Floor Care Between Guests in Rental Apartments

In short: In Alanya, vacation rental apartments change guests frequently during the summer season.

Every guest leaves their own mark on the floor with sand, sunscreen, drinks and suitcase wheels. If the right steps are taken during the few hours of cleaning between guests, the floor will look good throughout the season and you can avoid major expenses at the end of it. This article was prepared for owners of vacation rentals and cleaning teams.

Quick Check at Guest Checkout

Before you start cleaning, take a 2–3 minute walk-through:

• Are there any new stains: Stains such as coffee, wine, oil, sunscreen and nail polish have not fully penetrated the stone in the first hours, so they come out easily if noticed early.
• Are there any dull marks: Lemon, drinks or limescale remover etch the surface of the marble and leave dull marks; these marks do not go away with wiping and require polishing.
• Are there any breaks or cracks: Breaks and cracks caused by dropped objects and impacts should be recorded and assessed for safety before the next guest arrives.
• Has any furniture been dragged: Footprints of relocated furniture and scratches around them show that the felt pads are missing or that the floor has been worn down by friction.
• Is there any water or staining on the balcony and terrace: Standing water and remaining stains should be dealt with, along with a check of the drain and slope, before they turn into limescale and algae on the balcony.

Take photos. These photos help both to determine who is responsible for damage and to plan end-of-season maintenance.

Cleaning Order

The order matters in cleaning between guests; sand is removed first, then stains and wet cleaning are dealt with, so that the stone does not get scratched.

1. Sand and dust: First, remove the sand with a dry mop or broom; dragging sand around with a wet mop works like sandpaper and creates fine scratches on the surface.
2. Stain treatment: Then new stains are treated; stains come out most easily in the first hours, before they penetrate the stone.
3. Damp cleaning: Next, the floor is wiped with a pH-neutral stone cleaner using a well-wrung mop; excess water does not seep into the joints and leaves no marks.
4. Bathroom: The area around the shower and sink is wiped and dried; limescale remover leaves dull marks on marble, so it is not used in the bathroom either.
5. Kitchen countertop: Check the countertop for grease and acid marks; after cleaning the surface, dry it to prevent water rings from remaining.
6. Balcony: Sweep up sand and leaves and check the drain; a clogged drain causes water to pool on the balcony when it rains.
7. Doormats: Lastly, doormats are shaken out or replaced; a full mat cannot hold sand and lets it be carried inside by the new guest.

What Should Be in the Cleaning Cabinet?

When the right products are ready in the cabinet, the stone floor will not be cleaned with the wrong product even if the cleaning team changes.

• pH-neutral stone cleaner: The basic product that removes dirt without etching the surface of marble and travertine; it leaves no need for any other detergent in daily cleaning.
• Microfiber cloths and mop: Microfiber traps dirt and leaves little water when well wrung out; this way no streaks or water marks remain on the floor.
• Dry dust mop: Used to remove sand and dust before wet cleaning; it prevents the surface from being scratched by a wet mop.
• Absorbent paper towels: Used to blot up spilled drinks and oils by pressing rather than rubbing; rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it into the stone.
• Stone-safe stain products: A simple poultice material draws oil and colored stains out of the stone and allows the stain to be removed before it becomes permanent.

What should not be there: Limescale remover, vinegar, bleach (for stone surfaces), abrasive creams and powders.

Small Precautions for Guests

Most of the damage comes from guests not knowing how to treat stone; a few small precautions taken in the apartment reduce these risks from the start.

• Indoor and outdoor doormats: A double doormat at the entrance keeps most of the sand carried in on shoes at the door and reduces scratching on the floor.
• Foot shower or brush on the balcony: In homes close to the beach, a foot shower or sand brush prevents beach sand from being carried inside and scratching the stone floor.
• Felt pads on furniture legs: Felt pads prevent the scratches and scuff marks that would otherwise form on the floor each time chairs and tables are pulled.
• Cutting board and trivet: A cutting board keeps acids such as lemon and vinegar from touching the countertop, while a trivet prevents marks left by hot pots.
• A short, polite note: A note stating that marble floors are affected by acidic products and that spilled drinks must be wiped up immediately informs the guest.

If Damage Occurs

When damage is noticed, correct documentation and quick triage make it easier both to determine responsibility and to plan the repair.

• Photograph and record it: If the damage is photographed with the date and guest information, responsibility becomes clear and the end-of-season maintenance list can be prepared easily.
• Clean simple stains immediately: If simple stains remaining on the surface are cleaned right away, before they penetrate the stone, they leave no permanent mark and are not carried over to the next guest.
• Add permanent damage to the list: Permanent stains, acid marks and breakage are added to the end-of-season maintenance list; in urgent situations affecting safety, professional help is sought.

Between-Guest Checklist

Working with the Cleaning Crew

In rental apartments the cleaning crew can change often, and each new crew arrives with its own habits. That is why a short instruction sheet stuck to the cleaning cupboard door ensures the right products are used even when the crew changes. The instructions should state the stone type, the products to use and to avoid, the cleaning order, and whom to notify when a stain is spotted. For owners with several apartments, using the same instructions in all of them makes things even easier.

What Should Be Done at the End of the Season?

The end of the season is the time when the marks accumulated over the summer are assessed together and the floor is prepared for the next season.

• Review the damage list: When the damage photographed throughout the season is examined together, it becomes clear which areas need only cleaning and which need repair.
• Check for dullness against the light: Wear along walking paths is hard to see when looking straight on; when viewed against the light at an oblique angle, dull streaks become obvious.
• Plan poultice and polishing: Poultices are planned for permanent stains and polishing for acid marks, so work is done only in the areas that need it.
• Check the impregnation: If water is absorbed quickly in a drop test, the protection has weakened; renewing the impregnation before the new season reduces the risk of staining.
• Replace consumables: Worn felt pads, full mats and frayed mop heads no longer do their job; replacing them protects the floor in the next season.

Rental Apartment Maintenance in Alanya

Most rental apartments in Alanya have marble or travertine floors, and the busy summer season wears these floors out quickly. We suggest a simple method to owners and cleaning crews for between-guest checks, and at the end of the season we carry out polishing, stain removal and impregnation only in the areas needed, based on the damage list. For owners with several apartments, we can prepare a maintenance schedule that handles the apartments in turn.