Understanding Airbnb cleaning fees

Cleaning fees on Airbnb listings: a mystery to some, a significant help to others. However, whether you are a tenant or a property owner, it is perfectly normal to have questions about this topic, which is sometimes—and unfairly—avoided. Today, your Welkeys property management service is here to help you see things more clearly.

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Why add cleaning fees?

Short-term rentals mean frequent turnover in a property. Consequently, cleaning sessions multiply after guests depart. It is a time-consuming and sometimes unpleasant task, but one that is absolutely necessary to welcome guests in the best possible conditions. But how do you manage the incidental expenses that can arise from maintaining a rental property or managing household linens? By listing your property on Airbnb, you can directly include cleaning fees in your listing. It is a mark of cleanliness that can inspire confidence in your future tenants, but it can also lead to confusion. Whether you are an owner or a traveler, we offer some explanations to help you better understand what Airbnb cleaning fees can cover.

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What exactly do Airbnb cleaning fees represent?

According to the Airbnb platform itself, cleaning fees "allow hosts to cover the extra expenses they incur to prepare their space for guests before or after their stay." As such, they do not just cover the cleaning of the property, but can also involve a wider range of tasks. At Welkeys, these additional fees include, for example, the setup of hotel-quality bed linens. But that’s not all! The transport of these linens is also included.

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Generally speaking, the owner or property manager is free to choose what to include in these fees and how to price them. The booking platform does not impose any criteria. However, it is good to know that when a potential guest views the listing, they see a nightly price that includes the cleaning fees divided by the total number of nights selected. It is only when the traveler makes a booking request that the nightly rate and the cleaning fees appear separately on two different lines. It is therefore essential to be as transparent as possible. We also advise you to consider the impact of cleaning fees on your occupancy rate. However, never prioritize quantity over quality!

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How are cleaning fees calculated at Welkeys?

To set these cleaning fees as accurately as possible, our teams take two key factors into account:

• The cleaning itself. The scope of the task is assessed based on the square footage of the rental property, and a rate is calculated per hour. The provision and setup of bed linens. This second part of the price varies based on the number of beds available in the property.

Once the total is calculated, you get the cleaning fees paid by the travelers. Note also that the 17% commission taken by the booking platform on the cleaning fees is factored into the estimated costs. Furthermore, cleaning fees also vary depending on the property's geographic area and its distance from major cities. In such cases, the longer travel time for our teams must be taken into account. As you can see, the amount of the cleaning fees can vary based on several elements.

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Welkeys supports you from A to Z

Are you renting out your property for short-term stays but lack the time to handle the resulting logistics? At Welkeys, we support you and manage the entire rental process for you, from creating your listing to welcoming guests and handling the cleaning. It’s simple: you no longer have to worry about the maintenance of your property!

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