Determine the Cleaning Fee Price for Your Airbnb Rental

The success of an Airbnb rental depends on rigorous cost management and transparency towards travelers, especially regarding cleaning fees. This specific charge, often seen as a key factor of satisfaction, requires careful assessment. Between the size of the accommodation, guest expectations, and local competition, setting a fair cleaning fee becomes a strategic exercise. This fee not only affects the attractiveness of the listing but also the profitability of the hosting. In 2025, with the rise of platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and HomeAway, gaining an in-depth understanding of disparities and calculation methods is essential for all owners aiming to optimize their offer.

Cleaning is not limited to a simple surface cleaning. It involves ensuring impeccable cleanliness that meets the high standards of modern travelers, from meticulous disinfection to care given to linens and accessories. The importance of customer perception, reinforced by online reviews on Tripadvisor or FlipKey, requires appropriate and justifiable fees.

To successfully set a coherent price, multiple criteria come into play: the type of property, the complexity of cleaning, the reservation frequency, and the geographical area. Among internal solutions and professional services via Guesty or Lodgify, each option has its advantages and budget constraints. This practical guide will assist you in the precise evaluation of cleaning fees, based on recent data and numerous examples from various short-term rental platforms.

1. Understanding Airbnb cleaning fees: definition and stakes

Cleaning fees correspond to a one-time cost charged to travelers after each stay, intended to cover comprehensive cleaning and property restoration. Be aware that this rate is not imposed by Airbnb or competitors like Booking.com or Expedia, but is freely defined by each host according to their constraints.

This amount covers several essential elements to guarantee an impeccable customer experience:

• ✨ Full cleaning: floor washing, dusting surfaces, wiping equipment
• 🧼 Sanitary disinfection: toilets, bathrooms, living spaces
• 🛏️ Linen maintenance: washing, changing bedsheets, towels, and other textiles
• 🚮 Waste management: disposal of trash and recycling

It should be noted that hosts can choose to include these fees in the overall rental price or display them explicitly as an additional charge. Many opt for the latter to better control their profitability.

An important point to understand is that the amount of the cleaning fee directly influences traveler behavior. If fees are high, guests generally expect a higher level of cleaning quality. Conversely, a low fee may imply lesser expectations or encourage hosts to ask guests to contribute to cleaning, especially according to house rules.

For comprehensive additional information, a useful resource remains the full guide to cleaning fees on Airbnb by Eldorado Immobilier, which details implementation and best practices.

2. Key criteria for setting Airbnb cleaning fees

Determining an exact amount requires a thorough analysis of several key parameters. The first of which is obviously the size of the property. A multi-bedroom house will require more cleaning time than a simple studio. Therefore, hours spent on the work must be calculated.

Here is a 📝 list of the main criteria to consider:

• 📏 Surface area and number of bedrooms – The larger the space, the more the cleaning time increases.
• 🌍 Geographical location – Labor costs vary depending on cities or neighborhoods.
• 💎 Property type and standing – A luxury property requires increased care, often justifying higher fees.
• 📅 Reservation frequency – A host with a high occupancy rate will have more regular cleaning commitments.
• 🧹 Cleaning complexity – Presence of outdoor spaces, specific zones difficult to maintain, or delicate furniture.
• 🧺 Management of linen and equipment – Hotel-style textiles and supplies can influence the rate.

A simple example: a large six-bedroom house in an upscale neighborhood could charge significantly higher cleaning fees than a basic urban studio.

A recommended approach is to compare prices of similar accommodations in your area. This helps establish a local average aligned with demand and travelers’ purchasing power.

A simple calculation will help refine these figures based on your specific situation.

3. Analyzing local competitors to effectively adjust your cleaning fees

A crucial step often overlooked is competitor analysis. You are not alone in your area, and knowing what fees other hosts on Airbnb, as well as on similar platforms like Vrbo, FlipKey, or Roomorama, are charging, is essential.

Regularly reviewing similar listings is a good practice. It helps gauge the pricing ranges and identify what works best. For instance, a listing located downtown will be judged differently than one in the countryside or by the coast.

A ✔️ list of elements to verify with competitors:

• 📍 Precise location of the listing
• 📐 Size and type of property
• 💰 Listed cleaning fees
• 🧹 Guest reviews related to cleanliness
• 📆 Peak or off-season periods

Using digital tools or market analysis sites, such as those integrated into Guesty or Lodgify, is recommended. They help automate these comparisons, providing an overview that facilitates decision-making.

Adjust your fees based on seasonality. During the tourist high season, a slight increase is often acceptable, while in low season, some hosts prefer to lower fees to attract guests.

Thus, there is a wide range, and each host must fit within this framework while considering their own specificities.

4. How to choose and collaborate with a cleaning professional for your Airbnb

For many hosts, cleaning management represents a significant part of their workload and stress. Outsourcing this task to a professional cleaning service can then be a wise choice.

The selection of an appropriate provider impacts both cost and cleaning quality. A poor experience could tarnish your listing’s reputation, while a reliable service optimizes guest satisfaction.

The criteria for choosing a good cleaning lady include:

• 🧑‍🔧 Skills and experience: Prefer professionals experienced in managing short-term rentals.
• ⏰ Availability and flexibility: Cleaning often needs to be done quickly between reservations.
• 💬 Clear communication: To adapt services to your specific needs.
• 🛡️ Insurance and guarantees: Cover potential damages.

Request detailed quotes and take time to evaluate included tasks: carpet cleaning, window washing, complete disinfection, supply of products, etc. Some agencies or platforms like Guesty also offer comprehensive services including linens and hotel-grade equipment.

To deepen this aspect, consulting the guide “How to choose the right cleaning lady to ensure the cleaning of your Airbnb rentals” is recommended.

5. Should you include cleaning fees in the total price or charge them separately?

A recurring question for hosts is whether it’s better to include cleaning fees directly in the nightly rate or to bill them as an additional cost. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, as follows:

Included in the total price

• ✔️ Simplicity: The guest sees a single rate without surprises.
• ✔️ Attractiveness: A net price can make comparison easier with other listings.
• ❌ Risk: The actual cost of cleaning may be underestimated, impacting profitability.

Separate charges

• ✔️ Transparency: Guests understand that cleaning is a separate service.
• ✔️ Flexibility: Fees can be adjusted based on stay specifics (duration, number of guests).
• ❌ Less attractive: Some travelers might be put off by additional costs.

Depending on platforms like Airbnb or HomeAway, the second method is common and offers more control over charges. A study of multiple listings shows that clear display of cleaning fees increases customer trust.

6. Adjust cleaning fees based on season and reservation type

S seasonal variations substantially change the dynamics of Airbnb rentals. Understanding these fluctuations will help you adjust cleaning fees strategically.

During the high tourist season, high demand often allows for higher charges. Travelers expect impeccable service and are more willing to accept higher fees. However, in the low season, reducing fees can promote occupancy and maintain reservation flow.

Similarly, the length and type of stay strongly influence fee calculations:

• ⏳ Short stays (1-2 nights): Fees proportional to intensive cleaning between frequent arrivals
• 🏡 Medium or long stays: Possibility of adjusting or allocating fees across the entire stay, often benefiting the guest
• 🎯 Groups or special events: Higher fees justified by more extensive cleaning

Careful management of this aspect is an important lever to maximize attractiveness and profits. It is worth monitoring trends on smoobu, a platform dedicated to rental management to better understand these dynamics.

7. Using a concierge service to optimize your Airbnb cleaning

When time is limited or management becomes too heavy, outsourcing to a specialized concierge service can solve many difficulties. These providers combine cleaning management with other services such as key delivery, check-in management, or communication with travelers.

The advantages are multiple:

• 🕒 Significant time saving – Planned and responsive interventions
• 🎯 Consistent quality – Professional standards and regular control
• 📈 Revenue optimization – Flexible pricing management and strategic advice
• 🤝 Better customer relations – Personalized welcome, handling unforeseen issues

Many platforms like Concierge Angels offer these tailored solutions, with packages adapted according to the type of accommodation.

8. Adjusting and testing your cleaning fees: an essential iterative process

Setting a cleaning rate once and for all is not realistic. Markets evolve, as do traveler expectations and competition. A healthy method involves trying different actions and analyzing their impact on your bookings.

Recommended steps:

• 🔍 Initial observation: set a reasonable starting rate based on the criteria outlined
• 📈 Results analysis: monitor occupancy rates, customer feedback, specific requests
• ⚖️ Gradual adjustment: increase or decrease fees to observe their impact
• 🗨️ Explicit communication: clearly explain the purpose of these fees in your listing

A valuable tool can be to use databases and advice from Concierge Angels or Savoir Tout Sur Tout to better understand your local market context.

Remember that a slight increase in fees can discourage short stays, which might be a strategy to favor longer and more profitable bookings. But be careful not to penalize travelers too much, as it could lead to negative reviews.

Common questions about Airbnb cleaning fees

• ❓ Why charge Airbnb cleaning fees?
  To cover actual cleaning costs and maintain consistent quality, leading to positive reviews.
• ❓ How much should I ask for cleaning fees?
  The amount mainly depends on size, location, and expected service level; a typical range between €30 and €150.
• ❓ Is it better to include these fees in the total rate?
  Transparency is often better by charging separately, but this also depends on your business strategy.
• ❓ How to find a reliable cleaning lady?
  Choose experienced providers, verify their skills, and request several quotes. Specialized platforms can help.
• ❓ Can fees be adjusted seasonally?
  Yes, this allows adaptation to demand and real costs, promoting better financial management.