Airbnb Cleaning Checklist for Turnovers: Room-by-Room Guide
Hosting Operations · · 7 min read · By the Welcome Kit Pro team at PropKitCo
An Airbnb cleaning checklist for turnovers is a fixed, room-by-room list of tasks your cleaner completes between one guest's check-out and the next guest's check-in, so every stay starts in the same guest-ready condition. The best ones cover cleaning, restocking, resetting guest information and a final photo walkthrough, all in a set order that fits inside a tight same-day window. This guide gives you that full checklist, plus the steps around it that keep turnovers consistent whether you clean yourself or work with a team.
What a turnover clean covers (and how it differs from a deep clean)
A turnover clean resets the home for the next guest. It's fast, repeatable and focused on everything a guest will see, touch or sleep on. A deep clean is slower and less frequent. It goes after the buildup that a quick reset doesn't reach.
| Task area | Turnover clean (every stay) | Deep clean (on a schedule) |
|---|---|---|
| Beds and linens | Strip, wash or swap, remake | Wash duvets, pillows, mattress protectors; rotate mattresses |
| Kitchen | Counters, sink, dishes, wipe appliance fronts, empty fridge | Inside oven, behind fridge, descale coffee maker, clean range hood filter |
| Bathrooms | Toilet, shower, sink, mirror, floor, fresh towels | Grout scrubbing, shower curtain wash, exhaust fan cleaning |
| Floors | Vacuum and mop high-traffic areas | Move furniture, clean baseboards, shampoo rugs |
| Surfaces | Dust visible surfaces, disinfect high-touch spots | Walls, light fixtures, vents, blinds, windows |
Many hosts schedule a deep clean seasonally or after a run of back-to-back stays. Put it on the calendar so it doesn't get squeezed out by turnovers.
Before cleaners arrive: supplies, linens and the right order of tasks
Most turnover delays come from missing supplies, not slow cleaning. Set your cleaner up to win before they walk in.
Stock a dedicated supply closet
- All-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner and a disinfectant
- Microfiber cloths, color-coded so bathroom cloths never touch the kitchen
- Vacuum, mop, bucket, toilet brush and scrub brushes
- Trash bags in every size your bins use
- Gloves and a small first-aid kit
- A labeled bin for guest leftovers and lost items
Keep linens ahead of the calendar
Plan on at least two to three full sets of sheets and towels per bed and bathroom. That way one set is on the beds, one is clean in the closet and one can be in the wash. Store complete sets together, sheets folded inside a matching pillowcase, so your cleaner grabs one bundle per bed.
Work in the right order
- Walk through first. Check for damage or left items before anything gets moved.
- Strip beds and start laundry. Washing runs while everything else gets done.
- Collect trash and dishes. Start the dishwasher early.
- Clean top to bottom. Dust high surfaces before wiping counters, and wipe counters before floors.
- Clean back to front. Finish each room at the door so you never walk over a clean floor.
- Do floors last, then make beds and restock.
The room-by-room Airbnb cleaning checklist for turnovers
Copy these lists into whatever format your team uses. Keep the wording short so it's easy to tick off on a phone.
Entry and living areas
- Wipe the front door, handle, keypad or lockbox
- Dust tables, shelves, TV stand and decor
- Wipe remotes, light switches and lamp switches
- Check under cushions and behind furniture for trash or lost items
- Fluff and straighten cushions and throws
- Reset furniture to its photo-matching position
- Vacuum upholstery if needed, then floors and rugs
Kitchen
- Empty, wipe and check the fridge and freezer; toss guest food
- Run, empty and put away dishes; check each item is actually clean
- Wipe the microwave inside and out
- Clean stovetop, oven door, toaster and coffee maker
- Wipe counters, cabinet fronts and handles
- Scrub and dry the sink and faucet
- Count dishes, glasses and utensils against your inventory
- Empty trash and recycling, wipe the bins, add fresh liners
- Mop the floor
Bedrooms
- Strip all bedding, including mattress protectors if stained
- Inspect the mattress and pillows for stains
- Make the bed with fresh linens, the same way every time
- Check drawers, closets and under the bed for left items
- Dust nightstands, headboard and lamps
- Restock hangers, extra blankets and spare pillows
- Vacuum, including under the bed where you can reach
Bathrooms
- Clean and disinfect toilet inside, outside and behind the base
- Scrub shower or tub, glass and fixtures; clear the drain
- Clean sink, counter, faucet and mirror
- Replace towels, bath mat and hand towel
- Restock toilet paper, soap, shampoo and conditioner
- Empty trash and add a new liner
- Wipe the floor last
Outdoor spaces and extras
- Sweep porch, patio or balcony
- Wipe outdoor furniture and grill grates
- Check hot tub chemistry if you have one
- Pick up cigarette butts or trash in the yard
- Confirm parking area is clear
Restocking essentials and resetting your welcome book and guest info
A spotless home with no coffee or an outdated WiFi password still feels like a miss to a guest. Build restocking and information checks into every turnover.
Restock checklist
- Toilet paper and paper towels, with a backup in each bathroom
- Hand soap, dish soap, dishwasher pods and a sponge
- Shampoo, conditioner and body wash
- Coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper and cooking oil
- Trash bags and laundry detergent if you offer a washer
- Batteries for remotes and a working flashlight
Reset the guest information
Your welcome book is part of the turnover. Have your cleaner confirm it's in its spot, clean and complete, with no guest notes tucked inside. If you use a QR code on the fridge or a welcome sign, make sure it's still there and readable.
Then check the details. Did you change the door code between stays? Did the WiFi router get replaced? Is that taco place you recommend still open? If you've never built a full book, this guide on how to make an Airbnb welcome book walks through what to include.
This is one place Welcome Kit Pro helps. Its live mobile guidebook updates as soon as you edit it, so a new door code or WiFi password republishes right away, and printed QR codes keep working after edits on a subscription. Just keep door codes and WiFi passwords in the printed book and the private guidebook link, never on a public listing page.
It's also a good moment to confirm your posted check-out steps still match how you want the home left. Our check-out instructions template makes that easy to update.
Final walkthrough: photo standards, damage checks and reporting to hosts
The last ten minutes matter most. A final walkthrough catches the missed spot before a guest does.
Set photo standards
- Take reference photos of every room in its perfect, guest-ready state.
- Share them with your cleaners as the "this is done" standard.
- Ask for matching photos from the same angles after each turnover.
- Include close-ups of made beds, bathroom counters and the kitchen sink.
Check for damage
- Stains on linens, rugs, furniture or walls
- Broken or missing items compared to your inventory
- Appliances that don't turn on, burnt-out bulbs, leaks
- Signs of smoking, pets or extra guests if your rules prohibit them
Ask cleaners to photograph any damage before moving or cleaning it, with a timestamp. If you need to file a claim, check the platform's own help pages for current rules and deadlines, since those can change.
Report back the same way every time
Use one short report format: done or not done, photos attached, issues found, supplies running low. Consistent reporting helps you fix small things early. If a cleanliness complaint still slips through, our recovery plan after a bad review can help you respond calmly.
How to hand the checklist to cleaners and co-hosts so it gets followed
A checklist only works if people actually use it. A few habits make a big difference.
- Keep one master version. Store it in a shared doc or app, not in old text messages.
- Make it property-specific. Note quirks like "jiggle the guest toilet handle" or "hot tub cover locks on the left."
- Walk through it together once. Do the first turnover side by side and adjust the list as you go.
- Tie it to photos. Reference photos remove guesswork about what "clean" means.
- Review it every few months. Add anything that came up in guest messages or reviews.
- Pay and thank people fairly. Good cleaners stay longer when expectations are clear and respected.
If you manage several homes, using the same structure everywhere saves training time. This piece on how co-hosts can standardize welcome books across properties applies the same thinking to guest information.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an Airbnb turnover clean take?
It depends on the size of the home, the number of bathrooms and how much laundry happens on site. Time your first few turnovers, then use that average to set check-in and check-out times with a small buffer.
Should cleaners wash linens on site or use a laundry service?
Both work. On-site washing is cheaper but adds time, while a laundry service speeds turnovers if you keep enough extra sets to cover the pickup cycle.
What's the most commonly missed spot during turnovers?
Hair in bathrooms, crumbs in kitchen drawers and items left under beds come up often. Add them as specific lines on your checklist so they never depend on memory.
Do I need to update my welcome book after every stay?
Not every time, but check it during each turnover. Update it whenever a door code, WiFi password, appliance or local recommendation changes.
Next steps: make every turnover guest-ready with Welcome Kit Pro
Save the room-by-room lists above, share them with your cleaners and add your reference photos. Then make sure the information guests rely on is as fresh as the sheets.
Welcome Kit Pro turns your rental's address and house details into a print-ready PDF, a live mobile guidebook and a QR code for the fridge. It works on the web and as an iPhone app, and your first welcome book is free. Create your first welcome book free.