Airbnb cleaning checklist for every turnover
43 things worth checking between guests, room by room, and the handful worth photographing, because those are the ones that get disputed.
Free. Printable. Editable. No email required.
Before you start
Two minutes here saves an hour later.
- Walk every room and photograph anything damaged or missing Before you touch anything. A photo timestamped before the clean is the only thing that settles a dispute with a guest.
- Check for items left behind Chargers under beds, clothes in drawers, food in the fridge. A guest who gets their passport back forgives a lot.
- Open windows if the weather allows Smell is the first thing a guest notices and the last thing you can fix in a hurry.
- Start a load of laundry now Linens are the long pole. Everything else can happen while they wash.
Kitchen
The room guests judge hardest and the one most often rushed.
- Empty and wipe the fridge, including door seals Check the crisper drawer. Half a lemon left there ruins the next stay.
- Run and empty the dishwasher, put everything away Not "clean and in the dishwasher". Away.
- Wipe counters, backsplash and the front of every cupboard Handprints on cupboard doors read as "not cleaned".
- Clean the sink and polish the tap A dull tap makes a clean kitchen look dirty.
- Wipe inside the microwave
- Check and restock: coffee, filters, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, oil, foil, cling film, bin bags, dish soap, sponge, paper towelsPHOTO The most common source of "the host said it was stocked".
- Empty the bin and put a fresh liner in, plus spares underneath
- Run the garbage disposal and check for smells
Bathrooms
One hair in a shower undoes an otherwise perfect clean.
- Toilet: bowl, seat, hinges, base and the floor behind it The hinges and the floor behind are what people photograph in bad reviews.
- Shower: walls, door or curtain, drain, and the corner where the floor meets the wall Check the drain for hair every single time.
- Sink, tap and mirror (mirror last, with a dry cloth)
- Fresh towels, folded the same way every timePHOTO Consistency is what makes a clean look professional.
- Restock: toilet paper (one on the holder, two spare and visible), hand soap, shampoo, body wash Visible spares stop the 11pm "where is the toilet paper" message.
- Empty the bin, fresh liner
- Wipe the extractor fan cover Nobody does this. Guests notice when someone has.
Bedrooms
Where the guest decides whether they trust the place.
- Strip and remake every bed with fresh linenPHOTO This is the single most disputed item in short-term rentals.
- Check under beds and between mattress and headboard
- Fresh pillowcases on every pillow, including decorative ones
- Check mattress protector for stains; strip it if there is any doubt If you are unsure, change it. The cost of a protector is nothing next to one review.
- Dust surfaces, headboard, lamps and skirting
- Empty wardrobes and drawers, check hangers are all present
- Test the bedside lamps and charging points
Living areas
- Vacuum, including under and behind the sofa
- Check between and under sofa cushions Remotes, coins, food. Lift every cushion.
- Straighten cushions and fold throws the same way each time
- Dust surfaces, shelves, TV screen and skirting boards
- Remotes: present, wiped, batteries working
- Mop hard floors last, working towards the door
Outside and entry
The first and last thing a guest sees.
- Sweep the entry, porch or balcony
- Check the bins are out or in, per the collection day
- Clear cobwebs from the doorway and light fittings
- Check outdoor furniture and cushions if the season calls for it
- Hot tub or pool: check and log readings if you have one
Before you lock up
The five minutes that prevent most guest messages.
- All rubbish removed from the propertyPHOTO Includes the bins outside.
- Thermostat set to the arrival setting
- All lights off except the one you leave on for arrival
- Windows shut and locked, doors locked
- Check the lockbox or keypad works and the code is the current one Test it. A guest locked out at 10pm is the worst message you can get.
- Final walk-through from the front door, as a guest would see it Stand in the doorway of every room. You will spot something every time.
Which items should you photograph?
"It was clean when I left" is not evidence. A photo is.
Four items carry almost every dispute we have seen: beds made, towels hung, supplies restocked, and rubbish removed. A timestamped photo of those four settles an argument with a guest, a co-host or a cleaner before it starts. They are the four marked PHOTO above.
That is a recommendation, not a limit. You can require a photo on every single item on this list if you want to, and some hosts do: on a new cleaner, on a high-value property, or after something has gone wrong.
The trade-off is time. Every photo you require adds a minute or two to the clean, and on a same-day turnover those minutes come out of the window before the next guest arrives. Ask for what you actually need, and change it whenever you want.