Airbnb checkout instructions that guests actually follow

Category: Operations & Cleaning

By: Jake Anderson

Posted: 2025-12-16T05:49:00.455Z

My checkout instructions say: start the dishwasher, take out the trash, strip the beds. Almost nobody does all three. Some guests leave the place looking like a hurricane hit it. Others leave it cleaner than when they arrived. How do you get guests to actually follow checkout instructions? Should I even bother with checkout tasks, or just let the cleaner handle everything?

Reply by Emily Chen:

I've tried both approaches and landed firmly on minimal checkout tasks. My checkout instructions are literally two things: leave dirty towels on the bathroom floor (helps my cleaner know which are used) and lock the door behind you. That's it. Why? Because guests don't reliably do chores no matter what you ask. I used to have a whole list — start the dishwasher, take out trash, strip the beds. Maybe 30% of guests did everything. The rest either half-assed it or ignored it completely. And it stressed guests out on their last morning. Nobody wants to feel like they have homework to do before vacation ends. Since switching to minimal checkout, I've had multiple reviews mention "loved the easy checkout process." My cleaner takes maybe 15 extra minutes, which is nothing. And I never get those anxious "I forgot to start the dishwasher, is that okay??" messages anymore. If you insist on giving tasks: keep it to 3 things MAX. Every item beyond 3 drops compliance hard. Post it on a card by the front door (not buried in a text message they'll forget). Send checkout reminders the evening before, not the morning of. And whatever you do, never include "strip the beds." Guests hate it, it feels like you're making them work, and it saves your cleaner like 5 minutes. One thing that does actually save real cleaner time: starting the dishwasher (saves a full cycle) and not leaving food in the fridge. Those are worth asking for. Everything else is kind of marginal.

Reply by Ryan Tanaka:

The best checkout "hack" I've found: **a departure gift.** I leave a small bag by the front door with a handwritten note: > "Thank you for staying with us! We hope you enjoyed [City]. Safe travels home! 🏡" Inside: 2 granola bars and 2 bottled waters for their trip home. Cost: $2 per stay. **Result:** Since implementing this, my checkout compliance went UP (guests feel good about the host → more willing to do simple checkout tasks), my review rate increased (guilt/gratitude factor), and my average rating increased from 4.85 to 4.93. The psychology is interesting — when guests feel cared for, they reciprocate by caring for your property. A $2 departure gift creates more checkout compliance than any number of rules.