Do You Need To Clean A Rental Car Before Returning It?

One of your top goals when renting a car may be to avoid extra fees. To this end, you should familiarize yourself with certain behaviors and activities to never engage in when driving a rental car, like smoking inside it or forgetting to refill the gas tank before returning it. It's also important to thoroughly review the rental company's policies. They can answer questions you might have, such as whether you need to clean a rental car before returning it.

Unfortunately, there's no universal answer to the question of whether you've got to clean your rental car before returning it. The language regarding whether cleaning is necessary varies from one policy to another. While a company might not require a driver to clean a vehicle, it may charge fees for returning a messy rental.

For example, if you acquire a vehicle through Budget Rent-a-Car, the relevant policy states the company has sole discretion to determine whether a driver has left the vehicle in such a condition that the company needs to charge them a "reasonable fee" for cleaning services. Enterprise's language regarding whether drivers and passengers can bring pets in rental cars implies a similar policy. It states that pets routinely must be kept in crates and that rental cars must be returned in clean condition, without any pet hair or other signs of uncleanliness resulting from an animal being in the car. The policy states drivers may incur cleaning or detailing fees if they return cars with signs of pet hair, dander, or similar contaminants.

Avis uses similar language when establishing its no smoking rule. The company says a driver may be charged cleaning fees of up to $450 if they return a rental car where they appear to have violated this policy.

A review of rental car company policies suggests it's not common for these companies to require that drivers clean their vehicles before returning them. Instead, they do have policies indicating returning a dirty vehicle may be costly for a driver.

Again, the best way to avoid any cleaning fees or related fees when renting a vehicle is to thoroughly check all the rules and policies that apply. As the above examples suggest, they may identify specific activities (like smoking) that you should avoid if you don't want to pay a cleaning fee. Similarly, you shouldn't engage in any behaviors that can cause a mess, like eating in the car when doing so isn't necessary.

Make sure everyone in the vehicle also understands the policies. You don't want to incur a fee because one of your passengers violated a rule, leaving you on the hook for the damage.

You can also protect yourself by working with an established company that doesn't have a reputation for tacking on extra fees just to squeeze every penny out of customers. Research the best rental car companies to learn more about your options. There are also a number of steps you can take before renting a car that will help you avoid hidden fees.