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Category: Operations & Cleaning
By: Nolan Peters
Reply by David Okafor:
I manage cleaning for 12 properties and have been through the wringer with this. The short answer: Turno (turno.com, formerly TurnoverBnB) is where I find most of my cleaners now. It's a marketplace specifically for STR cleaners and auto-schedules them based on your calendar. Local Facebook groups work too — search "[your city] Airbnb cleaners" or "vacation rental cleaning." For rates, a 2BR generally runs $90-140 per turnover, 3BR is $120-180. Add $20-30 for same-day rush turnovers. These are 2026 numbers and vary by market obviously. Now here's the real question: how to KEEP them. I lost my first 6 teams before I figured this out. Pay above market rate. Even $10-20 extra per clean builds insane loyalty. Pay same-day via Venmo or Zelle — don't make them invoice you or wait for payday. Provide all the supplies yourself. Holiday bonuses ($100-200). Be flexible when they need to swap days. And this is huge: guarantee minimum cleans per month. If a booking cancels, still pay them for the scheduled clean. They need reliable income and will prioritize hosts who provide it. Red flags in a cleaner: won't follow your checklist, quality varies wildly between cleans, takes forever to respond to texts, or brings random people to your property. My setup is a primary cleaner who handles 80% of turnovers and a backup for emergencies/vacations/overflow. I spot-check maybe 1 in 5 cleans. Having a reliable cleaner is honestly the single biggest factor in your rating — a bad clean destroys what would've been a 5-star stay.
Reply by Priya Nair:
Adding the checklist angle. My cleaner checklist is the reason I maintain a 4.9 cleanliness rating across 4 properties: **STR Turnover Checklist (abbreviated):** Kitchen: □ All dishes washed, dried, and put away □ Counters wiped and sanitized □ Appliance fronts wiped (fridge, microwave, dishwasher) □ Coffee maker cleaned and reset with fresh filter + coffee pods □ Trash emptied, new bag, check recycling □ Check all drawers and cabinets for guest items Bathrooms: □ Toilet scrubbed inside and out □ Shower/tub scrubbed, check for hair in drain □ Mirrors cleaned (streak-free) □ Fresh towels folded hotel-style □ Restock: toilet paper (2 extra rolls), soap, shampoo, conditioner □ Check under vanity for guest items Bedrooms: □ Strip beds, check mattress pad for stains □ Fresh sheets and pillowcases □ Pillows fluffed □ Nightstands wiped □ Check under bed for guest items □ Closet: check drawers, hangers straightened General: □ All floors vacuumed/mopped □ All surfaces dusted □ Windows checked for fingerprints □ Thermostat set to [temp] □ All lights work (replace any burned-out bulbs) □ Lock all windows □ Check smoke/CO detectors Final: □ Photo documentation (8 standard photos per clean) □ Report any damage or maintenance needs □ Lock and set door code to next guest's code I printed this on laminated cards and my cleaner checks off each item with a dry-erase marker. Takes 5 extra minutes but catches 95% of issues before the guest arrives. For a professional house manual that includes cleaning expectations, try https://strspecialist.com/tools/house-manual-generator.