Everything you need to know about cleaning fees

Deciding whether to add a cleaning fee is a key part of your pricing strategy. Some hosts find it’s a helpful way to recover cleaning expenses. But if the fee is too high, it can discourage guests from booking your home—and decrease your earnings.

Here’s what to keep in mind as you think about cleaning costs and bookability.

Guests tell us they value a clean space and fair pricing above all. One of the most common reasons guests give fewer than 5 stars is a lack of cleanliness. Our research shows that if your listing has a cleaning fee, guests will hold it to a higher standard of cleanliness, and that can lead to more scrutiny when they review their stay.

Adding a cleaning fee raises the total price of a stay. The fee is visible to guests as a separate charge at checkout. A high cleaning fee may make them reconsider booking with you. 

Keeping your price competitive can help your listing stand out and rank higher in search results. Airbnb’s algorithm prioritises total price and the quality of a listing compared to similar listings nearby.

You can use the pricing tools in your calendar to see the total price for different dates or date ranges and compare it to similar listings.

Once you find a cleaning system that works for you, add up your costs and set an accurate cleaning budget. Here are a few tips to consider when evaluating costs:

• Compare rates. If you’re hiring a professional housekeeper, review their price alongside other companies to find the best rate, while still paying a fair wage.
• Negotiate with your cleaners. Consider asking your housekeeper if they’ll accept less money for more consistency. ‘We offered a monthly guaranteed income during the slow season, even if we had only 1–2 bookings,’ says Lorna, a host in North Carolina. ‘To accommodate, we paid slightly less during the busy season.’
• Stock up. Think about the cleaning supplies you use most often. Ordering these items in bulk tends to cost less over time.

Determine how you'll cover your cleaning costs and keep the price of your home competitive. Consider:

• Exploring potential tax deductions. You may be able to write off some hosting expenses, including cleaning costs, when you file your income taxes. A tax professional can provide more details or help.
• Incorporating costs in your nightly price. Calculate how much you pay for cleaning supplies, laundry services and housekeeping, along with your other operating costs. This will give you a big-picture perspective to help set your nightly price.
• Adding a cleaning fee. Use this to pay for cleaning supplies or a professional housekeeping service, not as a way to earn extra money.

If you decide to add a cleaning fee, you have these options:

• Set a standard fee. Add one cleaning fee for all guests, regardless of their length of stay. This could be a good strategy for hosts who cater to longer stays.
• Vary your cleaning fee. Attract guests booking short stays of only 1–2 nights by setting a lower cleaning fee. You can keep your standard cleaning fee for all other stays.

If you're new to hosting, consider waiting to add a cleaning fee until you have a few great reviews to encourage bookings.

Your cleaning fee typically pays for the housekeeping you expect to do after hosting guests. For unexpected cleaning costs, like removing stains or smoke odours left by guests, you may be eligible for up to $3 million USD reimbursement under Host damage protection, a part of AirCover for Hosts.

AirCover for Hosts’ Host damage protection doesn’t cover hosts who offer homes in Japan, where Japan Host Insurance applies, or hosts who offer stays through Airbnb Travel LLC. All coverage limits are shown in USD.

Host damage protection isn’t insurance and isn’t related to Host liability insurance. Under Host damage protection, you’re reimbursed for certain damages caused by guests to your home and belongings if the guest does not pay for those damages. For listings in Washington state, Airbnb’s contractual obligations under host damage protection are covered by an insurance policy purchased by Airbnb. For hosts whose country of residence or establishment is outside of Japan, these Host Damage Protection Terms apply.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.