Running a Lexington short-term rental means a city license, a zoning permit and bursts of guests around Keeneland and university events. Here is how cleaning fits into that.
Keeneland's race meets and the University of Kentucky both give people reasons to visit Lexington, and some of them stay in a home instead of a hotel. The city regulates that activity, and hosts who want to keep operating should start with the rules. This guide covers those rules as the city states them, then how to plan your cleaning around them.
The city defines a short-term rental as a stay of less than 30 consecutive days. It separates hosted rentals, where a primary resident lives on the property, from un-hosted ones, and the two are treated differently.
Operators need a special fees license, renewed every year with one fee for the first unit and a smaller fee for each additional unit, along with a Zoning Compliance Permit from the Division of Planning. Operating without the required license can bring fines that are charged by the day. The city lists the current amounts.
Confirm current requirements directly with the city before you list, because rules like these change. This guide is a pointer rather than legal advice.
Keeneland runs live races in April and October, and those are weeks a Lexington host can plan around. The University of Kentucky, with 35,952 students enrolled in fall 2024, adds its own campus calendar to watch.
Set your turnovers by working back from those dates. A property that goes straight from one guest to the next in race week has little slack, so a deeper reset in the quieter weeks beforehand makes those days easier to manage.
A home in a hosted arrangement has a primary resident on hand who can see trouble early. An un-hosted one relies on whoever walks in next, so a written checklist and a photo after each clean are worth the effort.
A Recurring House Clean will suit a steady, predictable rental, and a One-Time Deep Clean suits the seasonal reset, with hand washed baseboards, wet-wiped blinds, degreased cabinet fronts, treated shower glass and soaked stovetop grates. If a unit is empty between long leases or for sale, the Moving Clean adds the inside of the oven, refrigerator and cabinets.
Restocking, linen laundering and guest communication remain the host's job unless you have arranged otherwise. Keep spare sets of linens and a locked owner's closet, so restocking takes little time on the day.
Trash timing. City carts may go out no earlier than 4 p.m. the day before collection and must be removed by 7 p.m. on collection day. Guests rarely think about this, so give them clear instructions, or have someone responsible for it.
Recycling confusion. Glass is not accepted in Lexington's blue cart. Visitors from other cities will often assume it is, so a small sign by the bin will spare you trouble, especially after a race weekend with plenty of bottles.
Bed bugs. Lexington may collect bed and sleeper sofa mattresses separately because of possible bug infestation, and it asks residents to call LexCall if bugs are on an item. Check seams between guests. If you see signs, call a pest professional, since cleaners cannot treat for insects.
Humidity. Dew points in July average about 66 degrees. A property that sits closed between guests can feel stale, so run the air and wipe bathrooms down before someone arrives.
A character home near downtown can be a strong draw. About 18 percent of county homes date from before 1960, and the Gratz Park Historic District just north of downtown, listed in 1973, shows off Greek Revival and Gothic architecture. Delicate original finishes wear quickly under guest traffic, so tell any cleaner what is original and which products to avoid. The older home guide has more on this.
The questions Lexington homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Lexington and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
