Our Guide to Making Your Airbnb Eco-Friendly

From plastic waste and chemicals to air pollution and climate change, the environment is a hot topic currently, with many people looking to adopt an eco-friendlier lifestyle. Given that single properties are more environmentally-friendly than hotels that drain energy and resources, you’re already well placed as an Airbnb host to attract the more eco-conscious traveller. But, make a few alterations to your property, and you’ll really be able to tap into this ever-growing demographic.

Encourage Public Transport Use

Taking an eco-friendly approach to hosting begins before your guests arrive; promoting public transport and making travel to your property easy is one of the first things you can do. Provide local timetables, maps and directions from the airport or local train station to encourage your guests to use public transport rather than taxis or hire cars. You could also go one step further and provide bicycles for them to use while staying with you.

Choose Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

There is a whole range of eco-friendly cleaning products available to buy nowadays so making the switch from harmful chemicals is easy. Look for plant-derived, chemical-free products that avoid animal testing. You could also reduce your plastic use by choosing brands that enable you to refill the containers rather than buying new ones every time. 

Purchase Eco-Friendly Toiletries 

In the same way you can buy eco-friendly cleaning products, you can opt for natural toiletries such as soaps, shampoos, and conditioners; the less harmful chemicals you have in your property, the better. You could also consider providing bars of soap rather than liquid soap in plastic bottles or again opt for refillable products or companies that take their containers back and reuse them. 

Install Tap Aerators

Tap aerators are a simple way to reduce your water usage. They aerate the water as it comes out the tap, reducing the amount of water wasted by guests washing their hands or their dishes. The flow of water remains the same, so you don’t need to worry about your guests noticing the difference. 

Choose Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs and Appliances

Fitting your property with energy saving light bulbs and other energy-efficient appliances will reduce how much energy your guests use during their stay.  You could also remind guests to switch off lights and other gadgets when they are not in use to reduce wasted energy; it will lower your monthly bills too. 

Make Recycling Easy

Recycling procedures differ from place to place, so your guests won’t automatically know what goes where. Make recycling easy for them by leaving clear instructions and providing separate labelled bins. 

Keep a Supply of Reusable Shopping Bags

There’s a good chance that your guests will need to shop while staying in your property. Save them the trouble of having to use plastic bags by supplying reusable ones for them to use while staying with you. 

Think About Your Outdoor Space

If you have a garden that needs tending to and plants to water, make it more eco-friendly by using a water butt to collect rainwater for your plants and adding a compost heap for food waste. Wildlife-friendly areas, bird feeders, nest boxes and herb gardens all add an extra eco-touch to your garden as well; there is loads you could do outside and not all of it requires a lot of effort.

Speak to the Airbnb Management Experts

If you have any questions regarding Airbnb property management, ecological or otherwise, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our knowledgeable team.