Why the split matters
The two lists are bought at different times, stored in different places and paid for by different people. Guest consumables get used at an unpredictable rate and run out; the cleaner's kit is replenished on a schedule by whoever owns it. Treat them as one list and both go wrong: the cupboard fills with cleaning products nobody guest-facing needs, and the thing that actually generates complaints, running out of paper, keeps happening.
List one: the turnover kit
What gets carried in and used on every visit. In most arrangements the cleaner owns this and prices it into their rate. If you supply it instead, say so in writing, because it changes what a quote should be.
| Category | What is in it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cloths | Colour-coded microfibre, one colour per zone | Colour coding is the cheapest way to stop a bathroom cloth reaching a kitchen counter |
| Bathroom | Toilet cleaner, descaler, glass cleaner, a dedicated toilet brush | Descaler matters more in hard-water areas than any other single product |
| Kitchen | Degreaser, surface spray, stainless steel cloth | Appliance fronts and handles are what a guest touches first |
| Floors | Vacuum with a hose, mop with a spare head, floor cleaner | A spare mop head per property is the difference between clean floors and moved dirt |
| Glass and mirrors | Glass cleaner and a dedicated dry cloth | Streaks are one of the most visible misses in any property |
| Consumable to the job | Bin liners, gloves, paper towel | Bought in bulk, restocked on a schedule rather than when they run out |
| Kit itself | Caddy, spare linen set if agreed, a step stool | The spare linen set is what makes a tight same-day turnover possible |
List two: what guests get
Whatever the listing promises has to be there, and the way to make that reliable is a par level per item. Decide the number once, and every turnover becomes counting up to it rather than judging whether there is enough.
| Item | Suggested par level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet paper | 2 rolls per bathroom, plus 2 visible spares | The single most common complaint, and the cheapest to prevent |
| Hand soap | Full or replaced at every turnover | A half-empty pump reads as a used property |
| Shower products | Topped up or sealed and new | Refillable dispensers reduce waste; sealed bottles reassure |
| Kitchen roll | 1 in use plus 1 spare | |
| Bin liners | Enough for the length of a typical stay | Guests who cannot find liners leave the bin unlined |
| Dish soap and sponge | Replaced when tired, not when finished | A worn sponge is noticed |
| Dishwasher pods | A visible handful in a labelled container | |
| Laundry pods | Only if the property has a washer guests may use | |
| Coffee, tea, sugar | Whatever the listing names, restocked in full | If the listing names it, it is a promise |
| Basic cleaning kit for the stay | Surface spray, cloth, small broom | Guests will spill something; the alternative is a towel used on the floor |
Par levels only work if they are written down where the cleaner sees them. The list belongs alongside the turnover checklist, not in a message thread.
Linens, which are their own problem
Linens are not really supplies; they are inventory, and they are what turns a tight turnover from impossible to routine.
- Hold at least two full sets per bed, and three if you take same-day bookings. The clean set goes on while the used set is still in the machine.
- Buy identical sets so nothing has to be matched at speed, and so a worn item can be replaced individually.
- White is easier to keep looking uniform across replacements, and easier to see whether it is genuinely clean.
- Agree in writing who owns the linens, who launders them, and who replaces them when they wear out. This is one of the most common sources of disagreement between a host and a cleaner.
- Retire items on a schedule rather than when a guest mentions them.
Where it all lives
- 1Give guest consumables one obvious, unlocked home, and keep it stocked to the par level.
- 2Keep the cleaner's kit and the bulk stock separate, ideally in a locked cupboard, so guests do not work through the bulk supply.
- 3Do not store anything hazardous where a child could reach it, including descalers and concentrated products.
- 4Keep a small buffer of the items that generate complaints when missing: paper, soap, liners, pods.
- 5Check the buffer monthly rather than at every turnover, so nobody has to count boxes with a check-in coming.
Who pays for what
There is no standard, and this is worth settling before the first clean rather than after the first invoice. The common arrangements are:
- The cleaner supplies and prices in the cleaning products; the host supplies the guest consumables. This is the most common split.
- The cleaner supplies everything and bills consumables back at cost, which needs a receipts habit on both sides.
- The host supplies everything and the cleaner restocks from a locked cupboard, which is simplest where one owner has several properties.
Whichever you choose, it changes what a quote means, which is why it belongs in the conversation about what to pay a cleaner rather than being discovered afterwards.
What not to bother with
- A different specialist product for every surface. A degreaser, a bathroom cleaner, a glass cleaner and a floor cleaner cover almost everything in a rental.
- Strong fragrances. A property should smell of nothing. Scent is the most common thing guests describe as overwhelming, and some react to it badly.
- Decanting products into unlabelled bottles. It saves nothing and it is how dangerous mixes happen.
- Buying in bulk before you know the consumption rate. Run a month at a normal par level first, then buy to it.
Common questions
- What cleaning supplies do you need for an Airbnb?
- Two separate sets. The cleaner's turnover kit: colour-coded microfibre cloths, bathroom cleaner and descaler, glass cleaner, kitchen degreaser, a vacuum and mop with a spare head, bin liners and gloves. And the guest consumables you leave in the property: toilet paper, soaps, kitchen roll, liners, dish and dishwasher products, and whatever the listing names by name.
- What cleaning supplies should you leave for Airbnb guests?
- A basic kit for spills rather than a full cleaning set: surface spray, a cloth, a small broom, plus the consumables the stay needs. Anything guests are expected to use should be easy to find and stocked to a fixed par level, so restocking is counting rather than guessing.
- Who pays for cleaning supplies, the host or the cleaner?
- There is no standard. Most commonly the cleaner supplies and prices in the cleaning products while the host supplies guest consumables, but every arrangement exists. Agree it in writing before the first clean, because it changes what a quote actually means.
- How many sets of linens should an Airbnb have?
- At least two full sets per bed, and three if you take same-day bookings, so a clean set can go on while the used one is still in the wash. Buy identical sets so items can be replaced individually and nothing has to be matched under time pressure.
- Should an Airbnb smell of cleaning products?
- No. The target is smelling of nothing. Strong fragrance is one of the most common things guests describe as overwhelming, and some people react badly to it. A property that smells closed-up needs air, not scent.