Clean Your Chicago Airbnb With Our Ultimate Checklist

There’s a lot involved with owning, renting, and scheduling your Chicago Airbnb. Cook County has become a top Airbnb destination, with well over 700,000 guests venturing to Chicago and nearby areas. No doubt, there’s a lot of local competition in the Airbnb world, so you want to gain and preserve your reputation as a top host.

To ensure that your business stays top-notch, you can’t forgo keeping it neat and clean for your guests. Keeping your Airbnb tidy can prove to be quick and easy if you use our seven-point checklist.

1. Be prepared.

While staying up-to-date with your rental schedule, be sure to factor in some quality cleaning time between rentals. Keep your cleaning supplies gathered in a tote or basket. This allows you to have all your favorite cleaners and tools at your fingertips so you can clean as you go.

2. Wash and dry linens and dishes.

Linens and towels for your Airbnb rental can take quite a while to clean. Make your way through each room and grab it all…sheets, towels, blankets, and small rugs — anything that needs washing. Start washing your first load. Be sure to set the buzzer on the dryer to remind you to swap loads when each cycle is complete. Set a timer if there is one.

Next, head to the dishwasher and empty and put away any clean dishes. Then, load any dirty dishes and start the dishwasher.

3. Clean bedrooms and living areas.

Tackle them one at a time. Dust hard surfaces, straighten furniture and replace linens on beds and pillows. Check ceiling fans and crown molding in case a deeper cleaning is needed. This would be a good time to take care of any outdoor living areas as well. Clean and sweep balconies and wipe down hard surfaces. Move any furniture back where it belongs. If you have a grill, ensure that it’s clean between guests.

4. Disinfect and clean bathrooms.

Give everything a good scrub. From the countertops to the toilets and from the tiles to the tub. Disinfect every surface and don’t forget to check the shower curtain for stains and mildew. Refill toilet paper and any soaps you may provide. Place clean towels, washcloths, and hand towels where they belong to welcome new guests. Lastly, shine up the mirrors and sweep the floors before moving on to the next room.

5. Clean and restock the kitchen.

Begin with the least daunting tasks first. Clean out the fridge, straighten up the cabinets and drawers, and wipe down the countertops. Replenish any dishwashing or hand soaps, food and drinks, or other supplies that you provide for your Airbnb guests. Lastly, wipe down all hard surfaces, empty the dishwasher, and sweep the floor.

6. Mop the floors.

Now every room is clean, and every hard floor is swept. Hooray!  All you have left to do is vacuum all the carpeted floors and mop all the hard floors. This may be the most back-breaking task, but now that each room is clean, it should go rather quickly.

7. Take out the trash.

Hopefully, you’ve been piling all your garbage bags together next to the door you will exit.  You’ll have checked each bin for trash and emptied and replaced the bags. You may even want to leave a bag underneath the bag in use so that it’s easier to replace the old bag next time. Take the trash out with you as you leave.

Cleaning your Chicago Airbnb, Rental, or VRBO is a cinch.

So, what are you waiting for? Make your list and check these tasks off! Your Chicago Airbnb can be spic and span in no time.

While our checklist makes cleaning your Airbnb less daunting, you may consider hiring a Chicago cleaning agency to clean it for you. Even if you don’t get help between every guest, hiring a cleaning crew between some of your bookings can help ease your workload and free up your time.