Every host learns this the hard way: guests forgive a small apartment, a firm mattress, even a noisy street. They do not forgive a dirty one. Cleaning complaints are the leading cause of negative reviews — and almost every one traces back to the same moment: a turnover done from memory instead of a checklist.

A checklist does two things. It makes every clean the same clean, no matter who does it — your regular cleaner or a backup you've never met. And with photos at the end, you can verify the work without driving over.

How to use this checklist

Work top to bottom, room by room. When a room is done, take the photo listed for it. Photos take ten seconds and settle every "was it cleaned?" question before it becomes a guest complaint — or a damage claim argument.

Before you start

  • ☐ Open windows or run the fan — air the place out first
  • ☐ Start the laundry (bedding and towels take the longest)
  • ☐ Walk through once: note damage, left-behind items, anything unusual — photograph it before you touch it
  • ☐ Check supplies: restock anything running low

Kitchen

  • ☐ Empty fridge — no guest food left behind; wipe shelves
  • ☐ Clean stovetop, oven front, microwave inside and out
  • ☐ Wipe counters and sink; run the disposal with ice or lemon
  • ☐ Empty dishwasher, put everything away; leave it empty for the next guest
  • ☐ Trash out, new bag in; recycling sorted
  • ☐ Restock: coffee, tea, dish soap, sponge, paper towels
  • 📷 Photo: counters and stove from the doorway

Bathrooms

  • ☐ Scrub toilet, shower/tub, sink, and mirror — no hair anywhere
  • ☐ Check drains run freely
  • ☐ Fresh towels, folded the same way every time
  • ☐ Restock: toilet paper (one roll on the holder + one spare), hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash
  • ☐ Trash emptied, new bag
  • 📷 Photo: full bathroom from the door

Bedrooms

  • ☐ Strip beds; check mattress and pillows for stains
  • ☐ Fresh sheets, tucked tight; duvet smooth, no wrinkles at the foot
  • ☐ Dust nightstands, lamps, headboard; check drawers and closet for left items
  • ☐ Test the remotes; replace dead batteries
  • 📷 Photo: each made bed, wide shot

Living areas & entry

  • ☐ Vacuum and mop; check under the sofa and between cushions
  • ☐ Wipe remotes, switches, door handles — the high-touch spots guests notice
  • ☐ Straighten cushions, blankets, books, guest book
  • ☐ Check every light bulb works
  • 📷 Photo: room from the entry

Final walkthrough

  • ☐ Thermostat set to your welcome temperature
  • ☐ Windows closed, blinds as you like them
  • ☐ All trash out of the unit — nothing left for the next guest to find
  • ☐ Lock up; send your photos to the host
  • 📷 Photo: the locked front door

How long should a turnover take?

Rough guide for a standard clean (not a deep clean): studio–1BR about 1.5–2 hours, 2BR about 2–3 hours, 3BR+ about 3–4 hours. If your cleaner is consistently far under, something is being skipped. Far over, check whether laundry is the bottleneck — a second set of linens per bed (three is the pro standard) removes the wait entirely.

Put this checklist on autopilot

Reading a checklist is easy; making sure it runs on every turnover, with the photos landing in one place, is the hard part. In Soyhome, the checklist lives inside the cleaning task itself: the task is created automatically from your Airbnb calendar, your cleaner works through it on their phone, and the photos come back to your inbox — no group texts, no chasing.

Create a free host account and turn your next turnover into a checklist that runs itself.