What checkout chores can Airbnb hosts still ask guests to do under the new policy?

Hosts may ask guests to leave dishes in the sink, gather used towels, and sort trash and recycling. In some circumstances, such as areas with bears, hosts may require guests to put trash in animal-proof containers.

When must Airbnb hosts disclose house rules and checkout requests?

Hosts must list all house rules and requests in the designated section of a listing before guests book. They cannot add extra requirements later through messages, signs inside the property, or other listing sections.

What house rules will Airbnb standardize in its new seven-category system?

The categories cover topics including overnight guests, quiet hours, pets, smoking, and whether guests must lock up at checkout. The policy also limits hosts from requiring chores typically handled by professional cleaners.

Airbnb guests no longer have to wash the dishes or strip the beds at checkout

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Summary

Airbnb announced new rules this week limiting hosts to reasonable checkout requests starting Nov. 20. Hosts generally cannot require guests to do chores typically handled by professional cleaners, though they may ask guests to leave dishes in the sink, gather used towels, or sort trash and recycling. Hosts must disclose house rules and requests in a designated listing section before guests book, and Airbnb is standardizing rules into seven categories.

Key Facts

Airbnb said exceptions may apply, such as requiring guests to put trash in animal-proof containers in areas with bears.
Hosts can no longer add requirements through messages, signs inside a property, or other listing sections.
The seven standardized house-rule categories include overnight guests, quiet hours, pets, smoking, and whether guests must lock up at checkout.
Airbnb has acknowledged that cleaning fees can create different expectations between hosts and travelers.
In 2023, CEO Brian Chesky said guests can be uncertain whether a property will match their expectations after booking.

By AP

Published Oct 23, 2026 10:50 am KST

Illustration of the logo of Airbnb/ Reuters-Yonhap

Airbnb guests can say goodbye to checkout chores like washing dishes, stripping beds and taking out the trash under a new policy announced this week.

The short-term rental platform's new rules limit hosts to “reasonable” checkout requests beginning on Nov. 20. Guests can still be asked to leave dishes in the sink, gather used towels and sort trash and recycling, but hosts generally cannot require chores typically handled by professional cleaners.

“Remember to think like a guest and keep in mind what you’d find unreasonable,” Airbnb tells hosts in a video announcing the new policy.

Checkout chores have been a recurring point of contention for Airbnb guests, particularly when they’re also paying cleaning fees . The company has previously acknowledged that those fees can create different expectations between hosts and travelers.

Airbnb said exceptions may apply in certain circumstances, such as requiring guests to put trash in animal-proof containers in areas with bears.

Hosts must now also disclose all house rules and requests in a designated section of their listing before guests book, according to Airbnb. They can no longer add extra requirements through messages, signs inside the property or other sections of a listing.

As part of the changes, Airbnb said it is standardizing house rules into seven categories, covering topics including overnight guests, quiet hours, pets, smoking and whether guests must lock up at checkout.

The changes build on Airbnb’s broader efforts to make booking a rental more predictable for travelers. In 2023, CEO Brian Chesky acknowledged that the variety of properties on Airbnb creates uncertainty among guests.

“A lot of guests have described booking Airbnb, once they check in, it’s a moment of truth. Is the house exactly what they expected?” he told The Associated Press. “We don’t want this to be a moment of truth. We want you to know exactly what you’re going to get before you book.”

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