Airbnb is cracking down on checkout chores. Here's what hosts can no longer ask you to do.

No need to stress about running the dishwasher and stripping the sheets at your next Airbnb: The vacation rental company is changing its house rules policy to make the checkout experience less laborious for guests. 

Airbnb's new approach to enforcing reasonable cleaning rules comes after intense social media backlash over what many travelers say were wildly unreasonable expectations, from placing every pillow in their original position to Swiffering the floor as needed . Many guests also pointed out that these house rules were accompanied by cleaning fees. The policy was announced by Airbnb on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, and will apply to reservations booked on or after Nov. 20, 2026.

While Airbnb says hosts can choose from seven standard rules to put in place for their guests (policies for pets, smoking and a new option for limiting the number of overnight guests), additional asks must be submitted as a request. Requests that violate the policy will be flagged by the host's listing editor, and guidance will be provided on what needs to change. 

In its announcement video, for example, Airbnb says checking a hot tub's chlorine level is the kind of task guests shouldn't be asked to do.

Airbnb's new standard house rules

These are the seven standard rules Airbnb allows hosts to choose from.

• Setting the maximum number of overnight guests.

• Selecting quiet hours, during which guests must keep noise to a minimum.

• Deciding whether or not events can be held at the home.

• Choosing a pet policy and how many pets are allowed.

• Specifying if smoking, including vaping and e-cigarettes, is or is not allowed.

• Indicating if commercial photography and filming are allowed.

• Sharing lock-up instructions, including what's required and where to return keys, if necessary.

"House rules help guests understand what hosts expect," a representative for Airbnb tells Yahoo Travel in a statement. "But we've heard from our community that they can be confusing, onerous and hard to manage. So we've redesigned them to make them easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable, with no surprises." 

What happens if hosts don't comply?

Hosts who do not comply may, after warnings, face penalties. These include:

• Having their listing page flagged with guests.

• Having their listing visibility in search reduced.

• Facing other actions deemed appropriate by Airbnb. 

Airbnb hosts have faced criticism for strict house rules

Airbnb's new policy comes after years of backlash from guests , many of whom found it unfair that Airbnb hosts were both charging a cleaning fee and also asking guests to tidy up — unlike at a hotel, where it's more acceptable to leave your room as-is, with cleaning services already built into the cost. 

In a May 2025 post on X , a user shared their Airbnb host's list of cleaning requests, which included putting all the remotes back in their place, loading the dishwasher and running it, stripping the linens and gathering all trash and placing it outside. "Here is one more reason why many crappy Airbnbs aren't doing so well this year," the user wrote. The post received more than 8,900 likes. 

And in November 2025, a Reddit post showing a four-page cleaning checklist , allegedly from an Airbnb host, went viral, with the host also asking guests to place remotes back in their exact location (as well as multiple other items in the house) and vacuum hardwood floors — lest they be charged an additional fee for failing to comply. 

While Airbnb hosts have been criticized for ridiculous requests, cleaning fees have also gotten higher over time: Data from short-term rental analytics company AirDNA, reported by The Wall Street Journal , found average U.S. short-term rental cleaning fees climbed from $112 in 2019 to $137 in 2022, due in part to deep-cleaning measures taken during the pandemic and higher labor costs. 

Still, cleaning fees increased an average of 4% across property sizes between 2024 and 2025, per AirDNA . 

Michelle Couch-Friedman, founder of Consumer Rescue , a consumer advocacy website and organization, tells Yahoo Travel that Airbnb has long had a problem with what she calls "predatory hosts" who charge a cleaning fee while expecting their guests to do "exactly what a housekeeper should be doing for that fee." 

She says she's had many cases where guests were charged excessively high cleaning fees for things like garbage left in cans inside the house instead of outside in larger bins, or for leaving easily removable coffee rings on countertops.

"This will absolutely cut back on excessive, false cleaning fees and force hosts to use the collected cleaning fees to pay a professional to do the cleaning — precisely what the fee was meant for in the first place," she says. 

Many people, including some Airbnb hosts , have applauded the changes on social media. Some Airbnb users, however, are skeptical. One Reddit user wonders if Airbnb's new policy may encourage hosts to raise their cleaning fees.

Yahoo Travel reached out to Airbnb for its response to this concern.

How your next Airbnb stay could change 

Hosts must now disclose all rules and requests in the designated listing section before their guests book, rather than convey additional rules over messaging or via on-property signage. 

On its website, Airbnb spelled out to hosts examples of what they can and cannot ask of guests:

• Guests should not be asked to wash and put away dishes. They can, however, be asked to put used dishes in the sink.

• Guests should not be asked to strip the bed of linens or start laundry, but can gather used towels.

• Guests shouldn't be asked to take garbage off-site, but can be asked to separate their trash and recycling indoors.

• Guests should not be told to avoid using an amenity like air-conditioning, but can be instructed to turn it off when they leave.

There is also some wiggle room when it comes to what's considered a reasonable request, depending on what kind of a spot you book. For example, if you're staying at a place in bear country, it's acceptable for your Airbnb host to ask you to place trash in a more secure location.  

Just remember, guests are still held to certain ground rules . Messes shouldn't be excessive or require deep cleaning; litter should be properly disposed of; and any damage beyond normal wear and tear may result in additional charges.

FAQ

Can an Airbnb host still charge a cleaning fee?

Cleaning fees aren't going away. This charge at booking covers the costs associated with turning over the property between reservations. While you may still be charged a cleaning fee, the host cannot ask you to perform tasks that Airbnb deems unreasonable or charge you if you fail to do so.

What happens if I'm charged a fee for not completing a banned chore?

If you are charged an additional fee for not completing a task, you can dispute it through Airbnb's Resolution Center. Airbnb's new house rules policy generally prohibits hosts from imposing fines or penalties and requiring unreasonable cleaning tasks.