12 Things To Do As A Courtesy Before Leaving Your Airbnb

When staying at an Airbnb, there are some different expectations that you have as a guest than if you were staying at a hotel. Since you’re often either sharing a space with the owners or taking up their actual home while they’re away, it’s a little more important to be extra courteous of the space.

Contributing to cleaning up and helping to ensure the house remains nice is one thing that enables Airbnb to be cheaper than hotels. So, when you’re checking out of your stay, there are some things you should do that are considered common courtesy. Airbnbs offer some of the most entertaining accommodation in the world - the most popular Airbnb room is in an authentic castle in Ireland while the most popular listing is an eco Mushroom Dome in the mountains near San Francisco.

Here are some things you should do as a courtesy before leaving your Airbnb.

UPDATE: 2023/07/10 11:02 EST BY LUANA FERREIRA

The relationship between the Airbnb's owner and guests tend to be impersonal, but there is an unspoken etiquette when leaving an Airbnb. While some things sound obvious, some small gestures can show the appreciation when staying in a nice place. This list has been updated to include more kind things guests can do when leaving and Airbnb.

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17 Take Pictures Before Using The Airbnb

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Nothing is worse than arriving at a hotel or Airbnb and seeing that the images don’t match reality. Pictures are decisive when travelers choose their next accommodation, especially when they come from former guests. Therefore, it’s kind to take pictures as soon as someone arrives at an Airbnb when the place is still tied up and clean. Visitors should include the images when doing a review, as it’s an excellent way for future guests to see what they can expect from the accommodation.

Ideally, the images will have pictures of the bed/bedroom, bathroom, living room amenities and room’s view. Of course, it’s also important when there’s something wrong with the room.

16 Water The Plants

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Plants help to create a cozy environment and they are rarely present on Airbnbs. When staying in an Airbnb with plants, it’s kind to check if they need watering and take care of them for a few days. It’s not something that takes plenty of time and can also be something relaxing to do during the vacations.

Guests must be mindful of any specific instructions or guidelines provided by the host regarding plant care. By taking a moment to attend to the plants, guests help ensure their vitality and contribute to maintaining a pleasant atmosphere for future guests to enjoy during their stay.

15 Make Sure All Doors Are Closed

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Before leaving an Airbnb, it is essential to lock up the property securely, especially if there are multiple doors. Take the time to ensure that all doors, windows, and any other entryways are properly locked and secured.

This protects the property and the host's belongings and provides peace of mind for both you and the host. By taking this simple step, guests contribute to the overall safety and security of the premises, helping to maintain a positive experience for future guests and ensuring that the property remains a welcoming and secure space.

14 Collect Your Trash

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While you don’t necessarily have to take the trash out unless requested by the host, it’s nice to gather your trash. You don’t want to leave lots of food wrappers and trash just sitting around. So, the polite thing to do is to collect and put it in the trash cans and bags.

It’s especially kind of you to take the trash out of the cans and set it aside, and, if your host has requested it, put the trash in outside garbage cans. This doesn’t take a long time to do and makes things simpler for your host.

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13 Collect Used Towels

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Since Airbnbs are run and function differently than hotels, there are likely many more actual items around that your hosts also use. So, it can be hard for them to know which towels, hand rags, and washcloths have been used unless you make this clear.

Many hosts will request that guests gather any used towels and place them somewhere. This makes it easier for them to know which items need to be washed. Plus, even in hotels, they often ask guests to designate which towels are dirty and when they need to be washed, so it’s just the common sense thing to do.

12 Pile Up Unused Sheets On The Bed

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Another thing that makes cleaning up easier for hosts is when guests unmake the bed. If you're staying somewhere that has multiple beds, and you didn’t use all of them, making it clear which sheets are dirty can save your host a lot of time.

Unmaking the bed and piling up the dirty sheets is quite a simple thing to do and only takes a few seconds. Since Airbnbs are often hosted by people who only do this part-time, this will make things easier for them while helping to keep costs low.

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11 Wash Dirty Dishes

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This is another simple thing you can do to make things easier on your host and be a good guest. Since hosts also rate guests, you want to leave a good impression, and cleaning dirty dishes is something that shows good manners.

If the home has a workable dishwasher, then that may be an option. If not, a hand wash should suffice. Also, in some cases, the host might not be able to get to the space to clean right away, so doing the dishes will keep things from going bad or being disgusting.

10 Let Your Host Know If Any Minor Damage Occurred

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Even if a guest is really great and considerate, sometimes things happen. If you accidentally leave any minor damage, such as scrapes on walls, it’s good to let the owner know.

Frequently, the host won’t expect guests to pay for these fixes, but they will really appreciate the honesty. They are also less likely to give you a bad rating or be frustrated that you broke something if you let them know right away.

9 Follow Any Of The Host's Instructions For Checking Out

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This is one of the most important points to take into consideration while staying at an Airbnb. Every space is different. Depending on if you’re renting a whole house or just a room, the expectations will vary.

Each host will have instructions on what to do when you enter the space and leave it. So, it’s important to follow what they tell you as this will make things go more smoothly for everyone involved.

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8 Clean Up If You've Left A Big Mess

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Some people are messier than others. When some people stay in an Airbnb, they let their stuff go everywhere and just tend to leave a bigger mess than others.

This isn’t necessarily a problem as long as you clean up after yourself. If you’ve really messed up the place, take the time to put things back in order before you leave. Otherwise, do not be surprised if your host gives you a bad review.