Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Happy Moon Homestay may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list the kinds of items we use at our own homestay in Aldona, North Goa.

By Ulhas Polle, host at Happy Moon Homestay, Aldona, North Goa, since 2024 · Updated 2 October 2026

Our track record: Google 4.9★ (130 reviews) · Airbnb 4.88★ Guest Favourite (41 reviews) · Booking.com 9.8/10 Exceptional

Buying the furniture is the easy part. What keeps a homestay at 4.9 stars for years is the boring part: never running out of toilet rolls, garbage that never smells, and appliances that are serviced before they fail. Maintenance is of utmost importance. Guests write about cleanliness more than anything else in our reviews, and on Airbnb we score 5.0 for it. This guide covers the supplies we keep in stock and the maintenance routine behind that score, for any homestay, guest house, villa or single rented room.

How to use this list: every orange View on Amazon button is a link. “Our pick” opens the exact product we chose for a real setup, so you can add it to your cart without searching or comparing hundreds of listings. Where we recommend a brand rather than one model, the button opens a filtered Amazon.in search. Prices are what we paid in October 2025 and will have moved a little.

1. Garbage: plan it before you open

Buy garbage bags to match each bin size; bags that are too small tear and bags that are too big waste money. You also need one big bin outside the house, where all the waste waits until your panchayat or collector picks it up. Size it to hold everything your guests produce between collections: if waste is collected twice a week, the bin must hold three or four days of waste from a full house.

2. Cleaning supplies we never run out of

Buy cleaning liquids as concentrates where you can, especially phenyl: you dilute it yourself and it costs a fraction of ready-to-use bottles.

3. Guest consumables

4. Machines that save hours

A front-loading washing machine is the hardest-working appliance in a homestay: bedsheets, towels and guests’ own laundry. I have an LG and it has worked well for me. For deep cleaning, a vacuum cleaner gets the dust out of corners, curtains and mattresses; I use a Seznik.

  • LG front-loading washing machineneededone-time
    Gentler on linen, uses less water, and guests can use it too (you can charge for that).
    View on Amazon →
  • Seznik vacuum cleanerneededone-time
    Deep cleaning of corners, mattresses and curtains between guests.
    View on Amazon →
  • Floor mop with bucket for wet moppingneededone-time
    View on Amazon →
  • Cleaning equipment organiserneededone-time₹375 (Oct 2025)
    Mops and brooms stored neatly, not leaning in a corner guests can see.
    Our pick: View on Amazon →
  • Broom and dustpanbuy locally
    Buy locally.

What I would not buy again: a steam cleaner. It did nothing that the vacuum, mop and the cleaning liquids above do not already do.

5. The maintenance schedule

When What
Every checkout Change linen and towels, clean the bathroom, empty bins, mop, check the mosquito refill, restock soap, shampoo and tissue, check the AC remote and RFID card are back.
Weekly Wash mats and curtains in rotation, vacuum mattresses and corners, clean the fridge, wipe the RO and kitchen platform, check sensor lights at night.
Monthly Check camera recordings and SD cards, test the inverter backup, clean AC filters, check the sediment pre-filter, put down anti-cockroach gel, check stock levels.
Before the monsoon Service the ACs, clean the water tank, check roof and window leaks, test the surge arrester and earthing, stock extra mosquito refills and bags, check the solar water heater.
Yearly Refill or check fire extinguishers, change RO filters as due, service the geyser, washing machine and inverter, pest control, repaint or polish worn surfaces.

What our guests say about this (verified Airbnb reviews):

“This place is very clean (no insects either!). The room was plenty big. Good quality pillows and mattress. Bathroom was well maintained as well.”

— Tanishq, 5★ on Airbnb, August 2025

“The place is spotless, very well maintained and thoughtfully organised, which made the stay super comfortable. Every little detail was sorted, so I didn’t have to worry about a thing.”

— Ankita, 5★ on Airbnb, August 2025

See it working before you spend a rupee

Everything in this guide is running at Happy Moon Homestay in Aldona, North Goa. Book a consultation: two hours on site with me, walking through the security setup, power backup, rooms, kitchen and the systems that keep reviews at 4.9★, and then your own property and plan. ₹10,000 for 2 hours. Free for persons of Goan origin. Staying the night is optional and charged at our normal room rate, so you can experience it as a guest.

Book a consultation on WhatsApp →

Want us to set it all up for you? See our done-for-you Airbnb setup service.

Frequently asked questions

How do I handle garbage at a homestay?

Use bags sized to each bin, a lidded bin for wet waste, and one large bin outside the house big enough to hold all the waste until your collection day.

Which washing machine is best for a homestay?

A front-loading machine. I use LG and it has worked well; guests can use it too, for a small charge if you choose.

Is a steam cleaner worth buying?

In our experience, no. It did nothing our vacuum, mop and cleaning liquids did not already do.

How often should homestay ACs be serviced?

Clean the filters monthly and get a full service before the monsoon, when they work hardest against humidity.

The full homestay setup series

Start with the complete checklist with real costs, or go area by area:

  1. Security and outside the property
  2. Power, water and internet
  3. Kitchen
  4. Bedroom
  5. Common area and dining
  6. Bathroom
  7. Supplies and maintenance (this article)

Staying in North Goa? See our rooms at Happy Moon Homestay.