Topic: Airbnb

  • Short-term rental cleaning checklist: what Airbnb hosts in Spain need to know

    A poorly cleaned property gets a three-star review. A well-cleaned one gets five stars and a rebooking. If you’re managing a short-term rental in Spain — whether in Marbella, Málaga, or anywhere on the Costa del Sol — this is the checklist your cleaner should be working to.

    The full turnaround checklist

    Bedrooms

    • Strip and replace all bed linen
    • Dust all surfaces including behind headboards
    • Vacuum mattress if no protector is used
    • Check under beds and in wardrobes for left items
    • Wipe light switches and door handles

    Bathrooms

    • Disinfect toilet, seat, and flush handle
    • Clean and descale shower screen or bath
    • Wipe sink, taps, and mirror
    • Replace or restock toiletries and toilet paper
    • Empty bins and replace liners

    Kitchen

    • Clean hob, oven, and extractor
    • Wipe all worktops and cupboard fronts
    • Check fridge for left food — discard and wipe
    • Run dishwasher or hand-wash and dry all crockery
    • Restock washing-up liquid, sponge, and bin bags

    Living areas and terrace

    • Vacuum sofas and rugs
    • Wipe all hard surfaces, TV, and remotes
    • Check for left belongings
    • Sweep or mop the terrace
    • Wipe outdoor furniture

    Photo reports: why they matter

    If you’re managing your rental remotely, a photo report from your cleaner after each turnaround is one of the most valuable things you can ask for. It shows the property is guest-ready, flags any damage before the next guests arrive, and creates a record you can use if there’s ever a dispute.

    SAM cleaners can provide photo reports as part of their service. Ask for it when you post the job.

    How long does a turnaround take?

    A standard two-bedroom apartment with a same-day turnaround (checkout at 11:00, check-in at 15:00) takes around 2.5–3 hours for an experienced cleaner. Factor in extra time for linen changes if you don’t have a laundry on-site — or use a linen hire service and have fresh sets delivered.

  • Airbnb cleaning between guests: the complete turnaround guide

    The gap between one guest checking out and the next checking in is often just a few hours. In that window, your property needs to go from lived-in to hotel-ready. Get it right consistently and guests notice. Get it wrong once and they’ll mention it in the review.

    What a turnaround clean should cover

    A proper Airbnb turnaround is more than a quick hoover. At minimum it should include: all bed linen stripped and replaced, all bathrooms disinfected, the kitchen cleaned including hob and oven, floors vacuumed and mopped, bins emptied, and the property restocked with essentials (toilet paper, washing-up liquid, bin bags). Any damage or missing items should be noted and reported before the next guests arrive.

    Timing and logistics

    A standard two-bedroom Airbnb takes 2.5–3 hours to turn around properly. If you have same-day checkout and check-in, confirm the turnaround time is realistic before accepting the booking. A 10:00 checkout and 12:00 check-in with a linen change is tight. Give your cleaner enough time to do the job properly.

    Linen: if you don’t have a washing machine on-site, use a linen hire service. Fresh sets delivered before each clean remove a major bottleneck from the turnaround process.

    Handing it off completely

    The cleanest setup for a remote Airbnb owner is a dedicated cleaner who has keyholder access, knows the property, and handles the turnaround automatically after each checkout. They message you when it’s done, send photos, and flag anything that needs attention. You don’t need to coordinate each clean individually.

    SAM cleaners in Marbella and across the Costa del Sol can work to this arrangement. Post a job and explain what you need — many cleaners are experienced with Airbnb properties and understand the requirements.

  • How to write an Airbnb listing that mentions professional cleaning

    Cleanliness is consistently the most-mentioned factor in Airbnb reviews — both positively and negatively. If you have a professional cleaning service handling your turnarounds, telling guests about it in your listing is a straightforward way to set expectations and build confidence before they book.

    What to say — and what to avoid

    Be specific rather than vague. “Professionally cleaned” is better than nothing, but “professionally cleaned between every stay with a photo report” tells the guest something meaningful. Avoid terms like “spotless” or “immaculate” — guests will hold you to those adjectives if one thing is out of place.

    Good examples:

    • “Professionally cleaned between every stay by a vetted local cleaning team.”
    • “Fresh linen and towels provided for every booking.”
    • “Photo reports taken after every clean — if something isn’t right, we’ll know before you arrive.”

    Where in the listing to mention it

    Include it in the property description — near the top, alongside other practical details. The “Other things to note” section is also a good place to mention specifics like linen, checkout cleaning, and any property care expectations you have of guests.

    Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning program

    If your cleaner follows Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocol and you qualify for the certification, display it on your listing. Even without the formal certification, mentioning that your cleaning team works to a defined checklist adds credibility.

  • Post-summer deep clean: what holiday rental owners need to do in September

    August is over. Your last guests have checked out. And your property has been turned around 15 times since June. Now is the time to do a proper reset — not just another turnaround, but a thorough deep clean and property check that sets things up properly for the quieter months ahead.

    Why September matters

    After a heavy summer of short lets, properties accumulate wear that a standard turnaround doesn’t address. Grout gets stained. Ovens get caked. Mattresses get compressed. Sun cream gets on soft furnishings. Taps and shower screens get scaled. A post-season deep clean sorts all of this before it becomes a permanent problem — or a reason for a bad review from an autumn guest.

    What a post-summer deep clean covers

    • Full kitchen deep clean including inside oven, extractor, and all cupboards
    • Bathroom deep clean: descale shower screens, re-grout if needed, replace worn sealant
    • Wash all soft furnishings: sofa cushion covers, curtains, throws
    • Clean all exterior shutters and window tracks
    • Deep clean terrace and outdoor furniture
    • Check and clean AC filters before switching to heating mode

    Other September tasks

    Check your inventory — note anything broken, missing, or worn that needs replacing before next summer. Review your listing photos — if you took better photos this summer when the property was full of light, update them. And if you’re closing the property for winter, arrange a monthly check visit to keep on top of any issues before they compound.