The Vrbo cleaning fee is a one-time charge added to a guest’s total, separate from the nightly rate
Hosts set the fee themselves to cover the cost of professional cleaning or supplies
Setting it too high can turn guests away—too low, and it cuts into your profit
Managing a short-term rental isn’t just about bookings—it’s about making each stay smooth, clean, and repeatable.
For hosts juggling 1 to 5 listings, the cleaning fee on Vrbo can feel like a small detail, but it has a big impact on guest expectations, reviews, and your bottom line. Get it wrong, and you’ll either scare off bookings or eat into your margins.
This guide breaks down how the Vrbo cleaning fee works, how to set it strategically, and how to keep guest satisfaction high without draining your time or revenue. We’ll cover what to charge, how it affects your listing performance, and how to keep your fee competitive without sacrificing quality.
Let's get stuck in!
A Vrbo cleaning fee is a flat charge added to every reservation.
It covers the cost of getting the property ready for the next guest, including everything from laundering sheets to wiping down surfaces and restocking supplies. The fee doesn’t change based on how many nights someone books, which means it can feel steep for short stays and more reasonable for longer ones.
Vrbo doesn’t apply tax to the cleaning fee directly, but local governments might. Depending on your location, the fee could count as taxable income under occupancy, lodging, or sales tax rules. If your city treats cleaning the same way as nightly rent, you’ll need to include the fee in your tax calculations—and report it accordingly.
Hosts set the cleaning fee themselves. Vrbo doesn’t cap the amount, but the platform does require that the fee show up clearly in the booking breakdown. Guests see it before confirming, right alongside the nightly rate. If the fee feels out of line with the rest of the pricing, expect questions—or worse, fewer bookings.
Cleaning fees help you avoid raising your nightly rate just to cover turnover costs, but they only work when priced with care. Instead of guessing or copying nearby listings, calculate what it costs to clean properly and set the fee to match.
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A cleaning fee can make or break a booking—especially for weekend trips.
If the number looks inflated, guests hesitate. If it’s too low, you’re covering turnover out of pocket. Setting the right number means knowing your costs and checking what similar listings are charging.
Hiring a cleaner? Use the invoice as your baseline. Then add supplies: paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent—everything guests use and expect to be stocked. Include the wear on linens, sponges, mop heads, and other tools that need replacing over time. Vrbo takes a 5% commission on the cleaning fee, and a 3% processing fee applies to the full guest payment, so factor those in too.
Doing the work yourself? Your time counts. If it takes two hours to reset a studio or five to flip a four-bedroom, that’s billable time. Even if you’re not writing yourself a check, your labor keeps the place guest-ready. Don’t ignore it.
After running the numbers, see what nearby listings charge. Search for properties with the same number of bedrooms, similar amenities, and the same general location. A two-bedroom near downtown won’t match a four-bedroom with a pool on the edge of town—guests know the difference, and pricing should reflect it.
If your fee looks high for shorter stays, consider shifting some of it into the nightly rate. A $90 fee on a two-night booking can look steep, even if it’s fair. Raising the nightly rate slightly and lowering the cleaning fee can improve booking conversions without changing total income. Guests still see the full breakdown, but the price spread feels more balanced—and less like a penalty for staying fewer nights.
Guests notice cleaning fees right away. Even with a competitive nightly rate, a high fee can make short stays feel overpriced—especially for one or two nights. On a $200 weekend booking, a $100 fee adds 50% to the total before taxes. That kind of math sends plenty of guests back to the search page.
The Vrbo cleaning fee stays fixed no matter how many nights someone books. For longer trips, the fee blends into the total. But for weekend stays, it stands out fast. If the number feels out of sync with the rest of the pricing, guests often move on. No explanation required—they just don’t book.
Some hosts lower cleaning fees in the off-season to stay competitive without touching the base rate. When demand drops, a smaller fee can help land shorter bookings. During busier months, holding the original rate usually makes sense. Guests booking longer trips care more about location, quality, and availability than flat fees.
Another strategy is to set a minimum stay that lines up better with your cleaning cost. For example, if a professional cleaner charges $120 per turnover, a three-night minimum helps spread that cost across more nights. The per-night price feels more balanced, and you avoid losing money on short gaps.
Most guests are fine paying a cleaning fee—as long as it matches the level of cleanliness and professionalism they see in the listing. If the photos look polished, the reviews praise spotless spaces, and the description mentions regular deep cleaning, guests expect to pay for that quality. But if the property feels rushed or poorly maintained, the fee becomes a problem fast.
The number next to the fee isn’t just about recouping costs. It sets expectations. Charge what covers your time or cleaner’s rate, but make sure the guest experience justifies the charge every time.
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The truth is, cleaning fees can quietly make or break a booking.
When you're managing just a handful of properties, every detail counts—and pricing needs to feel fair on both sides. A clear, consistent approach keeps guests happy and protects your margins.
Guests don’t want surprises. If you're charging a Vrbo cleaning fee, say so directly in the listing description. Don’t leave it buried in the booking breakdown. A short line like “Fee covers professional cleaning, fresh linens, and restocking of supplies between guests” gets the point across.
Spelling out what the fee covers sets expectations early. It also shows you run a clean, thoughtful operation—not just a side hustle with keys under the mat. When guests see clear communication, they’re more likely to respect your space and rules.
Cleaning costs don’t stay the same for long. Labor rates go up, supplies cost more, and guests now expect more thorough turnovers than they did even a year ago.
Check your fee every six to twelve months. If you’ve hired a cleaner, started offering mid-stay refreshes, or added more amenities to your turnover, your pricing should reflect that. A flat rate from two years ago won’t work if your costs have doubled. Small updates keep your listing competitive without cutting into profits.
And if you've upgraded your service—like switching to professional cleaners or adding same-day turnovers—make that visible. Guests notice the difference, and a well-explained fee feels easier to justify.
Every charge on your listing influences how guests feel about the price. The Vrbo cleaning fee and nightly rate work best when they balance each other—but they don’t always carry equal weight. Choosing which one to adjust depends on how long guests usually stay and what kind of bookings you’re trying to attract.
Short stays put the cleaning fee under a microscope. A flat $100 fee on a one-night reservation can feel out of proportion, even if that’s exactly what your cleaner charges. In these cases, raising the nightly rate slightly and trimming the cleaning fee can help the total price feel more reasonable. Guests pay the same in the end, but the breakdown feels less like a penalty for booking fewer nights.
Longer bookings shift the focus. A five-night stay spreads the cleaning fee out, so guests barely register it—especially if you've clearly explained what the fee covers. For week-long trips, you can usually keep the cleaning fee where it is, as long as your nightly rate still makes sense for your area and competition.
Hosts who adjust pricing throughout the year tend to stay competitive without overcomplicating the process. During peak season, bump the nightly rate while keeping the cleaning fee steady. That way, you earn more on longer stays without scaring off short-term guests with dramatic increases.
In slower months, try the opposite. Lower the cleaning fee just enough to make weekend trips more appealing. That minor change can nudge someone from browsing to booking.
Higher nightly rate, lower cleaning fee: Best for attracting short trips or weekend guests who compare totals quickly.
Lower nightly rate, higher cleaning fee: Works better when guests stay four nights or more, since the cleaning fee fades into the background.
Mid-range flat setup: Some hosts keep both numbers moderate year-round. It’s simple and consistent but can leave money behind when demand spikes.
Pricing doesn’t need to be perfect—just intentional. The right balance between your Vrbo cleaning fee and nightly rate helps you stay competitive, no matter the season or stay length.
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Setting the right Vrbo cleaning fee is more than just covering your turnover costs—it’s a strategic decision that affects guest perception, booking conversions, and long-term profitability. By calculating actual expenses, benchmarking against your comp set, and adjusting seasonally or by stay length, you can keep your listings competitive without sacrificing revenue.
When your pricing structure is transparent and your property consistently delivers on expectations, guests are more likely to book, return, and leave strong reviews. Keeping your cleaning fee aligned with your operations is not just good business—it’s essential for scaling sustainably.
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Yes, guests see the Vrbo cleaning fee before they book. It shows up in the total cost breakdown on the listing and during checkout. Nothing’s hidden. Clear pricing builds trust, and hidden charges tend to do the opposite.
Many hosts stick with a single cleaning fee to keep pricing simple. But if short stays cut into your earnings or turnover costs change with the seasons, you can adjust the fee. Just make sure the details in your listing stay up to date so guests know what to expect before booking.
You can roll cleaning costs into the nightly rate, but it changes how your listing appears in search. Higher rates may push your property further down the list, especially if nearby listings show lower per-night prices. Guests often compare based on nightly rate first—even when the final total is the same.
Start in your Vrbo dashboard. Go to your property settings, click into “Rates” or “Fees & Policies,” and update the cleaning fee there. The change takes effect immediately, and future guests will see the new amount before they confirm a booking.
In many locations, yes. Some cities and states treat the fee like rental income and apply the same lodging or sales taxes. Other places don’t. If you’re unsure, connect with a tax advisor or check with your local tax office to avoid surprises later.
Not directly. But pricing does affect how often guests book, and that booking rate plays a role in how your listing ranks. If your cleaning fee makes shorter stays feel expensive, fewer guests may follow through. That drop in conversions can push your listing lower in the search results.
You can, but you’ll need to do it manually. Vrbo doesn’t offer automation for removing the cleaning fee based on stay length. Some hosts offer custom discounts or refund the fee after booking to encourage longer visits, but it adds extra steps and requires follow-up.
Vrbo expects all required fees—like the cleaning fee—to be entered in the designated field. Forgetting to do that or mentioning it only in your description can get your listing flagged or suspended. Guests need to see every charge before booking, so always include the fee in the structured pricing section.
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