Guests forgive a lot, but they don’t forgive a smell. “Musty,” “smelled like smoke,” or “smelled like the last guest’s dog” in a review can drag down your rating and your bookings for months. In Florida, where humidity and back-to-back check-ins are the norm, odors are one of the most common complaints hosts deal with.
The Odors That Show Up in Reviews
- Musty smell: often from the AC being turned off or set too high between stays.
- Smoke: a guest broke the no-smoking rule.
- Pet odor: from pet-friendly listings, or an unapproved pet.
- Cooking and trash odors left behind after checkout.
Prevention Tips for Hosts
- Never turn the AC off between stays. Use a smart thermostat to keep it running at a reasonable temperature so humidity stays under control.
- Change AC filters often, more often than you would at home.
- Check under sinks and the AC closet at every turnover for leaks.
- Take trash out at every checkout, including bathroom bins.
- Wash all linens, throws and pillow covers, not just sheets and towels.
- Skip heavy fragrance. Strong scents read as “covering something up” to guests and can bother people with sensitivities.
When a Guest Leaves a Smell Behind
A smoker or an unapproved pet can leave odor in fabrics, mattresses, cabinets and the AC system that your cleaner can’t get out between stays. Document it with photos for your platform’s damage claim process, then treat the whole unit, not just one room.
Our whole-home odor removal treatment treats the air throughout the entire unit, including one AC system. It takes about 8 hours with no one inside, so it can fit into a single blocked day on your calendar. If the smell is musty, we’ll check for moisture or mold first, since the treatment is for odor and doesn’t fix leaks.
Also see our guide to disinfecting rentals and Airbnbs between guests, and our landlord’s guide to odors between tenants.
Whole-Home Odor Removal in South Florida: $997
Our Whole-Home Odor Removal Treatment is $997 and includes one AC system ($550 for each additional AC unit). Buy and schedule it online, or call 877-224-2532. Hosts with multiple properties, call us to plan ahead. We answer 24/7, and hablamos español.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews.
