How Much Airbnb Cleaning Costs in Lafayette, LA
Most Lafayette hosts pay a flat rate per turnover, and for a standard one or two bedroom rental that usually lands in the range of $75 to $140 before linens. Larger homes near the university or out toward Youngsville and Broussard run higher, and laundry, restocking and same-day windows add to the total. The figures below are typical ranges for planning a budget, not a quote.
Lafayette is a smaller short-term rental market than New Orleans, which helps and hurts. Labor rates tend to be lower, but there are fewer dedicated turnover teams, so availability on busy weekends can matter as much as price.
Typical turnover prices by unit size
These ranges assume a standard turnover: beds stripped and remade, bathrooms and kitchen cleaned, floors done, trash out, a walk-through and photos at the end. They do not include laundry unless noted.
| Unit | Typical range per turnover |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1 bedroom | $65 to $100 |
| 2 bedroom, 1 to 2 baths | $90 to $140 |
| 3 bedroom house | $130 to $190 |
| 4 bedroom or larger | $180 to $300+ |
A first clean is almost always priced higher than the recurring rate. If the property has never had a proper deep clean, or it was previously a long-term rental, expect the first visit to cost roughly one and a half to two times the regular turnover. After that, the per-stay price settles.
What pushes a Lafayette turnover above the typical range
Linens and laundry
Laundry is the single biggest swing in the bill. There are three common setups:
- Washer and dryer on site. The cleaner starts a load at arrival and finishes it before leaving. This works for small units with a long turnover window, and usually adds a modest per-load charge or extra time.
- Off-site laundry. Dirty sets go out, clean sets come back. This is faster on the day and easier to schedule, but it is billed per set or per pound.
- Host-supplied par stock. You own two or three full sets per bed, and the cleaner swaps them every stay. This is usually the cheapest over a full year.
If you are weighing these options, our guide to Airbnb laundry and linen turnover walks through par levels and how to keep sheets from going grey.
Humidity and the extra work it creates
South Louisiana air is wet for most of the year. In a short-term rental that shows up as musty closets, damp towels left on the floor, mildew on grout and shower caulk, and condensation around AC vents. A good turnover in Lafayette includes a few steps that a cleaner in a drier city might skip:
- Running the AC or a dehumidifier while working, and leaving the thermostat at your set point
- Wiping shower walls and checking caulk lines for black spotting
- Hanging or removing every damp towel, including ones guests left in closets
- Checking under sinks and around the water heater for slow leaks
None of this takes long on a single visit, but it adds minutes to every turnover. Expect providers who build it in to price slightly above a bare-bones rate.
Event weekends and same-day turnovers
Demand for cleaners follows demand for rooms. In Lafayette, that means home football weekends at UL Lafayette, Mardi Gras season, Festival International in the spring, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in the fall, and graduation weekends. On those dates, a same-day turnover with a tight window (out at 11, in at 3) may carry a surcharge or simply be harder to book.
The fix is to lock in your cleaner well before the calendar fills. Share your booking calendar or connect it to a scheduling tool so turnovers are assigned automatically when a reservation comes in.
Restocking and consumables
Some providers include restocking of basics you supply (toilet paper, soap, coffee, trash bags). Others charge per item or bill a flat restock fee. If the cleaner is buying supplies for you, expect the cost of the items plus a handling charge. Keeping a locked owner's closet stocked on site is usually cheaper than paying someone to shop.
Outdoor areas, pets and hot tubs
Porches, patios, grills and pet hair all add time. A hot tub is its own line item because water testing and cover cleaning are separate tasks. If your listing allows pets, ask for a clear pet fee in the cleaning agreement and pass it through to the guest.
Flat rate versus hourly billing
Most short-term rental cleaning in Lafayette is billed as a flat rate per turnover, set after a walk-through. Hourly billing is more common for deep cleans and one-off jobs.
A flat rate is easier for hosts because it matches the cleaning fee you charge guests. The tradeoff is that a guest who leaves the place a mess costs the cleaner, not you, so many providers add a clause for excess mess (extra time billed when a stay goes well beyond normal use). Read that clause before you sign.
How to set your guest cleaning fee
Your guest-facing cleaning fee does not have to equal your cleaner's price, but it should cover it. A simple approach many hosts use:
- Start with the turnover price for your unit.
- Add the per-stay laundry cost.
- Add a small amount for consumables used each stay.
- Round to a number that keeps your total price competitive with similar listings nearby.
If the cleaning fee makes short stays look expensive next to comparable listings, consider a higher nightly rate and a lower cleaning fee, or a two-night minimum on weekends.
What to ask before hiring a cleaner in Lafayette
- Is laundry included, billed separately, or handled off site?
- How are same-day turnovers and event weekends handled?
- Will you send photos of the finished property after every clean?
- What happens if a guest reports a problem at check-in?
- How do you report damage, missing items or maintenance issues?
- Who restocks supplies, and how is that billed?
Ask for the scope in writing. A clear checklist protects you and the cleaner, and it keeps quality steady when a different team member covers a shift.
Frequently asked questions
How much should an Airbnb host in Lafayette charge guests for cleaning?
Many Lafayette hosts set the guest cleaning fee close to what they pay for the turnover plus laundry, which for a one or two bedroom unit often falls between $75 and $150. Check what similar listings nearby charge, since a fee well above the local norm can push guests to other listings. Adjust after a few months based on your real per-stay costs.
Is it cheaper for hosts to clean their own short-term rental?
Doing it yourself saves the cleaning bill, but it costs time on every check-out day and limits how many stays you can accept back to back. Hosts with one unit close to home often self-clean at first. Once you run more than one property or live outside Lafayette, a turnover team usually pays for itself in bookings you would otherwise turn down.
How long does an Airbnb turnover take?
A studio or one bedroom unit typically takes about one and a half to two and a half hours for one cleaner, not counting off-site laundry. A three bedroom house can take three to five hours, or less with two people. Humidity checks, heavy messes and on-site laundry all add time.
Get a turnover quote for your Lafayette rental
Tell us about your property, the number of beds and baths, your typical booking pattern and how you handle linens. We will send back a written turnover scope. Start on our Lafayette service page or go straight to the quote form.