Cleaning in Vacation Rental Properties: How Much Does It Cost, How Often to Do It, and the Must-Have Checklist

Cleaning is the most common reason for negative reviews on Airbnb and Booking. More than WiFi, noise, or location. In this guide, I tell you how much it costs to hire professional cleaning services in Spain, how often to do a deep clean, which checklist to use between guests, and when it makes sense to outsource or do it yourself. With real prices, approximate times, and common mistakes seen in any group of property owners.

Why cleaning is the critical point of your business

A guest may forgive that the sofa is old. They may forgive weak WiFi. They may forgive a kitchen without a dishwasher. What they do not forgive is finding hair in the shower, crumbs on the sofa, or dust on the table.

And worst of all: they mention it in the review. With a photo.

Airbnb has made cleaning one of the 6 categories on which you are rated (along with communication, check-in, accuracy, location, and value). If your average cleaning score drops below 4.7, your ranking in searches falls. If it drops below 4.5, you start having trouble becoming a Superhost.

Booking has a similar system, although the cleaning score is a single rating within the overall score.

How much does cleaning a vacation rental cost in Spain

It depends on the city, the size of the apartment, and whether you hire a company or a freelancer. These are real prices from 2025-2026:

Property size	Average standard cleaning price	Price in expensive cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza)
Studio (less than 40m²)	€25-40	€40-60
1 bedroom (40-60m²)	€35-55	€55-80
2 bedrooms (60-90m²)	€50-80	€80-120
3 bedrooms (90-120m²)	€70-110	€110-160
4+ bedrooms or house	€100-180	€150-250

These prices include standard cleaning between guests: bathrooms, kitchen, vacuuming, mopping floors, changing sheets and towels (if you provide the linens).

What is NOT usually included

• Laundry of bedding and towels (€30-60 extra or you do it yourself at the laundromat).
• Exterior window cleaning.
• Deep cleaning (inside refrigerator, oven, range hood).
• Restocking consumables (paper, soap, coffee, salt).
• Inspecting the property for damages.

This last point is key: many owners assume that the cleaner reports everything. But if you don’t explicitly agree on it, they won’t.

Frequency: how often to do what

It’s not the same as between guests as it is for monthly deep cleans or annual maintenance.

Cleaning between guests (after each check-out)

Always. No exceptions. Even if the previous guest stayed only one night.

Approximate time: 1.5-3 hours depending on size.

Deep cleaning (every 1-3 months)

Here you go into detail: inside refrigerator, oven, range hood, air conditioning filters, behind furniture, shower joints, tiles, mattresses (vacuuming and rotation).

Approximate time: 4-6 hours for a 2-bedroom apartment. Extra cost: €50-100 over the standard cleaning price.

Annual maintenance

Once or twice a year, it’s time to:

• Wash curtains and drapes.
• Clean upholstery (sofa, armchairs) with a machine.
• Inspect and deep clean mattresses (or replace them if needed — see our mattress guide).
• Descale water heaters, coffee makers, dishwashers.
• Check air conditioning filters and request maintenance if needed.

Cleaning checklist between guests

This is the checklist I use and that you can pass on to your team. Print it, laminate it, leave it on the floor.

Entrance and living room

• Vacuum and mop floors.
• Dust tables, shelves, picture frames, TV.
• Clean remote control (always forgotten).
• Arrange cushions and throws.
• Empty trash bins.
• Check that no items from the previous guest remain.

Kitchen

• Empty refrigerator completely. Discard any open items.
• Clean inside the refrigerator (visible shelves).
• Wipe countertops and splashbacks.
• Clean vitroceramic or stove.
• Clean microwave inside.
• Check coffee maker and kettle (see our coffee makers guide).
• Empty and clean dishwasher.
• Mop the floor.
• Replenish cloths, sponges, dishwasher tablets, salt.
• Check complete kitchenware (see kitchen utensils).

Bathrooms

• Shower or bathtub: remove hair, limescale, soap residue.
• Fixtures: clean and dry (no visible water spots).
• Toilet inside and out (including base).
• Mirror free of streaks.
• Mop the floor.
• Fold fresh towels.
• Toilet paper: at least 2 rolls per bathroom.
• Hand soap and shower gel refilled.
• First aid kit checked (what to include in the first aid kit).

Bedrooms

• Change sheets and pillowcases (always, even if they look clean).
• Air the mattress for a few minutes.
• Vacuum floor and under the bed.
• Dust nightstands, headboard, lamps.
• Check wardrobes: empty, with enough hangers.
• Curtains in good condition, blinds working.

General

• Check for burnt-out bulbs.
• Test remote controls (TV, AC): batteries and operation.
• Check WiFi is working.
• Ventilate for 15-20 minutes.
• Subtly freshen up (nothing aggressive — see odors in vacation rentals).
• Take out trash to the container.
• Leave the welcome manual in a visible spot.

Note: do not use strong air fresheners like sprays. Many guests find them bothersome and some are allergic. Better to use a gentle diffuser or simply ventilate well.

To outsource or do it yourself?

It depends on three things: how many properties you have, where you live, and how much your time is worth.

Doing it yourself

Makes sense if:

• You live close to the property (less than 20 minutes).
• You have 1 property and few turnovers per month.
• You have time and don’t mind doing it.

Real cost: zero money, but 2-3 hours per turnover. If you have 8 turnovers a month, that’s 20 hours. At market rate, that’s €200-400 “free” which you are actually paying with your time.

Hiring a freelance cleaner

Makes sense if:

• You live far away or have a job that doesn’t allow flexibility.
• You have 1-3 properties.
• You want a close relationship and flexibility.

Price: €12-18/hour in most of Spain. In Madrid, Barcelona, Palma, or Ibiza, it can go up to €18-25/hour.

Advantage: you know the person, they learn your property, and notify you if something breaks. Disadvantage: if they get sick or go on vacation, you have a problem.

Hiring a cleaning company

Makes sense if:

• You have 3+ properties.
• You need coverage for turnovers (same day check-out and check-in).
• You want them to handle laundry, restocking, etc.

Price: 15-30% more expensive than a freelancer, but you gain peace of mind. Many work integrated with channel managers and detect check-outs automatically.

If you are at this stage, check out our guide on managing multiple vacation rentals.

Common costly mistakes

Not checking between cleaning and check-in

The cleaner does a good job, but forgets to restock toilet paper. Or leaves a burnt-out light bulb without informing. If the next guest enters and finds that, your review is already affected.

Solution: visual inspection (even with photos via WhatsApp) before the next check-in.

Not paying the cleaner well

A cleaner charging €8/hour does a job worth €8/hour. And they will probably leave as soon as they find something better. Paying well reduces staff turnover and improves quality.

Not having enough sets of sheets

If you only have 2 sets of sheets and there are two consecutive check-outs, there’s no time to wash and dry. Minimum 3 sets per bed (one on, one washing, one ready). More details in bedding in vacation rentals.

Charging too little for cleaning

Many owners charge €30 for cleaning when it costs them €50. They lose €20 per reservation. With 100 reservations a year, that’s €2,000 out of your pocket.

Simple rule: charge the guest what it costs you. Not inflated, but don’t lose money either.

Not doing periodic deep cleaning

If you only clean between guests, in 6 months your property will be dirty in unseen areas. Moldy air conditioning filters, black shower joints, greasy range hoods. And guests will notice.

How much to charge for cleaning in the listing

This causes many doubts. Here are practical rules:

• Charge the actual cost. If it costs €50, charge €50.
• Don’t hide it. Airbnb and Booking show it clearly to the guest. Hiding it in the nightly rate makes you seem more expensive per night and affects your ranking.
• Adjust for minimum stay. If your minimum stay is 3 nights, cleaning costs are less impactful. If you accept 1-night stays, the guest sees the cleaning fee and it might deter them. That’s why many owners set a minimum of 2-3 nights.

How Autoregistro fits in

Cleaning is done by you, your employee, or a company. But the traveler registration in SES Hospedajes must be done after each check-in, which also takes time.

Autoregistro solves that part: you send a link to the guest, they fill out their details from their phone, and the data is sent automatically to SES Hospedajes. No copying IDs, no manual forms, no typos.

€1 per month per property. Less than a coffee. And when you’re busy organizing cleans, sheet changes, and check-ins, having automated traveler registration is a relief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I charge separately for cleaning on Airbnb and Booking?

Yes. Both platforms have a specific field for the cleaning fee. The guest sees it clearly before booking.

How long does it take to clean a vacation rental?

A studio: 1-1.5 hours. A 2-bedroom apartment: 2-3 hours. A large house: 3-5 hours. It depends heavily on the condition left by guests.

Is it legal to charge more for cleaning if there are more guests?

Yes, as long as it’s clear in the listing. Many owners set a base fee plus an extra for additional guests. No legal issue as long as it’s transparent.

What do I do if a guest leaves the property trashed?

Document with photos, notify the platform within 14 days (Airbnb) or according to Booking’s deadlines, and claim from the deposit. We have a complete guide on damage management and deposits.

Is it worth hiring a cleaner who also does check-in?

If you trust her and she wants to do it, yes. You pay an extra (€10-20 per check-in) and forget about it. But make sure she knows how to register the guest in SES Hospedajes or give her a tool to automate it.