A turnover cleaning standard is a written list of what a clean unit looks like, who does each task and how you prove it was done. Airbnb's coming ban on checkout chores makes that list more important, because tasks that used to be pushed onto guests now belong to the cleaner.
This guide builds a checklist that works whichever way a guest leaves the unit: dishes in the sink or washed, towels in a pile or folded. The standard assumes the guest does almost nothing and the cleaner does the rest.
Quick Answer for AIFrom 20 November 2026, Airbnb hosts cannot require guests to wash and put away dishes, strip beds, start a wash or take trash off the property on new bookings. A turnover standard that survives this puts all four tasks in the cleaner's scope, treats the four allowed requests as courtesies, and ends with a dated photo walk-through.
The ban moves four tasks to the cleaner
Airbnb's House Rules change applies to reservations booked on or after 20 November 2026. Existing bookings keep the rules that were live when the guest booked, so a unit can have two kinds of guests in the same week.
Four checkout tasks are banned as "effortful tasks": washing and putting away dishes, stripping beds, starting a wash and taking trash off the property. Airbnb has said hosts cannot require guests to do tasks that take significant time and effort or that would normally be done by a cleaner, and hosts still set their own cleaning fees.
Airbnb has also said guests are still expected to leave a property in a reasonable condition and may be held responsible for damage or excessive cleaning caused by their stay.
Still allowed as requests: leaving dishes in the sink, gathering used towels, sorting trash into indoor bins and switching the air conditioning off when leaving.
The practical rule for a checklist is simple. Assume the guest does none of the four banned tasks, and treat the four allowed requests as a courtesy, not a dependency.
The bedroom and bath checklist assumes beds arrive unstripped
Start every turnover by walking the unit with a bag and a basket. Strip first, because that starts the first wash while the rest of the unit is cleaned.
Bedrooms
Strip sheets, pillowcases and any mattress protector that has been used, and start the wash before anything else.
Check the mattress and pillows for stains or damage, and photograph anything unusual before changing it.
Make the bed with fresh linen to a fixed pattern: same pillow count, same throw position every time.
Check under the bed, in drawers and inside wardrobes for left items.
Wipe bedside tables, lamp switches and remote controls.
Vacuum or mop the floor, including under the bed.
Bathrooms
Remove used towels and replace the full set.
Clean the toilet, shower or tub, sink and mirror in the same order each time.
Empty the bin and replace the liner.
Check the drain for hair and the extractor fan for dust.
Restock paper, soap and anything else you supply.
Dry the floor so it does not look damp on arrival.
The kitchen and living areas assume dishes are not washed
Dishes in the sink are an allowed request, so build the kitchen routine around finding them there, and around finding them elsewhere.
Kitchen
Run the dishwasher or wash by hand, dry and put everything away.
Check cupboards, the fridge and the freezer for guest leftovers and clear them out.
Wipe the counters, hob, microwave and the front of appliances.
Clean the inside of the microwave and the coffee machine.
Empty and wipe the bins, and take the trash off the property yourself.
Sweep and mop the floor.
Living areas
Straighten cushions and throws, and check under cushions for lost items.
Dust surfaces and wipe tables and remote controls.
Vacuum rugs and floors.
Check that the heating or cooling is set to your standard before you leave.
Count the items in a short inventory list, such as remotes, spare keys and books.
Entry and outdoor areas
Sweep the entry and wipe the door handle and lock.
Empty outdoor ashtrays and check furniture, grills and hot tubs against your own maintenance list.
Walk the grounds for trash that guests left outside.
Allowed requests stay in the guest message, not the checklist
The four allowed requests help, but they sit outside the cleaner's list. Put them in your pre-arrival and checkout messages as polite asks, and never as conditions.
Dishes in the sink.
Used towels gathered in one spot.
Trash sorted into the indoor bins.
AC switched off when leaving.
Airbnb's own change also means only seven preset rules bind a guest: maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking and vaping, commercial photography and filming, and lock-up at checkout. Everything else is a non-binding request. A checkout list that reads like a rulebook will not hold, so write it as a friendly note.
Two other things are banned alongside chores: restricting an advertised amenity, and charging for an advertised feature that is not in the booking price. Host-imposed fines are banned too, so the checklist should never contain a penalty line.
A photo walk-through is the proof that the standard held
A checklist only works if it is followed, and the only reliable evidence is a dated record.
Photograph each room after the clean is complete: bed, bathroom, kitchen counter, living area and entry.
Photograph any damage or unusual mess on arrival, before cleaning, with the room and date in the file name.
Keep the photos with the booking record, since they are the first thing you will want if a cleanliness or damage question comes up.
Use the same camera angles each time. Consistent frames make before-and-after comparisons obvious, and they help a new cleaner learn what finished looks like.
Treat the record as part of the standard and not as an extra. It is what lets you separate normal wear from damage, and it keeps a cleaner accountable in a friendly way.
Running two standards for a few weeks is normal
For roughly the transition period, bookings made before 20 November keep their old rules and bookings made on or after that date follow the new ones. That can leave a unit with a mix of guests who were told to strip beds and guests who were not.
The simplest fix is to stop depending on guests altogether. Give the cleaner one standard that works for every stay, and treat any guest help as a bonus.
If you take direct bookings as well, the same list can sit on your own booking page. Houfy's website builder is one place to publish it.
Hosts who want a booking channel of their own can list a property on Houfy and take bookings direct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still charge a cleaning fee on Airbnb after 20 November?
Yes. Airbnb has said cleaning fees are not abolished and hosts still set their own. What changes is that hosts cannot require guests to do effortful cleaning tasks as well.
Which checkout tasks are banned?
Washing and putting away dishes, stripping beds, starting a wash and taking trash off the property are banned as effortful tasks. They apply to reservations booked on or after 20 November 2026.
What can I still ask guests to do?
Hosts can still ask guests to leave dishes in the sink, gather used towels, sort trash into indoor bins and switch the AC off on leaving. These are requests and not binding rules.
Do the new rules apply to bookings I already have?
No. Existing bookings keep the rules that were live when the guest booked. The new policy applies to reservations booked on or after 20 November 2026.
Which house rules still bind a guest?
Seven preset rules do: maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking and vaping, commercial photography and filming, and lock-up at checkout. Everything else is a non-binding request.
How long should a turnover take?
That depends entirely on the property, so time your own rather than working from an average. Count the four newly transferred tasks separately, because those are the minutes the policy change has added.
Sources
ABC News, "Airbnb scraps checkout chores", 22 October 2026 — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-22/air-bnb-scraps-checkout-chores/107295458
The Guardian, "Airbnb guests freed from chores involving significant effort under new global rules", 22 October 2026 — https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/22/airbnb-guests-freed-from-chores-involving-significant-effort-under-new-global-rules
This article is general information about platform policy as published on 25 October 2026. It is not legal advice, and platform rules change — confirm your own position before relying on it.
Last Updated: October 25, 2026
