23/10/2026
Our Thoughts on Airbnb’s New Rules — From a Cleaning Service Provider’s Perspective
As someone who operates a professional cleaning service and works closely with Airbnb property owners, I find these new rules concerning, especially when guests are no longer expected to wash their dishes or take out their garbage before checking out.
I completely understand that guests pay a cleaning fee and deserve to enjoy their vacation without worrying about cleaning the property. However, there is a big difference between expecting guests to perform cleaning duties and expecting them to show basic responsibility and respect for someone else's property.
What many people don't realize is the amount of work that goes into preparing an Airbnb for the next guest. Cleaning teams often have only a few hours between checkout and check-in. During that time, we have to clean and sanitize bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, change linens, restock supplies, and make sure the entire property meets the highest standards.
Now imagine walking into a property with a sink full of dirty dishes, overflowing garbage bins, food waste scattered around, and an excessive mess left behind. All of this adds time and pressure to an already demanding schedule.
And who ends up dealing with it? The cleaners and property owners.
For cleaners, this means additional labour, tighter schedules, and increased expectations without necessarily receiving additional compensation. For property owners, it could mean higher turnover costs, additional cleaning charges, and potential delays in getting their properties ready for incoming guests.
What's even more frustrating is that cleaners are often the first to be blamed when something is missed, even when we're working against the clock to restore a property after an exceptionally messy checkout.
I strongly believe that paying a cleaning fee should not be treated as permission to leave a property in whatever condition you want. Guests should absolutely enjoy their stay, but basic courtesy should never disappear simply because someone else is being paid to clean.
I'm not suggesting guests should scrub bathrooms, mop floors, or deep-clean kitchens before leaving. That's our job, and we're proud to do it. But putting garbage where it belongs, handling food waste responsibly, and showing consideration for the next person should not be unreasonable expectations.
Airbnb needs to recognize that the short-term rental industry doesn't operate on guests alone. Behind every successful listing are property owners investing their money and cleaning professionals working hard to maintain standards, often under tremendous time pressure.
If Airbnb wants to remove checkout responsibilities, then there should also be fair protections for cleaners and hosts when properties are left excessively dirty. Cleaning fees, turnover expectations, and compensation for extraordinary messes need to reflect the actual work involved.
At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: happy guests, well-maintained properties, and a sustainable short-term rental industry.
My message to Airbnb is simple: Listen to the people working behind the scenes. Don't make policies that benefit one side while placing the burden on everyone else.
Guests deserve convenience, property owners deserve fairness, and cleaners deserve respect and proper compensation.
A cleaning fee pays for professional cleaning. It should never be an excuse for a complete lack of responsibility.
Fairness and accountability should go both ways.
