What Is the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee In 2024

The Airbnb Cleaning Fee may be difficult to nail down. While the cost of anything is certainly a factor these days, The cleaning team is one of the most fundamental aspects of owning/managing a vacation rental. There are just as many factors that go into choosing the right cleaning team as there are in determining the Airbnb Cleaning Fee as every property and cleaner is different.

Short-term rental bookings are driven by top reviews, and gaining consistent top reviews on the cleaning aspect is where you come in.

Guests don’t like paying the fees, and owners/property managers don’t like charging them, but it has to get done, right? As with any service business, we are reliant on people who know and care about what they are doing, and our work is subject to reviews from many different types of guests. In my time of cleaning short-term rentals, I have seen every extreme that you can imagine.

The Importance of Pricing Right! A Guide To Establishing The Airbnb Cleaning Fee

We see guests that leave messes behind that would curl your hair. I am not sure if they live like that at home, or if they simply feel entitled because they are paying a fee. I have seen others begin tearing a place apart to find something to complain about, and some have fabricated a mess that didn’t exist. Unfortunately, these things happen in our world.

Some of these guests are of the mindset that if they are paying, they expect an operating room environment, while others are rooting for a discount, and yes, some have legitimate complaints as no one is perfect.

That said, our number 1 goal is to never leave anything for them to complain about, if they find one thing, they start looking for more.

Factors Influencing The Airbnb Cleaning Fee

We all pay for things daily, gas, groceries, utilities, and the list goes on. We may not be happy with a grocery cart that’s half empty and a $200 fee at checkout, but we don’t stand there and try to negotiate that price or even question why it is that price.

When it comes to a service business, some owners begin to think they know what a service should cost without any knowledge of what goes into arriving at that price. The reality of the matter is that if you haven’t cleaned vacation rentals for an extended period yourself, you have no idea what goes into it, just as I have no idea what a car mechanic does.

You Will Find Most Owners Are Very Grateful And Easygoing

You will also find those who want to be the boss and dictate every aspect, including what they are going to pay. We are a cleaning business that is doing business with a rental business. It’s a partnership, not a boss/employee situation. When an owner begins to treat you as an employee, it’s time to run for the hills. Mutual respect must be at the foundation of this partnership.

All one needs to do is Google the question “What should you pay for vacation rental cleaning” or talk to 10 different cleaning companies to realize, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question “What is The Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee”

Calculate what the proper fees are to enable success and stick to it.

I see cleaners on social media every day that make comments like “they only pay x”. That is not how a business operates. Be confident with your pricing structure, don’t negotiate, and be professional at all times.

Square Footage Matters When Determining The Airbnb Cleaning Fee

Setting your pricing structure is perhaps one of the most important aspects of starting any business as it is key in determining ultimate success or failure. We can’t simply throw an arbitrary number at it and hope for the best. Many people start this type of business as a one-person operation, and if you look at it from that point of view, it may bring trouble down the road. Unless you can negotiate no same-day turnovers, the best-case scenario is that one cleaner might be able to handle 3 units and that would be rare. You will need to put a team together and you should keep this in mind when establishing prices.

If you price an Airbnb in a way that makes 1 person a decent wage, you will quickly realize that one person can’t clean very many short-term rentals alone.

Once you begin bringing on help, they must be paid a decent wage, and the business has to make a profit after all expenses.

Many cleaners start without this in mind, and it is very difficult to double your price once it is set, which leads to either losing money or losing clients that you have already built a reputation with.

Take Your Expenses Into Account And Know What They Are

While it can be beneficial to know what a host charges their guests for a cleaning fee (in some cases), that doesn’t have anything to do with how much a cleaning company should charge the host. For example, a host may be charged $300 by the cleaner, while their listing only shows $75 as some of them bury the fee within the nightly rate for appearance’s sake.

Others may charge $300 and add to that to cover amenities, periodic deep cleans, and other incidental expenses. It is very important not to put a whole lot of thought into what the host is charging. I have seen cleaners take on jobs for what the owner wants to pay and 6 months later realize they can see what the owner charges a guest for a cleaning fee.

They then want to begin complaining about the gap when they have no one to blame but themselves.

What You Must Know To Establish The Correct Airbnb Cleaning Fee

• Square Footage of the Property:

  Do not rely on the host for this information, but rather pull up the actual information on Zillow or Realtor.com. Keep in mind that some hosts will convert nonliving spaces such as garages into living spaces. In this case, it is important to factor that in. Spaces like garages are not included in official square footage. I have a client who has converted a 2-car garage into an entertainment space. This property is 1600 square feet. I estimated the garage to be an additional 400 square.

 

• Number of Bedrooms and Number of Beds:

  Make sure you have an accurate count of sleeping accommodations. This would include bunkbeds, roll-out cots, and pull-out sofa sleepers. How many heads can “legally” be in the unit? A single bed would count as 1, and any other size bed accounts for 2. You must know this information as it affects the amount of laundry to be done and how many bath linens to leave.

 

• What Is The Address Of The Property: This is important to know for multiple reasons, but initially to assess proper square footage.

• How Many Bathrooms and Half Baths: You will spend the bulk of your time cleaning bathrooms and kitchens.

 

• What is the Linen Situation:

  Require each unit to have no less than 2 sets of all linens including bed, bath, and kitchen. This not only ensures a flawless turnover in the event of damage, but it also allows the cleaning team to take laundry off-site to return on the next turnover if they are pressed for time.

 

• How Many Towels:

  Know upfront how many towels the host wants to be left out for guests. We suggest 1 per guest when they have access to laundry equipment. The more you leave out the more they will use and the more laundry you will have to do each turn. If they want 20 sets of towels for 10 guests, that has to be factored into your time doing laundry.

 

• Does The Property Require An Initial Deep Clean:

  We like to start with a clean slate and maintain that throughout the season. Take a close look at things like baseboards, walls, doors, fans, inside cabinets, closets, drawers, window frames, under furniture, etc. Ask when the last time the dryer vent was professionally cleaned as a clogged dryer vent will cost you time and can also create a potentially dangerous situation.

• I strongly suggest doing a walkthrough of the property before giving a definitive price to a client. If this isn’t possible, you can give a        range until you can. Don’t just go with the average Airbnb cleaning fee as this may become a problem. It is important to set expectations from the start through having discussions with your client.

• What Happens When An Excessive Mess Is Left By A Guest:

  Your prospective client should be aware that when excessive messes are left there will be additional charges. Photos will be provided, and charges will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. I suggest a fee of $50 per hour beyond what the normal cleaning should take, but I never give my clients prices in an hourly form. The Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee doesn’t cut it in some cases.

 

• Host Should Be Aware of Late Check-Outs:

  Discuss with your client what check times are and the importance of enforcing them. In my area that is out “by” 10 AM, and in at 4 PM. If your team must sit and wait for someone who doesn’t have respect for the check-out time, your team not only needs to be compensated for that, but it can also be the difference between being on time for same-day turnarounds. When owners do not enforce this policy in their checkout rules, it becomes nothing more than a suggestion to the guests and they will take advantage of it. Hosts should have additional fees listed. I suggest a fee of $50 per hour. No, this is not included in the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee as some hosts would like to have you think.

 

• Touch-Up Cleans:

  When a property sits vacant between guests for some time, it is suggested that a touch-up be done. Toilets can begin to mold, and dust will settle. Additional fees should be charged and expected. I suggest a fee of $75.

 

• Deep Cleans:

  Many aspects of Airbnb Turnover Cleaning are not included in the normal course of cleaning. Therefore, it is important to do no less than one deep cleaning per year. My suggestion is to make this a requirement as some owners will either skip it or “do it themselves”, which rarely turns out well. Deep cleans should either be charged at a rate of .30 cents per square foot, or 2.5 to 3 x the turnover rate.

 

• Amenities:

  There should be a basic amenities package left for each guest. Some hosts choose to stock these items. We offer a basic package to our clients for an additional fee and it can be customized. Our package contains the following.

• 1 roll of paper towel/ 1 roll of toilet paper per bath/ 1 body wash-shampoo-conditioner-bar of soap per bath (all travel size)/1 kitchen sponge/ 2 dishwasher pods/ 2 laundry pods/ 1 dish soap (travel size)/ 2 trash bags per can. If you are providing amenities, make sure you know the cost and add it to your pricing.

 

• Invoicing:

  We send an invoice the day the cleaning is performed and require it to be paid within 24 hours of receipt. Most clients are good about this, but I have had 2 of them who thought they could pay whenever it was convenient. Some will charge late fees. I choose not to do that. I let them know upfront what my expectations are. If they don’t respect that I will professionally let them know and if it continues, they simply won’t be my client for long.

 

• Payment:

  How would your client like to pay? This is an important question to ask, as there are some free ways and some ways that cost fees.

 

• Scheduling Cleaning:

  We use an app where there may be a fee associated, but in any case, you must have access to your client’s booking calendar. I had a couple of clients early on who simply wanted to text me a schedule. This does not work!

 

• Locked Closet:

  You should have a dedicated, locked closet to work from where extra linens and/or amenities are kept out of reach of guests.

 

• Hand Soaps And Batteries:

  I suggest having your client stock refills for hand soaps and always keeping them full. Also, a routine for changing batteries in door locks, smoke alarms, and TV remotes will save everyone a lot of hassle. Guests don’t want to wake up at 3 AM to a screaming smoke alarm or have to hassle with a dead door lock. All of these aspects should be discussed upfront with your prospective client to eliminate confusion in the future.

Don’t Forget To Add Amenities When Determining The Airbnb Cleaning Fee

Our package is listed above. Ask your client if they want you to provide or if they would like to. Some clients provide the basics and then some.

How To Calculate The Airbnb Cleaning Fee

I have been in multiple Facebook groups for cleaners and owners in this space for over 2 years. I have done extensive online research along with managing a cleaning team in Panama City Beach for some time, and here is what I have found.

You can find prices all over the board online. I have seen articles ranging from one extreme to the next, and certainly, your specific area matters in determining what the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee is for you. It is important to note that when a prospective client says we paid X to our last cleaner or they charged that, it can be a red flag. As a business owner, you should figure out your pricing structure based on expenses and profit and be confident in that pricing. This is not a negotiation!  Clients do not tell us what they pay any more than we tell the gas station what we pay to fill up our car.

Most Airbnb cleaning companies charge in the range of .10 to .17 cents per square foot in the US. For example: a 1600 square foot 3 bed/3 bath would run $160 at .10 per square foot. I would add $25 per estimated load of laundry, and an amenity package if needed. If I had a $160 fee, and guess 3 loads of laundry on average, I would add 3 loads at $25 per and $20 for amenities, which brings the cost of the turn to $255.

It is important to figure out what the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee is in your area as geography does come into play to a point.

I Don’t Recommend Charging Hourly. Go With An Airbnb Cleaning Fee That Is A Flat Rate

I charge my clients a flat fee (never hourly) and I pay my team a flat fee to clean them. My team is paid 60% of what I charge (not counting amenities as they are part of the direct cost) $235 x 60% means my team earns $140 or roughly $35 per hour, and I earn $95 before expenses.

I also have a minimum Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee for smaller properties. For instance, if you have a property that is 700 square feet with 1 load of laundry, that would be $95, which would pay a team member less than 60 bucks using the above example. My minimum fee is $125.

Some cleaning companies choose a simple square footage calculation of around .17 per square foot. In the above example would come out to $272 versus $255. Using the higher amount would include laundry and amenities. It is just a matter of how you decide to do it, but that is the approximate range that I recommend.

This price structure works for everyone involved in most cases. In the rare event that I get pushback on pricing, I simply walk away. I strongly suggest figuring out what the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee is in your area as that does make a difference. Please don’t confuse that statement with finding the wrong client, or accepting something less than profitable. When we are new to this, we are inclined to take on work at whatever price we can get it, but this can quickly become problematic.

Conclusion To Airbnb Cleaning Fee

It doesn’t matter if you are new to the business or if you are solo. Don’t get caught up in that trap because it will get you in trouble later. If you price your jobs like a rookie up-front, you can count on problems not far down the line as you grow. Click here to see a very important step that you don’t want to miss. Check out our all-inclusive turnover checklist right here.