The Airbnb Changeover Cleaning Checklist

By Zap Cleaning Cambridge  ·  2026-06-11  ·  7 min read

On Airbnb, cleanliness is not one rating among several — it is the rating that quietly decides your search placement, your Superhost status and your booking rate. Guests forgive a dated sofa; they do not forgive a hair in the shower. Here is the changeover checklist we work to for Cambridge hosts, usable whether you clean yourself or bring us in.

One scope note before the list, because it matters: this is a cleaning checklist. At Zap Cleaning we are professional cleaners, not a housekeeping or maid service — linen changes, bed-making, laundry and restocking consumables sit with the host or a linen service. The checklist below covers the hygiene side: the part guests actually score you on. Full details on our Airbnb & short-let cleaning service.

Kitchen

Wash, dry and put away anything guests used — then clean the sink and taps to a shine, degrease the hob and splashback, wipe worktops end to end, and clean the microwave inside and out (the most-checked appliance in any short let). Wipe cupboard fronts and handles, clean the fridge interior and remove every trace of the previous guests' food, empty the kettle and wipe the toaster's crumb tray. Bins emptied, washed if needed, fresh liner in.

Bathroom

This is where reviews are won. Descale the shower screen, head and taps — Cambridge water is hard and limescale returns every single stay. Sanitise the toilet including the base and behind, polish the mirror, clean the basin and surround, wipe down tiles, and finish with floors. Check the extractor grille for dust and the plughole for hair: the two details guests notice and never mention to you, only to the review.

Bedrooms

With linen handled by you or your linen service, the cleaning pass covers everything else: dust every surface including headboard, lamps and skirting, wipe mirrors, check under the bed (the classic left-behind-sock zone doubles as a dust trap), clean inside wardrobes and drawers of anything previous guests left, and vacuum thoroughly including edges.

Living Areas, Entry and Touch-Points

Dust all surfaces and electronics, polish glass and mirrors, plump and straighten soft furnishings, vacuum and mop hard floors. Then the disinfection pass guests cannot see but absolutely benefit from: door handles, light switches, the TV remote, hairdryer handles, key fobs and stair rails. Entrance areas set the first impression — door glass, mat shaken out, threshold swept.

The Final Walk-Through

Finish with a guest's-eye loop: every bin empty with a fresh liner, every surface dry and smear-free, windows and doors locked as required, lights off, and a sniff test in every room — neutral beats fragranced. Photograph anything damaged or left behind for your records before it becomes a dispute.

Keeping the Standard, Stay After Stay

The hard part is not one good clean — it is the fortieth, on a Saturday, in a checkout-to-check-in window of three hours. That consistency is exactly what we provide Cambridge hosts on recurring schedules, alongside a periodic deep clean each season to reset the areas a fast changeover never reaches: inside cupboards, full descales, skirting and the backs of everything.

Frequently Asked Questions