Most hosts spend hours crafting the perfect welcome message and check-in guide, then dash off two lines for checkout. That is a mistake. Checkout instructions are one of the most functional documents in your hosting toolkit, and a poorly written set can cost you a 5-star review, delay your cleaner, or leave you with a property dispute and no documentation to back you up.
After three years of hosting two units in Long Beach and maintaining Guest Favorite status on both, I have dialed in a checkout process that is clear for guests and seamless for my turnover team. Here is exactly what I include and why.
TLDR: Key Takeaways
- Airbnb automatically sends your checkout instructions to guests the night before departure, but only if you have written them in your listing settings first.
- Keep the list short: 5 to 8 items is the sweet spot.
- Include the checkout time, key or lock instructions, trash, dishes, and a personal items reminder.
- Your tone matters. Instructions that feel warm and respectful get better compliance than a list of demands.
- Good checkout instructions double as documentation if a guest dispute ever comes up.
What Airbnb Sends Automatically (And What It Leaves Out)
Since Airbnb’s 2023 Summer Release, the platform automatically sends a checkout reminder to guests the night before their last day. This is genuinely useful, but there is a catch: the message only contains what you write in your listing’s checkout settings. If you have never filled that section in, guests get a bare-bones nudge with no specifics.
Go to your listing editor, find the House Rules or Checkout section, and fill in your instructions there. That is the version Airbnb sends. Guests can also find the instructions any time in the app under their reservation details, so there is no excuse for anyone to say they did not know.
If you also include your checkout instructions inside your Airbnb house manual or guest guidebook, guests have two places to reference them during their stay, not just on the final night.
What to Include in Your Checkout Instructions
The goal is to cover everything your cleaner needs from the guest without turning checkout into a chore. Here is the breakdown:
1. Checkout time State it clearly at the top. “Please check out by 10:00 AM” leaves no room for interpretation. Do not just list a time buried in item five.
2. Key or lock procedure Tell guests exactly what to do with the key, lockbox code, or smart lock. For my units, I have guests leave the door locked and simply walk out. If you use a physical key, specify where to leave it. Vague instructions like “leave the key somewhere safe” lead to frantic last-minute messages on turnover days.
3. Trash and recycling Guests routinely leave full trash bags inside if you do not ask them to take them out. Specify exactly which bin to use and where it is. In my case: “Please take all trash bags to the black bin on the side of the building.” That sentence saves my cleaner ten minutes every single time.
4. Dishes You do not need guests to deep-clean your kitchen, but asking them to put dishes in the dishwasher and run it (if it is full) is reasonable. Specify “start the cycle if it is full” because guests often load it and then leave it sitting there.
5. Lights, AC, and heating Ask guests to turn off all lights and set the thermostat to a specific temperature, for example 72F in summer, 68F in winter. This protects your utility bill and means your cleaner does not walk into a freezing or sweltering unit.
6. Windows and doors A simple “please make sure all windows and doors are locked before you leave” is enough. At my beach-adjacent property, I add a line about the sliding glass door specifically because guests sometimes leave it cracked.
7. Personal items reminder Include a line like: “Do a final sweep for chargers, toiletries, and anything under the bed or in drawers.” Left-behind items create follow-up logistics that eat up your time.
8. A warm send-off End with something brief and genuine. “I hope you had a wonderful stay and I would love to host you again” goes a long way. Guests who feel appreciated at checkout are more likely to leave a review.
What Most Articles Get Wrong About Checkout Instructions
The majority of checkout instruction guides focus entirely on what to ask guests to do. Very few mention the tone problem.
A long, task-heavy checkout list that reads like a landlord’s move-out checklist puts guests on the defensive. They booked a vacation, not a cleaning shift. The instructions that work best at my properties are specific and brief, framed as a quick heads-up rather than a list of obligations.
There is also a protection angle that rarely comes up. Clear checkout instructions create a paper trail. If a guest leaves at 2:00 PM and you have documented 10:00 AM as your checkout time, that is evidence if there is ever a dispute about who is responsible for something that happened in that window. If a guest leaves trash strewn around and you have no instruction on record asking them to bag it, that context matters in an AirCover claim.
One more thing most guides skip: do not ask guests to strip the beds. Airbnb’s own guidance discourages this. It signals high-maintenance hosting and often does not help your cleaner as much as you think. Focus on the items that genuinely affect your turnover.
A Copy-Paste Template for Your Listing
Here is the version I use, lightly adapted so you can drop it straight into your listing settings:
Thank you for staying with us! Here is a quick checklist before you head out:
- Check out by 10:00 AM
- Lock the front door behind you (the keypad will lock automatically)
- Take all trash and recycling to the black bin outside, left of the front door
- Load any dirty dishes in the dishwasher and run the cycle if it is full
- Turn off all lights and set the thermostat to 72F
- Check under the bed and in drawers for personal items
- Enjoy the rest of your trip. We hope to see you again soon.
That is it. Seven items. Takes guests about two minutes to read and five minutes to complete.
If you want your checkout instructions to live alongside your check-in guide, house rules, local recommendations, and emergency contacts in a single polished document, the Complete Airbnb Guidebook Canva template has a dedicated checkout page built in. You fill it in once, print or share the PDF, and guests have everything in one place from arrival to departure.
How Checkout Instructions Connect to Your Reviews
Guests do not leave reviews thinking “the checkout instructions were great.” But they do leave reviews influenced by how they felt on their last day. A confusing or stressful checkout creates friction right before they open the app to write about their stay. A smooth one ends the trip on a high note.
The cleaner your instructions, the fewer questions you field on checkout morning, which means fewer interruptions to your day and a smoother transition for the next guest. That ripple effect shows up in your review score over time.
If you want to see how check-in instructions fit into the same system, the Airbnb check-in instructions guide walks through the arrival side of the same equation.
Clear checkout instructions are one of the easiest, highest-leverage things you can set up in under an hour. Write them once, refine them after your first few stays, and then let Airbnb deliver them automatically every single night before checkout.