the property’s inventory in the tip for the “Count the crockery” task: “6 wine glasses, 6 mugs, 8 dinner plates”. The cleaner checks against a list, not guesswork.
Anything chipped comes out of the cupboard, even if it’s only a small nick: a cracked glass rim can cut, and a chipped plate gives the impression of second-hand crockery.
Anything missing is reported the same day, with a photo of the cupboard. Replacing a glass before the next arrival costs a few pounds; discovered by the guest, it costs a star.

An open window — Your notes, under each task
Rewrite the library tip with what you know about the property: your cleaner reads it right under the title.
More details

A canister vacuum cleaner — Your notes, under each task
Rewrite the library tip with what you know about the property: your cleaner reads it right under the title.
More details

Major breakages, a whole set or an appliance, are no longer a matter of inventory but of damage, and should be documented as such: protecting your property from guest damage. The state of cookware, greasy pans and burnt saucepans, is covered in the degreasing guide.

Hangers: around ten, all matching

A wardrobe without hangers forces guests to live out of their suitcase, and it’s one of the first cupboards they open. The tip for this task is simple: around ten identical hangers in each wardrobe.

Identical, because a row of mismatched hangers, dry-cleaner plastic and wire mixed in, looks like a forgotten cupboard. Wooden or non-slip hangers, all the same colour, cost little and last.
Around ten, because guests take hangers without meaning to, slipped into a suit cover or suitcase. Recount at each clean and top up from a small reserve kept in the property.
A few clip hangers for trousers and skirts, if the property hosts stays of more than two nights.

A broken or bent hanger should be removed. The wardrobe itself should be wiped before hangers are put back, as detailed in the dusting and disinfecting guide.

Hairdryer and iron

These are the two appliances guests use without ever having seen them work, often at the last minute before going out.

The hairdryer, at every clean:

Test itHot then cold, at both speeds. Any burning smell or odd noise means it should be removed.
Remove hair and dust from the rear grilleThis is where it draws in air, and a blocked grille makes it overheat and cut out.
Wrap the cable looselyNot tightly. A cable wound tightly round the handle will eventually break at the base.
Store it dryIn a drawer or on its holder, away from a full sink.

The iron, stored with its board:

Empty the tank after each use: water left inside causes limescale and comes out as brown stains on the first white shirt.
Soleplate clean and cold. Brown marks come off, unplugged and cold, with a damp microfibre cloth; never use a scouring pad, which scratches the soleplate.
Cable intact and the ironing board cover free from burns or stains. A marked cover should be replaced, it costs next to nothing.
Unplugged and cold before being put away: it’s the cleaner who checks this, as it’s often the guest who last used it.

Any appliance that doesn’t heat properly, has a damaged cable or a blackened plug should be removed and reported: a faulty hairdryer in a bathroom is a risk, not just an inconvenience.

Chargers and TV: erasing the previous stay

Chargers. The task tip says it: one tested charger by each bed, cable coiled. Test it with your own phone, it takes a second to see if it charges. A cable that only works if you hold it at an angle is a dead cable. Choose chargers with common connectors, or a socket with USB ports near the bedside table, and always leave them plugged in where they’re needed, not put away in a drawer. Chargers left by guests should not join those for the property: keep them aside with other lost property.

The TV. This is the check that protects guests the most, and is most often forgotten. A smart TV keeps streaming accounts logged in for anyone who signed in: the next guest can access their history, profiles, sometimes even purchases. At every clean:

Open each streaming app and log out any account that isn’t the property’s.
Remove paired Bluetooth devices, guest phones or headphones, in the TV and soundbar settings.
Return to the home screen, set to the right source and a reasonable volume, remote placed with the others.

If the property provides its own subscription, keep it, but check that no new profiles have been added. Storing remotes and the rest of the staging is covered in departure staging.

Board games: all pieces present

A game missing a piece can’t be played, and is more disappointing than no game at all: the family has opened it, dealt out the pieces, and has to stop after the first round. Every four cleans, open each box:

Count what can be counted: pieces, dice, cards, using the contents list printed in the game rules.
Close the boxes, put an elastic band round those with loose lids, and store them flat on the shelf, not in an unstable pile.
Remove anything incomplete, or replace it: a puzzle missing pieces should be thrown away.

Keep the rulebook in each box, and one or two games that can be played without reading rules for international guests. Other touches for children, by age, are in welcoming families with children.

Report what’s missing, the same day

All of the above only matters if the shortfall is reported at the right time. An item found missing during cleaning is a purchase; found by the guest, it’s a message, then a review. In the app, the cleaner taps the relevant task, marks it as done or reports a problem with a photo, and the manager sees it straight away. Other checks on the same round, wifi, hot water, batteries and access, are in pre-arrival checks.

Your questions

How much crockery should you provide in a short-term rental?

A full set per guest, plus two: dinner plates, soup bowls, side plates, water and wine glasses, cups, cutlery. Add the utensils whose absence is immediately noticed, corkscrew, tin opener, sharp knife, board and colander. Write this inventory in the task tip, so every cleaner counts the same items.

Should you throw away a chipped glass?

Yes, even if it’s only a small chip. A cracked rim can cut, and chipped crockery gives the impression of a poorly equipped property. Remove it, report it with a photo, and replace it before the next arrival.

How many hangers should you leave in a wardrobe?

Around ten per wardrobe, all identical, wooden or non-slip. Guests take them unintentionally: recount at every clean and keep a small reserve in the property. Add a few clip hangers for stays of more than two nights.

How do you disconnect a guest’s accounts from a smart TV?

Open each streaming app and log out any account that isn’t the property’s, remove paired Bluetooth devices, then return to the home screen. The next guest should have no access to the previous guest’s history or profiles.

What should you check on a rental hairdryer?

That it heats and blows at both speeds, with no burning smell, that the rear grille is free of hair and dust, and that the cable is intact and loosely coiled. Any doubtful appliance should be removed rather than left in a bathroom.

How often should you check board games?

Every four cleans or so, more often in a family property. Open each box, count the pieces using the list in the rulebook, close it, and remove anything incomplete: a game missing a piece is more disappointing than no game at all.