Short answer
Start every turnover with a walkthrough and photos, strip the beds and start laundry, then clear trash and dishes, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, wipe high-touch spots, make the beds, restock and mop the floors last. Airbnb's own rules for hosts say to do laundry, take out trash, vacuum or sweep and wipe surfaces between every stay.
A turnover isn't a regular house cleaning. You have a deadline, a stranger arriving in a few hours who's paying to find the place perfect, and a review that follows you for months. The trick is doing the same steps in the same order every time, so nothing gets missed when you're rushing.
This is the checklist we'd hand a new host in Dallas, Fort Worth or Arlington. Print it, adjust it for your place, and give a copy to whoever cleans for you.
What Airbnb expects
Airbnb's ground rules for hosts say to clean between every stay, including doing laundry, taking out trash, vacuuming or sweeping, and wiping down surfaces. The listing also has to be free of health hazards like mold and pests. That's the floor. Guests and reviews expect more.
Airbnb's own cleaning tips for hosts add a few useful points. Strip the beds and linens first. Keep spare sets of clean sheets and towels for same-day turnarounds. Don't skip the overlooked spots, like under beds, inside drawers and cabinet doors, and appliances like the toaster, coffee maker, microwave and fridge. Work from a checklist so nothing gets forgotten, and schedule deeper cleans every two to three months.
The turnover, in order
1. Walkthrough and photos
Before you touch anything, walk every room. Take photos of any damage, stains or missing items, with the date. Note anything the guest left behind. If there's a problem you need to report, you'll want proof of how you found it before you cleaned it away.
2. Strip beds and start laundry
Pull all sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and towels, including the ones that look unused. Start the first load right away. Check mattress protectors for stains. Airbnb suggests keeping spare sets of clean sheets and towels for same-day turnarounds, so the laundry doesn't hold up the whole turnover.
Clean the dryer lint filter before and after each load. The U.S. Fire Administration lists that as a basic dryer fire safety step, and turnover laundry runs that dryer hard.
3. Trash and dishes
Empty every trash can, including bathroom bins and the one under the sink. Swap in fresh liners. Run the dishwasher, or hand wash and put everything away. Throw out any guest food left in the fridge or pantry unless your house rules say otherwise.
4. Kitchen
- Wipe counters, backsplash and cabinet fronts
- Clean the stovetop, the microwave inside and out, and the outside of the fridge
- Wipe fridge shelves and check the freezer
- Clean the sink and faucet
- Check that the coffee maker, toaster and kettle are empty and clean
- Make sure dishes, glasses and cookware are all clean, dry and in place
5. Bathrooms
- Clean the toilet top to bottom, including the base and behind it
- Clean and rinse the shower and tub, then check the drain and walls for hair
- Clean the sink, counter, mirror and fixtures
- Wipe light switches, door handles and the towel bar
- Mop the floor and check the corners for hair
CDC's home guidance is to clean surfaces first and then disinfect when needed, using an EPA-registered disinfectant and following the label for how long the surface needs to stay wet. Bathrooms are where that matters most on a turnover.
6. Dust and high-touch spots
Dust surfaces, shelves, lamps and ceiling fans. Then wipe the things every guest touches. Remotes, light switches, door handles, cabinet pulls, the thermostat, faucet handles, keypads and the coffee maker buttons. CDC suggests cleaning high-touch surfaces after you've had visitors, and every turnover is exactly that.
7. Make the beds
Make them tight and neat. Lint roll the duvet and pillows, since hair and lint show up badly on white linens in photos and in person. Fluff the pillows and check under the bed for left-behind items.
8. Restock
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- Hand soap, dish soap and dishwasher detergent
- Shampoo, conditioner and body wash, if you provide them
- Trash bags
- Coffee, filters, sugar and creamer
- A new sponge
- Fresh batteries in the remote, if they're getting weak
- Spare light bulbs
9. Floors last
Vacuum carpets and rugs, then sweep and mop hard floors, working from the back of the house toward the front door so you don't walk over your clean floor.
10. Final check
Walk through once more like a guest would. Sniff for odors. Flip every light switch. Check the thermostat setting, the window locks, the blinds and the Wi-Fi card. Then take a quick set of photos of the finished rooms.
Schedule deep cleans separately
A turnover can't do everything. Put these on their own schedule. Airbnb's tips suggest deep cleans every two to three months, and busy listings may need them sooner.
- Inside the oven and behind the stove
- Baseboards, door frames and vent covers
- Under beds, couches and heavy furniture
- Inside cabinets and drawers
- Windows inside and out
- Wash mattress protectors, pillow protectors, duvet inserts and throw blankets
- Deep clean grout and shower glass
- Replace the HVAC filter. EPA's guide to air cleaners says every 60 to 90 days, or sooner if it's dirty.
DFW-specific things hosts run into
Hard water on shower glass. Water spots on a glass shower door look like a dirty bathroom in listing photos. Squeegee after each turnover and see our hard water spot remover for build-up.
Pollen on patios. Cedar season in winter and oak season in spring leave a film on outdoor furniture, railings and window sills. Wipe them on every turnover during those months.
Summer heat. Trash and food smells get worse fast in a hot house. Don't leave bags sitting inside between guests, and set the thermostat so the place isn't stuffy when guests walk in.
Event weekends. Big games, concerts and the State Fair bring bigger groups and messier stays. Our post-party cleanup guide helps after the rough ones.
Safety for guests and cleaners
Airbnb's safety expectations for homes include working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test them on your deep clean schedule.
Keep cleaning products locked or out of reach. Guests bring kids, and the American Cleaning Institute says to store products out of sight and reach of children and pets. Never leave unlabeled spray bottles in the unit. And make sure anyone who cleans for you knows the never-mix rules, especially bleach with ammonia or with vinegar. Our page on products you should never mix is worth sharing with your cleaners.
Common questions
What should be cleaned between Airbnb guests?
Airbnb's ground rules for hosts say to do laundry, take out trash, vacuum or sweep and wipe down surfaces between stays, and to keep the listing free of health hazards like mold and pests. Most hosts also clean and disinfect bathrooms, clear the kitchen, restock supplies and check for left-behind items.
What order should I clean an Airbnb in?
Walk through and take photos first, strip the beds and start laundry, take out trash, do dishes and the kitchen, clean bathrooms, dust and wipe high-touch spots, make the beds, restock, then sweep and mop last. Airbnb's own cleaning tips for hosts also say to strip the beds first.
What do guests notice most?
In our experience, hair, dirty dishes and smells. A single hair on a white pillowcase or in the shower is the kind of thing guests photograph. Check sheets, pillows, the shower, sink and bathroom floor for hair on every turnover.
How often should a short-term rental get a deep clean?
Airbnb's cleaning tips for hosts suggest scheduling deep cleans every two to three months. Busy listings may need them more often. Cover the oven, baseboards, under beds and furniture, inside cabinets and drawers, windows and mattress protectors.
Rather have someone else do it?
V&V cleans homes across Dallas-Fort Worth. Free estimates, insured, se habla español.
Sources
- Ground rules for hosts (Airbnb Help Center) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Clean like a pro with these expert tips (Airbnb Resource Center, Aug 20, 2024) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Safety expectations for homes (Airbnb Help Center) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- When and How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home (CDC, updated Jan 31, 2025) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home (U.S. EPA) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Cleaning Product Safety (American Cleaning Institute) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)
- Clothes Dryer Fire Safety flyer (U.S. Fire Administration) (accessed Oct 8, 2026)