Are Host Required To Provide Bath Soap, Shampoo and Conditioner

[Debbie464]

I was told by a recent guest that  Host's are now required to provide Soap, shampoo and conditioner in there rental, is this true?  I was not aware of this. I provide kitchen soap to wash the dishes, hand soap in the bathroom and laundry soap for the washer.  It seems ridiculious to have to provide bar soap, shampoo & conditioner as everyone has different preferences and taste.  Can someone let me know what is the requirement.  Thanks.

[Kevin940]

@Debbie0.  Under your listing there is an option to check 'Essentials'  you do not have to check this, just make it clear in your communication with guests that you do not provide essential toiletries.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Debbie464  Here is what ABB suggests for essential amenities.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2343/what-are-essential-amenities

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2344/what-if-i-don-t-provide-essential-amenities-in-my-listing

I do provide shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, body wash and toothpaste for guests in my listing. Most of my guests use what I have and a few used their own. People with very specific preferences will use their own no matter what is provided.....but most people will opt to use whatever is available. I'm not picky 🙂 so I use whatever shampoo and body wash/soap is available but I will always travel with facial foam cleanser and my own shower sponge. 

[Sudsrung0]

We provide everything we buy a hair and body shampoo in a gallon and the maid tops up the dispensor in the bathrooms,

Shampoo,

Soap

Shower cap

Cotton buds

Bath towels

Hand towels 

Toilet rolls and Tissues

Beach Towels

Hair dryers 

In the fridge when they arrive they have Free Beers water and coke's And a Basket of Fruit local

All the cleaning stuff they need in the kitchen and kitchen roll,

We have found if you leave the cleaning stuff they will keep it clean

We have a company nearby that supply hotels with all the bits and pieces

Just build into your price I guess people dont want to be carrying towels and linen around the world with them,

[Kevin940]

@Sudsrung0 We, like you offer everything you could ever need except food in the fridge, we offer water though.  If we start to offer fruit baskets and alcohol we would never make any money.

[Sudsrung0]

Build it into your price the guest love it, Fresh fruit on arrival

[Ann72]

@Debbie464 , no, it's not a requirement.  But if you decide to provide these things, don't provide bars of soap - that would be incredibly wasteful, because you'd have to provide a new one for each guest.

I keep this in every bathroom:  shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath in one:  https://www.boxed.com/product/3143/everyone-soap-for-every-body-3in1-32-oz.-coconut-lemon/

I do also provide shampoo and conditioner, but just buy whatever's on sale.  People can like it or lump it.

[Lawrene0]

You could show that guest the list, @Debbie464. It says only soap for hands and body, so technically you are right. Like the others here, I do provide more in the way of hand sanitizer and camp soap (because those are more appropriate here), as well as the required hand soap. Also soap, shampoo and conditioner at the house where the shower is. Older towels at the treehouse and nicer towels at the house. Two pillows per guest rather than just one. Linens and extra blankets. 

Here's the thing, though. You will still get guests who say they got no soap because they decided to use their own, or who check "no" to "did you get one towel per guest" because they got more than one; they got four. I am afraid I shouted at my computer monitor today because yet another guest did that.

My monitor will get over it.

[Ann72]

@Lawrene0 Good heavens, that's insane.  Why can't Airbnb say "at least" one towel per guest?  

I think the computer was sympathetic.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72 @Lawrene0  Did you catch the post from the host whose guest gave them a 4* for accuracy because the place was actually nicer than how it appeared in the listing photos?

[Ann72]

@Sarah977 I actually just saw that on a Facebook group!  And I think she said Airbnb gave the guest a refund?

[Ann72]

@Sarah977 Sorry, that was wrong - she wrote that she got downgraded on accuracy because her place was better than advertised - as you said.  So crazy!

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  Never mind the profile photos, guests should have to pass some kind of cognitive skills test before they can book and review 🙂

[Ann72]

@Sarah977 LMAO - seriously!  You have to wonder how they can even get from point A to point B in life.

[Sarah977]

@Debbie464  Soap is required, not shampoo, conditioner, body wash, or any of the other myriad of products which people have been bambozzled into believing are essential by advertising agencies (shampoo and conditioner are indeed necessary personal items, but not required by Airbnb).

I don't provide shampoo or conditioner, soap is in a small pump dispenser which I refill from a bulk container. But I do have a small basket of products that get left behind by guests- I wipe them down with antibacterial wipes, including opening the lid and cleaning that part as well, and leave them for my guests to avail themselves of if they choose. Sometimes there's some shampoo there, some sunscreen, hand lotion, bug spray, whatever. I do make it a point when showing it to guests, to tell them I sterilize all of it.

The important thing is make sure the amenities you do provide are checked off in your listing, and the ones you don't are left unchecked.