Turning Over an Airbnb in the Tri-Cities: Linens, Timing, and Cost

What a turnover has to get done

A turnover is a different job from a regular home clean because it has a deadline. One set of guests checks out in the morning, the next set arrives mid-afternoon, and everything has to be reset in between: beds stripped and made, bathrooms scrubbed, the kitchen wiped, floors done, trash out, and linens handled.

Guests notice the small things. A hair in the shower or dust on the nightstand shows up in a review. Green House Cleaning Services says its primary goal with hosts is a sparkling clean every time, so the five-star reviews keep coming.

A sensible turnover runs in a set order. Strip the beds first so the linens can leave for the wash, then work from the top down: dust, then bathrooms, then kitchen, with the floors last so nobody tracks over them. Making the beds goes at the very end, with a final look from the doorway the way a guest will see the room.

The Green House home cleaning list covers the work a turnover needs: vacuuming and mopping, dusting, kitchen counters and appliance surfaces, showers and tubs and toilets, mirrors, making beds, and emptying wastebaskets. Your property's specific plan is agreed with you in advance.

How pricing works for hosts

The Airbnb program has two parts: a per-visit cleaning fee agreed with you in advance, and $15 per laundry load. Because the fee is set before the first guest, you can build it into your nightly rate or your cleaning fee line and know your cost per stay.

To get that fee, tell the office about your property, your turnover schedule, and your linen needs. They work with you on a reasonable per-visit number and a plan that fits the rental. Size, number of bathrooms, and how often guests turn over all matter, which is why there is no single posted number.

Linens: the part that eats your day

Laundry is the hidden half of a turnover, and it is where many hosts lose an afternoon. Each $15 load covers washing and folding, plus transport to and from the Green House office. Your clean linens stay together in a dedicated basket for your property, ready for the next cleaning.

Count your loads before you plan your costs. If a typical stay needs two loads, that is $30 per turnover on top of the cleaning fee. Keep a second full set of linens so there is always one clean set in the basket when the crew arrives, because a set that is still in the wash cannot go on a bed.

Booking with a day's notice

With at least one day's notice, service through the Airbnb program is guaranteed. If a last-minute booking comes in, ask about same-day availability. The office will help when it can, but same-day service cannot be guaranteed, so treat it as a bonus and not a plan.

In practice, message the office when you accept a short-notice booking, not after. An early heads-up gives them the most room to find a crew.

Planning around check-out, check-in, and weekends

Saturday and Sunday service is available at a premium charge, which matters because weekends are when most guests turn over. Ask what the premium is when you set up your plan so it is not a surprise on the invoice.

The Tri-Cities has plenty of reasons for people to book a stay: race weekends at Bristol Motor Speedway, shows at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, rides on the Virginia Creeper Trail, and trips to the lakes near Elizabethton. Busy weekends tend to fill host calendars quickly, so give the office your dates as early as you can.

Pay attention to the gap between check-out and check-in. If it is only a few hours, say so up front. A bigger crew works faster, so ask whether a larger crew makes sense for your tight turnovers. Leave your entry method clear as well, such as a lockbox or a keypad, so the crew is never standing at the door.

Tell the office about anything that changes between stays. A stained rug, a broken lamp, or a bathroom that is running low on supplies is easier to deal with when the crew hears about it before the next check-in and not after a guest mentions it. Short notes on a turnover keep small problems from becoming bad reviews.

Getting started

Green House serves Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City, Piney Flats, Elizabethton, Jonesborough, and Abingdon. If you host in any of those, call (423) 340-4016 and talk through your property, your calendar, and your linens. They will give you a plain answer on the per-visit fee.