15 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Airbnb Cleaner
Before hiring an Airbnb cleaner, ask about their turnover experience, how they handle sick days and same day turnovers, how they report damage and low supplies, whether they carry insurance, and how they want to be paid. The answers tell you whether someone can run a turnover to your standard on a deadline, which is a different skill from cleaning a home well.
Below are the 15 questions I use, grouped by what they reveal, with notes on what a strong answer sounds like. Use them on a phone call before you book a paid test clean.
Experience and fit
1. How many short term rental turnovers do you do each week?
This tells you whether they understand turnover work and whether they have room in their schedule for you. Someone doing turnovers for several hosts already has habits for linens, restocking and resets.
Good answer: A specific number and a sense of their busiest days. "About eight a week, mostly Friday to Monday."
2. What is different about cleaning a rental compared to a regular home?
This is my favorite question. A cleaner who has done real turnovers will talk about resetting for the next guest: staging, restocking, checking for items left behind, reporting damage.
Good answer: Mentions restocking, bed making to a standard, checking every drawer and closet, and tight timing.
3. How long would a turnover at my property take you?
Share the bedroom and bathroom count and whether laundry is done onsite. Their estimate helps you plan your turnover window and tells you whether they are realistic. For your own benchmarks, see how long an Airbnb turnover takes.
Good answer: A range, with questions back to you about laundry, hot tubs or outdoor areas.
Reliability
4. What happens if you are sick on a turnover day?
Every cleaner will miss a day eventually. What matters is their plan.
Good answer: "I have a partner who covers for me," or "I tell you as early as I know so you can call your backup." A red flag is "that never happens."
5. How much notice do you need for a new booking or a change?
Last minute bookings are part of hosting. You need to know if they can react to them.
Good answer: A clear number, such as 24 hours, plus willingness to try for shorter notice when possible.
6. Can you handle same day turnovers, and how often?
If checkout is 11 and check in is 4, you need someone who can finish inside that window every time.
Good answer: Yes, with a note on how many they can fit in one day across properties.
7. How do you want to receive your schedule?
Some cleaners want a shared calendar, some want a turnover app, some want a text. Choosing a method they will actually check prevents missed cleans.
Good answer: One clear channel they check daily.
Quality and communication
8. How do you make sure nothing gets missed?
Listen for a system: a checklist, a room order, a final walkthrough.
Good answer: "I work top to bottom, room by room, then do a last walk with the checklist." A cleaner who says "I just know" may be excellent, but will be harder to hold to your standard.
9. Are you comfortable taking photos after each turnover?
Photos are how you check work when you are not there, and how you prove condition if a guest complains or causes damage. I explain the shot list I use in what photos to ask your Airbnb cleaner for.
Good answer: Yes, and ideally they already do it for other hosts. Tools like Clyn make this quick for the cleaner: they photograph each area in the app, and the AI checks the photos against your standard and asks for a retake if one is blurry or dark.
10. How do you tell a host about damage, missing items or low supplies?
You want to hear about a cracked mirror the day it is found, before the next guest arrives and before the window to file a claim passes.
Good answer: "I send a photo and a text right away."
11. What do you do when you find something left behind by a guest?
This reveals whether they think about the guest experience and about trust.
Good answer: They photograph it, bag it, label it with the date and tell you.
12. How do you prefer to get feedback?
Everyone needs correction sometimes. Asking this up front makes it easier later. I cover this in more depth in how to give your cleaner feedback.
Good answer: Anything specific. "Send me a photo of what was missed" is a great one.
Business and money
13. Do you carry liability insurance?
If a cleaner damages your property or gets hurt on the job, insurance matters. Ask what kind of coverage they have and ask to see proof. Then check with your own insurance provider about what your policy covers for people working in the home.
Good answer: Yes, with proof available. If they do not, factor that into your decision and talk to your insurer.
14. How do you price, and what counts as an extra?
Some cleaners charge per turnover, some hourly, and extras vary widely. Get it clear now. See how much to pay an Airbnb cleaner for how to structure it.
Good answer: A flat turnover rate plus a short list of defined extras (pet hair, extra laundry, deep clean, same day premium).
15. Who provides supplies and linens?
This affects cost, quality and who restocks what.
Good answer: A clear split, for example "you provide linens and guest supplies, I bring my cleaning products and vacuum." Write the split into your cleaner agreement.
How to score the answers
After the call, I rate each candidate on four things. A simple 1 to 3 score keeps you honest when comparing people.
| Area | What a 3 looks like |
|---|---|
| Turnover experience | Currently does rental turnovers, understands resets and restocking |
| Reliability plan | Has a clear answer for sick days and short notice |
| Communication | Responds quickly, reports problems with photos |
| Clarity on terms | Clear pricing, extras and supply split |
Anyone who scores well moves on to a paid test clean. Nobody gets a real guest turnover without one.
Red flags to take seriously
- They cannot describe a single difference between house cleaning and turnovers
- They get defensive about photos or checklists
- They are vague about what happens when they cannot come
- They quote a price without asking anything about your property
- They are slow or hard to reach during the hiring process itself
That last one matters. How someone communicates while trying to win your business is usually the best version you will see.
FAQ
Should I interview more than one cleaner?
Yes, if you can. Talking to two or three people gives you a sense of what normal pricing and answers look like in your area, and you may end up with a backup cleaner from the same search.
Is it okay to ask a cleaner for references?
Yes. Ask for one or two hosts they currently clean for, and call them. Ask whether the cleaner has ever missed a turnover and how they report problems.
What should happen after the interview?
Book a paid test clean on a day with no guest arriving, inspect it against your checklist and reference photos, and give specific feedback before you add them to your schedule.
If you want every turnover checked before check in, you can try Clyn free on one property at clyn.com.