How to price Airbnb and vacation rental turnover cleaning
Turnover cleaning is steady, repeat work, but it isn't a regular house clean. You're resetting a home for the next guest on a deadline, often with laundry, restocking and a photo report. Price it the same way every time and you won't lose money on busy weekends.
Step 1: Time a real turnover
Do the first one or two turnovers for a new property on an hourly basis or at a trial rate and time every part: stripping beds, kitchen, bathrooms, floors, trash, restocking, staging, photos. Your timings beat any rule of thumb.
Step 2: Set your hourly target
Your hourly target covers the cleaner's pay, payroll costs or self-employment tax, supplies, travel, insurance, admin time and profit. Use the same number you use for other jobs.
Step 3: Build a flat per-turnover price
Turnover price = (timed hours × hourly target) + supplies + travel. Then list add-ons separately:
- Laundry (on site or off site, per load or per bed)
- Restocking the host's supplies (your time; the host pays for the items)
- Same-day turnover window
- Hot tub, patio, grill, or extra-guest stays
- Excessive mess, pet hair, or trash removal
- Deep clean every few months (quote it like a deep clean)
Worked example (made-up numbers)
These numbers are invented to show the math, not market rates.
A 2-bedroom unit takes 2.5 timed hours. Hourly target $40, supplies $6, travel $8.
Base turnover: 2.5 × $40 + $6 + $8 = $114. On-site laundry adds 0.5 hours ($20). Total per turnover: $134, with a same-day surcharge set in the agreement.
Plug in your own numbers with the free cleaning job profit calculator, or build quotes with the cleaning bid calculator.
Put it in a simple host agreement
- What a standard turnover includes, room by room
- Checkout and check-in times, and how you're notified of bookings
- Laundry, restocking and add-on prices
- Mess and damage reporting with photos
- Cancellation and last-minute booking terms
- When and how you invoice
Examples on this page use made-up numbers to show the math. They are not market rates or recommendations — use your own costs and local market. Not financial or tax advice.
Cleaning business? Customers often find local cleaners on Google Maps — the same maker runs a free Google Business Profile checklist.
FAQ
Should I charge per hour or per turnover?
Hosts usually prefer a flat price per turnover so they can plan. Build that flat price from your timed hours, then add separate charges for laundry, restocking and extra-dirty stays.
How do I handle laundry?
Decide whether you wash on site, take linens off site, or the host uses a linen service. Off-site laundry takes extra time and trips, so price it separately per load or per bed.
What if guests leave the place a mess?
Put an 'excessive mess' charge in your agreement, with photos as proof. Many platforms let hosts request reimbursement from guests in some cases, but that's between the host and the platform.
Do same-day turnovers cost more?
They often justify a higher price because you must finish inside a fixed checkout-to-checkin window, which limits how you schedule other jobs.