What you'll get from this guide
- Room-by-room turnover checklist: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living areas
- Restocking checklist — what every STR should have before check-in
- End-of-clean inspection and photo checklist for property managers
Why a Checklist Is Non-Negotiable for STR Cleaning
Guests leave reviews based on things your crew might overlook on a busy turnover day — a hair in the drain, a coffee ring on the nightstand, a dead light bulb in the bathroom. Any single one of those is a 3-star review.
Property managers can't be on-site for every turnover. Your checklist is their quality control. If you don't have one, you're asking your crew to remember 40+ tasks from memory under time pressure.
Consistent checklists also let you train new crew members without being on-site. New team lead, same property, same standard. That's scalable.
- Guests review based on details — not just "was it clean" but specific items like towel folds, pillow arrangement, and amenity stock
- Property managers need proof — your checklist completion is their quality assurance without an on-site visit
- Training scales — a documented checklist means a new crew member meets your standard on day one
Kitchen Checklist
- Dishes clean, dry, and put away in correct cabinets
- Counters wiped and sanitized — no crumbs, no residue
- Microwave cleaned inside and out, turntable removed and wiped
- Stovetop, burners, and drip pans degreased
- Oven checked for spills — clean if needed
- Refrigerator — remove any food left by guests, wipe all shelves and drawers
- Coffee maker cleaned, carafe washed, fresh filter loaded
- Sink scrubbed, drain cleared
- Trash emptied, new liner installed
- Restock: coffee pods or grounds, sugar and sweetener, dish soap, paper towels, trash bags
Bathroom Checklist (Each Bathroom)
- Toilet cleaned inside bowl, seat, and base — check for splash zones
- Shower or tub scrubbed — tile grout, glass doors, and curtain liner
- Hair removed from drain — every single time
- Mirror cleaned streak-free
- Fixtures (faucets, handles, towel bars) wiped and polished
- Vanity and sink wiped and sanitized
- Floor mopped including behind toilet
- Fresh towels set out — folded hotel-style or decorative per host preference
- Restock: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, 2+ rolls of toilet paper visible
Bedroom Checklist (Each Bedroom)
- Bed stripped — all linens including mattress protector
- Mattress protector checked — replace if stained
- Fresh linens installed, bed made neatly per host specification
- Pillows fluffed and properly arranged
- Under the bed checked — remove any guest items
- Closet checked — remove guest items, reset hangers
- Nightstands wiped — check for items in drawers
- Lamps, switches, and outlets wiped (high-touch surfaces)
- Windows and mirrors cleaned streak-free
- Floor vacuumed and mopped
Living Areas Checklist
- Couch cushions flipped, straightened, and checked for debris
- Throw pillows and blankets reset to host-specified arrangement
- Remote controls wiped — one of the most-touched surfaces in any rental
- TV screen dusted with appropriate cloth
- Coffee table, side tables, and all surfaces wiped
- Floor vacuumed — under furniture and along baseboards
- Check for guest items left behind — bag, photograph, and notify manager
- Windows cleaned if visibly smudged
Entry and General Checklist
- Front door wiped — no smudges, no scuff marks
- Light switches and door handles sanitized throughout
- Thermostat reset to host's specified setting
- All lights tested — replace any dead bulbs immediately
- Any guest items left behind — bag and photograph with label showing property and date
- Check outdoor areas if applicable (porch, balcony, patio furniture)
Restocking Master Checklist
Split restocking into two categories: always replace (single-use consumables) and check and top up (partially used items that may not need full replacement).
Always replace (consumables):
- Toilet paper — minimum 2 rolls visible per bathroom
- Paper towels — at least one roll in kitchen
- Trash bags — new liner in every bin
- Dish soap — replace if under half
- Hand soap at every sink
- Coffee pods or ground coffee — replace per host specification
Want this running automatically?
ServiceHub automates follow-ups, reminders, and booking confirmations so nothing falls through the cracks.
Check and Top Up (Partially Used Items)
- Shampoo, conditioner, body wash — replace if below 25%
- Dish detergent pods — restock to host's minimum count
- Laundry pods if on-site laundry is available
- Sugar, sweetener, salt, and pepper — check and refill
- Paper products (napkins, plates if host provides disposables)
- Any host-specific welcome items or local products
Track restocking costs per property and invoice separately. Most property managers expect this line item on their invoice — it's a sign you're running a professional operation, not an informal cleaner.
End-of-Clean Inspection + Photo Checklist
Before leaving every property, your team lead should do a final walkthrough with this checklist. This is your quality gate — and the photos you take here are the property manager's peace of mind.
What to photograph before leaving:
- Front door — clean exterior, no scuffs
- Kitchen counter — clear, clean, and staged
- Each bathroom — fresh towels visible, toilet seat down, supplies in view
- Each made bed — linens clean, hotel fold or decorative arrangement
- Living area — reset, tidy, pillows arranged
- Any damage or maintenance issues found — photograph and report immediately
Send photos within 15 minutes of leaving. Property managers should never have to ask if the property is guest-ready. When they receive the completion notification with photos automatically, you become the most valuable vendor in their operation.
Damage and Maintenance Reporting
If you find damage during the turnover, your job is to document and report — not to decide whether it matters. Property managers need to know so they can file with Airbnb's AirCover before the next guest arrives.
Photograph every issue: broken items, stains, damage to walls, fixtures, or furniture. Note location and severity in your job notes. Send it with your completion notification.
Cleaners who report damage proactively become trusted partners. Cleaners who stay quiet about damage become the ones managers blame when guests complain.
How to Use This Checklist in ServiceHub
Create this checklist once in ServiceHub and it auto-attaches to every STR job for that property. Your crew checks off items on mobile — no paper, no text threads, no follow-up calls.
- Property-Specific Checklist Templates: Create a custom checklist for each property type (2BR vs 4BR) and assign it automatically to every job. The list matches the property — your crew doesn't adapt from memory.
- Mobile Checklist Completion: Team lead checks off each item on mobile before marking the job complete. The job cannot be closed without checklist sign-off.
- Automatic Photo Attachment: Before and after photos taken in the app attach to the job and flow automatically to the property manager's completion notification. No separate texting, no missed photos.
- Instant Manager Notification: When the job is marked complete, the property manager gets an automatic message with completion time and photo links. They know the property is guest-ready without having to ask.
Automate your STR checklist workflow
Start a free ServiceHub trial and create your first STR job checklist template today.
?FAQ: Airbnb Cleaning Checklists
How long does an Airbnb turnover clean take?▼
Should I provide my own cleaning supplies for STR?▼
What photos should I take at the end of an Airbnb clean?▼
How do I handle a checkout where guests have left a mess?▼
What's the most commonly missed item on Airbnb turnovers?▼
Run your STR checklists on mobile
ServiceHub checklists are built for turnover cleaning — mobile sign-off, photo attachment, and automatic manager notification in one workflow.
Keep Reading
See the full STR business guide in our Airbnb cleaning business playbook.
Find the right pricing for your market in our Airbnb cleaning rates guide.
Learn how team lead accountability reduces cancellations in our Know Who's Coming guide for cleaning businesses.
See how reliability signals win STR accounts in our no-show rate guide for cleaning businesses.