How Much Should You Charge as an Airbnb Cleaning Fee?

Your Airbnb cleaning fee is one of the most important pricing decisions you'll make as a host. Set it too low and you eat into your margins — or worse, you can't afford professional cleaning and your reviews suffer. Set it too high and guests book somewhere else.

Most hosts guess. We looked at the data instead. Using analysis from AirROI's study of 2.4 million active Airbnb listings across 20 countries— combined with our own Edinburgh market data from 290+ local listings — here's what actually works.

Want the quick answer? Use our free cleaning fee calculator → — enter your nightly rate and bedrooms, get your optimal fee in 10 seconds.

The global picture: what hosts charge worldwide

First, some context. Across AirROI's dataset of 2.4 million listings with over 20% occupancy:

• 73% of listings globally charge a cleaning fee
• The average fee equals 55% of the average daily rate (ADR)
• In the UK specifically, 63.2% of listings charge a cleaning fee, averaging $74 (≈£58) on a $185 ADR (≈£145)

So if you're an Edinburgh host wondering whether to charge a cleaning fee at all — yes. Nearly two-thirds of UK hosts already do, and the revenue data overwhelmingly supports it.

The cleaning fee sweet spot: 25–50% of your nightly rate

This is the single most valuable insight from the data. AirROI bucketed 685,000 US entire-home listings by their cleaning fee as a percentage of ADR and measured annual revenue across each tier:

Source: AirROI analysis of 685,000 US entire-home listings with >20% occupancy.

Listings in the 25–50% sweet spot earn 72% more than no-fee listings — and 13% more than the most common bracket (50–75%). The occupancy is near the top at 46.2%, and crucially, ratings are identicalwhether you charge a fee or not. Guests don't punish you for a cleaning fee. They punish you for a dirty property.

What this means for Edinburgh hosts

Let's apply the sweet spot formula to typical Edinburgh properties:

Notice something? Our prices land right in the sweet spot for most Edinburgh properties. A 2-bed flat with a £160 ADR charging an £85 cleaning fee is at 53% — just above the sweet spot ceiling. But during August when ADRs climb to £280+, that same £85 fee drops to 30% — firmly in the optimal range.

Cleaning fee by bedroom count

What hosts actually charge varies significantly by property size. Here's the US benchmark data (the UK follows a similar pattern):

Source: AirROI data, US entire-home listings.

Two takeaways: first, the larger the property, the more likely hosts charge a fee (93% of 4-bed homes vs 59% of studios). Second, the fee-to-ADR ratio peaks at 3 bedrooms — larger homes command premium nightly rates that outpace cleaning costs.

Do Superhosts charge cleaning fees?

Yes — 89% of Superhosts charge a cleaning fee. And the results are dramatic:

• Superhosts with a fee earn $60,995/year vs $33,879 without — an 80% revenue gap
• Both groups maintain a 4.90 average rating — the fee has zero impact on guest satisfaction
• Regular hosts with a fee still earn 62% more than those without ($50,815 vs $31,291)

Superhosts who charge a cleaning fee can afford better cleaning, which helps them maintain Superhost status. It's a virtuous cycle: charge a fee → invest in quality → keep ratings high → earn more → reinvest.

What Edinburgh hosts typically charge guests

Based on our analysis of 290+ Edinburgh Airbnb listings, here's the typical cleaning fee range compared to what professional cleaning actually costs:

For 1-bed flats, hosts typically subsidise £5–£25 from their nightly rate to cover the full cleaning cost. For 2–3 bed properties, it's roughly cost-neutral — the cleaning fee covers the clean. The key insight: the cleaning fee isn't meant to be your profit margin. It's meant to cover your biggest operational cost so your nightly rate stays competitive.

How to set your cleaning fee: 3-step framework

Step 1: Calculate your actual cleaning cost

Add up everything a single turnover costs you:

• Cleaner labour (hours × hourly rate, typically £14–£20/hr in Edinburgh)
• Cleaning supplies (£3–£5 per turnover)
• Restocking consumables — toilet roll, soap, coffee, bin bags (£5–£10)
• Laundry or linen service (£10–£20 per set)
• Your coordination time — scheduling, quality checks, communication

For a typical Edinburgh 2-bed, this totals £60–£90 per turnover. This is your cost floor — never set your cleaning fee below it.

Step 2: Benchmark against your market

Search 10–15 comparable Edinburgh listings on Airbnb. Filter by your property size, area, and guest count. Record their cleaning fees and nightly rates. Calculate the median — that's your local benchmark.

Step 3: Target 25–50% of your ADR

Multiply your average nightly rate by 0.25 and 0.50. Set your cleaning fee where this range overlaps with your cost floor.

Example: Your ADR is £160 and your actual cleaning cost is £85.

• Sweet spot range: £40–£80 (25–50% of £160)
• Cost floor: £85
• Your optimal cleaning fee: £85–£90 (covering costs while staying as close to the sweet spot as possible)

If your cost floor is significantly above 50% of ADR, you have two options: raise your nightly rate, or reduce your turnover costs by using a more efficient cleaning service.

Should you charge a cleaning fee at all?

The short answer: yes, almost always. The data is overwhelming:

• Listings with a fee earn 52–72% more annually than no-fee listings
• Guest ratings are virtually identical whether you charge a fee or not (4.88 vs 4.85)
• 89% of Superhosts charge a cleaning fee
• Since Airbnb's total price display (global since April 2025), the fee is transparently included in search results — no more "hidden fee" surprise

The only scenario where skipping makes sense: you have a brand-new listing with zero reviews and want to maximise early bookings. Even then, plan to add a fee after collecting 10+ reviews.

The bottom line for Edinburgh hosts

Charge a cleaning fee. Set it between 25–50% of your nightly rate. Use professional cleaning. The fee pays for itself — literally. Hosts who charge a cleaning fee earn significantly more, get the same ratings, and can afford the quality of cleaning that maintains their reputation.

See what professional cleaning costs for your property →