How to Clean the Dirtiest Surfaces of Your Airbnb Between Uses

Here’s a scenario: It’s 11 a.m. on Sunday. You know your last guest just checked out of the cute Airbnb you manage. Check-in is at 3 p.m., which means that you have four hours (at most) to get into your Airbnb, clean it thoroughly and get it ready for your next guest.

If you’re an Airbnb host, you know that this can often require a Herculean effort. Just resetting the aesthetics of your space and completing the most basic hosting tasks — laundering bed linens, making sure the plumbing still works, troubleshooting tech and cleaning up any huge messes — often takes up far more time than you’d think.

In today’s vacation rental market, you need to do more than that. In a post-COVID world, you must go the extra mile and ensure that every surface of your Airbnb is safe to touch.

Here’s how to make it happen:

Your Efficient Airbnb Cleaning Routine 

While doctors have advised that Airbnb guests double down on safety by cleaning when they reach their unit, you can’t assume that every guest will do that. In addition, Airbnb itself has produced informational resources and safety practices to make it easier for Airbnb hosts to provide a healthy environment.

Prepare well. When you enter your Airbnb, open windows and, if possible, turn on the air conditioning. This will ventilate the space to make it safer to clean effectively.

Use the right product. Read the back of your all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant antimicrobial. They should say that they are approved for use against COVID-19. You should also be aware of the manufacturer’s recommended use and any warnings present on the bottle.

Wash your hands. You don’t want to work hard to sanitize the unit, only to unwittingly spread bacteria from the last place you touched. For bonus points, consider using gloves.

Perform a dry clean first. Strip down the unit, use a vacuum cleaner to sweep the floor, run a dry cloth across all surfaces. This will, very simply, allow your products access to every square inch of the Airbnb.

Use your products as you’re supposed to. With a trusted cleaner, spray down every surface in the unit liberally — making sure to remember lesser-known high-touch points like doorknobs, railings, handles, tech and windowpanes. Allow the product to sit, then wipe it off. Follow up with a multi-action disinfectant antimicrobial. Spray it on, let it sit, and wait for the product to air-dry. (Get to this point, and then do laundry or something else outside of the unit to ensure that the product has the full amount of time to work.)

Check the unit to make sure that it’s ready to go. When you’re ready to put the unit back together — the linens are dry, you have the coffee filters on hand to restock — let yourself back into the unit and look around with a fresh eye. Notice any surfaces that you didn’t hit with the disinfectant antimicrobial earlier? Now’s a good time to do so.

Pair this thorough cleaning routine with other safety measures, such as offering contactless check-in and asking your guests to alert you by text or a quick call if they need anything during their stay. By doing so, you’ll be able to be confident that you’re doing your part to keep your guests healthy.

Leverage a Trusted All-Purpose Cleaner to Safely Clean and Disinfect Your Airbnb for the Next Guest

When you’re hosting a short-term rental, a bed-and-breakfast or any other type of residence where people will be coming and going regularly, you have a big responsibility to keep all your guests safe. You know this. You have cleaning protocols that you follow after check-out.

Our pro tip? It’s often the invisible dirt that is the most troubling; make sure you clean everywhere, not just where you see dirt!)

For a comprehensive clean that saves you time and effort by cleaning and disinfecting in one easy step, turn to a time-tested all-purpose cleaner. By doing so, you’ll know that you’re providing a hygienic haven for anyone who turns to your Airbnb for a relaxing stay.