Cleaning an Airbnb can be a daunting task – but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to have all your supplies handy and work off a checklist in order until all is completed.

List of Supplies You Will Need

• Multi-purpose cleaner that can be used on non-wood products and windows
• Wood polish – lemon oil
• degreaser cleaner
• floor cleaner for wood floors
• Cleaning gloves – and vinyl gloves
• Bucket for water
• Sponges
• Scrubber for grout
• Tile chemical – like Tilex
• Wall erasers to clean walls (like Mr. Clean or an off brand)
• large supply of white microfiber clothes (quantity varies between number of properties and how often you want to do laundry).
• large supply of Red microfiber clothes
• Large supply of blue microfiber clothes
• Spraybottle(s) for cleaning sprays (for when your cleaners need to be mixed with water) mark well!
• Toilet bowl cleaners (such as Clorox Bowl Cleaner)
• Toilet scrubber
• Caddy
• Dust wand (look for the brand in which the duster can be replaced)
• Vacuum cleaner with upholstery wand
• Cheap plastic scraper (that won’t damage wood)
• Towel to stand on after cleaning tub/shower
• Sponge type mop
• Knee pads
• Dust mop and/or broom- dust pan

1. Have your common supplies stored at the airbnb

If you keep your supplies stored at the airbnb property it will save you on time. Chose a closet or cabinet for your supplies. Try not to use a kitchen shelf or some area that a guest would normally want in a bedroom. Instead; use a shelf in the utility room if there is one. At worst a large box with a lock that goes under a bed; prerably not the main bedroom.

When you store these in a box or a cupboard/cabinet be sure and label supplies. You don’t want someone thinking there is something valueable in them and break the locks. No one is going to bother with breaking locks for toilet paper (Usually).

By leaving your supplies unlocked you are inviting wastefulness and petty thievery.

2. Leave Plenty of Towels for Guests

Some hosts disagree with me, they think leaving more will incentivize more use of towels. That may be to an extent, but annoying them with a lack of towels is not being a good host. Instead, have extra towels but don’t have them directly where they will be tempted to be wasteful. Put them in a linen closet and only hang a few in the bathrooms.

3. Clean Wood with lemon oil

This is to make the natural wood shine. But easy does it. You don’t want your finger prints all over the cabinets. Just a drop on a microfiber towel is all you need. The purpose of cleaning with lemon oil is a finishing to ALREADY cleaned wood.

Just a quick note; it’s also good to use for a quick wipe down of door trims.

4. When Cleaning a Bedroom Strip Bedding First

Open the windows if you can to air the property out and open the curtains. You want to be able to see any dust; the easiest way to see it is natural light.

The purpose of stripping beds first is because you do not want them to stir up any dust after you have dusted. Dust is a dead give away to lack of cleanliness and of course; you have no intention of your Airbnb not being tip top.

5. Use One Multi-Purpose Cleaner

This multi-purpose cleaner will be used on floor, shelving, refrigerators, sinks and tubs. It saves time and money. You haul around fewer bottles of cleaner and you can mix your own if you want (just label well).

6. Sprits toilet, tub and sinks first while you work on other areas

This will save you time. Let the toilets, sinks, and showers soak with cleaner while you do the rest of your work. For example, Tilex in showers takes several minutes to soak.

7. Do not ignore dust

It’s easy to miss dust; so make it a routine…use a dusting wand and go left to right or right to left in each room not forgetting baseboards, windowsills, and cover each nick nack. Don’t forget tops of refrigerators – even if you are short and don’t see it; your guest may.

8. Don’t Forget to Check for Cobwebs

Cobwebs are particularly prevalent in corners and ceilings. Pay special attention to catching these with your dusting wand or vacuum cleaner with an extension. Don’t forget lampshades – they can gather dust as well as webs.

If you are not the one doing the cleaning; have a very well-defined list of what they should do. (see our checklist.)

Have a caddy for putting all your cleaning items in. This way you can move about cleaning quickly.

9. Keep linens in plastic boxes; and clearly labeled

Have all King, Queens, and Twins in separately labeled bins so you can quickly know which linens go with which bed or bedroom. NOTE: there is disagreement on the color of sheets. Some think you need to have dark sheets to hide any stains and others think you should have white sheets that can be bleached and guests will know the place is clean. Your call – but I prefer white sheets – there’s a reason hotels use white sheets.

9. Clean Corners and Baseboards

Corners can be cleaned with a white microfiber towel and multipurpose cleaner. Do not forget baseboard. For the first time, consider scrubbing and thereafter wipe down with a microfiber and multipurpose. Don’t forget to look behind toilets.

10. Pay Special Attention to Bathrooms and Kitchens

Well, that is not to say you shouldn’t clean the rest with a good amount of elbow grease. But if you don’t have a clean bathroom and kitchen you will get a bad review – and probably deserved. People can put up with magazines that were not put back neatly; but a dirty toilet and a kitchen with garbage, dust, or old food will repulse guests.

11. Do Floors/Carpets last

A good cleaner knows not to walk over their clean carpets. They should be done last so they can walk out and have the carpet looking pristine. Clean straight trails of the vacuum about 1 inch over lapping when vacuuming.

12. Have Cleaning Supplies Shipped to Your Cleaners

This is probably obvious, it saves you time – you don’t have to deliver to your cleaning team – and if they are out of city its a quick way to give them supplies. Amazon prime has free shipping.

13. Train Your Cleaners to Look for Bedbugs

It’s not a matter of if, but when your property will get bedbugs. Your cleaners should know that every removal of sheets they should inspect for black dots (bugs and bug feces) and rush colored spots (blood from the people they bite), and actual bugs (they don’t travel fast).