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Airbnb Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

An Airbnb kitchen turnover should cover six things in order: clear the fridge and trash, run and put away dishes, clean appliances inside and out, wipe counters and cabinet fronts from top to bottom, clean the sink and floor last, then restock and stage. The spots guests notice most are sticky handles, crumbs in drawers, food left in the fridge or microwave, grease on the stovetop and dishes that were put away still dirty.

Guests use the kitchen differently than any other room. They open every drawer looking for a corkscrew and pull out a pan that should be clean. That is why a quick wipe of the counters is not enough, and why the kitchen deserves its own checklist.

Before you start

• Use a separate color of microfiber for the kitchen so bathroom cloths never come near food areas.
• Start the dishwasher as early as possible so it finishes while you clean.
• Read product labels. Use food safe products on surfaces that touch food and follow any contact time on disinfectants.
• Open a window or run the hood fan if products have a strong smell.

Step by step kitchen checklist

1. Clear out

• Empty the fridge and freezer of guest food, including items at the back and in the door
• Empty the trash, recycling and compost and replace the liners
• Wipe inside the bins if anything leaked
• Remove anything guests left on counters or in cabinets

Decide in advance what happens to unopened guest food. Many hosts have the cleaner throw out everything opened and follow a simple rule for the rest. Write it down so it is the same every time.

2. Dishes

• Load and run the dishwasher, or hand wash
• Check every dish, glass and utensil as it is put away, and rewash anything with residue
• Check pots and pans for grease on the bottoms and handles
• Empty the dish rack and dry it
• Count items against your inventory if you keep one

Guests often load the dishwasher at checkout, which helps, but it is still worth checking that the cycle actually ran. If you ask guests to do this, see Airbnb checkout tasks: what you can ask guests to do.

3. Appliances

• Stovetop: remove grates and burner caps, degrease, wipe the knobs
• Oven: check inside for spills and crumbs, wipe the door glass
• Microwave: clean inside, including the ceiling and turntable, and wipe the keypad
• Fridge: wipe shelves, drawers and door seals, then the handle and outside
• Dishwasher: wipe the door edges and check the filter for food
• Coffee maker: empty grounds or pods, rinse the carafe and reservoir, wipe the plate
• Kettle and toaster: empty crumbs from the toaster tray and wipe outsides
• Range hood: wipe the underside and check the filter on your deep clean schedule

4. Surfaces, top to bottom

• Wipe the top of the fridge and open shelves if they are reachable
• Wipe cabinet fronts and handles, especially near the stove and trash
• Clean the backsplash
• Wipe inside drawers and shelves guests use, shaking out crumbs
• Clean and disinfect counters, moving everything to wipe underneath
• Wipe light switches and any tablet or speaker in the kitchen
• Wipe the dining table and chairs, including the chair seats and legs

5. Sink and floor last

• Scrub the sink basin and around the drain
• Clean the faucet and dry it so there are no water spots
• Run the disposal with water if you have one, and check for smells
• Sweep or vacuum, including under the table, toe kicks and fridge front
• Mop from the far side toward the exit

6. Restock and stage

• Dish soap and a new sponge
• Dishwasher tablets
• Paper towels
• Trash and recycling bags
• Coffee, filters or pods, tea and sugar if you provide them
• Salt, pepper and cooking oil, checking dates
• Clean dish towels, folded the same way every time
• Stage any welcome items in the same spot

The full refill list is in the Airbnb restocking checklist.

The spots guests notice most

Deeper kitchen tasks on a schedule

Some kitchen jobs do not fit a normal turnover. Put them on your Airbnb deep cleaning schedule:

• Deep clean the oven
• Clean the range hood filter
• Clean behind and under the fridge and stove
• Descale the kettle and coffee maker
• Clean the dishwasher filter and run a cleaning cycle
• Wipe inside all cabinets and replace shelf liners if you use them
• Check pantry items and spices for expiration dates

Photo standard for the kitchen

Ask for the same shots at every turnover, from the same spots:

1. The whole kitchen from the entrance
2. Counters and backsplash
3. Stovetop
4. Inside the fridge, doors open
5. Inside the microwave
6. The sink
7. The coffee station and staged supplies
8. The dining table

A clear photo of the open fridge alone prevents a lot of "there was food left from the last guest" messages.

How Clyn checks the kitchen

Once you have a photo standard, Clyn checks it for you. Your cleaner takes the kitchen photos in the Clyn app, and the AI compares each one to your property's standard. A crumb covered counter, food left in the fridge or a dirty stovetop gets flagged while the cleaner is still onsite, and blurry or dark shots get sent back for a retake. You get a pass or a fix list and a dated photo record of the kitchen at every turnover.

FAQ

What should be cleaned in an Airbnb kitchen after every guest?

Dishes, all appliances inside and out, counters, cabinet fronts and handles, drawers guests use, the sink and the floor, then restock basics like dish soap, sponges and paper towels.

Should my Airbnb cleaner throw away food guests leave behind?

Decide on a written rule and apply it every time. Many hosts discard anything opened and handle unopened items according to a set policy.

How do I stop dirty dishes being put away?

Ask your cleaner to check each item as it goes back into the cabinet and rewash anything with residue, even if the guest ran the dishwasher.

If you want every turnover checked before check in, you can try Clyn free on one property at clyn.com.