@Katie (I am repeating my post, which contradicts what you said in your answer (I think) regarding a more general compliance with AirBnb's cleaning protocol versus detailed compliance with the checklists also.) Clarity?
10/22/20: I had originally tagged Catherine Powell in a Community question last week and got no answer -- although this seems like a pretty important question. So then I called AirBnb yesterday and was on hold for 40 minutes before I hung up. HOWEVER.....I just got off the phone with Airbnb Customer Support today (10/22/20); CSR’s name was Isiah. I explained my concern about the need to clarify the AirBnb cleaning protocol commitment, using the example that I host full homes and have full kitchens and while the dishes that were used by the last guests would be washed, I would not be willing or able (in accordance with AirBnb’s detailed room checklists) to remove ALL the dishes from the cupboards, ALL the pots and pans, ALL the spice jars etc., and wipe and sanitize ALL of them, whether or not they had been used by the last guests. (And I specifically tell guests this in a note posted prominently in my houses -- so they can decide if they wish to wipe and sanitize these items before using them; or use their own items brought with them.) I also used a similar example with the CSR of the bed linens and bed blanket being washed after each guest stay, but I would not be removing extra blankets from the closet and washing all of those whether they were used or not, after each guest stay (and again, I post this info in my houses). However, I said WOULD be able to have my professional cleaning service generally follow the 5 Steps in the sequence offered and replicate the OVERALL cleaning process as outlined by Airbnb, most of which my cleaning service is doing already anyhow and which could be slightly modified to comply with Airbnb’s protocol. I asked these questions and gave these examples several times to make sure lsiah, the CSR, understood the essence of my question — I.e. “What does compliance REALLY mean?” He said he did understand my question and said he needed to consult with his support team for a few minutes to get an answer and he put me on hold while he did. He then came back and said, for example, ALL dishes and ALL linens in the house that are available to guests, whether used or unused, needed to be washed and sanitized in order to comply with the Airbnb cleaning protocol. So.... at least per this CSR’s answer, Step 4 compliance is not “based on,” in a general sense, the cleaning checklists. It means full compliance with those checklists in a detailed way — something I would suspect most hosts who are hosting a full home could not comply with, without significantly altering the amenities to their homes or creating a cleaning process and cost nightmare. Or perhaps AirBnb is trying to get "back to its roots" and get out of the whole home hosting business? If anyone gets a different answer, I’d be interested in hearing it. Laura