Rental apartment cleaning checklist — turnover step by step
A full apartment turnover protocol between guests (Airbnb, Booking.com): 7 stages from the walkthrough and damage inspection to the check-in-ready standard with a photo report. Every item is an acceptance criterion — the apartment must look identical at every check-in, because cleanliness ratings depend on it.
43 checkpoints · A4 format · Updated: July 2026
- Checkpoints
- 43
- Zones / stages
- 7
- Quality control
- 7 steps
- Format
- PDF / A4
This checklist is used by the Reefa team for apartment turnovers in Krakow and Katowice. A turnover of an apartment up to 50 m² takes about 2.5 hours (51–80 m² — about 3 h), and roughly 80% of guest reviews of apartments concern cleanliness — a separate rating on Airbnb and Booking.com. Damage found during a turnover is documented with date-stamped photos: AirCover for Hosts requires reporting damage within 14 days.
What does an apartment turnover look like — stage by stage?
Tick the items one by one while accepting the cleaning. Frequencies: weekly — at least once a week, monthly — once a month, quarterly — every 3 months.
Turnover start: walkthrough and damage inspection
| Windows opened — apartment aired throughout the turnover (min. 15 minutes) | every turnover | |
| Walkthrough with damage inspection: damage, stains and missing inventory photographed with date stampsAirbnb AirCover for Hosts requires reporting damage with evidence within 14 days | every turnover | |
| Items left behind by guests collected, photographed and reported to the owner | every turnover | |
| All bed linens and towels stripped and set aside for laundry (no sorting into "looks clean") | every turnover | |
| Trash collected from all bins, including bathroom and kitchen | every turnover |
Bedroom and textiles
| Bed made with a fresh, ironed linen set; covers pulled tight without creases | every turnover | |
| Mattress and protector inspected (stains = wash/replace before the next guest) | every turnover | |
| Surfaces damp-wiped: nightstands, windowsills, dresser, headboard | every turnover | |
| Floor vacuumed and mopped, including under the bed | every turnover | |
| Wardrobe and drawers checked — empty, with a full set of hangers | every turnover | |
| Spare linen and towel set in stock (min. 3 sets per bed in rotation) | every turnover |
Bathroom
| Toilet cleaned and disinfected in full: bowl, seat, flush tank, base | every turnover | |
| Shower/bathtub cleaned: fixtures polished, drain cleared of hair, grout free of buildup | every turnover | |
| Sink and tap cleaned, mirror free of streaks and marks | every turnover | |
| Fresh towels hung per standard (count matching the number of guests) | every turnover | |
| Supplies restocked: toilet paper (min. 2 rolls), soap, shower gel, shampoo | every turnover | |
| Floor mopped and disinfected, bin washed and fitted with a new liner | every turnover |
Kitchen / kitchenette
| Countertops and sink cleaned and disinfected; tap polished dry | every turnover | |
| Dishes, cutlery and glassware clean, complete, arranged per standard (count them!) | every turnover | |
| Fridge emptied of guest food, wiped inside, odor-free | every turnover | |
| Stove/cooktop, oven and microwave clean inside and out | every turnover | |
| Kettle, coffee machine and toaster clean; filter/capsules restocked | every turnover | |
| Welcome supplies restocked per list: coffee, tea, sugar, dish soap, sponge, trash bags | every turnover | |
| Dishwasher emptied, filter rinsed; bin fitted with a new liner | every turnover |
Living room
| Sofa vacuumed — including UNDER the seat cushions (crumbs, guest belongings) | every turnover | |
| Sofa bed: checked inside, its spare bedding clean and folded | every turnover | |
| Surfaces wiped: coffee table, TV (dry microfiber), shelves, windowsills, décor | every turnover | |
| Floor vacuumed and mopped; rug vacuumed along both sides of its edges | every turnover | |
| TV remote disinfected, batteries checked | every turnover | |
| Guest instructions, house guide and materials in place and in good condition | every turnover | |
| Balcony/terrace: floor swept, furniture wiped, ashtray washed | every turnover |
Technical checks and safety
| All light points checked — burnt-out bulbs replaced (spares kept in the apartment) | every turnover | |
| Wi-Fi tested (connecting to the network from the guest card), router restarted if there are issues | every turnover | |
| TV, air conditioning/heating and water heater tested in operation | every turnover | |
| Smoke / CO detector checked (indicator light), fire extinguisher and first-aid kit in place | every turnover | |
| Locks, keys and key box checked; code changed if the procedure requires it | every turnover | |
| Windows closed and locked after airing; blinds/curtains set per standard | every turnover |
Final stage: check-in-ready standard
| Smell test: neutral or fresh — no trace of food, smoke or damp | every turnover | |
| Furniture and décor arrangement matching the listing photos (guests compare!) | every turnover | |
| Temperature set to a comfortable level before arrival (heating/air conditioning) | every turnover | |
| Readiness photo report sent to the owner/operator: bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room | every turnover | |
| Faults and missing items reported the same day with photo documentation | every turnover | |
| Door locked, keys returned per procedure (key box / reception / coordinator) | every turnover |
How to inspect a turnover — a procedure for owners and operators
With a new crew, inspect every turnover (in person or via the photo report before check-in); with a proven one, switch to spot checks every 4–5 turnovers and always after a guest complaint. It is the hotel inspection model applied to apartments.
Set the inspection moment: after the turnover is finished and before guest check-in — at that point a lapse can still be fixed without consequences in the ratings.
Test the 5 critical points: under the sofa/bed, the shower drain, the fridge interior, the microwave, the bathroom grout — these are the spots guests call out in reviews.
Count the sets: dishes, cutlery, towels and linens against the inventory list — shortages always surface at full occupancy.
Verify the photo report: the photos must show the state from THIS turnover (date/time), and the frames must cover the key zones, not details.
Check supplies against the par stock: toilet paper, soap, coffee, tea, cleaning products — below minimum means restocking before check-in, not "next time around".
Compare the apartment with the listing photos: cushion arrangement, décor, curtains — guests judge how well it matches what they booked.
After every guest complaint about cleanliness, run a full checklist audit and go over the result with the crew — a single complaint is a systemic signal, not a fluke.
How long a turnover takes and why cutting it short backfires
A turnover of an apartment up to 50 m² takes about 2.5 hours of one person's work, 51–80 m² — about 3 hours, above 80 m² — 4 hours. That fits comfortably within the standard changeover window (check-out 11:00, check-in 15:00); for same-day bookings, a two-person crew cuts the time in half.
Cutting a turnover short always hits the same points: under the sofa, the shower drain, the fridge interior and counting the sets. These are exactly the spots that end up in reviews — roughly 80% of apartment reviews concern cleanliness, and on Airbnb and Booking.com the cleanliness score is a separate rating that affects the listing's position.
Linens, supplies and damage — three processes around the checklist
Bed linens are replaced in full after every check-out — with no sorting into "looks clean"; on longer stays the standard is a change every 3 days. The rotation requires a minimum of 3 sets per bed: one on the bed, one in the laundry, one in reserve. Consumable supplies (toilet paper, soap, coffee) are managed with a par-stock list — the minimum level a guest must find on arrival.
Damage found on the walkthrough is documented immediately: date-stamped photos, a description in the report, and a same-day notification. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts requires a claim with evidence within 14 days — and the cleaning crew is the first and often the only witness to the apartment's condition after the guest leaves.
Short answers.
Turnovers without your involvement?
Reefa runs apartment turnovers in Krakow and Katowice: scheduling from your booking calendar, linens and supplies under control, a photo report after every turnover — from 60 zł net.