Airbnb Check-Out Instructions: What to Include + Free Template
Good check-out instructions tell a guest when to leave, what to do with keys, trash, dishes and the thermostat, and how to report damage — in a handful of one-minute tasks. Below is a copy-ready template, three property-specific variants, and the requests that cross the line.
Over-demanding
- Cleaning work, not checkout
- Undisclosed fee threat
- Laundry guests can't finish
Clear
Check-out by 10:00
Start the dishwasher, take the trash to the side bins.
Keys back in the lockbox · door locks itself
Broken something? Just message us. Safe travels!
- Time stated
- Three one-minute tasks
- Keys unambiguous
- Friendly close
What should Airbnb check-out instructions include?
State the checkout time, where keys or fobs go, and a short list of one-minute tasks: trash out, dishes loaded or washed, thermostat and lights set, windows and doors closed, linens only if you genuinely need them handled, plus parking or garage steps. Add one line inviting guests to report damage, and end with how to leave the property locked. Three to six tasks is plenty.
The core principle: reduce uncertainty, don’t delegate cleaning.
Checkout instructions exist so a guest leaves confidently — nothing forgotten, nothing left unlocked — not to turn them into cleaning staff. Every task you add is borrowed against goodwill and review scores, so ask only for what is genuinely necessary for your turnover, disclose it before booking in your house rules, and keep the whole list readable in under a minute on a phone.
A realistic checkout checklist, grouped by what guests actually touch
Pick the groups that apply to your property and choose one clear ask inside each. If a group doesn’t matter at your property, delete it — a shorter list gets followed more often.
Before leaving
Checkout time stated plainly, plus where to report anything that broke or stopped working.
Kitchen & dishes
Load and start the dishwasher, or leave dishes washed — one clear ask, not both.
Trash
Tie up bags and where they go — the outdoor bin, the chute, or the room that takes them.
Keys & access devices
Exactly where keys, fobs and parking permits are left, and whether the lockbox dials get scrambled.
HVAC, lights & windows
Thermostat setting, lights off, windows closed — the two or three that actually matter at your property.
Parking & garage
Gate closed, permit left on the dash or returned, garage door shut — anything the next arrival depends on.
Damage & forgotten items
One line inviting guests to message about damage before leaving, and to double-check drawers and chargers.
Final exit
Lock the door, confirm it's latched, and the checkout is done — end the list with a thank-you, not a task.
Copy-ready Airbnb check-out instructions template
Replace everything in square brackets, then delete any task that does not apply. Keep the list to the length of the example — if you find yourself adding a seventh bullet, reconsider whether it is really the guest’s job.
Hi [Guest name] — we hope you enjoyed your stay. Check-out is by [11:00]. Before you leave, please: - [Load and start the dishwasher] - [Take the trash to the bins beside the garage] - [Set the thermostat to 20 and turn the lights off] - [Close the windows and lock the back door] Please lock [the front door behind you] and leave [the keys / fob] [in the lockbox by the gate / on the kitchen table]. If anything was damaged or needs our attention, just message us before you go — no problem, we'd simply like to know. Safe travels, and thank you for staying with us!
Three variants for different property styles
Minimal, low-chore checkout
- 1Check-out is by 11:00 — just lock the door on your way out.
- 2Leave the keys on the kitchen table and pull the door until it clicks.
- 3Leave beds and towels as they are; our cleaner handles everything.
- 4If anything broke, a quick message helps us fix it before the next guest.
Apartment with keys or fob
- 1Check-out by 10:00. Take the rubbish to the bin room on the ground floor.
- 2Close the windows and switch off the air conditioning.
- 3Drop the fob and keys through our letterbox — flat 4B, second floor.
- 4The front door locks itself; just pull it firmly shut behind you.
Vacation home with trash, garage & thermostat
- 1Check-out by 10:00. Wheel the trash and recycling bins to the kerb.
- 2Set the thermostat to 18 in winter / 24 in summer and turn the lights off.
- 3Leave the garage remote on the hall table and close the garage door.
- 4Lock the front door and return the key to the lockbox — scramble the dials.
These are illustrative examples written for this guide — adapt the times, tasks and key arrangements to your property.
What should hosts NOT ask guests to do at check-out?
Full cleaning
Mopping floors, scrubbing bathrooms or remaking beds is cleaning work. If a cleaning fee is charged, guests reasonably expect the cleaning to be covered by it.
Undisclosed chores or fees
Tasks or penalties that first appear at checkout — or in a message the night before — read as hidden conditions. Disclose expectations in the listing and house rules before booking.
Laundry cycles
Asking guests to start, move and fold laundry depends on how long they stay past starting a load — most can't finish a cycle before leaving.
Complex multi-step procedures
If a task needs three sentences of explanation, it is too complicated for departure morning. Simplify the process or take it off the guest's list.
Threats instead of instructions
“Failure to comply will result in charges” sets a hostile final impression. A clear, friendly list gets better compliance than a warning.
Vague catch-alls
“Leave it as you found it” means something different to every guest. Name the exact two or three things you actually need done.
When should you send check-out instructions?
Available for the whole stay
Checkout details belong wherever the guest already looks things up — alongside Wi-Fi, house rules and local tips — so they can re-open them at any point without scrolling back through a message thread.
One short reminder near departure
Send a concise reminder the evening before checkout — or the morning of, for one-night stays and business guests on early schedules. One timely message outperforms a sequence of repeats.
Departure is the mirror of arrival — the same principles in check-in instructions apply here: numbered steps, one thing per line, and nothing that requires a second message to decode.
Keep checkout details where guests already look
A message is delivered once and then buried. With TapStay, hosts keep checkout instructions in the same guest-facing portal as Wi-Fi, house rules, local recommendations and the AI Concierge — so on departure morning guests tap the plaque or reopen their stay link instead of hunting through old threads, and a checklist they can tick off turns your list into a confirmed checkout.
Also see the Wi-Fi sign and instructions guide for the other thing guests look for most, or browse the rest of the host resources.
