Vetted Vacation Home Cleaners: What “Vetted” Should Actually Mean

Searching for vetted vacation home cleaners is smart, because a cleaner has keys, codes and access to a home that earns you money. But “vetted” is a marketing word with no standard definition. Here is how to make it concrete.

What vetting can include

• A track record: reviews from other hosts on completed jobs.
• Credentials: business license, liability insurance, bonding.
• References you can contact.
• A background check, where a service offers one and you have consented to the process.
• A trial turnover with you or a trusted person checking the result.

Questions to ask about any claim of “vetted”

• Who did the vetting, and what exactly did they check?
• Is it verified, or reported by the cleaner?
• When was it last checked?

On Host Wingman, cleaners list their experience, services and credentials on their profile, and reviews come from completed bookings. Credentials such as insured, bonded or licensed are entered by the cleaner and are self-reported, so Host Wingman does not independently verify them. For a premium home, ask for proof of insurance before you book and use a first job as a trial.

Protect yourself regardless

• Use smart locks or unique codes you can change after the cleaner’s first visits.
• Keep valuables locked away from the guest and cleaning areas.
• Ask for after-clean photos so you can see the work remotely.
• Keep communication and payment inside the platform so there is a record.

Compare vacation home cleaners by city →