Key facts
- Airbnb hosts can no longer ask guests to wash dishes or strip beds.
- New rules limit guest responsibilities to reasonable tasks.
- Tasks requiring significant effort or time are prohibited for guests.
- Cleaning fees paid by guests are intended to cover these services.
- The new policy applies to reservations booked from November 20.
Airbnb has updated its house rules to prohibit hosts from asking guests to perform significant cleaning tasks, such as washing dishes, stripping beds, or taking trash offsite. The new guidelines, effective for reservations booked on or after November 20, aim to set clearer expectations and ensure that house rules are reasonable, especially given the cleaning fees guests already pay. Travel industry expert Clint Henderson stated that the change is significant for consumers, as complaints about hosts asking guests to perform excessive chores have been increasing. Host Gabriel Valk acknowledged the guest pushback, noting that cleaning fees should cover such services, and that Airbnb needs to offer a competitive edge against hotels.