Do Airbnbs Get Professionally Cleaned?

Not all Airbnbs are professionally cleaned — but they should be if you want to earn five-star reviews, repeat bookings, and higher nightly rates. Most successful short-term rentals are cleaned by trained housekeepers, not owners, and for good reason: guest expectations are closer to hotel standards than domestic ones.

If you're thinking about letting your home on Airbnb, this is one of the first things to understand. In this post, we'll explain what makes Airbnb cleaning different, why professional cleaning matters, and how we handle it for the homes we manage.

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What Makes Airbnb Cleaning Different from Regular Cleaning?

Airbnb and short-term let cleaning is about more than surface-level tidying.

Guests expect hotel-level standards — not a space that’s “mostly clean” or lived-in. They want to walk in and feel instantly relaxed, like the home was prepared just for them. That requires detail, consistency, and experience.

Here’s what Airbnb cleaning typically involves:

• Fresh linen on all beds
• Bathrooms and kitchens cleaned to a spotless finish
• Essentials restocked (toilet roll, soap, dishwasher tablets, bin bags)
• Attention to high-touch surfaces (handles, switches, remotes)
• Outdoor areas checked and tidied
• Final presentation check (pillows, lights, throws, smell, etc.)
• Fast turnaround between guest check-out and next check-in

Compare that to a typical domestic clean, which might skip less visible areas, take longer, or be inconsistent depending on the cleaner’s experience.

👉 You can read more about our cleaning service here.

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Why Cleaning Is the Most Mentioned Factor in Guest Reviews

We’ve analysed over 2,000 guest reviews across all booking platforms for the homes we manage, and the number one theme, both positive and negative, is cleanliness.

Not location. Not amenities. Not check-in.

Cleaning.

Fortunately, the feedback we receive is overwhelmingly positive — but it’s clear that cleaning is what guests notice and comment on more than anything else. When it’s done well, guests feel instantly comfortable and cared for. When it’s not, it colours their entire stay, even if everything else is perfect.

This is exactly why professional, consistent Airbnb cleaning matters. It’s not just about hygiene — it’s about trust, presentation, and guest satisfaction.

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Can I Clean My Airbnb Myself?

You can, but it’s rarely a good idea if you want to grow your Airbnb business.

Cleaning your own holiday let becomes hard to maintain quickly, especially if:

• You don’t live nearby
• Guests leave with only a few hours between bookings
• You want to scale or list more than one property
• You’re aiming for premium pricing and high occupancy

Even if you’re happy to clean yourself at first, most hosts find it becomes stressful or unsustainable over time. That’s why almost all high-performing Airbnbs are cleaned by professionals, ideally the same housekeeper every time so that they know the home inside-out.

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Do Professional Airbnb Cleaners Do More Than Clean?

Yes. Professional Airbnb cleaning is about guest-readiness, not just cleanliness.

At Red Kite Hosts, our cleaning service includes:

• High-quality linen changing
• Full changeover clean with guest presentation
• Restocking essentials
• Notifying us of maintenance issues (lightbulbs out, scuffs, breakages)
• Reporting if anything is missing or out of place
• Seasonal deep cleans and inspections

We also tailor our process to each property, including special instructions after owner stays, specific amenities, or unusual layouts. It’s all managed through automated scheduling tools, so nothing gets missed.

If you want to know what’s involved in deeper property cleans, we wrote about this here.

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How Does Cleaning Work With a Management Company?

Some Airbnb management companies don’t include cleaning which we think is a major gap.

At Red Kite Hosts, cleaning is a core part of what we do. We:

• Arrange reliable, high-quality changeovers
• Provide and launder all linen
• Coordinate cleaners via our internal operations system
• Order new replenishment items when they run low
• Run final checks before every guest

We also handle things like guest messaging, pricing, maintenance, check-ins, and reviews — but cleaning is one of the most important services we offer, and one of the hardest for owners to manage themselves.

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Final Word: Should Airbnbs Be Professionally Cleaned?

Yes — if you want your Airbnb to succeed.

While not every Airbnb is professionally cleaned, the best ones are. Guests expect a spotless, hotel-style experience. Meeting that expectation consistently is difficult without trained housekeepers and a structured cleaning process.

If you're preparing to let out your home, we can manage everything, including professional cleaning, so your home runs smoothly and performs well from day one.

If you'd like to find out more, please get in touch.

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