CLEANPAD GUIDE · AIRBNB
Airbnb essentials list“Essentials” is five items.
The hard part is the quantities.
Airbnb’s Essentials amenity has a short, specific definition. What it does not give you is a number to stock. This guide quotes the official list, answers the towel question, and converts “per guest” and “per bed” into targets a cleaner can count against.
The official list
Airbnb’s help article on essential amenities says hosts are strongly encouraged to provide (Airbnb Help Center):
- Toilet paper
- Soap (for hands and body)
- One towel per guest
- One pillow per guest
- Linens for each guest bed
The same article says hosts can offer greater quantities for larger groups and longer stays, and that listings which select the Essentials amenity without providing the items may be subject to penalties, including removal from Airbnb. That last line is why Essentials belongs on the turnover checklist rather than in a set-up document you read once.
Do Airbnbs have towels?
If the listing shows the Essentials amenity, the host has said there is at least one towel per guest. Airbnb words it as strongly encouraged rather than mandatory for every listing, so a guest should check the amenities on the specific listing. For hosts the practical answer is simpler: if you advertise Essentials, a missing towel is a listing that does not match its description.
From “per guest” to a number on the shelf
Airbnb sets a floor. A turnover needs a target: what should be in the unit when the cleaner leaves. Use the listing’s maximum guests (G) and number of guest beds (B):
| Item | Airbnb floor | Working target per turnover | Why the extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Towels | 1 per guest → G | G in place + G spare | A stained or damp towel has to be replaced, not rewashed in a 4-hour window. |
| Pillows | 1 per guest → G | G on beds | Pillows are not consumed; the count catches ones that went missing. |
| Bed linen sets | 1 per guest bed → B | B on beds + B clean in the cupboard | The set you strip today is the one still in the dryer at check-in. |
| Toilet paper | Present (no number) | Rolls for the longest typical stay, per bathroom | Running out mid-stay is the complaint; set it from your stay lengths. |
| Hand and body soap | Present (no number) | 1 hand soap per sink + body soap per shower | A near-empty bottle counts as zero when the next guest arrives. |
The “spare” columns are our operating suggestion, not Airbnb’s rule. Their purpose is to make the target independent of the laundry machine. Worked example for a two-bedroom listing that sleeps four, with a queen bed and two singles (three guest beds): towels 4 + 4 = 8, pillows 4, linen sets 3 on beds + 3 in the cupboard = 6.
Set the targets in the restock counter
The Cleanpad restock tab starts with editable defaults: toilet paper 6 rolls and bath towels 4 per bathroom, sheet sets 2 per bedroom, 2 hand soaps, 1 dish soap, 10 bin liners and 12 coffee pods. Those are starting points, not Airbnb numbers. For an Essentials listing, change the towel row to your G + spare figure, add a “Pillows” row with G, and keep the Essential box ticked on all five items.
During the turnover the cleaner counts what is actually there. The Bring column is target minus on hand, never negative. A blank count stays a dash, because “I didn’t count” and “there are none” are different facts. Any shortage on an Essential row appears as Essential restock on the handoff tab and stops the host confirmation until the new count is entered.
Essentials versus nice-to-haves
Coffee, shampoo, dish soap and bin liners matter to reviews but are not in the Essentials definition. Keep them on the count with the Essential box unticked: a shortage still shows as a restock line, but it does not block the handoff. That keeps the blocking list short enough to act on.
The 2026 checkout rules change the count too
From 20 November 2026 Airbnb says hosts can ask guests to gather used towels, but not to strip the beds or start laundry (Airbnb, 20 October 2026). Every stay therefore ends with every used set on the beds and every used towel in a pile, which is exactly when a count is useful: you know how many came out, and the spare column covers them.
For the routine around the count, see the restock checklist and par levels guide. For the cost of all this per stay, see how to set a cleaning fee.
Open the free restock counter →
Sources
- Providing essential amenities for guests, Airbnb Help Center. Read 29 October 2026.
- Important changes to house rules (20 October 2026), Airbnb Resource Center. Read 29 October 2026.
Workspace behaviour is described from the Cleanpad code and the screenshots above, taken on the built-in example turnover. Cleanpad is not affiliated with Airbnb.
Updated 29 October 2026