Airbnb to limit cleaning requirements for guests — Fortune

Airbnb will introduce a new worldwide policy of “reasonable rules and requests for guests,” limiting hosts’ cleaning requirements. For bookings made from November 20, 2026, hosts generally will not be able to require guests to complete tasks that take significant effort or time or are usually performed by a cleaner, Fortune reports.

The company listed stripping bed linen, taking out trash beyond the property, and washing and putting away dishes among the prohibited examples. The new rules will not apply to bookings already made.

Which requirements will remain allowed

Hosts will be able to set seven standard rules: regarding the maximum number of overnight guests, quiet hours, events, animals, smoking and vaping, commercial photography, and locking the property upon departure. Other conditions will be considered requests, which guests will only be encouraged to follow.

In particular, hosts may ask guests to leave dishes in the sink, collect used towels, or sort trash and recyclables. Airbnb has also provided exceptions based on local circumstances — for example, requiring the use of animal-proof trash containers in areas with bears or limiting shower time during droughts.

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Hosts will have to specify all rules and requests in a special section of the listing before booking. Adding them later through messages, signs in the accommodation, or in person will be prohibited. Owners will also be unable to independently impose fines on guests or restrict access to the stated amenities.

Reaction of hosts and guests

A Change.org petition demanding that the restrictions be canceled has collected more than 10,000 signatures. Some hosts plan to close their booking calendars on November 20. Some also said they may leave the platform, remove access to the kitchen, or raise prices and cleaning fees.

At the same time, some hosts and guests supported the changes. The measure addresses a common user complaint: they pay a cleaning fee while also receiving a list of mandatory household tasks before departure. Airbnb does not set a cap on such fees, and since April 2025, hosts have been able to include them in the total booking price.