Top Short-Term Rental Cleaning in Cambridge, Massachusetts Ranked

For hosts in Cambridge, maintaining a pristine short-term rental is non-negotiable. It's the cornerstone of positive guest reviews, repeat bookings, and a successful rental business. This specialized service, often called turnover cleaning or vacation rental cleaning, goes beyond standard housekeeping to ensure every guest arrives to a spotless, sanitized, and welcoming space. This guide explains what professional STR cleaning entails in Cambridge, how to find reliable local providers, and what you can expect in terms of service and investment.

Onix Cleaning Services

451 D St, Boston, MA 02210

Onix Cleaning Services is a female-owned professional home cleaning company based in Boston, MA. Founded in 2002 by Maria De Souza, the company offers a wide range of cleaning services including deep cleaning, move out cleaning, post construction cleaning, and short term rental cleaning. Serving Boston and the Greater Boston area, Onix Cleaning Services caters to both residential and commercial clients across various neighborhoods and suburbs. Their team is experienced in handling the unique cleaning needs of densely populated urban areas and offers eco-friendly cleaning options. As a licensed and insured provider, Onix Cleaning Services has built a reputation for thorough and reliable cleaning over more than 20 years in business.

5.0

240 Reviews

Fenway Cleaning Services

19 Harvest St, Boston, MA 02125

Fenway Cleaning Services is a cleaning company based in Boston, MA, offering a range of services including house cleaning, deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and short-term rental cleaning. They serve the Greater Boston region and are known for thorough and detailed cleaning work, as reflected in numerous customer reviews. Their team handles various cleaning needs from regular maintenance to specialized deep cleans and post-renovation cleanups. Fenway Cleaning Services is recognized for accommodating last-minute requests and providing flexible scheduling to fit clients' busy lives.

5.0

148 Reviews

Onix Cleaning Services

11 Malden St, Everett, MA 02149

Onix Cleaning Services is a female-owned cleaning company based in Boston, MA, founded by Maria De Souza in 2002. The company offers a range of residential and commercial cleaning services including house cleaning, deep cleaning, move out cleaning, post construction cleaning, and short term rental cleaning. Serving Boston and the Greater Boston area, Onix Cleaning Services is equipped to handle the diverse cleaning needs of the city's varied housing types and neighborhoods. Their team is licensed and insured, providing services tailored to areas such as Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and Somerville. With over 20 years of experience, Onix Cleaning Services has built a reputation for thorough and detailed cleaning, including specialized deep cleaning and eco-friendly options.

4.9

603 Reviews

MaidPro

27 Water St Suite 104, Wakefield, MA 01880

MaidPro is a house cleaning company serving Boston, MA, and the surrounding Middlesex County area. They offer a range of residential and commercial cleaning services, including deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and short-term rental cleaning. Their cleaning professionals follow a detailed 49-point checklist to ensure thorough and consistent results. MaidPro Wakefield has been locally owned since 2020 and provides customized cleaning plans tailored to each client's needs. They also use environmentally friendly products and offer additional services like oven and refrigerator cleaning.

5.0

98 Reviews

MaidPro Needham

1492 Highland Ave #7, Needham, MA 02492

MaidPro Needham is a locally owned house cleaning company serving the Boston, MA area. They provide a wide range of residential and commercial cleaning services including regular maid services, deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, post-construction cleanup, and short-term rental turnovers. Their cleaning process follows a detailed 49-point checklist to ensure thoroughness, and their team is trained, background checked, bonded, and insured. MaidPro Needham has over 20 years of experience in the cleaning industry and offers customizable, no-contract plans to fit various needs and schedules.

5.0

81 Reviews

See more providers in Cambridge, MA

What is Short-Term Rental (STR) Cleaning?

Short-term rental cleaning is a meticulous, time-sensitive service designed to reset a property between guest stays. Unlike a regular home cleaning, a turnover clean follows a detailed checklist to ensure every inch of the property meets the high standards expected by guests on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. The goal is to create a flawless first impression, which directly impacts your ratings and search ranking. In a competitive market like Cambridge, where guests have high expectations, a professional clean is one of the smartest investments a host can make.

The Cambridge STR Cleaning Checklist: A Deep Dive

A thorough clean between guests is systematic. Here's what a comprehensive service for a Cambridge apartment or house typically includes:

Kitchen Excellence

The kitchen is a high-use area that requires detailed attention. Cleaning involves wiping down all countertops, the sink, and the stovetop; cleaning the microwave inside and out; and wiping the exterior of the refrigerator ¹. Any used dishes are washed and put away. Professionals will also empty the trash, replace the liner, and restock starter essentials like coffee, tea, and basic spices ².

Bathroom Sanitization

Bathrooms must be fully sanitized. This includes scrubbing the toilet, shower, and tub; cleaning the sink and mirror; and wiping down all surfaces ³. Fresh towels are laid out, and essentials like hand soap, toilet paper, and toiletries are restocked to predetermined levels ¹.

Bedroom Reset

In bedrooms, cleaners strip all used linens and replace them with fresh sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers ¹. They dust all surfaces, including nightstands and dressers, vacuum under the bed if accessible, and ensure closets are tidy for guest use.

Living & Common Areas

All living areas receive a detailed dusting of surfaces, including shelves, TV stands, and coffee tables. Floors are vacuumed and/or mopped. High-touch items like TV remotes and light switches are disinfected ⁴. The space is generally tidied to appear magazine-ready.

Final Walk-Through & Resetting

The final stage involves a quality check: ensuring all trash bins are emptied, liners replaced, and the property is free of any previous guest's items ⁵. Cleaners often perform a quick damage inspection and reset thermostats, appliances, and locks for the next guest's arrival ⁶.

The Critical Role of Linen Service

Linen management is a core component of STR cleaning. Most hosts in Cambridge provide the initial inventory of sheets, pillowcases, bath towels, hand towels, and kitchen linens ¹. The cleaning service's responsibility is to remove all used linens, launder them (either off-site at their facility or using in-unit machines if available), and return them pressed and folded for the next turnover. Some services include pressing, while others provide freshly laundered linens. Clear communication on this process is essential for a smooth operation.

Essential Restocking for Guest Comfort

Part of preparing a rental for the next guest is ensuring it's not just clean but also functional. Professional cleaners typically check and restock a set of consumable essentials supplied by the host. This standard list includes ¹:

• Toilet Paper
• Paper Towels
• Hand Soap
• Dish Soap
• Trash Bags
• Starter portions of Coffee and Tea
• Basic toiletries (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, body wash)

Understanding Pricing for Turnover Cleaning in Cambridge

The cost for a thorough turnover clean in Cambridge depends on several key factors: the size of the unit (number of bedrooms and bathrooms), the property type (apartment vs. multi-story house), the density of furnishings and decor, and the specific cleaning company's rates ⁷. Given Cambridge's high-demand rental market, prices often sit at the higher end of national averages.

• 1-Bedroom Unit: A typical turnover clean can range from approximately $70 to $120+ ^{7 8}.
• 2-Bedroom Unit: Expect pricing in the range of $90 to $150+ per turnover ^{7 8}.
• 3+ Bedroom Unit or House: Costs often start around $120 and can exceed $200+, depending on square footage and complexity ⁷.

These are estimates for the cleaning service itself; they may or may not include the cost of restocking supplies or separate linen laundry fees.

Best Practices for Cambridge STR Hosts

1. Consistency is Key: Use a detailed, standardized checklist for every clean. This is the single best way to ensure consistent, high-quality results that earn five-star reviews ^{1 4}.
2. High-Touch Focus: In today's environment, guests notice sanitization. Pay special attention to disinfecting all high-touch surfaces: light switches, door handles, appliance handles, remote controls, and countertops ^{2 5}.
3. Plan for Efficient Turnovers: The window between check-out and check-in is often short. Professional cleaners are adept at efficient workflows, but hosts should allow adequate time. A typical 2-bedroom turnover may require a 3 to 5-hour block to complete thoroughly ⁵.

Finding a provider familiar with the pace and standards of the Cambridge short-term rental market is crucial. Look for services that explicitly offer vacation rental or turnover cleaning, provide clear checklists, and understand the importance of a swift, dependable service to protect your hosting business.

Frequently asked questions

Sources