Vacation Rentals: Kitchen Decontamination Guide

Vacation rentals promise kitchen access. For celiacs, that’s a huge advantage, cook your own safe food instead of navigating unfamiliar restaurants every meal.

But that kitchen has been used by who knows how many people making who knows what. Here’s how to make it usable.

Before You Book

Questions to Ask

“Is it possible to know if the pots, pans, and utensils have been used with gluten-containing foods? I have celiac disease and need to avoid cross-contamination.”

Most hosts won’t know or won’t understand. But asking establishes your needs and occasionally finds hosts who are GF themselves or have supplies for GF guests.

What to Look For

• Kitchen size (can you actually cook?)
• Dishwasher (cleans more thoroughly than handwashing)
• Good cookware (quality pans are more likely to be well-maintained)
• Previous reviews mentioning cleanliness

Consider Dedicated GF Rentals

Some vacation rentals specifically advertise as celiac-friendly or gluten-free. They’re rare, but platforms like VRBO sometimes have filters. Worth searching.

What to Bring

I travel with a kit for vacation rental kitchens:

Essential

• Cutting board: A small flexible one packs easily. Never trust rental cutting boards.
• Colander: For draining GF pasta. Shared colanders are contaminated from regular pasta.
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula: Wooden utensils absorb gluten. Bring your own.
• Toaster bags: If you want toast.
• Dish soap and new sponge: In case you need to re-clean things.
• Aluminum foil: For covering surfaces or making a clean cooking surface in the oven.

Nice to Have

• Small non-stick pan: Guaranteed clean surface for eggs, etc.
• Travel toaster: For longer stays.
• Reusable storage containers: For leftovers and prepped food.

This all fits in a bag or corner of a suitcase.

Arrival Protocol

When you get to the rental:

Assess the Kitchen

• General cleanliness level
• Condition of cookware
• What actually seems usable

Clean What You’ll Use

Before cooking anything:

Dishwasher items: Run a cycle with just the pots, pans, and utensils you plan to use. The high heat helps.

Hand-wash items: Clean thoroughly with hot water and soap, paying attention to handles and crevices.

Surfaces: Wipe down counters where you’ll prep food.

Identify What You Won’t Use

• Wooden utensils (porous, can’t be cleaned adequately)
• Scratched non-stick pans (scratches harbor residue)
• Anything that looks questionable
• The toaster (unless you have toaster bags)
• Possibly the cutting boards (I always use my own)

Set these aside so you don’t accidentally grab them while cooking.

Safe Cooking Practices

Surfaces

• Use your own cutting board
• Prep on clean surfaces you’ve wiped down
• If unsure about counters, prep on a clean plate or foil

Cookware

• Stainless steel and cast iron clean well (wash thoroughly)
• Glass bakeware is generally safe (wash first)
• Non-stick depends on condition, scratched pans are risky
• Use foil in the oven if you’re unsure about baking sheets

Utensils

• Metal utensils clean well
• Avoid wooden items
• Avoid plastic that’s scratched or stained

Storage

• Clean the fridge shelves you’ll use
• Don’t let your GF food touch surfaces where gluten food was

Grocery Shopping

Part of the vacation rental advantage is buying groceries:

Find Stores Before You Arrive

Google the nearest:

• Regular grocery store (most have GF sections now)
• Natural foods store (better GF selection)
• Big box store with groceries

First Shopping Trip

Stock up on:

• Safe breakfast items (eggs, GF bread, yogurt)
• Snacks
• Ingredients for easy dinners
• Fruit and vegetables
• Drinks

Think Through Meals

Plan simple meals that don’t require complex equipment:

• Grilled or baked proteins
• Rice or GF pasta
• Roasted vegetables
• Salads

Don’t plan anything that requires equipment you can’t trust.

Cleaning Before You Leave

I try to leave the kitchen cleaner than I found it. But also:

Don’t leave your GF items behind unless you want to. That travel cutting board comes home with me.

Real Talk: How Strict?

Your comfort level matters. Some celiacs are comfortable with:

• Running shared dishes through dishwasher once and using them
• Trusting stainless steel pans after a good wash
• Using rental utensils that clean well

Others need:

• Multiple washes before use
• Using only what they brought
• Avoiding certain items entirely

Both approaches are valid. Know your sensitivity and your risk tolerance.

I’m somewhere in the middle. I trust a dishwasher-cleaned stainless steel pot. I don’t trust a scratched plastic cutting board or a wooden spoon.

Shorter Stays vs. Longer Stays

Weekend Trip

Bring your kit, do minimal cooking:

• Eggs and GF toast for breakfast
• One simple dinner
• Eat out or get takeout for rest

Week or More

Worth investing in full kitchen setup:

• Bring more equipment
• Do serious grocery shopping
• Cook most meals
• Establish a routine

The longer the stay, the more the vacation rental advantage pays off.

When It’s Not Worth It

Sometimes I look at a vacation rental kitchen and decide: not worth it.

Signs:

• Kitchen is tiny or poorly equipped
• Everything looks questionable
• Great restaurants nearby that I want to try
• Short stay where setup time isn’t worth it

In these cases, I might just use the rental for coffee/breakfast and eat out otherwise.

The Payoff

A well-managed vacation rental kitchen means:

• Breakfast every day without restaurant stress
• Safe packed lunches for day trips
• Dinners when you want them
• Leftovers for convenience
• Money saved on eating out
• Certainty about what you’re eating

It takes initial effort. But then you have a functional kitchen for your stay.

Safe food on vacation is possible. It just takes some planning and a small travel kit.