Cleaning fees don't just cover the costs of the cleaner, but include supplies, admin, and turnover readiness
Pricing too low can lead to skimping on cleaning costs, meaning rushed jobs and poor guest impressions over time
Remember, guests notice cleaning quality, especially when fees are high, so offering a great experience is important at every fee level
When you’re just getting started as a host, setting your cleaning fee feels like guesswork. You look at what other listings charge, pick something in the middle, and hope guests don’t complain. A few turnovers later, you're paying out of pocket, spending hours coordinating cleaners, or fielding messages from guests who expected hotel-level service.
Understanding the true cost of Airbnb cleaning, like what goes into it, how it affects your profits, and how to communicate it clearly, is a big part of running a successful short-term rental. Whether you clean yourself or hire help, your approach to cleaning costs shapes both guest expectations and your bottom line.
This guide breaks down what hosts actually need to account for in their Airbnb cleaning cost, why it matters, and how to set a price that reflects the real work behind each turnover.
Cleaning fees swing wildly from one Airbnb listing to another, and there’s a reason for it.
The amount you charge depends on your property's location, the size of the space, and the local cost of labor, none of which you get to control. Still, understanding what drives the price helps you make smarter decisions.
Wages shift depending on where your property is. A cleaning team in San Francisco, California or Boston, Massachusetts charges more than one in Omaha, Nebraska or Knoxville, Tennessee because the cost of living demands it.
In high-demand cities, cleaners are also busier, so they charge more for quick turnarounds or weekend jobs. For properties that are off the beaten path, travel time becomes part of the price and that adds up quickly.
More rooms, more bathrooms, more surfaces. Bigger properties take longer to clean, use more supplies, and often need a second cleaner to meet tight check-in windows.
A compact studio with simple furnishings isn’t the same job as a three-story house with a hot tub and multiple outdoor areas. Layout complexity matters, too. Awkward spaces or split-level designs can slow down even the most efficient cleaner.
In cities, guests often expect hotel-level cleanliness, and back-to-back bookings are more common, so cleaners charge for the pressure. In rural areas, labor might cost less per hour, but availability drops, and you may need to book well in advance or pay extra for flexibility. If your cleaner drives 30 miles round-trip, you're paying for the extra time and gas, too.
The more variables you stack onto a turnover, the higher the cleaning cost climbs:
Back-to-back bookings: A checkout at 10 a.m. with a new guest arriving at 4 p.m. means the cleaner has zero margin for delays. They’ll charge for the rush.
Pet stays: Hair, odor, accidents... Pets slow down the process. Most cleaners factor in extra time and materials for pet-friendly listings.
Deep cleans: After a long-term guest or every few months, most properties need a full reset. Cleaners charge more for scrubbing baseboards, flipping mattresses, or tackling buildup that regular turnovers miss.
Last-minute requests: If your usual cleaner cancels or you forget to schedule in advance, expect to pay a premium when someone agrees to fill in on short notice.
Some of the largest short-term rental operators (with 250+ properties) rely on Uplisting's software to scale their businesses.
Cleaning fees are a bundled cost that covers every step needed to get a property ready for the next guest.
Guests expect more than a wiped-down countertop when they see a charge labeled “cleaning.” The real Airbnb cleaning cost reflects everything that happens between check-out and check-in, from laundry to logistics.
Most of the cleaning fee goes straight to hands-on work. That includes vacuuming, sanitizing, changing linens, restaging furniture, checking drawers, and folding towels so they match the photos in your listing. Cleaners usually charge per job, not per hour, so a property with detailed setups or more rooms means higher fees.
Every guest stay chips away at inventory. Cleaners go through paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, dish soap, and laundry detergent, just to name a few. If the cleaner brings their own stock, the cost is rolled into their fee. If you supply everything, they’ll still spend time refilling items and keeping track of what needs replacing. Either way, the fee helps absorb those ongoing costs of property maintenance.
Linens and towels need cleaning, drying, folding, and restocking. Some cleaners handle this on-site, which eats up time between check-out and the next arrival. Others take laundry off-site and return it freshly folded. The same goes for trash. In many locations, bins fill quickly or aren’t close to the unit, so cleaners haul garbage themselves. Travel time and disposal both increase the total cost.
Every turnover requires behind-the-scenes work, like texting confirmations, adjusting schedules when a guest extends, chasing updates when someone leaves early. Most of that lands on your plate unless you’ve outsourced it. If you’re paying a professional cleaner, part of their fee covers time spent managing updates, communicating changes, and making sure everything runs on time.
So, with all this in mind, how should you go about setting a cleaning fee that feels fair to your guest while also allowing you to pay your cleaning team fairly? Here are five tips we've put together to help.
A low cleaning fee might seem like a smart way to stand out, but cheap rates tend to backfire.
Charging less than the work demands sends the wrong signal. Guests expect a spotless space when they see a cleaning fee. If the place feels half-done, they’re not going to assume you gave them a discount... They’re going to wonder why they paid anything at all.
Paying cleaners fairly brings better results. Reliable cleaners prioritize well-paying jobs. When you offer a rate that matches the workload, you make it easier to keep the same people coming back, people who already know the setup, the quirks, and what your guests expect. Underpaying leads to higher turnover, more last-minute scrambles, and re-cleans that cost more than getting it right the first time.
No one wants to pay a cleaning fee and feel like they still did the cleaning. That’s where clear, upfront communication matters. Confused guests are more likely to leave poor reviews, especially when they don’t see the value in the charge.
List the cleaning fee where guests will see it, before they book, not after they click through five pages. Use the description to explain what the fee covers. For example: “Fee includes professional cleaning, fresh linens, supply restocking, and same-day turnovers.” Now guests know they're paying for a full reset, not just a load of laundry.
High cleaning fees and chore lists don’t go well together. Asking guests to vacuum the floor, start laundry, or haul trash to the curb after checkout sends the wrong message. A simple ask, like placing used towels in the tub, is fine, but anything more turns a cleaning fee into a service charge with homework (we've all seen the memes).
Clarifying the Airbnb cleaning cost ahead of time also cuts down on back-and-forth messages. When guests understand the fee and what they’re getting, they’re less likely to question the rate or walk away before booking.
Cleaning issues rarely pop up out of nowhere. One missed mirror? Could be a fluke. Sticky floors three bookings in a row? That’s a pattern worth catching early. Tracking cleaner performance helps spot problems before guest reviews turn into repair jobs for your reputation.
Checklists make a big difference, especially when broken down by room. Instead of vague to-do lists, include clear tasks like “wipe under sofa cushions” or “sanitize faucet handles.” When a guest complains about crumbs or toothpaste smears, you’ll know exactly which part of the routine got skipped. Digital checklists speed this up. Cleaners mark items as they go and leave quick notes if something needs extra attention. With multiple properties in play, this keeps everything consistent without extra admin.
Reviews say more than just “clean” or “dirty.” Scan guest comments for keywords like “immaculate,” “dusty,” or “bathroom smelled off.” Sort that feedback by cleaner or property. If three guests in one month mention dusty blinds, there's a missed step that needs attention.
Growth brings new property types, higher guest volume, and more complex turnovers, and a flat cleaning fee across every unit can quietly eat into profit. A one-bedroom condo with minimal laundry isn’t the same job as a five-bedroom house with bunk beds, a grill, and sand tracked in from the beach.
Start by grouping listings based on turnover effort. Smaller spaces with simple layouts may still fall under one fee tier. Larger homes with outdoor features, multiple bathrooms, and higher capacity need a higher rate. Bigger spaces take longer to clean, burn through more supplies, and often require more than one cleaner to hit tight check-in windows.
Costs don’t stay fixed either. Supply prices go up. Cleaners raise rates. Inflation pushes everything higher. It’s easy to let cleaning fees sit unchanged for months—until the margin disappears. A quick review every 6 to 12 months helps catch rising expenses before they cut into revenue.
Automated guest messages keep your guest informed from booking through to check-out. They’re designed to answer questions before they arise, saving you time whilst keeping your guests happy.
Airbnb cleaning fees are a reflection of the quality, consistency, and professionalism behind every guest stay. When you charge appropriately, communicate clearly, and track performance, you create a better experience for both guests and operations teams.
As your short term rental business grows, your cleaning strategy needs to evolve with it. Regularly reviewing fees, adjusting based on property type and seasonality, and keeping tabs on cleaner performance ensures your operations remain efficient and profitable. A well-managed cleaning process protects your margins, boosts your reviews, and helps you scale with confidence.
Sign up for Uplisting to streamline your vacation rental management. Our platform helps you automate guest messaging, manage turnovers across multiple listings, and keep everything running smoothly, so you can focus on growing your business, not chasing cleaning schedules.
Most hosts charge between $50 and $150 per stay. Smaller city apartments often sit on the lower end, while larger homes with more rooms, outdoor spaces, or extras like hot tubs tend to cost more. Pricing also depends heavily on local labor rates and guest expectations in the area.
Yes, and you probably should. Supply costs rise, cleaners raise their rates, and your setup changes over time. Adjusting your Airbnb cleaning cost keeps everything aligned with real-world expenses, before your margins quietly shrink.
Only when the space doesn’t feel worth the charge. A spotless stay justifies a higher cleaning fee. Dusty shelves, leftover hair, or fingerprints on the fridge door? Not so much. Guests don’t usually mind paying more as long as the place feels freshly cleaned and ready when they walk in.
Definitely. A one-bed condo with minimal surfaces doesn’t take the same effort as a five-bedroom vacation home with a grill, patio, and sandbox. Match each fee to the actual time, supplies, and labor needed to turn the space over properly. That keeps cleaning reliable and your pricing fair.
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