Cleaning in Vacation Rental Homes: How Much to Charge, What to Include, and How Not to Get Burned

Cleaning is the factor that most often generates negative reviews on Airbnb and Booking. More than WiFi, more than noise, more than price. And at the same time, it is one of the highest operational costs of your vacation home. In this post, I tell you how much to charge for cleaning, what a serious protocol should include, when it’s worth outsourcing, and the mistakes I see repeatedly in owners who lose money (and guests) by not having this properly set up.

Why cleaning is the number 1 factor in your reviews

Look at any review below 4 stars on Airbnb. I bet a coffee that 70% mention cleaning. A hair in the shower, dust on the bedside table, a stain on the sheets. Small things that are huge for the guest because they are paying to feel like in a hotel.

And here’s the uncomfortable fact: your guest does not compare your apartment to your neighbor’s. They compare it to the last 4-star hotel they stayed in. That is the benchmark.

A single review saying "the apartment was not clean" can drop your average rating from 4.9 to 4.7. And on Airbnb, that drop affects visibility, bookings, and what you can charge.

How much to charge guests for cleaning

This depends on three things: the size of the apartment, the area, and your costs.

Actual rates in Spain

Type of property	Actual cleaning cost	What you charge the guest
Studio (less than 40 m²)	€25-35	€35-50
1-bedroom apartment	€35-50	€45-70
2-bedroom apartment	€50-70	€60-90
House with 3+ bedrooms	€70-120	€90-150
Villa with pool	€120-200	€150-250

These figures are for 2024-2025 in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, and Palma. In villages and rural areas, you can subtract 20-30%.

Should cleaning be charged separately or included in the price?

It depends on the stay.

• Short stays (1-3 nights): charge separately. If you include it in the nightly rate, you’ll seem very expensive in searches.
• Long stays (7+ nights): try to include it. A high cleaning fee visually penalizes long stays because it appears as a "costly extra".

Airbnb penalizes very high cleaning fees relative to the nightly rate. If your night costs €60 and cleaning €80, the algorithm lowers your position.

Quick rule: the cleaning fee should not exceed 1.5 nights’ worth of income. If it does, reconsider.

The cleaning protocol that works

It’s not enough to "clean well". You need a checklist. Otherwise, each cleaner does whatever they want, and guests notice.

Critical areas (the ones that generate the most complaints)

1. Bathroom: no calcium residues on the shower screen, inside and outside the toilet, drains free of hair, mirror spotless.
2. Kitchen: microwave inside, fridge (including door gasket), ceramic hob free of grease, shiny sink.
3. Bedroom: ironed sheets, under the bed vacuumed, bedside tables dust-free.
4. Living room: sofa vacuumed (including cushions), remote control clean (yes, really).
5. Details that earn points: folded towels, toilet paper with folded tip, welcome message.

Minimum checklist your cleaner must sign

• Changed sheets and towels (not "if they seem clean")
• Floors mopped, not just swept
• Bathroom disinfected with specific product
• Kitchen checked with all appliances
• Windows and glass clean without marks
• Trash taken out and new bags placed
• Replenishment of amenities (paper, gel, shampoo, coffee)
• Inventory checked (towels, sheets, utensils)
• Photos of the finished apartment sent to owner

The photo documentation is key. It prevents disputes and allows you to see the state before the next guest.

Company, freelancer, or do it yourself?

Doing it yourself

Works if you have 1 property, live nearby, and don’t have many bookings. Once you exceed 15-20 nights a month, you burn out. I’ve seen it a thousand times.

Cost: your time (which also costs money). Pros: total control, save money. Cons: unsustainable long-term, no flexibility for last-minute check-ins.

Freelancer or individual cleaner

The most common option for 1-3 properties. Usually pay between €12-18/hour in cash or €15-22/hour with invoice.

Pros: cheaper than a company, close relationship, usually attentive to detail. Cons: if they get sick or go on vacation, you’re out of luck. And if they don’t have an invoice, it’s a tax problem for you.

Specialized cleaning company for tourism

A serious option if you have 3+ properties or don’t live nearby. They charge between €25-45/hour or a flat rate per apartment.

Pros: backup if someone’s missing, professional, always invoice, often include laundry. Cons: more expensive, less personalized, quality may vary depending on who shows up that day.

Option	Standard cleaning cost	Best for
Yourself	Your time	1 property, low occupancy
Freelancer	€30-50	1-3 properties, live nearby
Specialized company	€50-90	3+ properties, no time

Laundry: the other hidden cost

Many forget this. Sheets and towels don’t wash themselves, and if you wash them in the apartment’s washing machine, you lose 2 hours between wash and dry. Time you don’t have between check-out and check-in.

Options:

• Industrial laundry: about €8-15 per set (2 sheets, pillowcases, towels). Pick-up and delivery service.
• Double set of linens: one in use, one spare. Reduces work for the cleaner.
• Own washing machine in the apartment: only viable if you have a dryer and plenty of time between bookings.

Most owners with 2+ apartments end up using industrial laundry. It makes the most economic sense.

Common mistakes I see every month

1. Not having double stock of towels and sheets. If a booking extends or something gets stained, you’re dead.
2. Paying for cleaning in cash. Tax authorities are cross-referencing platform data. Not worth it.
3. Never reviewing after the cleaner. Even if you have the best cleaner, a surprise visit every 2 months works wonders.
4. Not including consumables replenishment in the price. Toilet paper, coffee, gel… run out. If your cleaner doesn’t restock, you’ll have to run out at 10 PM.
5. Charging the same cleaning fee for very long stays. If someone stays 2 weeks, it makes no sense to charge the same as for 2 nights. Consider including intermediate cleaning.

How cleaning fits into your overall operation

Cleaning is not isolated. It’s connected with check-in, check-out, and guest registration. If your guest leaves at 11:00 and the next arrives at 15:00, you have 4 hours to clean, wash (or restock), review, and upload photos.

That’s why automating everything else is key. If you have to monitor the check-in, guest registration, and cleaning simultaneously, it’s overwhelming.

How Autoregistro fits in

While you coordinate your cleaner, Autoregistro handles guest registration in SES Hospedajes. You send a link to the guest before arrival, they fill out a form, and the data is sent to SES automatically.

You don’t need to open the portal, copy IDs, or review formats. It costs €1 per month per property. Less than a coffee. One less thing to worry about between check-out and check-in.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should cleaning cost as a percentage of income?

A healthy reference is between 10% and 18% of your gross income. If it exceeds 20%, you’re either overpaying or your nightly prices are too low.

Can I charge guests more than my cleaning costs?

Yes, it’s legal and common. What you charge is "cleaning service," not an exact reimbursement. But if you overcharge significantly, it harms visibility on platforms and causes complaints. A margin of 20-40% over actual cost is reasonable.

Do I need to give an invoice for cleaning to the guest?

The cleaning fee is part of the total reservation price, so it’s included in the same invoice or receipt as the accommodation. It’s not a separate service you invoice the guest for.

What if a guest leaves the apartment destroyed?

Document everything with photos, report it to the platform within 14 days (Airbnb requires this), and file a claim through AirCover or your insurance. More info on handling damages and deposits.

Is it advisable to have cameras to monitor cleaning?

Not in interior areas. It’s illegal to record inside the home except in very specific cases. What you can do is ask for photos from the cleaner and review them periodically. More on this in security and cameras.