Knowing how to clean an Airbnb like a pro is one of the most crucial skills a host needs to have. Therefore it’s time I covered this process in detail for you.
Have you ever walked into a hotel room or Airbnb and marvelled at how clean and sparkly everything is?
In this article I will show you the step by step cleaning process that professional cleaning companies use so you can achieve the same squeaky-clean results. I will also show you what equipment they use and the simple way they keep organised that will save you oodles of time.
Their methods are easy, fast and will guarantee rave reviews from your guests when you clean your own Airbnb. Especially during these COVID related times.
The Fundamentals of Airbnb Cleaning
Lets’s begin with the very fundamentals that professional short term rental cleaners live by.
When preparing your Airbnb for an upcoming booking there are three main fundamentals that you should follow to achieve the best results.
- Hygiene – The process of sanitising and disinfecting the property
- Cleaning – The removal of stains, rubbish and replacing linens and towels
- Presentation – Focusing on attention to detail with organisation and great presentation the key to Airbnb success
Chemicals and Equipment
First things first, we need to equip you with all the essential equipment that professional cleaners use. Surprisingly this only consists of 4 different products.
The Chemicals
- Hydrogen Peroxide – A Natural strong disinfectant that doesn’t harm the environment
- Multipurpose Cleaner – For use on most surfaces around the property
- Window Cleaner – For use on most surfaces around the property
- Linen Spray – To finish and give the Airbnb a light, fresh fragrance
The Equipment
The equipment that pro cleaners use isn’t anything fancy. In fact, you can buy all of this at your local store.
Here what you will need:
- Mop
- Microfibre Squeegee
- Bucket
- Scourer
- Microfibre Cloths
- All Purpose Cloths
- Rubber Gloves
- Broom
- Vacuum
Keeping Organised
Keeping all your equipment and chemicals organised is key to saving time and getting the best results.
Pro cleaners adopt a colour rule with their equipment so they don’t cross-contaminate between rooms and chemicals. It also makes it easy to keep all your equipment organised and on hand when you need it. As a result, your Airbnb cleaning process is much quicker and efficient.
Colour your Airbnb Cleaning equipment:
- Blue is for Glass and chrome
- Green is for the Kitchen
- Yellow is for Dusting and finishing
- Red is for the Bathroom
Now that your cleaning cloths are colour coded, here is what each one is used for:
- For stain removal and general cleaning, use the multipurpose cloth on windowsills, glass, walls and doors
- To remove dust, use the yellow microfiber cloth with no product
- For Mirrors, TVs and windows use a blue dry microfiber cloth
- And for grease removal in the kitchen, stovetop, microwave and fridge, use a disposable cloth and then follow with the Green cloth and glass cleaner
This is the process I use for cleaning my Airbnb and trust me, it works wonders!
Airbnb Cleaning – Getting Started
Before the cleaning process begins there are 4 key tasks you should complete first to achieve professional results.
- Organise your cleaning products – We suggest a caddy to hold all your products
- Open all curtains/blinds and open windows to air out the property
- Check the house for missing items, forgotten items and photograph any damage or mess
- Replace any missing or low stock amenities
7 Step Guide
Step One – Sanitising
To prepare the property for sanitisation, remove all rubbish, towels and strip the beds.
- Our first port of call for sanitisation is the toilet/bathroom. This is one of the most contaminated areas and should always be sanitised first and cleaned last.
- Apply the antibacterial spray to the toilet and bathroom on all surfaces and clean the shower screen (if applicable) with the squeegee.
- Allow the sanitising chemicals to stand for 10 minutes before wiping down. This is the minimum amount of time that the chemical industry recommends to be the most effective.
While waiting for the chemicals to do their job, its time to clean up the outdoor areas and whip through the bedroom, living room and kitchen.
With a broom, start with the ceiling and clear all cobwebs. Continue on to the outdoor furniture making sure there is no dust or cobwebs.
Step Two – Outside
Give the floor a quick sweep and then wipe over the windows and window sills if needed. Make sure you check the BBQ (if provided) for any mess and the level of gas left in the tank.
Step Three – Kitchen
The kitchen with all its appliances and cupboards can be quite daunting. It can be easy to miss areas especially when food is involved.
First, start by using a multipurpose cleaner to wipe down the benches. You should also wipe down cupboards inside and out, and then next the appliances.
Here are some easy to follow steps to ensure the kitchen up to guest standards.
- Cupboard Doors – Wipe with multipurpose spray and wipe with a dry cloth to make the doors shine
- Surfaces – Remove all items from bench and use the multipurpose spray to clean and then dry
- Microwave – Check for any food stains and clean with glass cleaner
- Fridge – Check for left-over food, crumbs and spills and give a full wipe down
- Kettle/Toaster – Clean and shine with glass cleaner for chrome appliances
- Coffee Machine – Empty out any coffee and clean all removable parts then clean and shine with the glass cleaner
- Oven – Check if the oven was used. Clean out any crumbs and wash the trays if necessary. Clean the outside with glass cleaner
- Kitchen Sink – Scrub the sink and taps with dishwashing liquid and then use the glass cleaner to finish and polish with a dry cloth
- Rubbish Bins – Put in a new bin bag and clean the bin with the antibacterial spray (can be done at the same time as the bathroom)
Finally, finish cleaning your Airbnb kitchen with some good old fashioned polishing. This includes all door handles, light switches, window sills and power outlets. Also, check the dishwasher for dishes and clean if necessary.
Step Four – Bedrooms
The biggest issue in the bedroom is dust. So it is important to give the bedroom a good dusting after each guest. This can be done once the beds are made so as not to re-dust the surfaces.
Start by making the beds with fresh linen. If you don’t have time to iron your linen, consider ironing just the quilt cover and pillowcases. Or if short of time, invest in a portable linen steamer. This way you can run over any creases once the bed is made.
Next, here some helpful hints and tips for cleaning a bedroom:
- Dust the bedroom/s starting from top down make sure you check for cobwebs
- Wipe all the surfaces with the all purpose cleaner
- Wipe inside drawers and cupboards
- Shine and polish any mirrors, chrome handles, light switches and outlets
Step Five – Living rooms
The living room get a good workout from all guests during their stay. The main things to look for here is
- Wipe all surfaces from top to bottom including the tv, window sills and picture frames
- Take the cushions off the couch and shake out. Check for any food or rubbish left under the cushions, flip if possible and put back together giving the pillow a fluff
- Polish all handles, light switches, outlets, lamps, tv and tv unit
Then to finish, check for any marks on the walls. Use sugar soap and sponge if the mark can’t be removed with a microfiber cloth.
Next, use a wet sponge and spay sugar soap onto the wall, scrub mark until stain has gone. Then to finish, wipe sugar soap off the wall with a wet cloth. Now that your Airbnb living room is clean, it is time to move on to the bathroom!
Step Six – Bathrooms
The bathroom is the most important room when it comes to cleaning. Guests will expect everything to be sparkling so always give this room the most attention.
- Spray the mirror with glass cleaner, polish and dry making sure not to leave any streaks.
- Take everything off the vanity and scrub sink and taps (use a product like Jif if the sink hole is stained) rinse off, polish and dry.
- Spray surfaces and tiles with the multipurpose spray, scrub and polish dry.
- Spray all chrome surfaces with glass cleaner and make sure it’s all shiny and clean.
Toilets
This one is pretty simple. A little trick of the trade is to fold a V into the toilet roll once you are done. Then when you see the V, you will know the toilet is clean and ready to go.
- Use toilet bleach in the bowl and clean with the toilet brush
- Spray with antibacterial spray from top to bottom and let sit for at least 10 minutes – then wipe off using toilet paper and flush
- Clean and empty the bin, window sills, towel holder, toilet paper holder and toilet brush.
- Fold a v into the toilet roll
Bathtub
If you have a bath tub in your Airbnb, make sure to give this a good amount of attention when cleaning. The large shiny surface is a dead give away for negligence if not cleaned properly.
- Wipe the bathtub down with multi-purpose spray, polish and dry with a microfiber cloth
- Use glass cleaner on the taps and any chrome fittings, then polish and dry
Shower
The shower space has a lot of areas that need cleaning and will take the longest to clean. This is especially so if the shower is surrounded by glass. So take your time here to make sure there are no streaks and always double check the drain.
- If the shower is dirty, use Jif and scrub all areas, otherwise wipe down with multipurpose spray.
- Once the shower screen clean use glass cleaner to polish and rub down with a dry cloth.
- Clean any tiled area with multipurpose spray.
- Rearrange the shampoos, soaps etc so they face frontwards and place towels.
If there is any mould in the bathroom, you will need to use a mould remover with a sponge and grout brush while wearing gloves and a mask.
Open any windows in the bathroom and turn on fan for ventilation. Spray the mould remover in the affected areas and leave for 5 minutes.
Then scrub with grout brush and rinse with hot water to make sure the chemicals have been removed
Step Seven – The Floors
Once you have finished cleaning the property, it’s time to tackle the floors.
Before you start, give the entire property one final inspection to make sure everything is looking shiny and clean. Make sure you have restocked the bathroom, toilet and kitchen with fresh amenities and condiments.
Remove all cleaning equipment, laundry bags and cloths and give all the beds, couches and curtains a spritz of the linen spray.
Vacuum
When vacuuming, concentrate on corners, behind doors, under beds, skirting boards, underneath light objects and check for cobwebs as you go.
Pay special attention in the bathroom for any stray hair and always check behind the toilet and behind the sink.
Mopping
One you have vacuumed apply a small amount of cleaning solution to a damp mop and continue mopping adding water or cleaning solution as you go. If the mop becomes too dirty, wash under warm water making sure you squeeze any excess water out.
Make note of the floorplan of the property so you don’t walk back through any rooms after mopping.
And you’re done!
Airbnb Cleaning Summary
You should now be an Airbnb cleaning pro if you have gotten this far!
Cleaning like a pro can be time consuming and tricky, but once you get a routine going it becomes much easier. All the hints and tips in this article are things I do myself. They are things that I know for a fact work and will have your Airbnb looking super clean.
Below is an Airbnb cleaning checklist that you can download in PDF to help you get started.
All the best with your Airbnb cleaning adventures and as usual, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!
Bonus Airbnb Cleaning Checklist
This is my gift to you. Download some free goodies courtesy of BnbDuck to help start your Airbnb journey on the right foot.