A consistent turnover clean is the difference between a 4.6 and a 4.9 rating. It's not about speed — it's about never missing a step. This is the exact room-by-room checklist our cleaning team follows on every Airbnb turnover in Edinburgh.
A standard 1-bed flat takes 60–90 minutes. A 2-bed, about 90–120 minutes. Work top to bottom in every room (dust falls down), and start with the bathroom or kitchen since they take longest.
Print this checklist and laminate it. Leave one at each property. Your cleaner ticks off each item as they go. Consistency is what gets you 5-star reviews.
🚪 Arrival (5 mins)
- Check for guest left-behind items — bag them, photograph, message host
- Open windows for ventilation
- Strip all beds, collect all used towels
- Bag linens for washing or swap with fresh set
- Collect all rubbish, take bins out
🍳 Kitchen (15–20 mins)
- All dishes washed or dishwasher run
- Wipe all worktops and splashback
- Clean hob — remove grates, degrease
- Wipe oven door exterior
- Clean microwave inside and out
- Clean sink and taps — descale if needed
- Wipe fridge exterior (inside if requested)
- Wipe all appliance fronts — toaster, kettle, coffee machine
- Empty bins, new bin liner
- Wipe cupboard fronts
- Sweep and mop floor
- Restock: dish soap, sponge, bin bags, tea/coffee/sugar if host provides
🚿 Bathroom (15–20 mins per bathroom)
- Clean toilet — inside bowl, outside, base, behind
- Clean shower or bath — tiles, glass/screen, drain, fixtures
- Descale showerhead if needed
- Clean sink, taps, and mirror — descale
- Wipe all surfaces and shelves
- Clean extractor fan vent
- Clean floor — mop, get behind toilet
- Hang fresh towels — neatly folded
- Restock: toilet paper (2+ rolls), hand soap, shampoo/conditioner if provided
Edinburgh-specific note: hard water is a real problem here. Limescale builds up fast on taps, showerheads, and glass screens. A good limescale remover (we use Viakal) is non-negotiable. Spray on taps and screens, leave 5 minutes, wipe off. The difference is dramatic.
🛏️ Bedrooms (10–15 mins per room)
- Make bed with fresh linens — hospital corners
- Fluff and arrange pillows
- Fold and place fresh towels on bed
- Dust all surfaces — bedside tables, dresser, windowsill
- Wipe light switches and door handles
- Check inside wardrobe and under bed for left items
- Hoover carpet or mop hard floor
- Arrange any welcome items or notes
The bed is the first thing guests judge. Hospital corners, fresh-smelling linens, pillows plumped. Make it look like a hotel.If you're not sure about hospital corners, YouTube has dozens of tutorials — it takes 30 seconds once you've learned it.
🛋️ Living areas (10–15 mins)
- Plump cushions, fold throws neatly
- Dust all surfaces
- Wipe TV screen and remote control (remotes are the dirtiest item in any property)
- Wipe light switches and door handles
- Hoover carpet or mop hard floor
- Clean interior windows if visibly marked
- Arrange books, magazines, games neatly
- Check WiFi details card is visible
✅ Final walkthrough (5 mins)
- Check all lights work
- Check heating/thermostat set to correct temperature
- Ensure WiFi details visible and correct
- All windows closed and locked
- All doors lock properly
- Take 5–6 verification photos (kitchen, bathroom, bed, living room, overview)
- Send photos to host via dashboard or messaging
- Secure keysafe or lockbox
How long should a turnover take?
| Property type | Expected time |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1-bed flat | 60–90 minutes |
| 2-bed flat | 90–120 minutes |
| 3-bed flat | 2–2.5 hours |
| 2-bed house | 2–2.5 hours |
| 3-bed house | 2.5–3 hours |
| 4-bed house | 3–4 hours |
These times assume the property is in standard condition after a normal guest stay. Heavy soiling, late checkouts, or properties that haven't been deep cleaned in a while will take longer.
Tips from our cleaners
- Work top to bottom — dust falls. Clean high shelves before mopping the floor.
- Bring your own supplies — don't rely on what's in the flat. A caddy with your kit means you're never stuck.
- Smell matters as much as sight — open windows during the clean. A light, clean scent. No heavy air freshener — it smells like you're covering something up.
- Check the shower drain — hair in the drain is the #1 thing guests mention in negative cleanliness reviews. Every. Single. Time.
- Wipe the remote control — it's the dirtiest thing in the flat. Guests notice when it's sticky.
- Photos are non-negotiable — 5-6 photos after every clean. Kitchen, bathroom, bed made, living room, one overview. This protects you AND the host.
- Leave a welcome touch — a neatly arranged welcome card, or simply perfectly aligned cushions. Small details create the "wow" feeling.
Common mistakes that cost you stars
After thousands of turnovers across Edinburgh, these are the mistakes we see most often from cleaners (and the ones that show up in reviews):
- Hair in the bathroom — on the floor, in the shower, on towels. The #1 complaint. Always check the drain, the bath edge, and the toilet rim.
- Smudged mirrors — use a glass-specific microfibre cloth and buff dry after cleaning. A single smudge catches the eye immediately.
- Dusty skirting boards — guests who get down to look under the bed will see the skirting boards. A quick wipe takes 2 minutes per room.
- Bins not relined — an empty bin without a fresh liner looks lazy. Always put a new bag in.
- Dishwasher not emptied — guests open the dishwasher, find the previous guest's clean dishes, and now they don't know if anything in the cupboards is clean either.
- Previous guest's food in the fridge — check the fridge every turnover. Remove anything that isn't the host's permanent stock (milk, butter, condiments).
Want us to handle this for you?
We follow this exact checklist on every clean. Auto-scheduled from your calendar. Photos sent to you when it's done. Same cleaner every time.