Cleaning Airbnbs has quietly become one of the most accessible ways to build a flexible, profitable service business. Property managers and owners are constantly searching for reliable cleaners who can handle tight turn windows and deliver hotel-level results.
This guide walks you through everything from gaining your first experience and setting up your business to finding clients, securing contracts, and scaling your operations over time.
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Run a professional Airbnb cleaning business |
Airbnb cleaning looks quite different from traditional residential cleaning. A regular house cleaner might visit the same home every week with predictable tasks and flexible timing. Vacation rental cleaners, on the other hand, work within tight turnaround windows, sometimes just two or three hours between one guest checking out and another arriving.
The work goes well beyond wiping down counters and vacuuming floors:
Earning potential depends heavily on where you live, the size of properties you clean, and how many turnovers you can fit into your schedule. Cleaners working in popular tourist destinations, like beach towns or ski resorts, typically charge more than those in quieter suburban markets. Larger properties with multiple bedrooms naturally pay higher rates than studio apartments.
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Factor |
Impact on Earnings |
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Property size and amenities |
Larger homes with more bedrooms and unique features command higher fees |
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Location |
Tourist destinations and urban areas often pay more |
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Turnaround frequency |
Properties with frequent bookings mean more cleaning jobs |
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Services offered |
Add-ons like laundry, restocking, and linen service increase your rates |
Many cleaners begin with just a few properties and gradually expand their client base over time. Some eventually partner with property management companies that oversee dozens or even hundreds of rentals, turning occasional gig work into steady full-time income.
Hosts and property managers look for specific qualities when hiring cleaners. Knowing what they value helps you stand out from the beginning.
Vacation rental guests expect hotel-level cleanliness. A single hair in the bathroom sink or water spots on a mirror can trigger a negative review. The cleaners who build strong reputations notice the small things others overlook, like fingerprints on stainless steel, dust on baseboards, crumbs tucked into couch cushions.
Guests can pull up your guide while exploring the neighborhood, sitting at a restaurant, or planning the next day's activities. They don't have to return to the property just to check a detail. The information travels with them.
Turnaround windows are fixed and unforgiving. If a guest checks out at 11 AM and the next guest arrives at 3 PM, you have exactly four hours to complete the clean, and that timeline includes travel time. Showing up late or running over simply isn't an option.
This work is physically demanding. You'll spend hours on your feet, bending, lifting, scrubbing, and moving quickly from room to room. A busy day might include multiple back-to-back turnovers at different properties across town.
Working with hosts and property managers means reporting problems clearly and promptly. When you discover a broken coffee maker or a stain that won't come out, how quickly you communicate matters just as much as spotting the issue in the first place.
Unexpected situations come up regularly. Previous guests leave behind messes, supplies run out, appliances malfunction. Cleaners who can think quickly and handle problems independently become the ones hosts rely on most.
The path from curious beginner to working professional involves several concrete steps. Here's how to build your foundation.
Starting with residential cleaning jobs or working for an established cleaning company gives you a chance to develop your skills and build references. Even cleaning for friends and family counts as practice. This early experience also helps you figure out whether you actually enjoy the physical demands of the work before committing to it as a business.
A sole proprietorship works well for most beginners since it requires minimal paperwork. You'll want to register your business name and check with your city or county clerk's office about any required permits or licenses. Requirements vary by location, so what applies in one town might not apply in another.
General liability insurance protects you if something gets damaged while you're working in a client's property. Accidents happen, like a knocked-over lamp, a scratched floor, a broken vase. Insurance covers those situations so you're not paying out of pocket. Some hosts also prefer bonded cleaners, which adds another layer of trust.
Airbnb and Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals (VRHP) have published enhanced cleaning protocols that outline specific expectations for sanitization and guest safety. Reviewing cleaning checklists from successful hosts gives you a practical sense of what thoroughness actually looks like. The standards are higher than typical residential cleaning, and guests notice when corners get cut.
Defining your offerings clearly helps hosts understand exactly what they're paying for:
Your rates depend on your local market, your experience level, and what services you include. The pricing section below covers the main models in detail.
A simple website, a Google Business Profile, and basic social media pages help establish credibility. When hosts search for "Airbnb cleaning near me," you want to show up. Even a one-page website with your services, service area, and contact information makes a difference.
How much you charge for Airbnb cleaning affects both your income and your ability to attract clients. Three common models work for different situations.
Charging a single fee per clean regardless of how long it takes works well when you're serving properties of similar size. Hosts appreciate knowing exactly what they'll pay, and you benefit from efficiency, meaning the faster you work, the more you earn per hour.
Charging by the hour makes sense for deep cleans or unusual properties where time requirements are hard to predict. First-time cleans at a new property often work better with hourly rates until you know how long the job actually takes.
Several variables influence what you can reasonably charge in your market:
Finding your first clients takes effort across multiple channels. Different approaches work better in different markets, so testing several at once makes sense.
Platforms like Breezeway connect cleaners directly with hosts looking for help. Creating a profile puts you in front of property owners who are actively searching for cleaning services rather than waiting for them to find you.
Facebook groups and online forums where hosts discuss their operations often feature posts asking for cleaner recommendations. Being active and helpful in these communities by answering questions and sharing tips builds visibility over time.
Property managers who oversee multiple rentals often prefer working with reliable cleaners who can handle several properties consistently. Platforms like Breezeway help property managers coordinate with cleaning teams, making communication and scheduling smoother for everyone involved.
Listing your business on Google Business Profile, Yelp, Thumbtack, and Nextdoor helps you appear when hosts search locally. Many property owners start their search with a simple Google query for cleaners in their area.
Once you've done good work for a few hosts, asking for reviews and referrals can generate new business through trusted recommendations. Some cleaners offer small discounts or bonuses for successful referrals.
Local meetups, vacation rental conferences, and networking events put you in the same room as property managers who oversee dozens of listings. One conversation at the right event can lead to steady ongoing work and help you stay up to date on the latest industry trends to help you develop your skills and improve processes.
Moving from one-off jobs to ongoing contracts provides income stability and reduces the time you spend finding new clients. A solid cleaning contract typically addresses:
Having the right products and equipment makes your work faster and more thorough.
Your basic kit includes disinfectants, all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaner, and bathroom-specific products. Some hosts prefer eco-friendly or fragrance-free options, so having alternatives available expands the range of clients you can serve.
A quality vacuum cleaner, mop system, microfiber cloths, scrub brushes, a cleaning caddy, and protective gloves form the foundation. Investing in durable equipment pays off over time since cheap tools wear out quickly and slow you down.
Depending on your service agreement, you might be responsible for replenishing toiletries, paper products, trash bags, and welcome amenities like coffee or snacks.
Airbnb cleaning software solutions like scheduling apps, invoicing software, and mileage tracking keep your business organized as you take on more clients. Property care platforms like Breezeway provide task management and digital checklists that cleaners can access through a mobile app, which simplifies communication with property managers and keeps everyone on the same page.
Digital tools have changed how cleaning professionals manage their daily work:
Platforms like Breezeway allow cleaners to receive assignments, access checklists tailored to each property, and confirm job completion directly from their phone. This eliminates confusion about expectations and reduces missed communications.
Once you've established yourself with a few regular clients, scaling becomes the next challenge.
Reliability and thoroughness lead to repeat business and referrals. Your reputation builds one clean at a time, and a single bad review can undo months of good work.
Property management companies can provide steady, high-volume work across multiple properties. One strong relationship with a property manager often proves more valuable than a dozen individual host relationships.
Gradually adding nearby neighborhoods or towns increases your job opportunities without overextending your travel time. As you grow, you can be more selective about which areas make sense financially.
When demand exceeds your personal capacity, bringing on team members allows you to serve more properties while maintaining quality. This transition from solo cleaner to business owner opens up new income potential.
Working with professional property managers who use operations platforms means more consistent jobs, clearer instructions, and streamlined communication. Organized teams value reliable cleaners and often provide ongoing work across their entire portfolio of properties.
Breezeway connects property managers with service providers, creating opportunities for cleaners looking for steady partnerships rather than one-off gigs. Request a demo to learn how Breezeway helps cleaning professionals connect with property managers seeking reliable partners.
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Run a professional Airbnb cleaning business |
Pricing varies based on location, property condition, and what services you include. Researching what other cleaners in your area charge and factoring in your time, supplies, and travel costs helps you set a competitive rate for your specific market.
Most professional Airbnb cleaners bring their own cleaning products and equipment. Some hosts prefer to supply specific items or eco-friendly products for their properties, so this detail often gets worked out during the initial conversation.
Yes, many cleaners start part-time by taking jobs on weekends or fitting them around an existing work schedule. This approach works well for testing whether the business suits you before committing to it full-time.
Airbnb cleaning involves faster turnarounds, stricter sanitization standards, restocking amenities, and staging the property to match listing photos. Regular home cleaning typically follows a more relaxed schedule with familiar, recurring tasks and no guest-readiness requirements.