Airbnb Cleaning Supplies List: The Turnover Kit | Doinn

Nothing kills a five-star review faster than a guest opening a cabinet to find zero toilet paper, or a cleaner arriving to realize there are no trash bags. Managing airbnb cleaning supplies isn’t just about buying soap; it’s about building a system that prevents the dreaded 2 a.m. emergency store run.

Whether you manage a single beach condo or a portfolio of 20 urban apartments, running out of stock is a failure of process, not planning. This guide provides the definitive airbnb cleaning supplies list, explains the “3-par” linen rule, and shows you how to track inventory across multiple properties without relying on a fragile spreadsheet.

The Turnover Kit: What Goes in the Caddy

Every cleaner should have a standardized, portable caddy. This ensures they have the right tools for every job and don’t waste time searching under sinks. Here is the essential hardware for your turnover kit:

• Color-coded microfiber cloths: Red for toilets, blue for glass/mirrors, green for kitchen surfaces, yellow for general dusting. This prevents cross-contamination.
• All-purpose cleaner: A heavy-duty but surface-safe spray for counters, tables, and appliances.
• Glass cleaner: Ammonia-free for mirrors and windows to prevent streaking.
• Toilet bowl cleaner and brush: Dedicated to the red-cloth zone.
• Scrub sponges and steel wool: For stuck-on food in the kitchen or soap scum in the shower.
• Rubber gloves and a small hand broom/dustpan: For quick debris cleanup before vacuuming.

Consumables Per Stay: What Guests Actually Use Up

Unlike the caddy, which the cleaner brings, consumables live at the property. These are the items guests deplete, and they must be restocked to a specific “par level” after every checkout. Your cleaning inventory checklist must include:

• Paper goods: Toilet paper (1 spare roll per bathroom), paper towels (1 roll per kitchen), facial tissues.
• Trash and laundry: Kitchen and bathroom trash bags, dishwasher pods, laundry detergent (if in-unit).
• Kitchen basics: Dish soap, a fresh sponge, coffee filters, and a starter pack of coffee/tea.
• Bathroom basics: Hand soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner (preferably in bulk dispensers to reduce waste).

Linen Par Levels: How Many Sets Per Bed

The golden rule of short-term rental linen is the “3-par system.” For every bed in your property, you need exactly three sets of sheets and pillowcases:

• Par 1: On the bed, ready for the current guest.
• Par 2: In the closet, ready to be put on immediately after checkout.
• Par 3: In the laundry (either at the property or at a commercial laundry service).

This ensures that even if a guest checks out late and the laundry is delayed, your cleaner always has a fresh set available to turn the room. For towels, follow the same rule: three sets per guest the property sleeps.

Storage: On Site or a Central Store?

Where you keep your bulk supplies depends on your portfolio density. For properties with dedicated storage closets, keeping a 30-day supply of consumables and an extra par of linen on-site is best. It saves your cleaners from driving to a central warehouse before every shift.

However, if you manage scattered properties or have limited storage, a central store makes sense. In this model, cleaners load their van with a full caddy and a “restock box” of consumables from your warehouse before heading to the first job. The trade-off is increased drive time and vehicle wear.

Restocking Rules: Minimums and Who Reorders

Running out happens when no one is officially responsible for reordering. Establish a clear “Minimum Order Quantity” (MOQ) for every item. For example, the rule might be: “Never leave a property with fewer than 2 rolls of toilet paper or 1 bottle of hand soap.”

Who reorders? If you use an independent cleaner, the contract should state they must text you when stock hits the minimum. If you have an in-house team, the lead cleaner should log usage at the end of the day. Better yet, remove the human element entirely with automated tracking.

Tracking Supplies Across 20 Properties Without a Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets are the enemy of scalable inventory management. They don’t update in real-time, cleaners forget to fill them out, and managers hate auditing them. To track stock across 20 properties, you need a system where inventory is tracked directly from the clean.

Platforms like Doinn allow you to set par levels for every property. When a cleaner completes a turnover, they log what they used. If an item drops below the minimum, the system automatically flags it for reorder. For a deeper dive into why manual tracking fails, read our guide on why inventory management is the blind spot of property managers.

Eco Products: What Changes and What Does Not

Guests increasingly expect eco-friendly cleaning supplies for airbnb properties. Swapping to brands like Seventh Generation or Method for your all-purpose and glass cleaners is an easy win that can be highlighted in your listing.

However, do not compromise on hygiene. Keep heavy-duty, EPA-registered disinfectants for toilets and high-touch surfaces. You can use eco-friendly dish soap, but if a guest leaves a baked-on mess in the oven, you need a heavy-duty degreaser. The rule: go green for daily maintenance, stay industrial for deep sanitization.

The Printable List, Room by Room

Use this quick checklist to audit your properties today. For a more comprehensive protocol, check out our amenity kit standards.

• Kitchen: Dish soap, sponge, dishwasher pods, trash bags, paper towels, coffee filters, surface cleaner.
• Bathrooms: Toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaner, toilet paper (2 rolls min), hand soap, body wash, shampoo, fresh towels.
• Living/Bedrooms: Dusting spray, glass cleaner for mirrors, trash bags, fresh linens (3-par), vacuum bags checked.
• Caddy Check: Microfiber cloths (all colors), scrub brush, rubber gloves, all-purpose cleaner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Airbnb Cleaning Supplies

What cleaning supplies do you need for an Airbnb?

For an Airbnb, you need a color-coded microfiber cloth set, all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, and a scrub brush for the caddy. For consumables, stock toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, dish soap, dishwasher pods, hand soap, and coffee filters. Always keep a spare set of each.

How many sets of sheets does an Airbnb bed need?

You need a minimum of three sets of sheets per Airbnb bed. This is known as a “3-par” system: one set on the bed, one set in the closet for quick turnover, and one set in the laundry. This ensures you never run out during back-to-back bookings.

Who pays for cleaning supplies, the host or the cleaner?

Typically, the host or property manager pays for cleaning supplies and consumables, factoring the cost into the cleaning fee or operational budget. If you hire a cleaning company, clarify this in your contract. Some cleaners bring their own caddy supplies but expect the host to provide consumables like toilet paper.

How do you track inventory across multiple Airbnbs?

To track inventory across multiple Airbnbs without a spreadsheet, use a dedicated operations platform like Doinn. Cleaners log usage and flag low stock directly from the mobile app after each turnover. The system automatically alerts the manager when items hit minimum par levels, triggering a reorder before you run out.