Vacation Rental Cleaning 101: A Guide to Handling Guest Turnover

Vacation rental cleaning is an important part of professional rental management. Discover all the ins and outs of the cleaning process, including how to find the best cleaning service.

Key Takeaways

• Cleaners often work from a checklist they receive from hosts.
• You're usually paying somewhere between $90 and $148 for a professional cleaning of a one-bedroom apartment.
• Hosts with a pet-friendly property listing need to pay extra attention to their cleaning standards.
• Hosts often opt for vacation rental software, such as iGMS, to schedule and organize cleanings.

Vacation rental cleaning is critical during guest turnover. It includes property cleaning, sanitization, restocking, and property inspection so each stay meets hospitality-level expectations.

This guide covers the essential cleaning standards, operational workflows, typical costs of hiring cleaners by unit size, and best practices in vacation rental management.

Discover all the ins and outs of the cleaning process, including how to find the best cleaners, and strategies for maintaining a clean and welcoming environment each time new guests arrive.

How is Vacation Rental Property Cleaning Different From Regular Cleaning?

Cleaning vacation rental properties might sound like a normal cleaning job, but there are some differences. 

Cleaners often work from a checklist they receive from hosts. This ensures quality control and that the cleaning requirements of the rental property are met.

Cleaning a vacation rental property requires some extra steps to have the space guest-ready, in addition to regular cleaning operations.

• Sanitizing and wiping down all surfaces such as: 
  • Shelves
  • Tables
  • Countertops
  • Light switches
  • Doorknobs
  • Handles
  • Handheld items e.g. remote control
• Deep clean living room furniture and carpets.
• Conducting a stock inventory of all rooms for essential supplies.
• Recording stock count for each room and replenishing any low stock.
• Clean and dust the ceiling fans.
• Conducting a property inspection for damage or breakage. Testing amenities such as taps, water pressure, geyser, television, jacuzzi, etc.
• Reporting any missing items or damages to the host or property manager.
• Dusting and polishing furniture.
• Scrub and disinfect sinks and check drainage.
• Scrub the shower.
• Sanitize all surfaces in the bathrooms.
• Vacuum or steam the curtains.
• Ensure there are fresh linens for the next guest.
• Kitchen cleaning and sanitizing including all appliances.

Cleaners are also responsible for taking stock and checking the working conditions of the property’s facilities.   

How to clean a pet-friendly vacation rental?

Hosts with a pet-friendly property listing need to pay extra attention to their cleaning standards. Extra challenges include dog hair, and sometimes even deep cleaning is required, which you can cover by charging a pet fee.

Your cleaners should take a different approach after pets have stayed at your property and follow a more thorough checklist.

• Remove pet hair thoroughly by using pet-specific vacuums with HEPA filters and lint rollers.
• Pay attention to odors and neutralize pet smells. Use enzyme-based cleaners on carpets and upholstery to break down odors. Consider using an air purifier between stays.
• Check for accidents and stains. If you spot a stain, treat it immediately with enzyme cleaners.
• Use pet-safe cleaning products.
• Maintain outdoor areas like patios and yards. Check for dog waste and signs of digging.

Guest Turnover Best Practices: Airbnb Cleaning Guide

Vacation rental turnover cleaning is a time-sensitive process, which is why it needs to be planned and follow established workflows.

Not having your vacation rental spotless poses a risk of negative reviews. Follow these practices to provide excellent service to your guests.

Create a comprehensive cleaning checklist

Use a detailed vacation rental cleaning checklist to stay consistent and get through cleanings faster. If you're doing it yourself, a checklist cuts down the time you spend cleaning. If you outsource it, it sets a clear standard so the results are always the same.

Follow the three-step guidelines: cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting

Cleaning removes visible dirt, debris, and some germs from surfaces using soap or detergent. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces such as door knobs and cooking surfaces, but you don't use strong chemicals. Finally, disinfecting kills most bacteria and viruses on toilets and bathroom sinks using strong chemical solutions.

Stock essentials between stays

There are two types of products you should be stocking. One is toiletries, paper products, and other supplies for guests to use. The second is cleaning supplies.

• Floor cleaner
• Glass cleaner
• Microfiber cloths
• Mop
• All-purpose cleaner
• Oven degreaser
• Paper towels
• Garbage bags
• Wood polish
• Broom/dustpan
• Duster
• Enzyme cleaners (pet-friendly properties)
• Disinfectant spray
• Bleach
• Laundry detergent
• Limescale remover

Create inspection workflow

Create a system or workflow to check for damages or missing items. It can be a form of an inspection checklist. Cleaners can take "before and after" photos to verify the condition of the property.

Organize laundry efficiently

Decide whether you'll handle laundry on the spot or hire a laundry service. Either way, always keep at least one full backup set of linens and towels per bed. That way, cleaners can replace them immediately.

What Are the Benefits of Automating Your Cleaning Operations?

To schedule and organize cleanings, hosts often opt for vacation rental software, such as iGMS, to manage all necessary arrangements and bookings. Using iGMS, hosts can plan and automate all steps of the cleaning process from start to finish:

• Invite cleaners to become members of your cleaning team
• Create cleaning tasks for each rental property
• Assign cleaning tasks to a team member/members for a property
• Notify team members of new tasks and task details
• Create a checklist for your team to follow while they complete their cleaning tasks
• Track the progress of your cleaning task in real time as it’s completed
• Create reports of cleaning tasks, cleaners who worked, and total time spent cleaning. Use these reports to keep track of tasks and calculate monthly payments.

Self-cleaning Vs. Hiring a Cleaning Service (Pros and Cons)

When planning a cleaning, you need to decide if you will hire a cleaning service or clean your rental property yourself. There are pros and cons of both choices, and you should base your decision on several factors:

• Your rental’s location
• Your rental’s size
• The average time it takes to clean
• The amount of time you have available to commit to cleaning
• The number of short-term rentals you manage.

If you live far away from your rental, then it would be convenient to hire an external cleaning team to clean for you. Also, if you don’t have the time in your busy schedule to commit the time spent just to cleaning, then it’s best to leave it to a team of professionals.

If you live in or near your rental and can manage cleaning it on your own, then you may not need to hire a cleaning company. If this is the case, be sure you can commit to the necessary cleaning at the required schedule.

Usually, cleanings take place between guests checking in and out. So you will often be working with limited time and this can be difficult when dealing with a last-minute booking. 

Hiring a cleaning service

Pros:

• You can rest assured knowing that your properties are being handled by efficient professionals.
• Having someone else clean frees up your time, which you can devote to other business matters.

Cons:

• You will need to spend time interviewing and screening companies to find a suitable one.
• Hiring a cleaning team will cost more money, which could translate to lower net profit. However, you can factor this in when charging guests cleaning fees.

Self-Cleaning

Pros:

• Cleaning is an ongoing operation, and doing it yourself may save you more money in the long run.
• You never have to worry about quality control for your business.

Cons:

• You will spend a lot of time on cleaning tasks, as your rental must be taken care of every time a guest checks out.
• You will have less time to attend to other aspects of your business and scale your profits. 
• You may become overwhelmed if you manage many rentals that need constant cleaning.
• Cleaning supplies are costly so weigh this up against the price of a service.

How to Find the Best Cleaning Service for Your Vacation Rental Property?

If you decide to hire a vacation rental cleaning service for your property, it’s important to do some research before deciding on a company that matches your needs.  To start, look up some licensed professional cleaning services in your area. Make contact with them to find out about the structure of their company and how many teams they use.

Some important questions to ask a cleaning company before hiring them are:

• Do you specialize in cleaning vacation rentals?
• How many team members make up a cleaning team?
• What is the exact list of services you offer for a standard short-term rental cleaning? 
• Are you willing to provide additional cleaning services if requested?
• Do you price additional services as add-ons, or are they included in the package?
• Do you work from a cleaning checklist?
• Does your company offer deep cleaning services?
• What is your contingency plan for emergencies and last-minute call-outs?
• What happens if a team cannot make a cleaning due to unforeseen circumstances? 
• Who will supply cleaning products?

If you are satisfied with their answers, ask them for references from past or current clients. A stellar cleaning company, with a proven track record, should not have an issue supplying references. If the company seems hesitant or unwilling to do this, it could be a sign that its services are not up to scratch. 

If the company has no problem giving references, ask them for a quote for their cleaning fees. Using this method to screen companies will help you to get quotes from only the most reliable ones. From there, you can compare quotes and hire the best company that offers the services you need. 

Client testimonials and reviews play a crucial role in evaluating the quality and reliability of vacation rental cleaning services. Positive feedback from hosts and guests alike can provide insight into a cleaning team’s efficiency, attention to detail, and professionalism. These reviews not only help new clients make informed decisions but also build trust and credibility for cleaning services in the highly competitive vacation rental market.

How Much Does a Vacation Rental Cleaning Cost?

The cost of a rental cleaning varies and will depend on things like your property’s size and location, as well as the fee structure the company uses. Companies can charge a fee ranging from under $100 in a quiet town, right up to $350 in a big city like New York. 

What is the Airbnb cleaning cost by unit size?

This is what you can expect to pay for professional Airbnb cleaning services by unit size, on average:

• Studio: $75–$120
• 1-bedroom: $90–$148
• 2-bedroom: $130–$200
• 3-bedroom: $178–$268
• 4-bedroom: $240–$400
• 5+ bedroom: $350–$600+

How to charge a cleaning fee to your guests?

Hosts commonly charge a cleaning fee to guests that cover the cleaning costs. Hosts can either charge a separate fee to the booking cost, or they can include it as part of their nightly rate.  Try to keep your competitors in mind when you are calculating your fee. If your vacation rental cleaning fee is much higher than your competitors, it may put guests off from booking with you.

Platforms For Finding and Booking a Cleaning Service

Now that you have your hiring process planned, you can start searching for potential companies. Check out the platforms below to find a range of Airbnb cleaning companies:

• HomeAdvisor
• Yelp
• Airtasker
• Handy
• Angi formerly Angie’s List)

What Apps Come in Handy for Short-Term Rental Cleaning?

As a host or property manager, cleaning your rental is one of the many responsibilities you need to oversee on a daily basis.

Fortunately, technology is here to help, with a host of handy apps to make booking an experienced cleaning team much easier! Mobile apps for hosts are transforming the way property managers and owners manage their rental operations, particularly when it comes to cleaning schedules and team communication.

These apps, available on both iOS and Android, streamline cleaning management by offering features such as early checkout notifications, real-time updates, and seamless communication with Airbnb cleaning teams.

Hosts can also set up automatic payments for their cleaning staff, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

• GuestPrep – GuestPrep is a company that specializes in cleaning vacation rentals and laundry services, based in Washington DC.
• Properly – With Properly, hosts and cleaners can interact with each other in real-time through instant messaging and photo sharing.
• Airhosta – Airhosta is a platform connecting hosts with a variety of service providers, including cleaning companies.
• Handy – Handy offers a range of vacation rental services on top of cleaning, including handyman maintenance, tech installation, and furniture assembly.
• Airtasker – Airtasker is an Australian platform where homeowners can post a variety of task requests, ranging from cleaning to gardening, and receive offers from qualified and trusted professionals.
• Tidy – Tidy offers a variety of cleaning plans for vacation rentals and also customizable cleaning plans for hosts. They have offices located throughout the US and are easily reachable for assistance. 

 Final Thoughts

Arranging vacation rental cleaning requires a lot of consideration and careful planning. With smart management and automation tools, you can ensure that your guests have the best possible stay at your properties. If you consistently deliver a great guest experience you’ll see your bookings soar and your business boom.