How to Set Your Airbnb Cleaning Fee?

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The Airbnb cleaning fee is one of the most essential considerations for vacation rental hosts when determining their rental rates. A cleaning charge can help keep your rental clean and pristine, as well as discourage guests from staying for shorter periods. 

Read on to learn everything you need to know about Airbnb cleaning fees, including how much you should charge and what it covers.

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What is Airbnb Cleaning Fee?

The Airbnb cleaning fee is a non-refundable one-time charge set by hosts to cover the costs of cleaning and preparing their short-term accommodation for the next guest. Whether or not you include cleaning charges in your nightly prices is entirely up to you.

It's not uncommon for hosts to charge a cleaning fee in addition to their nightly rates, as a way of making additional revenue. To put it another way, they utilize the cleaning charge as a tool to increase their profits by experimenting with different amounts.

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How Does Airbnb Cleaning Fee Work?

The cleaning fee is an additional fee that is included in the overall booking charges. No security deposit is required, and it cannot be refunded once the booking is done. No matter how many people rent a holiday home or how long they stay, the cleaning fee remains the same.

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What is the Average Airbnb Cleaning Fee?

For hosts who want to clean their vacation rentals themselves, the average cleaning charge may be lower than if they hire professional cleaning services. Several variables contribute to this average, such as the type of listing and where the rental is located, etc.

As an example, the cleaning charge for a one-bedroom apartment will be significantly lower than that for a four-bedroom villa. In addition, the prices charged by professional cleaners vary widely among cities and countries.

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How Much Cleaning Fee Should You Charge?

There are several factors to take into consideration when deciding how much an Airbnb cleaning fee should cost. If your service cost is excessively high, you may lose out on bookings and that will negatively impact the overall Airbnb host ratings. You need to find a middle ground between economical pricing and maintaining a high-quality rental.

Here are some things to consider before settling your additional expenses:

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The Type and Size of the Property

For a more luxurious stay, including a cleaning charge can help you meet your budget and keep up with the claimed standards of living. Guests that expect a high level of service will not hesitate to pay an additional cost for cleaning.

In contrast, if you're renting out a single room or a studio apartment, you don't need to include a separate or significant cleaning cost in your listing. As a host, it is important to keep in mind to include real-time expenses and whether your services fulfill your customer's expectations.

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Competitors

What are your competitors charging for cleaning services? Look into how they charge for different lengths of stays and whether they charge a separate service fee or part of the overall cost.

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Your Cleaning Services Options

The cost of hiring professional cleaning companies might vary greatly depending on the location and size of your property. There are pros and cons to both hiring a professional cleaning service and doing the work yourself. Be aware that cleaning your rental will take a lot of time and work on your part. 

To make Airbnb turnover cleaning easier, TIDY can foresee cleaning issues and have a backup cleaner ready in the event of an emergency. Our 'smart standbys' reduce the possibility of a callout concern by more than half, making us the most reliable maintenance and cleaning service in the industry.

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Your Intended Guests

If you want your home to be a popular stop for backpackers, then a higher cleaning cost is not the best option. Your target audience may be more willing to pay extra for a better experience if it includes customers with larger wallets who are looking for a more luxurious stay. When settling on a cost for your listing, having a clear picture of your potential guests is essential.

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Are Pets Allowed on Your Property?

Renting your property to pet parents can drastically increase cleaning costs because pets leave behind their own mess, which you'll have to clean up after they go. However, not all your guests will bring their pets, so you may be able to work out a compromise if this is the case.

Alternatively, you can charge a separate pet cost rather than a lower cleaning fee for customers that don't bring pets.

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What Does the Cleaning Fee Cover?

You should know if you'll be charging an additional Airbnb cleaning cost by this point. Now let's look at what costs it covers:

• Cleaning time (tidying, changing the linens and towels, doing the dishes, etc.)
• Restocking cleaning supplies and personal care products
• Periodic maintenance and repairs
• Professional cleaning costs (if you don't do the cleaning yourself)

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Is the Cleaning Fee Refundable?

A guest's cleaning cost will always be returned to them in full if their reservation is canceled before check-in time, no matter how strict the cancellation policy may be. However, if a guest cancels during their stay, the cleaning cost will not be reimbursed unless the host decides otherwise.

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Is the Cleaning Fee Negotiable?

It is entirely up to you whether you want to have an additional cleaning cost, the rates, and whether it is negotiable. However, indicating that they are negotiable on your listing's account would result in a lot of unnecessary bargaining and hassle. Guests will usually request a discount or removal of the cleaning fees altogether.

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Do Airbnb Service Charges Apply to the Cleaning Fee?

The cleaning fee is included in the final rental price, so it will affect Airbnb service charges. Depending on where you rent, the service price will be different.

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There You Have It

Including an Airbnb cleaning fee is a fast and straightforward method to keep your property in good condition while keeping your guests happy. When deciding on final service charges, the best practice is to consider all the above factors while keeping your target guest in mind.

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