Airbnb Bathroom Checklist

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I've always found bathrooms to be one of the trickiest spaces in a short-term rental. One misstep — a missing item, an overpowering scent, or a single hair on the counter — can literally cost a five-star review. At the same time, overdoing it (too many products, too many surfaces cluttered with supplies) can feel just as off-putting to guests.

Guests expect a clean, well-stocked bathroom. It's one of the most intimate spaces in your property, and they will notice everything.

If you're new here, good day! My name is Sam and I am an Airbnb Superhost with properties in the great states of Maryland and West Virginia. In this post I walk through the complete Airbnb bathroom checklist — what to stock, what to skip, the products that create that spa-like experience, and a few things I wish I'd known sooner.

Airbnb Bathroom Checklist

A well-stocked, spotless bathroom signals to guests that you think ahead and that you're a knowledgeable and confident host. I keep things simple, elevated, and consistent across every stay — here's exactly what I use, organized by category.

Towels & Linens

I use a five-layer system for bathroom linens: hands, intimate body, face, whole body, and feet. Each guest gets one intimate item, one body item — so one washcloth and one bath towel. For hand and foot items, we do one per bathroom: one hand towel and one foot towel. For a short stay we also keep two additional towels and two additional washcloths in the linen closet, plus one black makeup (face) towel per bathroom. All towels except the makeup towels are white. I cannot stress the importance of white towels — they give off that hotel-quality feel and are easier to maintain since they can be bleached when needed. We've had great success with the American Soft Linen brand — consistently available on Amazon, excellent quality (100% cotton), and well priced.

Here's what our formula looks like for a short stay of 2 nights at our cabin in West Virginia, which sleeps 6 and has 2 bathrooms:

Item	Laid Out	Linen Closet	Total
Washcloths	6	2	8
Bath Towels	6	2	8
Hand Towels	2	0	2
Foot Towels	2	0	2
Makeup Towels	2	0	2
Grand Total	18	4	22

We call the 18 laid-out pieces a full set. In the summer months we add 4 of these Cotton Turkish Cabana towels to the linen closet in case guests venture to the lake or river — this keeps our white towels from getting extra dirty and gives guests 6 replacement towels without anyone having to run a load of laundry.

 

Now to those black makeup (face) towels I mentioned earlier.

Those black makeup towels have genuinely changed how we manage our towel rotation. Makeup stains are notoriously stubborn — they require more effort to remove, more product, and often repeated bleaching that shortens the life of your white towels. Providing a dedicated black or dark blue makeup towel signals to guests exactly what it's for, and in my experience, they actually use it. It has saved our white towels from a significant amount of unnecessary wear and cleaning product use. If you do end up with a makeup stain on a white towel, Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater is excellent — it works surprisingly well on makeup and is gentle enough not to damage the fabric like repeated bleaching eventually does.

How Many Towels Per Guest in an Airbnb?

This is one of the most common questions new hosts ask during my one on one coaching sessions — and one of the easiest to get wrong in both directions. Too few and guests feel like they're being rationed. Too many and you're spending unnecessary time and money on laundry (we learned this the hard way after one guest used all 26 towels in a single overnight stay).

Our formula breaks down by stay length:

• Short stays (1–2 nights): One full set plus 2 washcloths and 2 towels in the linen closet.
• Longer stays (3+ nights): One full set plus one (extra) full set in the linen closet. This gives guests the ability to rotate without running out, especially since our properties have washers and dryers on-site.

If your property does not have a washer and dryer — or no on-site laundry option for guests — you need to stock more. Without the ability to wash towels mid-stay, guests are entirely dependent on what you provide. For properties without laundry access, we'd recommend a minimum of two full sets for short stays, and three full sets for anything longer than three nights. The last thing you want is a guest running out of clean towels on night four of a week-long booking.

Soaps & Toiletries

For soap dispensers, we advise keeping things simple. We've had no issues with the ones we use. Basic pump bottles work great. For shampoo & conditioner, we made an early decision not to provide conditioner, offering only shampoo and body wash — but after a guest mentioned she'd hoped for conditioner, we'd recommend providing all three. We use the simple human wall mount pumps. But the simpler the better, like these — think hotel-style. As for decorative hand soaps, our housekeeping team reported they went untouched stay after stay. Guests consistently reached for the soap pump instead — likely due to ease of use. If guests aren't using them, don't bother stocking them.

• Hand Soap Dispensers
• Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash Pumps
• Hand Soap Bottle Tray
• Hand Soap/Body Wash
• Shampoo & Conditioner

Shower & Tub

We do both a curtain and a liner — one protects the other. At minimum, the liner stays inside the tub and prevents water from escaping the shower area onto your bathroom floor. The curtain is the decorative layer on top. Together they're a simple, low-cost system that extends the life of both and keeps things looking clean and intentional.

• Shower Curtains
• Shower Liners

Toilet & Essentials

A plunger is non-negotiable. It will save you from having to deal with emergencies you truly do not want to be called about — and guests will use it and appreciate it being there. Keep it discreet but accessible, tucked beside or behind the toilet. It's one of those items that's invisible when things go right and absolutely critical when they don't.

• Toilet Paper
• Toilet Wands
• Plunger

Storage & Organization

If your bathroom has the space, a storage organizer or under-sink cabinet is a great way to keep linens accessible without cluttering the room. At our properties, we have both under sink cabinet space, and these above toilet bathroom cabinets — it keeps each bathroom clean and uncluttered while still giving guests easy access to what they need.

• Waste Baskets
• Storage Baskets

Lighting, Mirrors & Furniture

• Lighting
• Full Length Mirrors

Appliances

• Hair Dryers
• Bathroom Speakers

The Guest Toiletry Basket: Going the Extra Mile

What toiletries you provide is entirely up to you and your budget. There is no requirement to go beyond the basics — but if you want to stand out, a small toiletry basket stocked with travel-size essentials is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost upgrades you can make. Guests remember it, mention it in reviews, and it signals a level of thoughtfulness that sets your listing apart.

We keep a basket under the sink stocked with miniature versions of the following:

• Hand sanitizer
• Sunscreen
• Mini individual make up removers (to supplement our black makeup towels)
• Disposable shavers
• Q-tips
• Small body soaps
• Pads and tampons
• Shower caps — don't skip these. They are one of the most overlooked bathroom essentials in short-term rentals. We included them in our 25 Most Overlooked Airbnb Essentials for a reason — guests who need one really need one, and the cost is negligible.
• Individually wrapped toothbrushes with toothpaste — we love the 200-piece toothbrush packs for this; they're cost-effective, hygienic, and guests appreciate them far more than you'd expect
• Snag-free hair ties — single use, and women in particular really appreciate these
• Dry shampoo — preferably the smaller single-use type
• Single-use mouthwash
• Lotion Packets
• Poo-Pourri We keep the spray version under the sink at our Mountain View property. It eliminates odor before it starts, smells great, and guests love finding it. A small, discreet bottle tucked under the sink goes a long way.
• Bath soak salts — a beautiful small touch for properties with a tub

A few things we intentionally do not include: deodorant — this is a personal preference item and not something we feel is appropriate to provide. Some hosts do, and that's a valid choice, but we leave it out. The same logic applies to combs and brushes — if you offer these, they must be single-use and sealed in their original packaging. The same goes for shaving cream. If it can't be verified as unused and unopened, it shouldn't be in the basket.

Hosting the Modern Guest

Guest expectations have evolved. Today's short-term rental guests are more experienced travelers, more tech-savvy, and more attuned to the details of a space than ever before. The properties that stand out are the ones that blend comfort, convenience, and a little bit of thoughtfulness that guests didn't even know they wanted until they found it. A few intentional upgrades are all it takes to shift a functional bathroom into something guests photograph and mention in reviews.

• A tray for the vanity. A simple tray corrals your soap dispenser, hand wash, and toiletries into a single intentional vignette. It makes the counter look styled rather than stocked — and guests notice the difference.
• Rolled or folded towels. Roll them and display them in a basket or tray. It's a small visual cue that communicates care — the same reason hotels do it.

• Fresh or faux eucalyptus. Hung from the showerhead or placed in a vase, it looks beautiful, adds a subtle natural scent in the steam, and photographs incredibly well.
• Live or faux greenery. Any small plant instantly livens up the space. Warmth, texture, and a sense of care in one easy addition.
• Neutral artwork. A framed print elevates the space from utilitarian to intentional. Keep it calm and on-brand.
• LED vanity mirror. A backlit mirror is one of the higher-impact visual upgrades you can make. Guests use it to do their hair and makeup, and it signals this bathroom was designed with intention.
• Motion-sensor light strips. For nighttime bathroom access, LED strips along the floor or under the vanity are a genuinely thoughtful touch — a soft, automatic glow without fumbling for a switch.
• Magnetic wireless phone charger. Guests listen to podcasts, music, and watch videos in the shower. A waterproof mount costs almost nothing and is one of those items guests actively use and appreciate.
• Movable Shower Heads
• A rainfall or steam showerhead. One of the most-mentioned luxury upgrades in guest reviews. A one-time investment that pays for itself in perceived value many times over.
• An electric bidet seat or attachment. Mainstream and growing. Guests who encounter one almost universally mention it positively.
• Towel warmer. A genuine luxury — few feelings better than a warm towel after a bath. Requires additional cleaning attention between stays, but absolutely worth it if your turnover process can accommodate it.
• Monogrammed bathrobes and slippers. Takes your bathroom from Airbnb to boutique hotel. An added cost with extra cleaning protocols, but a differentiator guests remember and write about.
• Massaging bath pillow and bathtub tray. For tub-equipped bathrooms, this combination transforms the experience from functional to indulgent. A tray for a drink or a book or Ipad! A pillow for comfort — guests actually use the tub and remember the stay.
• Bath soak salts. A small jar beside the tub is an easy, affordable touch. Pair with the tray and pillow for full effect.
• Magnetic wireless phone charger. A small, practical touch that modern guests genuinely appreciate.

What to Avoid in Your Airbnb Bathroom

Just as important as what you stock is what you leave out. A bathroom that feels clean, calm, and uncluttered earns five-star reviews. Here are the things we've learned to avoid — some from experience, some from guest feedback.

• Toilet brushes. This is a personal choice, and we are deliberate about it. We do not leave toilet brushes in our bathrooms. Here's why: it's one more item your cleaners have to sanitize thoroughly between every stay. More importantly, leaving a toilet brush sends an implicit message that you expect the guest to clean the toilet — and we fundamentally disagree with that expectation. Our guests pay a cleaning fee that ranges from $75 to $180 depending on the season. That fee exists precisely so that cleaning is our responsibility, not theirs. We have professional cleaners who handle every turnover. Asking or implying that a guest should scrub a toilet on top of that is not the hosting experience we want to create. A plunger? Absolutely. A toilet brush? No.
• Candles. Open flames in a bathroom are a liability. Opt for a flameless LED candle or a subtle diffuser instead.
• Overpowering air fresheners. Strong synthetic scents can feel like something is being covered up. A light, neutral scent or excellent ventilation is far more effective.
• Mirrors facing the toilet. This can feel unsettling and uncomfortable for guests. Position mirrors on side walls or above the vanity instead.
• Host personal items stored under the sink. Guests will look. Keep it clear or stock it intentionally with guest-facing supplies only.
• Too many products on the counter. Keep surfaces minimal — soap dispenser, toiletries, and nothing else. Everything else goes in a basket or under the sink.
• Worn or stained towels. Replace at the first sign of wear. Thin, grey-tinged, or frayed towels signal a property that isn't being properly maintained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Airbnbs have to provide shampoo?

No — shampoo is not a requirement, but it is very much appreciated. Providing shampoo, conditioner, and body wash is one of those hosting extras that guests notice and mention positively in reviews. We consider it an elevated hosting touch rather than a must-have — but if you're looking to differentiate your listing and create a more hotel-like feel, it's one of the easier upgrades to make. At a minimum, we recommend body wash. Shampoo and conditioner together take it to the next level.

When should I replace towels in my Airbnb?

Replace towels at the first sign of any of the following: visible wear or thinning fabric, fraying edges, holes, stains that cannot be bleached out, or that dull yellow-grey tint that develops over time from repeated washing. As a general rule, we advise replacing towels every 6 months to 1 year depending on booking volume. Don't wait for a guest to notice — do a towel audit every few months and retire anything that doesn't look crisp and white.

How many rolls of toilet paper should I leave for guests?

We recommend leaving at least one full roll on the holder plus two to three backup rolls visible in the bathroom. Guests should never have to search for toilet paper. For longer stays, stock more and let guests know in your welcome guide where extras are kept.

Should I provide a hair dryer in the Airbnb bathroom?

Yes. A hair dryer is one of the most-expected amenities in any short-term rental and its absence is frequently noted in negative reviews. It doesn't need to be high-end — a reliable, wall-mounted or countertop model is perfectly sufficient.

What other toiletries can I provide to go the extra mile?

Beyond the basics, it really comes down to your budget and hosting style. The items that tend to make the biggest impression are the ones guests forgot to pack — a disposable razor, a shower cap, a toothbrush, a hair tie. Small single-use items that cost very little but feel incredibly thoughtful in the moment. Body oils, dry shampoo, mouthwash, and feminine hygiene products round out a basket that covers nearly every guest scenario. For items like combs, brushes, or shaving cream, always ensure they are single-use and sealed in their original packaging.

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