A five-star turnover comes down to two things: a repeatable routine and a supply closet that never runs dry. This Airbnb cleaning checklist is written for short-term rental hosts and the cleaners who work for them. It covers what to stock, room by room, how much to keep on hand, and how to organize a turnover kit so nothing gets missed between check-out and check-in.
Start with a turnover kit, not a shopping list
The biggest time-saver is a single caddy (or one per property) that holds everything a cleaner needs for one turnover. When a kit is packed the same way every time, a new cleaner can follow it, and you can spot at a glance what's running low. Build the kit first, then use the checklists below to restock it.
- One caddy per property or per cleaner. Label it with the property name.
- A printed or laminated checklist clipped inside the lid.
- A restock bin in the owner's closet, holding the bulk backups for everything in the caddy.
Kitchen cleaning supplies
Guests judge a rental by its kitchen. Sticky counters, a crusty sink or a grey, worn sponge by the faucet are the details that show up in reviews. Stock these:
- Dish sponges or scrubbers. Many hosts stage a new one at every turnover so the sink looks guest-ready. A plant-based natural loofah dish sponge is scratch-free and safe on non-stick pans, and it's compostable instead of being another piece of plastic foam in the trash.
- Dish soap in a refillable pump bottle, plus a refill jug in the restock bin.
- Dishwasher pods or detergent. Leave a few for guests in a labeled container.
- All-purpose spray for counters, cabinet fronts and appliance handles.
- Degreaser for the stovetop and range hood.
- Glass and stainless cleaner for the fridge door, microwave and faucet.
- Microfiber cloths, color-coded so kitchen cloths stay in the kitchen.
- Paper towels, trash bags and compost bags (if your area collects compost) in the right sizes for your bins.
Bathroom cleaning supplies
- Toilet bowl cleaner and a brush that stays in that bathroom.
- Bathroom spray for the sink, tub and tile.
- A non-scratch scrubber for tubs, shower doors and fixtures. Keep bathroom scrubbers separate from kitchen ones and label them, or use a different color or size so cleaners never mix them up.
- Glass cleaner and a squeegee for mirrors and shower glass.
- Guest restock: toilet paper (at least two spare rolls per bathroom), hand soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
Bedroom and living area supplies
- Two full linen sets per bed, so one set is in the wash while the other is on the bed.
- Mattress and pillow protectors.
- A lint roller for upholstery and dark bedding.
- Dusting cloths for nightstands, shelves, TV stands and remotes.
- Vacuum bags or filters and a spare vacuum belt.
- Batteries for remotes and smoke detectors.
Floors and general supplies
- A vacuum that lives at the property, with attachments for stairs and upholstery.
- A mop and floor cleaner suited to your flooring (tile, sealed wood or vinyl).
- Disposable gloves in a couple of sizes for your cleaners.
- A small toolkit: a screwdriver, a plunger, light bulbs and a flashlight.
The turnover checklist, step by step
- Walk through first. Photograph any damage or missing items before you touch anything.
- Strip the beds and start the first load of laundry.
- Empty every trash can and replace the liners.
- Kitchen: load or run the dishwasher, wipe the counters and appliances, clean the sink, check the fridge for leftovers, and stage a new dish sponge.
- Bathrooms: clean the toilet, sink, tub and mirrors, then restock paper and toiletries.
- Dust from top to bottom: shelves, lamps, headboards and window sills.
- Make the beds with clean linens and protectors.
- Vacuum and mop, working toward the door.
- Restock and reset: guest supplies, coffee and the welcome note.
- Final walk-through. Take photos for your records and note anything that needs restocking.
How much to keep on hand
Running out mid-season costs more than storage space. A simple rule: keep enough consumables in the restock bin for a month of turnovers, and reorder when you're down to about a week's worth. For a property with 12 turnovers a month and two bathrooms, that means roughly:
- 12 or more dish sponges (one staged per turnover)
- 48 or more rolls of toilet paper
- Two to three bottles each of dish soap, hand soap and all-purpose spray
- Trash bags for every can, times 12
Small consumables like sponges add up fast across several units. Buying in bulk cuts the per-unit cost and the number of orders you have to remember. Our Natural Loofah Dish Sponges 180-Pack Bulk comes as six separate 30-count boxes, so you can drop one box into each property's restock bin. Hosts with one or two units often start with the Natural Loofah Dish Sponges 90-Pack, and the 30-Pack is an easy way to try them first.
Plastic-free swaps guests notice
More travelers look for eco-friendly stays, and the small details are what they notice: refillable soap dispensers instead of tiny plastic bottles, cloth towels instead of paper, and a natural sponge by the sink instead of a neon plastic one. Natural loofah sponges are 100% plant-based, plastic-free, compostable and biodegradable. Ours have no bleach, no dyes and nothing added, and our loofah line is a USDA Certified Biobased Product. That's an easy line to add to your listing description if you market your rental as low-waste.
Make it easy for your cleaners
- Keep the checklist short enough to fit on one page.
- Store supplies at the property in the same place every time.
- Ask cleaners to log anything that's running low in a shared note or app.
- Review the restock bin once a month and reorder in bulk.
A good routine plus a full supply closet is what turns a stressful same-day turnover into a predictable one. Copy this list, adjust it for your property, and tape it inside the supply closet door.
Stocking several rentals or a cleaning crew? See our bulk loofah sponges for hotels, rentals and cleaning crews, or email support@scrubandthrow.com for an invoice, a W-9 or a recurring order.
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