A great Airbnb changeover isn't about speed — it's about consistency. Guests arrive with a mental picture of "clean", formed from every hotel and holiday let they've ever stayed in, and they notice the moment something falls short. The way to hit that standard every time is a repeatable, room-by-room checklist that leaves nothing to memory.
This is the exact checklist our Edinburgh cleaners run through on every turnover. Whether you clean yourself or want to know what a professional service should be doing, steal it.
Before you start: gather and prepare
- Fresh linen and towel sets, ready to go
- Cleaning caddy stocked: multi-surface, bathroom descaler, glass cleaner, floor cleaner, microfibres, sponges, bin bags
- Replacement essentials: toilet roll, toiletries, tea, coffee, milk
- A clear order: top-to-bottom, back-to-front, dry rooms first
1. Bedrooms
- Strip all used linen and remove used towels
- Remake beds to hotel standard — crisp, smooth, corners tucked
- Lay out a fresh towel set per guest
- Dust all surfaces, mirrors, picture frames and skirtings
- Wipe light switches, door handles and remotes
- Vacuum carpets; mop hard floors
- Open windows to air during the clean
2. Bathrooms
- Full toilet sanitisation — bowl, seat, base, behind
- Shower, tiles and glass descaled and squeegeed
- Bath wiped and polished
- Sink, taps and plug hole cleaned and shined
- Mirror polished streak-free
- Grout and sealant scrubbed
- Fresh towels, toiletries and a new toilet roll
- Floor mopped
3. Kitchen
- Appliances cleaned inside and out (fridge, microwave, oven exterior)
- Crockery, cutlery and glassware washed, dried and reset
- Worktops and splashbacks sanitised
- Sink and drainer cleaned
- Fridge cleared of leftovers and wiped
- Bin emptied, washed and relined
- Floor swept and mopped
4. Living areas & hallways
- Cushions and throws restyled
- All surfaces, shelves and electronics dusted
- Sofas vacuumed (under cushions too)
- Rugs vacuumed
- Hard floors mopped
- Skirtings and door frames wiped
5. Guest essentials & final touches
- Tea, coffee, milk and sugar restocked
- Toiletries and toilet roll topped up
- Cleaning consumables refilled (if left for guests)
- Welcome note and WiFi card in place
- Heating/cooling set to a comfortable arrival temperature
- All lights working, all bulbs intact
6. The guest-ready check
This is the step most amateur cleans skip — and it's the one that separates a tidy-up from a five-star clean. Walk the property as if you were the arriving guest:
- Open the front door. What's the first thing you notice?
- Does it smell fresh and clean, not masked?
- Walk each room in guest order. Anything out of place?
- Check the spots guests check first: the bed, the bathroom, the kettle.
If the answer to "would I be happy paying to stay here?" isn't a clear yes, the clean isn't finished. See our full Airbnb cleaning service for how we apply this in practice.
Why the checklist matters
Cleanliness is the single highest-weighted factor in guest reviews, and it feeds directly into your overall rating — which drives your search ranking. A consistent checklist protects that score, turn after turn. Read more about the ranking impact in our article on cleanliness and Airbnb ranking.