What is the average cleaning fee on Airbnb?
The average cleaning fee on Airbnb depends on a couple of factors including:
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Square footage of the home
- Number of guests
- Location of the rental property
The average cleaning fee for Airbnb in Florida is $165.
For example, a 5 bedroom 2,500 square foot property in Orlando has a $185 cleaning fee.
Why are cleaning fees for vacation rentals so high?
Cleaning fees are passed onto vacation rental guests so hosts can advertise lower nightly rates to entice guests on the front end. Ultimately, while many guests view this practice as deceptive, the industry has operated this way from the onset. New hosts follow the trend and itemize their clean fees.
Furthermore, cleaning a vacation rental usually takes a crew of 2 or more 4-6 hours if you include laundry time. In Florida, the average labor hour per cleaner is $25 when you include payroll taxes and supplies.
Some hosts do use the cleaning fee as an extra profit center.
For more insight, the Wall Street Journal published a recent article explaining why airbnb cleaning fees are so high.
How do I set my Airbnb Cleaning Fee?
First, to set your cleaning fee appropriately, consider your local market and your neighbors. Next, after observing your neighbors clean fees – assess what you have to pay your cleaners. You should either charge what your cleaners charge you or 10-20% more to cover wear, tear, and create a ‘bank’ in case towels and linens are stained, etc. Remember, in many locations the clean fee is a taxable item.
Why hosts need not worry about rising cleaning fees
To conclude, while guests may balk at a high clean fee, your home is an investment and if it is not cleaned and maintained between renters it will deteriorate. Ultimately, would you want to stay somewhere that was not properly cleaned? The clean fee covers properly cleaning and sanitizing an airbnb or vacation rental after checkout.
If you need help setting your cleaning fee or would like to try our airbnb cleaning service, please click on this link to request more information and a free estimate.
If you are an owner and want to self-manage your own vacation rental without a property manager and save tons of money in the process, our podcast provides free, actionable tips and strategies you can leverage to grow your own vacation rental business. Click on podcast to join our mailing list and listen to our podcast.
This article was collaborated with our cleaning friends over at Merit Maids. They specialize in vacation rental cleaning and airbnb cleaning services in Denver, CO.
