Best Short-Term Rental Cleaning in Kentucky Ranked

Keeping your Kentucky short-term rental spotless is essential for guest satisfaction, positive reviews, and protecting your investment. This specialized cleaning goes beyond standard housekeeping, requiring a systematic, detail-oriented approach to ensure every guest arrives to a perfectly sanitized and welcoming space. For hosts across the Bluegrass State, from Louisville to Lexington and the scenic lakes, finding a reliable provider who understands the unique demands of turnover cleaning is key to a successful operation.

A quality short-term rental cleaning service operates with a hospitality mindset, executing a comprehensive checklist to reset your property efficiently between guests. This includes deep sanitization, fresh linens, and restocking essentials. The right cleaner acts as your on-the-ground partner, helping maintain your property's reputation. This guide outlines what to expect from professional services in Kentucky, including typical standards, processes, and costs, to help you evaluate and secure the right cleaning support for your rental.

Scrub Lou

1860 Mellwood Ave #269, Louisville, KY 40206

Scrub Lou is a house cleaning company based in Louisville, KY, offering a range of residential cleaning services. Their expertise includes deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and short-term rental cleaning, serving clients throughout Louisville and surrounding areas. The company is known for thorough cleaning that covers all surfaces, including baseboards, light fixtures, and vents. Scrub Lou also provides specialized cleaning for Airbnb properties and restaurant spaces. Customers frequently praise their detailed and comprehensive approach to cleaning. While the business history is not explicitly stated, Scrub Lou has built a strong reputation in the Louisville area for dependable and detailed cleaning services.

5.0

231 Reviews

Dirty Deeds Cleaning Company

700 Teton Trail, Frankfort, KY 40601

Dirty Deeds Cleaning Company is a locally owned cleaning service based in Lexington, KY, offering residential, commercial, move-out, post-construction, and short-term rental cleaning. Serving Central Kentucky since 2014, they provide comprehensive cleaning solutions using all-natural products. Their skilled team handles everything from routine cleaning to detailed deep cleans and renovation cleanups. The company is licensed, bonded, certified, and insured, with a decade of experience in maintaining clean and orderly spaces.

4.9

162 Reviews

Alma’s Cleaning Services

louisville

Alma's Cleaning Services is a house cleaning company based in Louisville, KY, offering a range of cleaning solutions including deep cleaning, move-in/move-out cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and short-term rental cleaning. They provide essential cleaning tasks such as kitchen and bathroom sanitation, vacuuming, dusting, and trash removal, as well as more detailed services like appliance interior cleaning, cabinet and drawer cleaning, and wall spot-cleaning. Their move-in/move-out service is designed for landlords and tenants, while post-construction cleaning focuses on removing dust, debris, and construction residue. Alma's Cleaning Services also offers vacation turnover cleaning with linen changes and restocking essentials, and customizable scheduling including before or after hours.

4.9

100 Reviews

OC Cleaning LLC

5316 Brookswood Rd, Crestwood, KY 40014

OC Cleaning LLC is a cleaning company based in Louisville, KY, offering a range of residential and commercial cleaning services. Their expertise includes house cleaning, deep cleaning, move in/out cleaning, post construction cleaning, and short term rental cleaning. The company serves the Louisville area and is known for certified cleaning standards that ensure thorough and inviting spaces. OC Cleaning LLC has built a reputation for handling diverse cleaning needs, including medical and office environments, with a focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

4.9

82 Reviews

Red Feather Cleaning

louisville

Red Feather Cleaning is a locally owned cleaning company based in Louisville, KY, offering residential and commercial cleaning services. They serve a wide range of clients including busy families, renters, Airbnb hosts, and businesses across Louisville and Southern Indiana. Their services include standard and deep cleaning, move-in and move-out cleaning, post-construction cleanup, and specialized commercial cleaning for offices, medical practices, gyms, and event venues. With over 20 years of experience, Red Feather Cleaning provides flexible scheduling and a 100% satisfaction guarantee to ensure thorough and reliable results.

4.9

69 Reviews

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What is Included in a Standard Kentucky Short-Term Rental Clean?

Professional cleaners follow a detailed checklist designed to meet guest expectations and platform standards. The goal is a property that looks, feels, and smells impeccably clean for each new arrival.

Kitchen & Bathroom Deep Sanitization These high-traffic areas receive the most thorough attention. In the kitchen, cleaners will wipe down all countertops, clean the sink and faucet, and sanitize the exterior of all appliances (oven, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher). They will also handle any dishes-either loading dirty ones into the dishwasher or putting away clean ones. All trash and recycling are removed ¹. Bathrooms undergo a full sanitizing protocol: toilets are cleaned inside and out, showers and tubs are scrubbed to prevent soap scum and mildew, sinks and mirrors are polished, and floors are mopped ^{1 2}.

Bedroom & Living Area Reset In bedrooms, the bed is stripped of all used linens and remade with fresh sheets and pillowcases. Cleaners will dust all surfaces, including nightstands and dressers, and vacuum or mop the floors ¹. Living areas receive similar care, with dusting, vacuuming of carpets and rugs, and tidying of cushions and decor. General tasks include emptying all trash bins, spot-cleaning walls or doors around light switches, and ensuring entryways, patios, or balconies are tidy ¹.

The Hospitality Touch Beyond basic cleaning, there's an element of staging. This involves the detailed placement of items, specific towel folding or hanging techniques, and ensuring a welcoming ambiance. It's these small touches that often lead to glowing guest reviews ².

Managing Linens and Laundry for Turnovers

Handling linens is one of the most critical and time-consuming aspects of turnover cleaning.

The Standard: Fresh Linens for Every Guest The industry standard is to replace all linens-sheets, pillowcases, bath towels, hand towels, and bath mats-with fresh, clean sets after every guest checks out ^{3 4}. This is non-negotiable for guest health and satisfaction.

The Logistics Process Most professional short-term rental cleaners have a system for this. Some may take the used linens to a commercial laundromat for high-volume, rapid washing and drying. Others may handle laundry in-house if they have the capacity. The linens are then returned to the property for the next turnover. This service is often factored into the overall flat rate, though some cleaners may charge a separate, per-load laundry fee ^{3 4 5}. Hosts must clarify this process with their cleaner to ensure timely availability of linens.

Restocking Essential Supplies

A guest's experience is quickly diminished if they run out of toilet paper or dish soap. Part of a comprehensive cleaning service often includes a basic restock of consumables.

Typical Inventory Standard supplies include toilet paper, paper towels, hand and bath soap, shampoo and conditioner samples, coffee or tea, sugar, creamer, dish soap, and laundry detergent pods ^{3 6}. Some hosts may also provide welcome snacks or local treats.

The Restocking Procedure Usually, the host provides an inventory of supplies to be maintained on-site or gives the cleaner a budget for purchases. The cleaner will check levels during each turnover and restock items to a predetermined amount. Clear communication about brand preferences and budget is essential to avoid misunderstandings ^{3 6}.

Understanding Costs and Pricing Structures in Kentucky

Pricing for short-term rental cleaning in Kentucky varies based on property size, location, and the scope of services. Understanding the common pricing models helps hosts budget effectively.

Common Pricing Models

• Flat Rate per Turnover: This is the most common and predictable method. The cleaner quotes a single price for the complete reset of your property between guests. In Kentucky, this typically ranges from $70 to $150+ per turnover, heavily dependent on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms ^{3 4}.
• Hourly Rate: Some cleaners or companies may charge an hourly rate, generally around $30 to $45 per hour ³. However, most prefer to quote a flat project fee for turnovers due to the standardized checklist.
• Cost Breakdown Example: For a typical 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment, a host might pay a base cleaning fee of $100, plus a $50 laundry service fee, plus a $25 supply restocking fee, bringing the total turnover cost to approximately $175 ^{3 6}.

Key Factors Influencing Price

• Property Size & Layout: A studio or one-bedroom will cost less than a large cabin or multi-story home.
• Location: Services in metropolitan areas like Louisville often command higher rates than in more rural parts of the state due to operational costs ³.
• Add-On Services: Extra charges apply for deep cleaning tasks like oven interiors, cleaning outdoor grills, sanitizing hot tubs, or addressing properties with pets ³.
• Level of Luxury: A high-end rental with more delicate surfaces and premium amenities may require more meticulous care, impacting the price.

How to Find Reliable Cleaning Services in Kentucky

Securing a dependable cleaner is crucial for peace of mind. Here are effective strategies for Kentucky hosts:

1. Leverage Local Host Networks: Local Airbnb or VRBO host groups on Facebook are invaluable for getting trusted, word-of-mouth referrals for cleaners who are already proven in your specific area ³.
2. Research Local Cleaning Companies: Many established residential cleaning companies now offer dedicated short-term rental cleaning programs. Look for those that explicitly list "vacation rental" or "Airbnb" cleaning on their websites, as they understand the turnover timeline ¹.
3. Utilize Specialized Platforms: Services like Turno (formerly TurnoverBnb) connect hosts with vetted cleaners in their area, such as Lexington, and often provide tools for scheduling, communication, and payment, streamlining the entire process ^{4 7}.

When interviewing potential cleaners, ask for their specific checklist, their linen handling process, their pricing structure (including any extra fees), and their policy for last-minute bookings or emergency coverage. A professional service will have clear answers and may even offer a sample contract outlining all responsibilities ².

The Importance of a Clear Cleaning Agreement

A formal understanding prevents disputes. Whether a verbal agreement or a written contract, ensure it covers:

• Scope of Work: The detailed checklist of tasks to be completed every turnover.
• Pricing & Payment Terms: The flat fee or rate, how and when payment is due, and fees for add-ons or last-minute bookings.
• Linens & Supplies: Who provides linens? Who does the laundry and how? What is the restocking budget and procedure?
• Access & Communication: How the cleaner will access the property (lockbox, smart lock code) and the preferred method for reporting issues or sending photos post-clean.
• Scheduling & Cancellation: Notice required for scheduling a clean and policies if a guest extends their stay unexpectedly.

A transparent agreement aligns expectations and builds a strong, lasting partnership between host and cleaner ².

Frequently asked questions

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