Cleaning for Airbnb and short-term rentals: routine between each guest
A turnover for a small Airbnb takes 1–1.5 hours when the linen is clean beforehand, and costs market-rate 600–1,200 NOK per time (as of 2026). The most important thing is not to clean quickly, but to clean consistently every time: the same order, the same checklist, the same restock. This prevents the guest from seeing what you forgot – and you avoid a one-star review.
What is a turnover, and why is it different from regular cleaning?
A turnover is the preparation between two guests. It differs from regular home cleaning in two ways. You have a tight time window – often check-out at 11 AM and check-in at 3 PM – and you must leave the dwelling completely neutral, as if no one has lived there. This means not just clean, but also restocked and checked: no half-empty toilet roll, no forgotten charging cable, no stain on the pillow.
The difference from regular home cleaning is that here, linen and consumables are part of the job every single time. If you want to understand how often different rooms actually need daily cleaning, we have a separate guide on how often you should clean your home. For rentals, a simpler rule applies: everything is reset with each guest.
What should be included in the turnover checklist?
Work your way through the dwelling in a fixed order, from top to bottom, from innermost to outermost. This prevents you from crossing a clean floor with dirty shoes or forgetting a room entirely.
What is actually included depends on the service you order. The list here is a typical starting point, not a definitive answer. Some tasks – such as cleaning the oven, windows, balcony, or appliances – may be extras you need to order separately and are not automatically included in all assignments. What applies to your assignment is stated in the quote and order confirmation. If you are unsure if something is included, ask us before the cleaning day.
- Bedroom: Remove all linen. Check mattress and pillows for stains while holding them. Make the bed with a clean set. Wipe nightstands and lamp switches.
- Bathroom: Clean toilet, sink, shower, and mirror. Change all towels. Wipe the floor last. Empty trash.
- Kitchen: Empty the dishwasher and put everything away. Wipe counter, hob, and handles. Check the refrigerator for forgotten food. Empty trash and change bag.
- Living room and common areas: Vacuum, wipe surfaces, straighten pillows and blankets. Check under sofa cushions – coins, hairpins, and toy parts collect there.
- Floors everywhere: Vacuum first, wash last, from the innermost room towards the door.
- Restock: Replenish toilet paper, hand soap, dish soap, coffee, and the welcome selection you promise in the advertisement.
- Final round: Smell the rooms. Turn off lights and heating. Lock, and take a picture of the made bed as documentation.
For a more thorough standard clean when a guest has stayed for a long time or left the dwelling extra dirty, you can follow the points in our move-out cleaning checklist – it also covers windowsills, moldings, and behind appliances.
How to handle linen and towels between guests?
Textiles are the bottleneck in a turnover. You cannot wash, dry, and fold between 11 AM and 3 PM and still manage everything else. The solution is enough sets in stock.
Have at least three sets of linen per bed and three sets of towels per guest: one in use, one clean in the cupboard, one in the wash. This allows you to run a machine without stress, and a stain on a sheet won't derail the next check-in.
| Textile | Number of sets per unit | Washing temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Linen (sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers) | 3 per bed | 60 °C |
| Hand towels and bath towels | 3 per guest spot | 60 °C |
| Kitchen towels and cloths | 4–5 total | 60–90 °C |
| Duvet and pillow (filling) | 1 extra in stock | Follow washing label |
White cotton can withstand 60 °C, which kills most bacteria and odors. Many landlords choose white linen precisely because it can be washed hot and bleached if it gets stained. If you get a stubborn stain on a sheet, take it out of circulation and treat it separately – our stain removal guide covers blood, red wine, makeup, and the other classics. Do not send a stained set back into use hoping it won't show.
How long does a turnover take, and what does it cost?
The time spent depends mostly on size and whether textiles are washed on-site. Here are realistic intervals as of 2026:
| Dwelling | Time (clean linen ready) | Market-rate price per turnover |
|---|---|---|
| Studio apartment | 45–75 min | 500–800 NOK |
| 1–2 bedrooms | 1.5–2.5 h | 700–1,100 NOK |
| 3+ bedrooms / house | 2.5–4 h | 1,000–1,800 NOK |
The figures are market estimates, not a quote. A reputable company must cover a wage above the generalized floor for cleaning, which is 236.54 NOK/hour for adults (effective from June 15, 2025, revised every June). If you receive a quote for a full turnover for 250 NOK including travel and laundry, it's a red flag: either the work is undeclared, or something is omitted. We go into more detail about the difference between legal and illegal cleaning in the article on undeclared versus declared cleaning.
If you wash textiles on-site instead of having sets in stock, add 1.5–2 hours of waiting time for machine and drying. It is often cheaper to buy more sets than to pay for that waiting time hour after hour.
Regular cleaner or DIY?
If you live nearby and rent out infrequently, you can easily do the turnover yourself. The challenge comes when you have multiple check-ins a week, live far away, or have two guests with only a few hours between them on a busy weekend. Then, a regular cleaner is the difference between renting out as a business and renting out as stress.
Choose based on this:
- DIY suits when you have less than one turnover per week, live near the dwelling, and have time within the time window.
- A regular cleaner pays off when you have multiple weekly check-ins, live far away, or rent out professionally and need predictable quality regardless of whether you are away.
A regular cleaner also provides something other than just time: neutral quality control. You no longer see your own dwelling with fresh eyes, but someone who cleans it every week does. If you are choosing a provider, we have a checklist in the guide on how to choose a cleaning provider – demand a fixed person, not rotating substitutes, so you don't have to train someone new every month.
Many who start with one rental property end up as regular B2B customers as their portfolio grows. When you operate multiple units, cleaning becomes part of the operating budget, similar to cleaning commercial premises – needs-driven and planned rather than firefighting.
Check the company in the Renholdsregisteret
No matter who you hire: look up the company in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret (Cleaning Register) first. Since July 1, 2018, it is illegal, and punishable, even for private individuals to purchase cleaning from a business that is not approved. It takes one minute using the organization number, and it protects both you and the person actually doing the job. More on why and how in the article on legal cleaning help and the Renholdsregisteret.
How to have a stain preparedness that can handle a busy weekend?
Guests spill. A good turnover routine does not assume it's clean; it assumes something is dirty. Have a fixed emergency kit ready so you don't have to search in the middle of the time window:
- Stain remover for textiles and an extra set of linen per bed.
- Regular all-purpose cleaner, dish soap, and microfiber cloths.
- Limescale remover for bathroom and shower. Vinegar and citric acid work against limescale, but never on natural stone, marble, granite, or slate – the acid etches and leaves dull spots. Always test in a hidden area first. If you have a stone countertop or marble in the bathroom, see the separate guide on removing limescale in the bathroom and shower.
A small safety rule that belongs in all rental properties: never mix bleach with anything other than water. Bleach and vinegar produce chlorine gas; bleach and ammonia produce chloramine – both are toxic. It's easy to make mistakes when you're in a hurry, so keep cleaning products separate and labeled. If you want to clean more gently for both guests and the environment, we have a guide to eco-friendly cleaning at home.
In summary
A profitable short-term rental stands or falls on the routine between guests. Keep three sets of textiles per bed, work through the same checklist every time, and have a stain emergency kit ready. If you do it yourself, allow enough time in the window. If you outsource it, check the company in the Renholdsregisteret and demand a wage above 236.54 NOK/hour. It costs more than undeclared help, but a good review is worth far more than the hundreds of kroner you save by cutting corners.
