Airbnb Cleaning Checklist

Free Customizable Turnover Tool

A great Airbnb turnover comes down to consistency. Guests notice the hair in the drain, the sticky coffee table, the dust on the lampshade — and one missed detail can cost a five-star review. This page gives you a customizable turnover checklist you can generate in seconds: enter your home’s setup, get a list tailored to your property, then print it, download it as a PDF, or work through it task by task with a photo-proof column for documentation. It’s free, no email required, and built for both solo hosts and cleaning teams.

How to use this Airbnb cleaning checklist

Use the tool above to pick the project type (Airbnb turnover is pre-selected on this page) and answer a few quick questions about your property — how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms, whether the listing allows pets, what kinds of floors. The generator builds a turnover checklist matched to your space, with realistic time estimates for each task and groupings that follow the natural cleaning flow (top to bottom, dirtiest room last).

Three ways to use the output:

• Live mode — check tasks off as you clean. Progress saves automatically, so you can come back to the same checklist later.
• Print mode — one-click print, formatted for clipboard use. Black and white, no fluff, every task on the page.
• PDF download — for emailing to a cleaning team or laminating to reuse turn after turn.

If your cleaners use phones rather than paper, the photo column gives them a checkbox for documenting each room with a photo — useful for resolving any “was this clean?” disputes before a guest complains.

What to clean between every guest (the turnover essentials)

The tasks below appear in the generated checklist. They’re the non-negotiables — the items every property needs every turnover, regardless of size or season.

Entry and walkthrough

• Walk through the property before cleaning. Note damage, missing items, or stains that need pre-treatment.
• Check under beds and behind nightstands for items left behind by the previous guest.
• Open windows briefly to air the space out.

Bedrooms

• Strip all bedding (sheets, pillowcases, mattress protector if applicable, duvet cover) and start the wash.
• Inspect mattress and pillows for stains under bright light — what looks fine in soft light can show under direct.
• Make beds hotel-style: corners tucked, decorative pillows arranged, throw folded at the foot.
• Dust all surfaces — nightstands, dresser, lamp bases, picture frame tops.
• Vacuum or sweep including under the bed and along the edge of the rug.
• Empty bedroom trash, replace liner.
• Clean mirror with glass cleaner — no streaks.

Bathrooms

• Replace all towels with a neatly folded fresh set.
• Restock toilet paper — minimum two rolls visible, not stashed in a cabinet.
• Scrub toilet bowl, wipe exterior including the base.
• Clean shower or tub: walls, floor, door track or curtain.
• Wipe mirror and chrome until streak-free.
• Mop floor.
• Empty trash, replace liner.
• Reset welcome supplies: hand soap, shampoo, body wash, conditioner — refilled or replaced.

For a bathroom-only deep dive, see our bathroom cleaning checklist.

Kitchen

• Empty fridge of any leftover food from the previous guest (this is the most-missed item on most turnovers).
• Run the dishwasher even if dishes look clean — sanitize cycle.
• Wipe down all countertops with disinfectant.
• Clean inside the microwave (steam a bowl of water and lemon for three minutes, then wipe — softens any splatter).
• Wipe stove top including knobs and burner grates.
• Wipe down the outside of all appliances including the fridge handle.
• Restock coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil if you supply them.
• Empty trash, replace liner. Take the bag out before the next guest arrives.

Living areas

• Vacuum the couch and chair cushions — guests sit and crumbs travel.
• Spot-clean any visible stains on upholstery.
• Dust all surfaces: coffee tables, side tables, electronics, shelves, picture frames.
• Wipe down the TV screen with a microfiber cloth.
• Fluff cushions, fold throws.
• Vacuum or sweep the floor including under furniture edges.

Outdoor spaces (if applicable)

• Sweep patio or deck.
• Wipe down outdoor furniture.
• Empty outdoor ashtrays if present.
• Clean grill thoroughly if it’s been used.

Final walkthrough

• Walk the property as a guest would. Check every light works.
• Confirm Wi-Fi info card is visible and correct.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Replace any burnt-out light bulbs.
• Set thermostat to your listing standard.
• Take photos of each room to document the clean state — this is what the 📷 column on the printable checklist is for.

Airbnb deep cleaning (every 4–6 weeks)

Some tasks don’t need attention between every guest, but skipping them too long shows up in reviews. Add these to the rotation every four to six weeks, or use our deep cleaning checklist as a more thorough version.

• Wash duvet inserts, mattress protectors, and pillow protectors.
• Vacuum mattresses and treat with baking soda.
• Wipe baseboards, door frames, and switch plates throughout.
• Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the tops of doors.
• Descale showerheads, faucets, and the inside of the kettle or coffee maker.
• Wash shower curtains or wipe down liners.
• Wipe inside cabinets and drawers.
• Wash windows inside and out.
• Clean under appliances — fridge, oven, washer-dryer.
• Replace HVAC air filter.

A full spring refresh between busy seasons is also worth scheduling: our spring cleaning checklist covers the annual reset tasks.

Supplies to keep on the property

Stock a dedicated cleaning caddy so your cleaners (or future you) aren’t hunting for supplies mid-turnover. Walking back to the storage closet adds minutes that compound across multiple properties.

• All-purpose disinfecting cleaner
• Glass cleaner
• Toilet bowl cleaner and brush
• Bathroom scrub for showers and tubs
• Microfiber cloths — 10+ on rotation
• Paper towels
• Vacuum with attachments
• Mop and bucket, or a flat mop with disposable pads
• Trash bags in every bin size you use
• Rubber gloves
• Replacement light bulbs in every wattage your fixtures need
• Extra toilet paper (a 12-roll pack at minimum)
• Backup shampoo, body wash, hand soap

The “Airbnb / rental turnover” scenario in our cleaning supplies list tool generates a turnover-specific shopping list: EPA-registered disinfectant (hospital-grade, what guests expect post-2020), color-coded microfiber sets to prevent cross-contamination, and disposable shoe covers for protecting newly-mopped floors during the rest of turnover. Free, customizable to your property size, printable as a PDF.

How long an Airbnb turnover should take

For a standard one-bedroom unit, budget two to three hours for a thorough turnover. A two-bedroom, two-bath property runs three to four hours. Larger homes or properties with same-day back-to-back bookings need more time and often more than one cleaner working in parallel.

If you’re consistently running over those estimates, the bottleneck is usually laundry (start the wash the moment you arrive) or supplies (cleaning caddy not pre-stocked).

Customize the checklist for your property

The generator handles a few specific situations automatically:

• Multi-bedroom homes. Pick how many bedrooms in the profile and the checklist creates a section per bedroom — so a three-bedroom listing doesn’t get the same generic “make the bed” reminder, it gets specific room-by-room tasks.
• Multi-bathroom properties. Same logic. Each bathroom gets its own checklist section, plus a shared “All Bathrooms” group for the turnover supplies that need to be restocked across all of them at once.
• Pet-friendly listings. Toggle pets on and the checklist adds tasks for vacuuming pet hair from couches, washing the pet bed cover, and disinfecting any pet bowls the listing provides.
• Outdoor spaces. Add the outdoor room option and the checklist includes sweeping patios, wiping furniture, and cleaning the grill.
• Same-day turnover mode. Pick “Pre-Guest” project for the rapid-fire version that focuses on visible-area touch-ups when a deep clean isn’t possible between bookings.

Download as PDF or print

Once you’ve generated a checklist that matches your property, three things happen:

• PDF download — neutral black-and-white layout, formatted for a clipboard. Footer includes the date so cleaners can sign and date the back of the page if you require it.
• Print — sends straight to your printer with the same clean formatting.
• Google Sheets export — TSV download you can paste straight into a sheet if your cleaning team uses one for assignments.

You can also customize the tasks first — add anything specific to your property (the lockbox combination reset, the back-deck sliding door track that always needs a vacuum, the welcome basket setup), and remove anything that doesn’t apply. The customizations save in your browser, so the next time you open the page everything’s still there.

For routine recurring cleaning of your own home (separate from the rental), our cleaning schedule covers the daily-and-weekly rotation. To organize multiple cleaning projects across your life, the main cleaning checklist hub links everything together.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an Airbnb turnover cleaning take?

Budget two to three hours for a standard one-bedroom unit, three to four for a two-bedroom two-bath, and proportionally longer for larger homes. The two biggest time-savers are starting the laundry the moment you arrive and pre-stocking a cleaning caddy so you’re not walking back to the supply closet.

What’s the difference between turnover cleaning and deep cleaning?

Turnover cleaning happens between every guest — it’s the visible-surface clean focused on what the next guest will see and touch within their first ten minutes. Deep cleaning happens every four to six weeks and addresses what guests won’t see immediately but will eventually notice: baseboards, ceiling fan blades, the inside of the microwave that’s spotless on the outside but caked underneath, the descaled showerhead. A turnover plus a deep clean rotation keeps reviews consistently high; turnovers alone eventually slip.

Should I clean the Airbnb myself or hire a cleaner?

Most hosts with one or two properties clean themselves at the start. The break-even point is usually around three properties or once you’re running same-day turnovers — beyond that, professional cleaners are more consistent than a tired host doing their fourth turnover of the day. The cleaning fee guests pay is meant to cover this, so factor your time at a realistic hourly rate when you decide.

Do I need a separate cleaning checklist for the cleaners I hire?

You need one checklist, but it works best when both you and your cleaners use the same version. The customizable PDF download is designed for this — generate the list once, save the customizations, then print or email it to your cleaner. Update it together when you find a gap. The photo-evidence column is the part cleaners appreciate most because it gives them a way to prove what they finished if you ever question a turnover.

What’s the best way to handle same-day back-to-back bookings?

Two strategies: tighten your checkout-to-checkin window in the listing settings (giving yourself at least four hours), or build a same-day “express turnover” version of your checklist that prioritizes visible-area tasks and pushes anything deeper to the next gap day. The generator’s “Pre-Guest” project type does the latter — it builds a streamlined list focused on what guests will see in the first ten minutes.

Can I edit the checklist before I print it?

Yes. Click the “Customize tasks” button in the sidebar and you can add property-specific tasks (the lockbox reset, the back-deck door track, your welcome basket setup) or remove anything that doesn’t apply. Your edits save automatically and persist on every future visit.