Airbnb Check-Out Instructions: A Template Guests Follow
Good check-out instructions are short, specific and polite: a departure time, four to six simple steps, and a thank-you. Guests are more likely to follow a list they can read in ten seconds than a paragraph of rules. This page gives you a copy-and-edit template, a detailed version for properties that need more, and tips on where to place it.
The short template
Copy this and replace the details in brackets:
Check-out is by [11:00 a.m.]. Thank you for staying with us! Before you leave, please: 1. Turn off lights, fans and the [TV / heating / AC]. 2. Close and lock all windows and doors. Leave the key [in the lockbox / on the counter]. 3. Put used towels [in the bathtub / in the laundry basket]. 4. Put trash in the bins [outside / in the kitchen]. 5. Let us know if anything broke or went missing, so we can fix it for the next guests. Safe travels. We would love to host you again.
A more detailed version
For larger properties, houses with a hot tub or pool, or rentals with special equipment, split the list by area:
- Kitchen: load the dishwasher and start it or leave dishes in the sink, whichever you prefer. Take out perishable food. Wipe obvious spills.
- Bathrooms: towels in one place. No need to wash them.
- Bedrooms: leave the beds as they are, or strip them if you have asked guests to. Check under the beds and in drawers for personal items.
- Living areas: return furniture to its place, close curtains if needed and turn off lights.
- Outdoors: lock gates, turn off the hot tub cover or pool pump as instructed, bring in anything that blows around.
- Final: lock the door, return the keys or lockbox code reset, and send us a message.
Tone matters
Check-out is the last thing guests read and often shapes how they remember the stay. A few easy rules:
- Say please and thank you, and explain a reason when you ask for something unusual ("so the cleaner can start on time").
- Keep the list short. Each extra chore lowers goodwill.
- Avoid capital letters and a list of threats. If you have a firm rule, state it once, calmly, in the house rules.
- Offer a simple way to ask for a late check-out. Guests who feel they can ask are less likely to simply stay late.
Where to put it
- In the welcome book or digital guide, on a check-out page. See our welcome book guide.
- On a sign near the door, in the entry or by the bed. The printable sign guide covers sizes and placement.
- In a message the evening before. Examples are in welcome and check-in message examples.
Make the next turnover easier
Check-out instructions work best when they match what your cleaner expects. If you ask guests to put towels in the bathtub, the cleaner's checklist should start there. The turnover checklist guide explains how to link the two.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Guests leave late | Time buried in the listing | Put the time on a sign and in the evening message |
| Trash left everywhere | Unclear bin location or collection day | Add a photo or map of the bins |
| Keys not returned | No clear instruction | State one place and show it |
| Dishes everywhere | Mixed expectations | Pick one rule (dishwasher or leave them) |
| Missing items not reported | Guests unsure | Ask them to message you, with no blame |
Ready-made pieces
The Stayworks Host Kit includes check-out signs in its set of 60 printable house signs, a check-out steps page in the printable welcome book, and 30 turnover checklists your cleaner can follow. Everything is editable in Google Docs or Word, so you can change the time, the steps and the wording. It is $19.00 one time.
Quick checklist
- State the time clearly.
- Keep to four to six steps.
- Say thank you.
- Place it in the guide, on a sign and in a message.
- Match it to your cleaner's checklist.