Whether you’re an experienced host or just starting your Airbnb in Australia, a cleaning fee is one of the most important things to consider when pricing your listing.
Airbnb guests expect to stay in a clean and inviting vacation rental, so it’s crucial to know how to charge them appropriately for cleaning the space they stay in.
If you’re unsure about setting up the right cleaning fee for your Airbnb in Australia, you’ll find some tips on managing your cleaning fees effectively in this article.
You may also want to check our article about Airbnb tax in Australia to learn about the rules that apply to STR hosts.
Airbnb Cleaning Fee Australia: What Is It and How Does It Work?
A cleaning fee is a one-time fee that Airbnb hosts charge their guests to cover the costs of cleaning their rentals after the guests have checked out. It’s an extra charge that is added to the total booking fee. This additional fee usually remains the same for every booking, regardless of the number of guests that book a vacation rental and the length of their stay.
In the listing search results, guests see a nightly rate that includes the cleaning fee divided by the total number of nights of the trip. When a traveler requests reservations, the nightly rate and the cleaning fee will be listed separately in the price breakdown, so it’s all very transparent.
The cleaning fee is part of the booking total, and Airbnb guests don’t get their money back at the end of their stay. A cleaning fee was designed to help hosts cover the expenses of cleaning their rentals and prepare the place for their next guests.
Cleaning a STR property during each turnover differs from regular house cleaning and can be time-consuming. Airbnb rentals also require deep cleaning at least once every two weeks, especially after extended stays. That’s why it’s better to outsource these important responsibilities to professional vacation rental cleaners.
This way, you can free up your busy schedule and have more time for marketing your Airbnb. And if you use vacation rental management software like Hospitable to manage your team, you can assign tasks to your cleaners automatically based on booking information.
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What Does the Cleaning Fee Cover?
The cleaning fee you set for your Airbnb listing will cover the costs of cleaning your rental in Australia and performing the basic cleaning chores that your guests expect from you. When setting your cleaning fee, you should consider the costs of the following:
- Cleaning products used
- Tidying up the rooms
- Changing bedding and other linen
- Washing dishes
- Cleaning the cupboards, the fridge, the coffee maker, and other kitchen appliances
- Time spent cleaning and restocking the necessary supplies
The average cleaning fee on Airbnb is between $50 to $80, but this average amount is somewhat misleading. The average cleaning fee for hosts who choose to clean on their own may be lower than that of the host who hires professional STR cleaners to spruce up their vacation rental.
The average cleaning fee for Airbnb hosts who do their own cleaning is around $65 per booking. And for hosts with larger properties who hire a cleaning service, this cost can increase to about $105.
The average fee is also affected by several other factors, including the type of listing you’re offering and the property’s location. For example, the cleaning fee of a tiny home will significantly differ from that of a 5-bedroom house with kid-friendly amenities.
Airbnb Cleaning Fee Australia: Should You Charge It for Your Rental?
It’s up to you as a host to decide whether to charge your guests for cleaning. Many Airbnb hosts charge cleaning fees because they cover vital cleaning costs between guest stays.
A cleaning fee is now the industry standard, and as long as your fee is reasonable, it is a perfectly fair practice. It won’t scare off potential guests, although it can discourage them from booking shorter stays.
Including a cleaning fee for your Airbnb in Australia allows you to keep your rental spotless and delight your guests. Then, they are more likely to leave excellent reviews that can help increase your listing’s visibility and get more bookings.
Managing Airbnb involves a lot of work, but it will be easier to maintain the best customer service for your guests if you opt for automation. Vacation rental management software like Hospitable can help you automate cleanings and streamline other daily operations, including communication with your guests.
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Deciding on an amount you should charge as a cleaning fee boils down to what works best for your property and what will keep your guests happy. You must balance reasonable pricing and striving for a well-maintained Airbnb rental that meets your guests’ expectations.
If you’re marketing your Airbnb listing as a unique luxury stay with higher price points, it’s more likely that your target guests won’t resist an extra fee for cleaning. But an extra cleaning fee might not be necessary if you’re renting out a spare room in your home or apartment.
It’s also a good idea to look at your nearby competitors to find out if they charge a cleaning fee and what pricing strategy they use. Study the cleaning fees of comparable Airbnb listings within your local area, and set your charges based on your findings.
Final Thought
If you run an Airbnb in Australia and are still hesitant about charging a cleaning fee, we recommend tracking the performance of your listing. Add a cleaning fee to your listing and monitor how many bookings you get and how much you earn. You can always edit or change the cleaning fee on your listing from the dashboard in your Airbnb profile.
You may also want to check out our blog article about Airbnb analytics tools that can help you track your performance and maximize your revenue.
