Host Guides › Airbnb Cleaning Checklist: The Room-by-Room Turnover System
Airbnb Cleaning Checklist: The Room-by-Room Turnover System
Cleanliness is one of the review categories every guest rates, and it is the one hosts control least once a cleaner is involved. A good Airbnb cleaning checklist fixes that by taking memory out of the job. Everyone cleans in the same order, checks the same things and leaves the same proof that it was done.
This guide walks through a turnover checklist room by room, explains why the order matters as much as the items, and shows how to handle restocking and damage documentation without adding time to the clean. You can copy it as is, or grab our free one-page version at the end.
Why a checklist beats "just clean it well"
Most cleanliness complaints aren't about dirty homes. They're about the one thing that got missed: hair in the shower drain, a crumb-filled toaster, an empty soap dispenser, a sofa bed that wasn't reset. Missed items happen when a cleaner works from memory, works fast on a same-day turnover, or is new to the property.
A written checklist does three things:
- Makes the standard visible. Your cleaner can't meet a standard that only lives in your head.
- Sets the order of work. The right sequence saves time and stops re-cleaning (more on this below).
- Creates a record. A dated, completed checklist with photos is what you need when a guest reports a problem or you need to document damage.
The turnover order that saves time
Cleaners who work room by room in a random order end up walking back and forth and waiting on laundry. This order keeps machines running while the rest of the work gets done:
- Arrive and document. Before touching anything, walk through and photograph each room as the guest left it. Note any damage, missing items or left-behind belongings.
- Strip beds and start laundry first. Laundry is usually the longest task, so starting it immediately keeps the turnover on schedule.
- Kitchen. Dishes, appliances inside and out, surfaces, sink and trash.
- Bathrooms. Top to bottom: mirrors and fixtures, then shower and tub, toilet, then floors.
- Bedrooms. Make beds with fresh linens, dust, check under beds and in drawers for guest items.
- Living areas and outdoor spaces. Cushions, remotes, surfaces, patio furniture, grill.
- Restock to par levels. Toilet paper, soap, coffee, trash bags and the rest, counted against a list rather than eyeballed.
- Final walkthrough with photos. Lights, thermostat, locks, staging that matches your listing photos, then "after" photos of each room.
Work top to bottom and dry to wet within each room, and finish floors last so you aren't walking over freshly cleaned surfaces.
The room-by-room Airbnb cleaning checklist
Kitchen
- Dishwasher emptied, all dishes clean and put away (check for spots and residue)
- Fridge and freezer emptied of guest food; shelves wiped
- Microwave inside wiped; toaster crumb tray emptied; coffee maker cleaned and emptied
- Stovetop, oven front and range hood wiped; burners checked
- Counters, backsplash, cabinet fronts and handles wiped
- Sink scrubbed and faucet polished; sponge or brush replaced if worn
- Trash and recycling emptied, bins wiped, new liners in
- Cookware, utensils and glassware counted against your inventory
Bathrooms
- Mirrors and fixtures streak-free
- Shower, tub and glass cleaned; drains cleared of hair
- Toilet cleaned inside, outside, base and behind
- Counters and sink cleaned; cabinet and drawers checked
- Fresh towels set out to your standard count
- Toilet paper, soap, shampoo and conditioner restocked
- Floor swept and mopped, including behind the door
- Trash emptied
Bedrooms
- Beds made with fresh linens, styled to match the listing photos
- Mattress protector checked for stains; pillows fluffed
- Under beds, in drawers and closets checked for guest items
- Surfaces and headboards dusted; lamps working
- Spare blanket and hangers in place
- Floors vacuumed
Living areas
- Sofa cushions reset and checked underneath
- Sofa bed folded and linens stored (or made, if booked for it)
- Remotes wiped and in place; TV and streaming apps signed out of guest accounts
- Surfaces dusted, glass and screens wiped
- Floors vacuumed or mopped
Outdoor (if applicable)
- Patio furniture wiped and arranged
- Grill cleaned; propane or fuel level checked
- Hot tub checked and logged if you have one (follow your service provider's chemistry instructions)
- Entry swept; door code or lockbox reset as needed
Final walkthrough
- All lights working; thermostat set to your arrival setting
- Windows and doors locked
- Smoke and CO detectors not chirping; fire extinguisher and first-aid kit present
- Welcome book, Wi-Fi card and any arrival notes in place
- "After" photos taken of every room
Restocking: use par levels, not guesses
"Restock as needed" is how hosts run out of toilet paper mid-stay. A par level is the fixed number of each item that should be in the home after every turnover, for example four rolls of toilet paper per bathroom plus a backup pack in storage. The cleaner counts and tops up to that number, then notes anything that's running low in storage so you can reorder before it runs out.
Set par levels by thinking about your maximum occupancy and longest typical stay. Write them on the checklist so nobody has to decide on the spot.
Damage and missing items: document while you're there
If a guest damages something, the timing of your documentation matters. Airbnb's help center says hosts seeking reimbursement must request it through the Resolution Center within 14 days of the guest's checkout, and AirCover for Hosts may ask for proof such as photos (Airbnb Help: AirCover for Hosts). Rules and windows can change, so check Airbnb's current terms when you file.
The practical takeaway for your checklist: the "arrive and document" step isn't optional. A cleaner who photographs the home before cleaning, with a short written note and the date, gives you what you need to file quickly. Keep a simple log with the date, room, item, description, photo reference and estimated cost.
Left-behind guest belongings deserve a line on the checklist too: bag, label and photograph them, and let the host arrange any return.
Deep cleaning on a schedule
A turnover checklist keeps the home guest-ready. It doesn't cover the things that build up slowly. Put these on a calendar instead of hoping someone notices:
- Monthly: inside the oven, behind and under appliances you can move, baseboards, vents.
- Quarterly: wash pillows and duvets per their care labels, clean windows inside, flip or rotate mattresses if the manufacturer recommends it.
- Twice a year: carpets and upholstery, curtains, gutters and outdoor deep clean.
- Yearly: professional checks your property needs (for example, chimney or HVAC service).
Making the checklist stick with cleaners
- Laminate it or share an editable copy. A printed card in the supply closet works; so does a shared Google Doc your cleaner can tick off on a phone.
- Ask for photos of the same angles every time. Match the angles in your listing photos so "styled correctly" is objective.
- Write the standard, not just the task. "Towels folded in thirds, two per guest" is clearer than "set out towels."
- Review it after every complaint. If a guest mentions something, add a line so it can't happen twice.
- Pay for the time the checklist takes. A thorough turnover takes longer than a quick one. Agree on time and rate up front.
A one-page version for small spaces
Studios, one-bedrooms and same-day turnovers don't need a two-page checklist. They need the right order on one page. We made a free Apartment Turnover Card that does exactly that: print it, laminate it and hand it to your cleaner.
Get the free Apartment Turnover Card →
Want the complete system?
The Key & Kit Turnover Cleaning Checklist System includes everything in this article, ready to print or edit in Word or Google Docs: a two-page master checklist in turnover order, a studio quick card, a cabin and vacation-home add-on (hot tub log, fireplace, outdoor gear), restock par levels, a damage, inventory and restock log, a deep-clean calendar and a cleaner SOP you can hand over on day one.
See the Turnover Cleaning Checklist System →
It's also included in Key & Kit Pro, along with every other template we make and new ones each month.
This article is general guidance for organizing turnovers. It isn't legal or insurance advice. Check your platform's current policies and your local regulations.