Airbnb Cleaning Rules For Guests

Want to be a top-rated Airbnb guest? Understanding and following the cleaning protocols discussed below can make all the difference.

As a seasoned Airbnb user, I’ve gathered insider tips and tricks to guarantee a spotless stay.

From removing your shoes to taking out the trash, mastering these guidelines will please your host and ensure a pleasant stay for you and future guests.

Don’t let unexpected cleaning fees ruin your trip. Abide by these essential rules before checking out. With my guidance, you’ll be a pro at Airbnb rental cleaning in no time. Are you ready?

Let’s get into it.

What Are Some of the Cleaning Rules for Airbnb Guests?

Here are some Airbnb cleaning rules for guests:

1. Remove All Trash and Recycling Before Leaving

Leaving a mess behind is like leaving a bad first impression. Leave the Airbnb spotless by removing all trash and recycling before checking out.

Not only is it respectful to the host, but it also helps maintain a clean and hygienic environment for future guests.

The most common question I have been asked is, “where do I take the trash?” Note that most Airbnb hosts will have an outdoor dumping bin.

If you cannot locate one, inquire from your host. Even if they lack a garbage bin, they will direct you on how to do it.

2. Wash All Dishes, Pots, and Pans You Used

It is important to wash all dishes, pots, and pans used during your stay. Rinse and scrub them thoroughly, and don’t leave any crumbs or food particles anywhere.

It shows respect for the host’s home and prevents potential health hazards and unpleasant odors for the next guests.

Do your part to keep the Airbnb community clean and enjoyable for everyone.

3. Strip All Used Beddings and Place Linens in the Designated Area

Imagine arriving at your Airbnb after a long day of travel only to find the bedding dirty and unmade. It’s not the warm welcome you were hoping for.

Strip used bedding and place linens in the designated area to ensure that all guests have a pleasant stay.

It ensures that the next guest has clean bedding and helps housekeeping track which linens need to be washed. It’s a small step that can make a big difference in someone’s stay.

4. Return All Furniture to Its Original Position

Picture this: you’ve just finished your stay at an Airbnb property and are ready to check out. But before you leave, the host hands you a bill for an additional cleaning fee.

The reason? You didn’t return all furniture to its original position.

To avoid this problem, return all furniture to its original position before checking out. It maintains the overall appearance of Airbnb and makes it easier for the host to deep clean the room for future guests’ comfort.

5. Do Not Leave Your Food Items on the Refrigerator

When your stay is over, try as much as possible to leave the refrigerator as you found it.

Your host is not interested in your leftovers. Dispose of any food items you won’t be consuming unless it’s some fine wine you’d like to leave for them.

In that case, I’d recommend writing a note for your host instead of just leaving it on the refrigerator. I case of odors, you can use fridge deodorizers which are highly effective.

Best refreidgerator deodorizers from Amazon:

• Arm & Hammer Fridge Fresh Refrigerator Air Filter 
• OTOTO Fun Guy Fridge Deodorizer
• Joie Moo Moo Fres Refrigerator Odor Absorber

6. Remove Your Shoes and Walk on Socks or Other Indoor Footwear

This is not a rule per se, but it is one of those things that show significant courtesy and diligence.

It will reduce the cleaning you must do at the end of your Airbnb stay and set you apart from many guests I have seen stepping all over the couch and bedsheets with their traveling shoes.

Remove your shoes and walk in your socks or other footwear designated for the indoors. Note that the amount you pay for your stay does not include cleaning the mud and dirt in the seats and carpets.

7. Clean Your Messes but Don’t Go Overboard

I remember my friend Mark who did a 2-hour deep cleaning of our Airbnb in Spain in 2017. He was almost doing the laundry when I returned and said enough is enough.

While it is okay to clean every corridor, toilet, and surface at the end of your stay, it is unnecessary.

Clean the table tops, sinks, and exposed dirty areas, but leave the thorough cleaning to your host. However, various hosts might have different Airbnb cleaning rules for guests.

So, refer to it or ask them, so you don’t go overboard with your cleaning.

8. Notify the Host of Any Damages or Broken Items

Even the most careful people may occasionally accidentally drop, scratch, or break items when cleaning the room or moving about. That is understandable.

However, failing to notify your host of the damages. Imagine realizing your visitor’s damages after they are gone.

Your host might feel disrespected and betrayed. Besides, they might give you a scathing review and damage your reputation in the Airbnb community, thereby denying you nice accommodation opportunities.

Notifying them shows your integrity and might lower your compensatory damages.

9. Follow the Host’s Specific Cleaning Instructions

If you’ve used Airbnb before, you probably understand that despite the company’s cleaning rules for guests, some hosts have specific instructions.

It would be inappropriate to stick to Airbnb’s cleaning rules and despise your hosts’ instructions.

For instance, a host may need his guests to leave the used linen on a washing machine instead of putting them on a tray.

Note that it does not mean you should do the laundry. Putting them in the washing machine and leaving them there should take just a few minutes, if not seconds.

So, follow your host’s specific cleaning instructions for their sake and for those who will use the premises after you.

10. Leave the Property in the Condition You Received It

It is the most controversial Airbnb cleaning rule for guests. When you enter that room for the first time, take a few minutes to look at its arrangement.

That is essential because you don’t want to interfere with the hosts’ interior decoration and design.

When it is time to leave, ensure the dishes, the electronics, and every item are in the same condition you found them.

Some guests hide their damage to trap the next visitors and avoid accountability.

But it does not work like that anymore. Your host will thoroughly examine the property and may discover your preconceived intentions.

Although guests make mistakes, just try as much as possible to leave the property in the condition you found it.

Keep the Airbnb Community Clean and Enjoyable for Everyone

There are several Airbnb cleaning rules for guests to make your stay and that of the next visitor and your host memorable.

Remove all trash, wash your used dishes and cutlery, put used bedding in their designated area, and notify your host of any damages.

Most importantly, leave the property in the condition you found it. Following these guidelines can help ensure a pleasant stay for yourself and future guests and avoid unexpected cleaning fees.

Which rule did you break? How did it affect your Airbnb reviews? Feel free to share with me in the comments section below.