May 1, 2024

Essential Tips for Keeping Rental Properties Well-Maintained with Michael from Lula Cleaning

by Alana Barbosa | May 1, 2024

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Episode 10: Essential Tips for Keeping Rental Properties Well-Maintained with Michael from Lula Cleaning

Managing short-term rentals can be a whirlwind, especially when it comes to keeping everything spick and span. Michael Burakovsky, the brain behind Lula Cleaning, knows this firsthand. In this blog post, we’re breaking down Michael’s top advice, focusing on practical ways to make cleaning and maintenance a breeze for rental properties.

Don’t have time to watch the video right now? We’ve got you covered. Our key takeaways mean you won’t miss out on a thing!

Key Takeaways:

Make Things Easier with Automation: Forget about juggling tasks and messages manually. Look into tools that can automate assignments and communication. Less manual work means fewer mistakes and more time saved.

Customize for Your Needs: Every rental property is different. Whether you’re managing one place or a dozen, tailor your cleaning and maintenance approach to fit each property’s unique needs.

Keep an Eye on Quality: Good cleaning is essential for happy guests and property upkeep. Set up checks to ensure that cleaning is up to scratch. Regular inspections help maintain consistency and spot areas for improvement.

Stay One Step Ahead of Guests: Anticipating what guests need is key. Keep track of arrivals, requests, and any special needs. Being prepared means guests are more likely to have a great experience.

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Look for ways to streamline your operations. This could mean outsourcing tasks, managing supplies better, or using tech to your advantage. Less hassle means more time for other things.

Think About the Future: As your business grows, so will your workload. Plan for this by thinking ahead and setting up systems that can grow with you.

Clear communication is vital: Make sure everyone involved knows what’s going on. Regular updates and feedback help keep everyone on the same page.

Always Look to Improve: Don’t settle for “good enough”. Keep looking for ways to make things better. Listen to feedback and use it to tweak and refine your processes.

 

Missed something? Read the full video summary to get all the insights.

Transcription:

Hi, let’s start this episode.

Streamlining your cleaning and maintenance.

Whether you’re gearing up to start your journey in short-term rentals, already managing a rental business, or perhaps even running a cleaning company, stick around for some valuable insights on this topic.

Meet Michael Burakovsky, the brains behind Lula Cleaning, an application designed to manage cleaning and maintenance processes in short-term rental businesses.

Michael realized the need for such a tool when he found himself managing properties from abroad. Tired of constantly calling his cleaning team and micromanaging every detail, he decided to create a solution.

So, let’s dive in. On the following slides, Michael will walk us through various aspects of cleaning management and the factors to consider.

Firstly, let’s address the pain points associated with cleaning and maintenance.

One common issue is the manual transfer of information between systems. Often, you find yourself copying and pasting details to inform your cleaning team about when and where to clean your properties. This method is prone to errors and can lead to miscommunication.

Moreover, unexpected challenges, such as last-minute bookings or guests extending their stays, can disrupt your cleaning schedule. Additionally, it’s challenging to keep track of all cleanings using traditional methods like pen and paper, especially when it comes to managing payments for employees.

Introducing automation can alleviate many of these challenges. However, before diving into automation, consider various factors such as the location of your properties, whether you’ll manage cleanings in-house or hire a cleaning company, and how to ensure quality control.

Furthermore, anticipate future growth and plan your strategy accordingly. Consider the types of employees you’ll need and implement quality control measures to maintain standards as your business expands.

In conclusion, the main takeaway is to plan ahead and consider where you want your company to be in the future. Simplify processes, implement quality control, and embrace automation to streamline your cleaning and maintenance operations effectively.

And remember, you’re invited to try out the Lula Cleaning application. With features like easy task assignments, customizable checklists, and multilingual support, it’s designed to make your life easier.

So, let’s dive in and see how Lula Cleaning can transform your cleaning and maintenance processes.

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About the Author

Alana Barbosa

Author

Preferred+ Software Partner 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Rentals United is a vacation rental channel manager built for short-term rental hosts and property managers. Rather than replacing your property management system, it plugs directly into it, syncing your listings in real time across 90+ booking channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia, Homes & Villas By Marriott Bonvoy, all from one dashboard. With AI-powered analytics, and guest communication tools built in, it automates distribution and helps you grow bookings without adding complexity to your existing workflow.

 

A vacation rental channel manager — sometimes called a short term rental channel manager — is software that connects your listings to multiple booking platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, keeping rates, availability, and reservations in sync so you never risk a double booking. If you’re updating calendars manually, missing promotion opportunities, or leaving bookings on the table because a listing isn’t optimized, this is exactly the problem it solves. A revenue-first channel manager like Rentals United goes further, using AI-driven insights and multi-rate pricing to help you win more bookings on the channels you already use — properties using multi-rate pricing have earned up to 3x more revenue

No minimum size required. As a channel manager for vacation rentals of every size, Rentals United works for hosts managing a single property up to enterprise portfolios — it’s part of a network of 403,000+ properties connected worldwide. Whether you connect directly through Rentals United, through your existing PMS, or via our channel manager API, the platform scales with you, so you can add channels, features, and properties as you grow without switching systems.

Getting started is straightforward, whether you connect directly, through your existing PMS, or via API. After signing up, Rentals United’s onboarding specialists personally import your listings, connect your booking channels, and recommend the right channel mix for your portfolio. You’ll get strategic setup guidance on pricing and promotion features from day one, plus ongoing support from a dedicated account manager to keep your distribution and revenue performing as you scale.

Every Rentals United account comes with a dedicated Account Manager and access to channel experts who know both the platform and the short-term rental industry — not just generic technical support. Beyond one-to-one guidance on optimizing your channel mix, pricing, and promotions, you’ll have access to Rentals United’s knowledge base, API documentation, and ongoing performance reviews, so you’re never troubleshooting alone. Enterprise clients are also backed by SOC II-compliant security and operational reliability.

Rentals United takes data security seriously, protecting both your business data and your guests’ personal information with encryption, strict access controls, and regular security audits. Enterprise accounts are backed by SOC II-compliant infrastructure, the same standard referenced for our operational reliability, and our systems are built to align with GDPR requirements for handling guest and property manager data across Europe and beyond. Every integration, whether direct, through your PMS, or via our channel manager API, follows the same security protocols, so your listings, rates, and reservations stay protected no matter how you connect. If you have specific compliance requirements, such as industry certifications or data residency needs, our account managers can walk you through Rentals United’s security documentation before you get started.