Cleaning Your Ontario Vacation Property
Ontario has hundreds of thousands of vacation properties — from Muskoka and Georgian Bay to Prince Edward County and the Kawartha Lakes. These properties have specific cleaning cycles (spring opening, fall closing, between-guest turnovers for rental properties) that are different from primary residence cleaning.
Spring Opening
A spring opening clean addresses what happened over winter — particularly in unheated or minimally heated cottages and vacation properties:
- Dust accumulation over winter months in a closed building is significantly higher than in an occupied home
- Mouse and rodent evidence is common — check all drawers, cabinets, and storage areas
- Drain traps may have dried out (allowing sewer gas in) — run water in every drain before declaring the property habitable
- Refrigerator and freezer that were emptied and left open for winter need a full clean before food storage
Fall Closing
A fall closing clean prepares the property for winter — it's the state you'll return to in spring. A thorough clean at closing means a less intensive opening clean. Drain all water, clean out all food, and leave the property in the condition you want to arrive to.
Between-Guest Cleaning (Short-Term Rental)
For Ontario vacation properties on Airbnb or VRBO, between-guest cleaning is the same challenge as any STR property: fast turnaround, consistent execution, documented standards. Professional between-guest cleaning teams serve cottage country markets in Muskoka, Barrie, and Kawartha — coverage and availability vary by location. All Ontario HST (13%) applies.