Adding a Cleaning Fee: A Community Help Guide [UPDATE]

[Dave-and-Deb0]

There are mixed feelings of many hosts whether to have a cleaning fee on their listing or not.  Some hosts add a cleaning fee in their listing while others build it into the price.  Here is a Help Guide on how to add a cleaning fee to your listing.

***NOTE: This Help Guide has been created using the new layout so if you have a different layout, please visit https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosts/Adding-a-Cleaning-Fee-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/53351#M24...

First of all, if you do not have the option to add a cleaning fee, you will need to publish your listing first and then the option will be available.  I recommend to publish your listing and then quickly unlist it so that you get the full editing options for your listing.

Step 1: Click on "Host" and then "Manage Listings" and then choose the listing you wish to add the cleaning fee to.

Step 2: From the choices, choose "Pricing" and then go to the "Extra Charges" section and choose Edit.

Step 3: Go to the "Cleaning Fee" section and then enter the cleaning fee followed by selecting "Save"

[Lisa589]

I did not find out that they were not charging a cleaning fee or security deposit until I had booked the whole year out. It would have been helpful if they had walked us through the set up process from the beginning and had that be one of the things we set up. Now, when I go back to add it to future reservations, Airbnb takes their percentage (and taxes) from the whole amount, including the refundable security deposit, which gets returned. This adds to the cost for the guest and makes less profit for the homeowner. Not very happy about that. 

[Brux0]

@Lisa589 as far as the security deposit, as far as I know, airbnb does not charge it anymore.  At the beginning was charging it, then started doing like rental car an authorization, and now it doesn't even do that anymore.  When a guest books basically agrees that if some damage are done to the apt, airbnb can charge his/her card.  So the security deposit is charged on the card only when a compain is opened by the host.  

As far as charging the airbnb fees on top of the cleaning as well, that is actually happening.  Not happy about that as well

cheers

brunello

[Jacqueline1]

@Lisa0, @Brux0, I wish that the cleaning fee could be charged when the Guests depart: if they were super clean and considerate, perhaps no fee, if they were moderate, another fee, and if they were incledibly messy, a higher fee.

Also, I wish that the security deposit was as a "hold" kept open for a week or two. The problem with Airbnb wanting to charge a Credit Card once a claim was a opened presents the risk that the Guest could cancel the Credit Card the day of departure, or even while the booking is in progress.

[Hollie6]

My first few listings it prompted to me in regards of the cleaning fee, but my most recent listing it did not, so I wasn't aware I had no cleaning fee. They definetly should prompt the host on this! Guess thats why I got lots of bookings right off the bat! I charge $75.00 and thats what I pay my housekeeper. It takes about 3 hours to prepare for the guests.  I also agree that they shouldn't be adding a fee to the cleaning fee.

[Wayne9]

I personally have never had any comments, positive or negative, about having a cleaning fee.  I think guests understand that the place needs to be cleaned and makes them not feel so bad about not cleaning up when they leave.   If a potential guest asked to waive the cleaning fee and offered to clean before the left, I would be open to that option, but it has never happened.

[Franceska1]

I have been asked before to wave the cleaning fee because they are "clean" but I prefer to have my expert housecleaner clean after every guest to my specifications. The longer the stay, the more the cleaning fee is amortized. I have learned that everyone has a different idea about "clean" over the many years of hosting and guesting! 

[Eileen79]

Hello. 

I am a new host and only recently learned about cleaning fees.   Has there been discussion in the past about adding cleaning fees after x number of days or x number of additional guests?    That seems to me to be a logical option but there could be technical reasons why it has not been done. 

I do not want to add a cleaning fee for single night, single occupant stays, but it seems fair and reasonable to add that for multiple people and the rare occasion when I would allow a pet (for "passing through" guests and occasional service animals).    How do other people handle that?   I suppose I could say in the Notes or description that I will offer a special "negative discount" for pets.  And the extra fee per person could cover the cleaning cost.   

Appreciate your advice and input!  Thank you

[Isabelle1074]

Hi Eileen,

I agree - the cleaning fee is complicated by the extent of the stay. My place operates like a share house when I have guests - paying or otherwise - I would expect everyone to pitch in when there are longer stays. I am interested in hosting longer stays, but feel that the relationship and expectations becomes grey around cleaning etc, and that there is no way to build in another option with the way that air b and b is currently set up.

Isabelle

[Jeaneen0]

 @Eileen79 , it is not legal to charge extra for service dogs, they are not “pets”.  If there is damage done, due to the service dog, you can request that from the guest. Service dogs are considered medical devices, legally, the same as a walker or wheelchair. 

[Lisa662]

My listing is a 3 bedroom house. I hire a cleaner to thoroughly clean the whole house thoroughly between listings, change the sheets, and so on. The cleaning cost to me is the same whether the guests stay the minimum of 2 nights, or quite a bit longer. It seems fairer therefore to add a separate cleaning fee as a one-off cost, rather than build it in to the daily rate. Otherwise, people staying for longer periods would subsidise the cleaning costs of guests staying for shorter periods, which seems unfair. I have had no comment or complaint about the cleaning fee. In any case, people who really don't want to pay a separate cleaning fee can always choose not to book my listing.

[Big-Mamma-S-Budget-Rooms0]

just a few questions:

1. how do you charge cleaning fee (do guests pay on their arrival in cash or does it Airbnb include that in their total)?

2. why don't you include cleaning fee in your price?

thank you 🙂

[Mani7]

It is useful, appreciated!

[Shushannah0]

I started out clueless. By the time I realized I wasn't getting enough money for all my efforts, I'd been listed for several months. I just added a very modest cleaning fee of $20 and suddenly, ALL bookings STOPPED! I have nothing for the month of June after having SEVERAL bookings each month before. Could that  $20 cleaning fee have caused this? I've called Customer Service and they say that I'm not asking too much. In fact, other homes comparable to mine are asking much more! I even offered a 25% off special to people who had been looking at my listing, to NO avail! I just don't understand why I am not getting ANY bookings! Can anyone relate? If I don't get at least one booking this month, my checking account will be in overdraft, because I did some upgrades, bought new pillows, lenins, comforters, towels and curtains. I did this to make my guests feel more comfortable and now I have no guests at all and $16 left in my account! I'll owe $15 on my next doctor visit, which is the 21st.  I'm wondering if this is just an off month? Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[Jelena78]

Hi, how can I check if cleaning fee and city taxes are included in my payout because on total earnings they are not stated