Etiquette tips to follow when you're renting a cabin

The August long weekend is here, which means many Manitobans will be heading to rented cottages for some summer fun.

Though these cabin rentals are meant to be places of relaxation, there still are some etiquette rules that should be followed when there.

Dawn Dowsett is the owner and operator of Blue Lakes Resort, which has lakefront cabins that can be rented.

She said there are certain rules that guests need to follow, which are posted on signage in her cabins.

“Read the signs so you’re aware of the rules and regulations as to cleaning the cabins after you leave, quiet time, pets. Just simple things like that,” she said.

In situations where people bring their dogs to a cabin, Dowsett said pet owners need to clean up after them and remove any hair.

“Keep them off the furniture and beds and clean up outside, of course, before you leave,” she said.

Another rule to follow is leaving the cabin in the state that you found it in. This involves removing all your items out of the fridge and freezer, including bags of ice and condiments.

“Sometimes leaving something behind just causes more work on the cleaner,” Dowsett said.

“And also we can’t leave anything in the fridge or freezer for the next guest because we can’t guarantee the sanitation of it, and also it might look like we didn’t look in the fridge before they arrived.”

Dowsett said guests have left her cabins with dirty freezers, as well as dusty floors. This is despite the fact that there’s signs informing guests they need to clean up and sweep the floors.

“I’ve had instances where people it seems like maybe moved the broom to make it look like they swept, but they haven’t,” she said.

By not cleaning up at a cabin rental, it gives more work to the owners and may mean they have to charge cleaning fees.

“We try not to do that too often, but in some cases we have to,” Dowsett said.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.