Airbnb Cleaning Fees: What Should Hosts Charge Guests?

If you host on Airbnb, you've probably wondered how much to charge for cleaning, or whether to charge at all. Get it wrong and you're either eating the cost yourself or putting guests offside with a fee that feels steep. Here's how to think it through.

Should you charge a separate cleaning fee?

Most Airbnb hosts in Australia do charge a cleaning fee, shown separately from the nightly rate. It covers the cost of preparing the property between guests, turnover cleaning, fresh linen, restocking essentials, so that cost doesn't have to be folded into your nightly price. Guests generally expect to see one on a short-stay listing, as long as it's reasonable for the property.

How to set the fee

• Match it to your actual turnover cost. If your cleaning costs $292 for a two-bedroom turnover, pricing the fee well under that means you're subsidising every booking.
• Consider the property size. A studio and a five-bedroom house don't take the same time to turn around, and the fee shouldn't be identical either.
• Factor in extras. Linen changes, restocking and any add-ons like a BBQ clean add to the real cost.
• Check comparable listings. A fee wildly out of step with similar properties nearby can affect how your listing is perceived.

What actual turnovers cost

Housekept's Airbnb and holiday rental cleaning starts from $237 for a studio or one-bedroom and goes up to $688 for a seven-bedroom property (prices include GST, correct as at October 2026). A 25% loading applies on Saturdays, 50% on Sundays and 100% on public holidays, and a BBQ deep clean is available as an add-on at $40. Setting your cleaning fee around these real costs means every booking covers itself, rather than quietly cutting into your margin.

One fee or build it into the rate?

Some hosts prefer to fold cleaning into the nightly rate instead of showing a separate fee, particularly for longer stays where a flat cleaning fee can look disproportionate on a one or two-night booking. Either approach works, as long as the total reflects what turnovers actually cost you.

Airbnb cleaning fee FAQs

Do guests expect a cleaning fee?

Yes, a separate cleaning fee is common on short-stay listings in Australia, as long as it's reasonable for the property.

Should the fee be the same for every stay length?

Many hosts keep it flat regardless of nights booked, since the turnover work is the same whether a guest stays one night or seven.

What's included in a Housekept turnover?

Cleaning, bed-making and linen refresh, restocking essentials and presenting the property so it's guest-ready, scheduled around your guest checkout.

Want turnovers handled for you? Book an Airbnb clean or get in touch.