10 Things Airbnb Hosts Must Do to Guarantee 5-Star Cleanliness
Cleanliness is one of the most sensitive categories in Airbnb reviews. Guests may forgive small inconveniences during their stay, but they rarely forgive a property that feels even slightly dirty.
After hundreds of Airbnb turnovers, we’ve noticed that the difference between consistent 5-star cleanliness and occasional 4-star reviews rarely comes from the main cleaning tasks.
Instead, it comes from operational details: how the property is designed, how the turnover is organized, and how the final inspection is performed.
Below are ten practices that help hosts maintain consistently high cleanliness ratings.
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What Makes Guests More Critical About Cleanliness​
Cleanliness ratings are influenced by more than just the cleaning itself. Because reviews are emotional, guests tend to be more critical when:
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The property looks outdated
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Furniture feels cheap compared with the nightly price
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Listing photos set unrealistic expectations
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Communication with the host was poor
When guests feel disappointed about other aspects of the stay, they often become much more sensitive to cleanliness issues. Maintaining a well-presented property and clear communication helps reinforce positive impressions.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
1
Design Your Property So It’s Easy to Keep Clean
One of the most overlooked factors in Airbnb cleanliness is how the property itself is set up.
A beautifully decorated space can quickly become difficult to maintain if there are too many decorative objects or fragile items that collect dust.
When preparing a property for short-term rental, simplicity is often your ally.
Minimalist interiors are easier to clean thoroughly and allow cleaners to move quickly during turnovers, which reduces the chance of missed areas.
Of course, if your design intentionally follows a more maximalist style, that can work as well. The key is making sure the cleaning process includes dusting every decorative element and that the turnover window allows enough time to do it properly.
Remember: Guests forgive simple. Guests don't forgive dirty
TRY TO AVOID​
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Cluttered shelves filled with small decorative items​​
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Heavy fabrics that collect dust​​
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Fragile décor that cleaners hesitate to move​​
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Unnecessary furniture that creates tight cleaning spaces
Pro Tip
Guests often decide whether a property feels clean within the first minute of entering. Clear surfaces and simple décor make the entire space feel cleaner.
2
Choose Linens and Towels That Support Fast Turnovers
Laundry is one of the biggest bottlenecks of the turnover process.
For short-term rentals, it’s best to standardize your linens and towels as much as possible.
Using identical sets helps cleaners move faster and spend less time sorting items during turnovers, allowing them to focus on cleaning the rest of the property.
Standardization also prevents operational issues. When linens and towels have different colors or materials, cleaners may need to separate laundry loads to avoid color transfer. Different fabrics can also require different drying times, which slows down the turnover process.
Keeping the same linens across the entire property simplifies laundry, reduces mistakes, and helps ensure that every turnover runs smoothly.
For hosts managing multiple properties, standardizing linens across all units can simplify operations even further. It allows supplies to be shared between properties, reduces inventory complexity, and makes it easier for cleaning teams to work efficiently across different listings.
In short-term rental operations, the simpler the linen system is, the easier it becomes to maintain consistent quality between guests.
BASIC PRINCIPLES
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Use the same sheet style across all beds​
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Avoid mixing different towel styles or colors​
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Select fabrics that dry quickly between turnovers​
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Choose neutral colors such as white or light tones
Pro Tip
Label linen tags with the bed size (for example K for King, Q for Queen, T for Twin).
This makes it much easier for cleaners to quickly identify which sheets belong to which bed and put everything back in the right place after laundry.
3
Perform a True Deep Clean Before Launching the Listing
Many hosts start their listing after a normal cleaning, but a short-term rental should begin with a full deep clean.
During tight turnovers, cleaners usually focus on high-impact areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and beds. Tasks such as wiping baseboards or walls often get skipped simply because there isn’t enough time.
However, dusty baseboards can quickly make a property feel neglected. Including them in periodic deep cleans helps maintain a consistently fresh and well-maintained appearance.
A deep clean goes beyond standard surface cleaning and targets areas that are often neglected during quick turnovers.
Starting with a deep clean ensures that the property begins its rental life in perfect condition, which helps maintain high standards over time.
Many hosts repeat this type of deep clean once or twice per year.
EXAMPLES OF AREAS TO DEEP CLEAN​
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Behind kitchen appliances​
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Inside cabinets and drawers​
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Baseboards and vents​
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Ceiling fans and light fixtures​
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Under large furniture​
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Windows interiors and exteriors
Pro Tip
If the property was recently renovated, run the AC for a few days after the deep clean and perform a second clean 1 week later. Dust from vents often continues to settle after construction.
4
Always Keep Backup Linens and Towels
Even with good laundry processes, issues can occur between stays.
Cleaners sometimes discover:
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Stains on sheets
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Makeup marks on pillowcases
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Damaged towels
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Missing linens from previous guests
Without spare sets available, the turnover team may struggle to resolve the issue quickly.
Experienced hosts typically keep multiple backup linen sets stored in the property, allowing replacements to be made immediately if something looks off.
HOW MANY SETS?
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We recommend 3 sets of each linen and towel
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• 1 set available to guests​
• 1 set accessible to guests​
• 1 set being cleaned
Pro Tip
Periodically check backup linens stored in the property. Guests sometimes use spare sheets or towels during their stay and place them back folded, which can make them look unused.​​​
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5
Work With Cleaners Who Understand Short-Term Rentals
Airbnb turnovers are very different from standard residential cleaning.
A residential cleaner may do an excellent job cleaning a home, but short-term rentals require a more structured process or working under time pressure.
STR cleaning often includes:
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Rapid turnovers between guests
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Resetting the property exactly as shown in the listing
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Restocking supplies
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Checking appliances and equipment
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Verifying guest-ready presentation
Cleaners familiar with short-term rentals understand that the goal is not only to clean the home but to prepare it for the next guest experience.
THE FILTERING QUESTION TO ASK WHEN INTERVIEWING A CLEANER​
​"“What do you do before leaving a turnover?”
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Final walkthrough:
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Bathrooms fully cleaned
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Beds properly made (no hairs)
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Refrigerator and microwave inspected
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Supplies restocked (toilet paper, soap..)
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Lights turned off and the property secured
Pro Tip
Give cleaners a simple turnover checklist and a few reference photos showing how each room should be reset. Many hosts also ask for quick before-and-after photos so they can confirm the property is guest-ready and document the condition after each turnover.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
6
Maintain Backup Cleaning Options
Turnovers operate on tight schedules, and delays can quickly become stressful.
Unexpected situations happen:
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Cleaners become sick
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Schedules overlap
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Traffic or previous jobs run late
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Hosts who manage multiple properties or frequent bookings often maintain backup cleaners or secondary cleaning contacts.
Having alternatives ready helps avoid last-minute emergencies and ensures the property is always ready before guest arrival.
HOW TO SECURE BACKUP CLEANERS​
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Work with a primary cleaning company that has backups
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Maintain at least one independent cleaner contact
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Offer occasional work to backups to keep them engaged
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Confirm availability during peak seasons
Pro Tip
Even if you have a primary cleaner, build relationships with one or two backups before you actually need them.
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7
Inspect the First Few Turnovers Carefully
Whenever a new cleaner or team begins working on a property, the first few turnovers should be inspected carefully.
This allows the host to:
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Confirm that expectations are clear
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Adjust cleaning priorities
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Identify property-specific details
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Establish quality standards
Once these expectations are aligned, turnovers typically become much smoother and more consistent.
HOW OFTEN TO INSPECT​
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The first 5-6 turnovers when working with a new cleaner
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After deep cleans or major maintenance
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Occasionally to confirm standards are maintained (every 5/6 turnovers)
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After negative cleanliness feedback from a guest
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When changing linens, supplies, or cleaning procedures
Pro Tip
Attend the first cleaning in person if possible. A 20-minute walkthrough with the cleaner can prevent many future issues.​​​​
8
Focus on the Details Guests Notice First
Guests usually decide whether a property feels clean within the first few minutes of entering.
Certain areas are particularly sensitive.
Common guest complaints often involve:
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Hair in bathrooms
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Hair on beds or linens
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Crumbs on kitchen counters
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Dirty microwave interiors
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Fingerprints on appliances
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Dust on visible furniture
These details may seem small, but they strongly influence how guests rate cleanliness.
THE MOST RECURRING CLEANLINESS COMPLAINTS ON AIRBNB
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Hair in the Bathroom or Shower
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Hair or Stains on Bedsheets
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Dirty Microwave or Refrigerator Interior
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Dust on Visible Furniture and Surfaces
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Crumbs or Sticky Kitchen Counters
Pro Tip
Bathrooms and beds are the two places guests check immediately. If those are perfect, guests tend to assume the rest of the property is clean.​​​
9
Control Odors Before Guests Arrive
Even a visually clean property can leave a poor impression if it smells unpleasant.
Odors can come from many sources:
• kitchen trash bins
• refrigerators
• bathroom drains
• damp towels
• closed spaces with little airflow
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HOW TO REMOVE ODORS
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Open windows or doors during cleaning
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Run fans to improve airflow
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Empty trash immediately
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Check refrigerator for leftover food
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Air out bathrooms and laundry areas
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Pro Tip
Avoid strong artificial scents. Guests often associate heavy fragrances with something being hidden rather than cleaned.​​
10
Use a Final Inspection Checklist
One of the most important steps in professional Airbnb turnovers is the final inspection.
After the cleaning is completed, someone performs a walkthrough of the property to verify that everything is guest-ready.
This step checks that:
• bathrooms are spotless
• beds and linens are properly prepared
• appliances and kitchen surfaces are clean
• supplies are stocked
• no small issues were missed
Using a structured checklist ensures the inspection is consistent and thorough.
We created a simple Airbnb Quality Inspection Checklist that hosts can use after every turnover.
Download the Checklist