A reliable Airbnb cleaning checklist does more than make the place look tidy. It makes every turnover repeatable, gives cleaners a shared standard, and catches the small misses guests notice immediately: a hair in the shower, an empty soap bottle, crumbs in a drawer.
Airbnb recommends following the same routine before every check-in, with particular attention to high-traffic areas, fresh linens, clean floors, and restocked basics. The checklist below turns that advice into a room-by-room system you can actually use. For a version tailored to your property, try our free vacation-rental cleaning checklist generator.
Before you start: set up the turnover
- Open blinds and windows, weather permitting.
- Walk every room once and photograph damage or missing items.
- Strip beds and start laundry first; it is usually the longest task.
- Collect rubbish, used towels, dishes, and anything left behind.
- Check the next reservation for guest count, pets, children, or special requests.
Work from clean to dirty and high to low. Finish with floors so you do not undo your own work.
Kitchen cleaning checklist
- Wash and put away every dish, glass, utensil, and pan.
- Clean the sink, tap, drain, worktops, splashback, and cabinet handles.
- Wipe the hob, microwave, kettle, toaster, and the outside of larger appliances.
- Check the oven and dishwasher; run a cleaning cycle when needed.
- Empty the fridge of guest food unless your policy says otherwise; wipe shelves and drawers.
- Replace the bin liner and clean the bin lid.
- Restock dish soap, sponge, dishwasher tablets, coffee, tea, and basics you promise in the listing.
- Check for grease, crumbs, pests, and odours.
Bathroom cleaning checklist
- Disinfect the toilet, including the seat hinges, flush button, base, and floor around it.
- Clean the shower or bath, screen, grout, drain, and taps.
- Remove every hair from the basin, shower, floor, and towels.
- Polish the mirror and wipe shelves, switches, handles, and the hair dryer.
- Put out fresh, stain-free towels for the confirmed number of guests.
- Refill hand soap, shampoo, body wash, and toilet paper.
- Check that hot water, ventilation, and lights work.
Bedroom cleaning checklist
- Inspect mattress and pillow protectors, then make the bed with fresh linen.
- Check sheets and towels under bright light for hair, marks, and stains.
- Dust bedside tables, lamps, headboards, frames, switches, and sockets.
- Look under the bed and inside drawers and wardrobes.
- Empty bins and replace liners.
- Check curtains, blinds, hangers, charging points, and reading lights.
- Leave a clear surface for a guest's phone, glasses, and luggage.
Living room and dining area
- Vacuum sofas and chairs, including under cushions.
- Wipe remotes, switches, handles, tables, and other high-touch surfaces.
- Test the television, streaming device, lamps, air-conditioning, and heating.
- Return furniture, cushions, books, and decor to the listing-photo layout.
- Check windows for fingerprints and floors for grit or sticky spots.
- Replace damaged or incomplete games, books, and local guides.
Entry, outdoor areas, and safety
- Sweep the approach, remove cobwebs, and check exterior lighting.
- Test the lock, keypad, lockbox, gate, and spare-key process.
- Wipe outdoor furniture and empty exterior bins.
- Confirm smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms show normal status; follow the manufacturer's test schedule.
- Check the fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and emergency information.
- Make sure the address or unit number is visible from the guest's arrival route.
The final five-minute guest test
Stop cleaning and arrive as a guest. Stand outside, open the door using the instructions you send, and walk through the first ten minutes of the stay.
- Does the property smell neutral and fresh?
- Is the temperature comfortable?
- Can you find the Wi-Fi password in under a minute?
- Do all promised amenities appear clean, stocked, and working?
- Are keys, parking information, house rules, and contact details obvious?
Take time-stamped completion photos after the final check. They help remote hosts verify standards and give you a useful record if a guest reports a problem.
Copy-paste turnover handoff
Turnover complete for [property] at [time]. Laundry finished, consumables restocked, locks and key tested, heating/cooling set to [temperature], and final photos uploaded to [location]. Issues to follow up: [none / details].
Keep the operational checklist for your cleaner and the guest-facing information in a separate, simple Airbnb welcome book. Guests need to know how the home works; they do not need to see your turnover process.
Sources: Airbnb's cleaning checklist and Airbnb's guide to preparing a space.
Turn your listing into a guest-ready welcome book. Paste your Airbnb or Vrbo link into The Check-in Guide, preview the finished book, and pay once only if you want to keep it.