Airbnb Bans Hosts From Requiring Guest Cleaning Chores

Airbnb is restricting the checkout duties and contractual requirements that property owners can impose on guests, a policy change announced to hosts on October 21, 2026, that takes effect November 20. The rules prohibit hosts from requiring chores typically handled by professional cleaners, addressing longstanding complaints from travelers who pay cleaning fees but must still complete household tasks before leaving. The restrictions cover duties such as stripping beds, transporting trash off-site, and washing and putting away dishes.

Airbnb also said hosts cannot bypass the rules by moving prohibited chores into other sections of their listings or distributing printed rule sheets for guests to sign at check-in. Hosts who violate the policies could receive warnings. In serious cases, Airbnb may remove their listings or ban them from the platform, according to the company's announcement.

Simon Letouze, an Airbnb spokesperson, told WIRED that hosts can continue making reasonable requests of guests, including asking them to place dirty dishes in the sink. The company also allows requests related to local conditions, such as taking short showers in drought-affected areas and placing garbage in bear-proof containers.

Letouze's explanation distinguishes reasonable requests from duties ordinarily performed by cleaners. Airbnb's listing interface has also begun flagging certain prohibited requests, according to a screenshot shared in a Facebook group for hosts. The screenshot showed a host attempting to require guests to wash and air-dry dishes, leave dirty towels in a laundry room, and transport trash to a dumpster at an RV park. The interface highlighted the requests in red and displayed a message stating, "Guests shouldn't be asked to do this task."

Airbnb is also prohibiting hosts from requiring separate contracts beginning November 20, with limited exceptions for local legal requirements, longer stays, and access to optional amenities such as golf cart rentals. Hosts must disclose qualifying agreements in the designated section of their listings, and Airbnb says it does not help enforce the terms of those contracts. Some hosts have responded with calls for collective action.

In a Facebook group, one participant shared a letter they said they had sent to company executives demanding the right to establish their own expectations for guests. Other hosts discussed increasing prices or organizing a platform-wide strike.

One participant urged fellow hosts to remove their properties from Airbnb temporarily to demonstrate their collective influence over the company's business. Others discussed shifting rules into different listing sections or requiring guests to read a house manual and provide a codeword, although participants questioned whether those approaches would comply with existing policies. Several hosts raised concerns about smoking, damaged linens, dirty dishes, and accumulated garbage.

However, Airbnb already requires guests to follow its general ground rules, which include treating a host's home responsibly and disposing of trash appropriately. Guests who damage or remove property are expected to pay a reasonable amount for repairs or replacement. Airbnb also provides protection through AirCover, which can reimburse hosts for certain guest-caused property damage up to $3 million, including damage involving furniture, cars, and other belongings.

AirCover also covers certain additional cleaning expenses, including smoke odor removal and pet accidents. The new policy changes the cleaning tasks hosts may require at checkout but does not eliminate guests' existing responsibilities for property damage or compliance with Airbnb's ground rules.