Airbnb checkout instructions: what to ask, where to add them, and a template

Checkout instructions are the handoff between your guest and your cleaner. A short, clear list helps the guest leave on time and leaves the home in a predictable state, so your cleaner can start straight away. A long list of chores works against you, because Airbnb lets guests flag excessive checkout tasks when they rate your communication. This guide covers what to ask, what to leave out, where the instructions go in Airbnb, and a template you can copy. For the cleaner's side of the same turnover, use our free Airbnb cleaning checklist.

What to ask guests to do at checkout

Airbnb's checkout instructions start from five common tasks, and you can add a short detail to each one. For most homes, those five are enough. Use the detail to say exactly where or how, because "take out the trash" means something different in every home.

• Gather used towels. Name one spot, such as the bathtub or a basket by the washer. Your cleaner then finds every towel in one place instead of searching each room.
• Throw trash away. Say which bin is for trash and which is for recycling, and whether guests should take anything outside.
• Turn things off. Name the things that matter in your home, such as lights, the TV, ceiling fans, a fireplace or the oven. If you want the thermostat left at a set temperature, give the number.
• Lock up. Explain how the door locks, especially with a keypad or smart lock, and mention any windows or back doors guests tend to forget.
• Return keys. Say exactly where the keys go. If your home uses a keypad and has no physical keys, you can leave this task out.

Airbnb also gives you a space for additional requests that are specific to your home. Its own example is asking guests to cover the grill after use. Good additional requests are quick and protect the property, like closing the hot tub cover or bringing in the porch cushions. Keep them to one or two.

Finally, ask guests to let you know when they have left. In 2023, Airbnb added a way for guests to tell you with a tap that they have checked out, and a short message in the chat works just as well. Either one tells you your cleaner can start.

What not to ask

Airbnb's own advice is that guests expect to leave effortlessly. Its ground rules for guests do say they should not leave the home needing excessive or deep cleaning, with examples like moldy dishes or pet stains. Routine cleaning is a different matter. Airbnb says the cleaning fee is meant to cover standard cleaning between reservations, and hosts may not charge guests fees for failing to do specific cleaning or checkout tasks. If you are still deciding what to charge, see our guide to the Airbnb cleaning fee.

Guests can also choose "excessive checkout tasks" as a reason when they rate your communication, and Airbnb says listings with repeated low ratings for unreasonable tasks may be removed. So we would leave the real cleaning off the list entirely.

Where to put checkout instructions in Airbnb

Airbnb keeps checkout instructions in the Arrival guide for each listing. On desktop, the Airbnb Help Center gives these steps:

1. Click Listings and select the listing you want to change.
2. Under Listing editor, click Arrival guide.
3. Click Checkout instructions, then click Add instructions.
4. Choose the tasks that apply, add any optional details (Airbnb allows up to 140 characters), and click Save.

Menu names change from time to time, so if a label does not match what you see, search the Airbnb Help Center for "checkout instructions".

Two things happen once you save. Guests can see the instructions on your listing before they book, so write them for someone who is still deciding. Airbnb also sends guests a reminder with your checkout time and instructions at 5:00 PM local time the day before checkout, but only as a phone notification, so a guest without the app or with notifications turned off will not see it.

Back it up with a scheduled message

Because the reminder depends on the app, we suggest also sending your instructions as a scheduled quick reply, which lands in the guest's Airbnb inbox. On desktop, click Messages, then Settings, then Quick replies, and click Create. Name the template, paste in your message, choose the listings it applies to, and set when it should send, for example the evening before checkout. Scheduled quick replies go out in your listing's time zone. Airbnb skips some scheduled messages for last-minute bookings and short stays unless you switch on the Send for last minute bookings and short stays toggle before you save.

A printed copy by the front door is a cheap backup for the guest who never opens the app.

Copy the checkout instructions template

The template on this page is written as a scheduled message for the evening before checkout. Replace everything in square brackets, delete any line that does not apply to your home, and keep it to the five common tasks plus one or two of your own. It also tells guests what they do not need to do, which reassures them as much as the list itself.

Airbnb's checkout instructions form needs shorter versions. Each example below fits within the 140 character limit, so you can adapt it and paste it into the matching task:

Hi [guest first name],

Thank you for staying at [property name]. Checkout is tomorrow at [checkout time]. Before you go, please:

1. Leave used towels in [the bathtub in the main bathroom].
2. Put trash in [the kitchen bin] and recycling in [the blue bin by the back door].
3. Turn off the lights, TV and [ceiling fans / fireplace], and set the thermostat to [temperature].
4. Close and lock the windows and doors. [The front door locks when you press the lock button on the keypad.]
5. Leave the keys [on the kitchen counter / in the lockbox by the front door].

That is everything. You do not need to strip the beds or do any cleaning, because our cleaner takes care of that. [Optional: If there are dirty dishes, we would appreciate them going in the dishwasher.]

When you have left, please send us a quick message here so our cleaner can get started.

If you would like a later checkout, please ask us by [time] today. We will check with our cleaner and let you know.

Safe travels, and thank you for looking after our home.
[Your name]

Checkout is the start of your cleaner's job

Every checkout instruction has a second reader, which is your cleaner. When guests leave towels in one place, bag the trash and lock up properly, your cleaner walks into a known starting point and can follow the same routine every time. Our room-by-room Airbnb cleaning checklist picks up where your guest's checkout list ends.

Two habits keep the two sides in step:

• Plan the cleaner's start time around checkout. Make sure your cleaner knows your checkout time and has enough time before the next check-in. Our Airbnb turnover cleaning guide covers tight and same-day turnovers.
• Pass on the "we have left" message. When the guest tells you they have gone, let your cleaner know they can start. If your cleaner does not turn up, our guide to what to do when your Airbnb cleaner does not show up has a backup plan.

If you would rather not text your cleaner about every turnover yourself, TurnMyRental reads your booking calendar, texts your own cleaner each job to accept or decline, and sends a photo checklist on the day. Plans are a flat monthly price based on how many properties you have.