What should an Airbnb cleaning checklist include?

Every room in the unit, laundry and bed making, a restock list of the supplies the host provides, a damage and lost-item check, and the photos the host wants. The host has the final say on the standard, so build your list from theirs.

Who writes the turnover checklist, the host or the cleaner?

Usually both. The host knows what guests expect and how the unit should look. You know the order that makes the work fast. Agree on one list, keep a copy each, and update it when the unit changes.

How long does an Airbnb turnover take?

It depends on the unit, the number of beds and bathrooms, the laundry setup, and how guests leave it. Time your own crew on several turnovers of the same unit and use those times, not a number from somewhere else.

What do I do if I find damage after a guest checks out?

Stop and take clear photos before you clean that area, then message the host right away with the photos and a short note of what you found. The host handles anything with the guest or the platform.

Should I use green cleaning products in rentals?

That is between you and the host. Some hosts ask for products with a label such as EPA Safer Choice. Whatever you use, follow the label and keep the safety data sheets for your products.

Is the cleaning fee on the listing what the host pays me?

Not necessarily. On Airbnb the host sets the cleaning fee guests see. What you charge the host is a separate number that you set from your own costs and the margin you choose.

Does Binderlane make checklists or schedule turnovers?

No. Binderlane organizes your pricing math and sends the host a branded quote link. The checklist on this page is free to copy into your own documents.

Airbnb Cleaning Checklist for Turnover Cleans

What goes on an Airbnb cleaning checklist?

A turnover checklist covers every room, the laundry and beds, a restock count, a damage and lost-item check, and before and after photos for the host. It is longer than a standard house cleaning list because the unit has to be guest-ready, on a deadline, every time. Copy the free checklist below and adjust it to each host's standard.

This guide is for cleaning business owners who do turnovers for short-term rental hosts. The host sets the standard and owns the guest relationship. Your job is to hit that standard in the time between check-out and check-in, the same way every time. A shared checklist is how you do that, and how you train anyone who helps you.

Why turnovers need their own checklist

Tight windows. The gap between one guest leaving and the next arriving can be short. A set order keeps the crew moving.
A guest-ready standard. The unit is not just clean. It has to look like the listing photos: beds made a certain way, towels folded a certain way, nothing left behind.
Restocking. You may be counting and refilling supplies the host provides. A list catches what runs low.
Reporting. The host is often not there. Your photos and notes are how they know the unit is ready and whether anything is wrong.
Different hands. If more than one person cleans the unit, the list keeps the result the same.

Room-by-room turnover checklist

Entry

Take before photos of each room on arrival
Wipe the door, handle, and lock or keypad
Shake out or vacuum the entry mat
Check that the house guide or welcome sheet is in place

Kitchen

Run, empty, and put away dishes; check that the count matches the host's inventory
Wipe counters, backsplash, sink, and faucet
Clean the stovetop and the inside of the microwave
Wipe appliance fronts and handles
Clear guest food from the fridge and freezer, wipe shelves
Empty and rinse the coffee maker and kettle
Empty trash and recycling, reline bins
Sweep and mop the floor

Bathrooms

Clean the toilet inside and out, including the base
Clean the tub or shower, glass, and fixtures
Clean the sink, counter, and mirror
Do a hair check: drains, floor, corners, and the towel bar
Set out fresh towels the way the host's photo shows
Restock toilet paper and toiletries
Empty trash, mop the floor

Bedrooms and linens

Strip every bed, including beds that look unused
Check mattress protectors and pillows for stains
Make each bed with fresh linens to the host's standard
Check under beds, in drawers, and in closets for left-behind items
Dust nightstands, dressers, and lamps
Vacuum or mop

Living areas

Dust surfaces, shelves, and the TV stand
Wipe remotes, light switches, and door handles
Reset cushions, throws, and decor to the listing photos
Check under cushions and furniture
Vacuum upholstery if needed, then floors

Outdoor

Sweep the patio, deck, or balcony
Wipe outdoor furniture
Clean the grill or hot tub area only if it is on the host's list
Empty outdoor trash and follow the building or street rules for bins

Restock and supply list

Agree with the host on who buys what. If the host supplies consumables, you count and report. If you supply them, that cost goes into your price.

Toilet paper and paper towels
Hand soap, dish soap, and dishwasher detergent
Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash
Trash bags in every size the unit uses
Coffee, tea, sugar, and any welcome items
Spare linens and towels, and where they are stored
Light bulbs and batteries, if the host keeps spares
Your own kit: chemicals, cloths, gloves, mop heads, vacuum bags

Damage and lost-item reporting

When the host is not on site, a clear report protects you and helps them. Keep it simple and do it the same way every time.

Photograph first. Take clear photos of any damage, stains, or mess before you clean that area. Include something for scale.
Note it. Write what you found, where, and the time.
Message the host right away. Send the photos and the note through the channel you agreed on. Let them decide what happens next.
Lost items. Photograph the item where you found it, set it aside in a bag, and tell the host. Follow their instructions on what to do with it.
Maintenance issues. A dripping tap, a dead bulb, or a broken lock goes in the same message.

Anything to do with the guest or the platform is the host's to handle. Write down in your agreement how reporting works; the cleaning contract template has a section for it.

Free copyable turnover checklist

Paste it into your own documents, a notes app, or a shared file with the host. Replace the brackets and add the host's own items.

TURNOVER CHECKLIST: [Property name or address]
Date: [Date]  Check-out: [Time]  Next check-in: [Time]
Cleaner: [Name]  Access: [Code / lockbox / key]

ON ARRIVAL
[ ] Photos of each room before touching anything
[ ] Check for damage, missing items, left-behind items
[ ] Start first laundry load

KITCHEN
[ ] Dishes washed, dried, put away
[ ] Counters, backsplash, sink, faucet
[ ] Stovetop, microwave inside, appliance fronts
[ ] Fridge: guest food out, shelves wiped
[ ] Coffee maker emptied and rinsed
[ ] Trash and recycling out, bins relined
[ ] Floor swept and mopped

BATHROOMS
[ ] Toilet, tub or shower, sink, mirror
[ ] Hair check: drains, floor, corners
[ ] Fresh towels set out per host photo
[ ] Floor mopped, trash out

BEDROOMS
[ ] Strip all beds, check mattress protectors
[ ] Make beds with fresh linens per host photo
[ ] Under beds, drawers, closets checked
[ ] Dust surfaces, vacuum or mop

LIVING AREAS AND ENTRY
[ ] Dust, wipe remotes and switches
[ ] Cushions and throws reset
[ ] Glass and entry door wiped
[ ] Vacuum or mop

OUTDOOR
[ ] Patio swept, furniture wiped
[ ] Grill and outdoor trash per host list

RESTOCK (count and note low items)
[ ] Toilet paper  [ ] Paper towels  [ ] Hand soap
[ ] Dish soap  [ ] Trash bags  [ ] Coffee and tea
[ ] Shampoo, conditioner, body wash  [ ] Other: [ ]

BEFORE YOU LEAVE
[ ] Final photos of each room
[ ] Lights, thermostat, windows, doors per host
[ ] Message host: done, low items, any issues
Time in: [ ]  Time out: [ ]  Crew size: [ ]

Timing the clean

How long a turnover takes depends on the unit, the laundry setup, and the guests. The only reliable time is your own. The checklist above has a time in and time out line for this reason. Log it on every turnover and keep a simple record by unit.

Unit	Beds and baths	Laundry	Your timed turnovers	Notes
[Unit name]	[Beds] / [Baths]	[On site / off site]	[Time 1], [Time 2], [Time 3]	[Hot tub, pets, stairs]
[Unit name]	[Beds] / [Baths]	[On site / off site]	[Time 1], [Time 2], [Time 3]	[Notes]

After a few turnovers per unit you will see a steady time, plus the odd outlier after a messy stay. Price from the steady time and agree with the host on how outliers are handled. Units the host wants given a full top-to-bottom clean every so often are a separate job; see how to price deep cleaning.

Chemical safety

Read the label on every product and follow it, including dilution and ventilation. If you have employees, OSHA's Hazard Communication standard covers how hazardous chemicals are labeled and how safety data sheets and training are handled at work. Keep the safety data sheets for the products you carry. Never mix products unless the label says you can.

Some hosts ask for products with a third-party label. The EPA's Safer Choice program is one label some hosts ask about. If a host has a product preference, write it into the checklist.

Pricing turnovers

On Airbnb the host sets the fees guests see, including the cleaning fee. The Airbnb Resource Center page on setting your pricing strategy explains that hosts set their own prices and fees. What you charge the host is a separate number. Build it from your own costs: time per turnover, loaded labor, laundry, supplies, travel, and overhead, then the margin you choose. That is your call.

The guide on how to price Airbnb turnover cleaning walks through each line. The house cleaning price calculator runs the math with your numbers.

Price the turnover with your numbers

Binderlane organizes your pricing math: answer a few questions about the job and your costs, see your break-even and your price, then text the host a branded quote with your logo. It does not set or recommend rates or margins. First 3 quotes are free to send, no card.

Know your number before you send the quote.

A few quick questions. See your break-even and your price. Then text the client a quote with your logo on it. First 3 quotes free to send. No card.

Run your numbers free

Questions owners ask

What should an Airbnb cleaning checklist include?: Every room in the unit, laundry and bed making, a restock list of the supplies the host provides, a damage and lost-item check, and the photos the host wants. The host has the final say on the standard, so build your list from theirs.
Who writes the turnover checklist, the host or the cleaner?: Usually both. The host knows what guests expect and how the unit should look. You know the order that makes the work fast. Agree on one list, keep a copy each, and update it when the unit changes.
How long does an Airbnb turnover take?: It depends on the unit, the number of beds and bathrooms, the laundry setup, and how guests leave it. Time your own crew on several turnovers of the same unit and use those times, not a number from somewhere else.
What do I do if I find damage after a guest checks out?: Stop and take clear photos before you clean that area, then message the host right away with the photos and a short note of what you found. The host handles anything with the guest or the platform.
Should I use green cleaning products in rentals?: That is between you and the host. Some hosts ask for products with a label such as EPA Safer Choice. Whatever you use, follow the label and keep the safety data sheets for your products.
Is the cleaning fee on the listing what the host pays me?: Not necessarily. On Airbnb the host sets the cleaning fee guests see. What you charge the host is a separate number that you set from your own costs and the margin you choose.
Does Binderlane make checklists or schedule turnovers?: No. Binderlane organizes your pricing math and sends the host a branded quote link. The checklist on this page is free to copy into your own documents.