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Are you a new Airbnb host setting up your short-term rental? You have landed in the right place! I am an Airbnb superhost with four successful vacation rentals on 30A. Here at Our Little Lifestyle, I share my first-hand Airbnb hosting experiences with people like you! Today, we are going to talk about the ever-important Airbnb bathroom, including the Airbnb bathroom essentials you need and what you honestly don’t need!
And if you are just getting started on Airbnb, make sure to visit my room-by-room Airbnb Setup List!
Short on time? Most of my Airbnb bathroom favorites are in one easy-to-shop Amazon list. Just click the button below to browse my bathroom must-haves!
Setting Up Your Airbnb Bathroom
A clean and well-equipped Airbnb bathroom is crucial to your success as an Airbnb host. As I point out in my Airbnb bedding post, this is one area where you want your Airbnb to feel like a hotel.
The bedroom and the bathroom should always be sparkling clean, have the necessary amenities, and be free of personal items and excess clutter.
Likewise, it’s always beneficial to chat with your cleaners first. Ask whether they prefer only white towels (for easy bleaching), whether they provide any paper goods, and so on. In most cases, the cleaning company has a set workflow, and they’re responsible for cleaning between guests and preparing for new guests, not you.
Now, I’m ready to guide you in gathering the essential items to create a top-notch Airbnb bathroom that will help you earn 5-star Airbnb reviews and achieve Airbnb Superhost status!
And if you put all of the right systems in place from the beginning, you can even enjoy traveling while managing your Airbnb rental!
QUICK LINK: Are you ready to create your new Airbnb listing? Click here to get started on Airbnb!
Airbnb Bathroom Essentials + Links to Shop
Whether you have one bathroom or several in your short-term rental, each one needs to be fully stocked for guests.
Do you have any shared Airbnb bathrooms that accommodate multiple families?
If so, plan ahead so guests don’t have to share essential items. For example, if you have two queen bedrooms that each sleep 2 adults but share a single bathroom, make sure you have at least 4 bath towels, 4 washcloths, etc., in these shared bathrooms.
For initial Airbnb bathroom setup, I always recommend 3-4 complete sets of anything changed between guests, such as towels and bath mats. For other items, such as shower curtains and liners, it’s advisable to have at least one backup, and here are some other Airbnb items I always keep backups of!
Here are the must-have items in any Airbnb bathroom!
As I mentioned above, I’ve also saved everything in my Airbnb Bathroom Essentials list on my Amazon storefront for easy shopping, except my favorite oversized Airbnb bathmats, which are out of stock on Amazon but available here at Walmart!
Airbnb Bathroom Towels
You will need several types of towels in your Airbnb, including bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths. Makeup washcloths are also a great addition to keep guests from ruining washcloths with makeup!
When it comes to choosing Airbnb bathroom towels, I actually have an entire blog post dedicated to this. So, read Let’s Talk Airbnb Towels + Our Superhost Favorites for a more detailed breakdown and additional options!
Airbnb Bath Towels
You want these to be large enough to wrap around and quick-drying. The waffle-weave style quick-drying towels are my favorite, as they can fully dry in just hours. Remember, your Airbnb doesn’t have daily towel service like a hotel. So you want to avoid thick, heavy, wet towels hanging for days on end and unable to be reused by the guest.
Generally, you should leave two bath towels per guest. I like leaving these in the bathrooms, stacked on a shelf above the toilet, because I have minimal cabinet space. Some hosts leave a set of towels on each bed. It typically includes 2 bath towels, 1 hand towel, and 2 washcloths.
You can also buy these in a set, such as these popular White Classic Towel sets.
Bath Towel Recommendations:
Airbnb Hand Towels
Each bathroom should have one clean hand towel on the towel ring or bar and at least one extra under the sink. It’s always nice when these match the bath towels, too!
Hand Towel Recommendations:
Airbnb Washcloths
You may not realize this, because I didn’t, but some people like to use washcloths in the shower for their bodies. So, you should have at least two white washcloths available per person: one for their face and one for their body.
These will need to be replaced often because of staining, so they don’t need to be fancy.
Including black makeup washcloths in your Airbnb bathroom will also help minimize the staining on your white washcloths. Always wash them in hot water first to remove any remaining black dye. Or they may bleed into future loads of laundry.
Wash Cloth Recommendations:
Makeup Washcloth Recommendations:
Airbnb Pool Towels & Beach Towels
We also provide four pool towels for guests to use. At check-in, these sit atop the bed in the bedroom. However, since they are towels, I wanted to mention them here in this towel section. Our guests do also use these as beach towels, and they hold up really well!
Pool & Beach Towel Recommendations:
Airbnb Bath Mat
Like what you would see at a hotel, provide a fresh bath mat for every set of guests. White, easy-to-wash, and well-maintained bath mats are best. I love the 22″ by 34″ White Classic bath mats because they are about 30% larger than most others.
So, not only do they cover a lot more ground and protect your floors, but they also feel nicer! These get laundered between guests, like at hotels.
I would start with 4-6 bath mats per bathroom in your initial inventory, so that your cleaners can rotate in new ones as they get stained.
As I mentioned above, for now, you will need to buy these at Walmart. They are out of stock in white on Amazon (only gray here), and for some reason the product link isn’t even working. But I left it here for when they are back, and I also added a couple of alternative bath mats to my Amazon list.
Bath Mat Recommendations:
Airbnb Shower Curtain & Liner
If you have a walk-in shower, skip to the next section. But if you have a standard Airbnb bathtub/shower combo, you will want an easy-to-wash shower curtain. We wash our shower curtains often, so choose a nice white waffle-weave shower curtain. A backup or two is always essential!
Choosing a white shower curtain also keeps the bathroom feeling light, airy, and fresh. Avoid bright-colored or patterned shower curtains, as they tend to look tacky and dated.
For Airbnb shower liners, look for some that are mold- and mildew-resistant. But know that you need to change these often. I change my shower liners every time I set foot into our rentals, which is around once every 4-6 weeks.
Honestly, I often just order a bunch of cheap shower liners from Target. They are lightweight and easy to swap out often.
Choose shower curtain rings with two sides, like these, so it’s easy to swap out the liner!
Also, I know there are curtain-and-liner combo products where you can snap off the liner to wash. I have noticed during my travels that those often become discolored quickly. Maybe they aren’t being washed often enough, or maybe they are just stained. But I like to keep it simple, and therefore prefer the basic clear liners.
Shower Curtain Recommendations:
Liner Recommendations:
Curtain Rings Recommendations:
Plunger and Toilet Brush
These are non-negotiable in a vacation rental! I am always shocked when I stay at another Airbnb and there is no plunger. In most cases, there is no front desk or housekeeping to call for a clogged toilet emergency. This should not be what constitutes an Airbnb emergency for you!
Include both items and allow guests to take care of business themselves, literally. The OXO products are my favorite. We use them in every unit and have never had an issue!
I personally prefer that both the plunger and the brush are hidden, like in the OXO toilet plunger we use in our rentals. But whatever you do, please don’t leave a plunger just sitting on the floor of your Airbnb bathroom!
Plunger Recommendations:
Toilet Brush Recommendations:
You can also buy these in a combo set!
Airbnb Bathroom Toilet Paper
So, toilet paper is one topic where opinions are going to hit the fan! But as an Airbnb host, you need to do what works best for you, your cleaners, and your guests.
Every bathroom should have a fresh, wrapped roll of toilet paper on the holder and at least one more under the sink. This is one item that you really need to talk to your cleaner about! My cleaning company provides all of the consumable starter-set items as part of my Airbnb cleaning fee.
For example, my cleaners stock each bathroom with two rolls of toilet paper. So, in my Airbnb house manual, I list what is included as a starter set and note that two rolls of toilet paper per bathroom are provided.
While I would love to provide an endless supply of toilet paper, we have limited storage in our rental properties, and my cleaning company’s preferred workflow takes priority here.
As long as you manage your Airbnb guest expectations and clearly list what is included well before they check in, you should be okay with two rolls per bathroom. But if you can provide more, guests will always appreciate it! I always try to leave an extra full pack under each sink when we visit as a backup. And guests often leave extras in the bathroom borrow basket.
If you are providing unlimited toilet paper, make sure there is always some there. Because one of the most honest truths about Airbnb hosting is that no good deed goes unpunished!
Toilet Paper Recommendations:
Airbnb Bathroom Toiletries
In addition to toilet paper, you or your Airbnb cleaning company should also provide a starter set of essential toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and/or soap. This is another topic where people have very strong opinions about single-use toiletries vs. a bulk supply (often wall-mounted).
My cleaners provide a single-use set of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a bar of soap. This works very well for us, and I have never received any Airbnb guest feedback asking for more. That said, I know some people prefer not to use single-use plastics, or maybe want to provide unlimited bathroom toiletries for guests.
Do what works best for you and your cleaners! The most important thing is executing it well. As a very frequent traveler, I can’t tell you how many times I stay at a vacation rental or hotel and find the wall-mounted shampoo or conditioner either empty or almost empty. And that is literally one of their main jobs every time they clean the bathroom. So, just think about it!
You can provide shower-mounted dispensers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and these are a great idea if and only if your cleaners can refill them to the top each and every time. Otherwise, you open yourself up for extra headaches. I prefer mounts with a push-style dispenser at the bottom over the wall-mounted pump style.
For the actual products, regardless of which path you choose, you will want to buy these in bulk, and often, the single-use products come as toiletry sets that include everything.
QUICK LINK: I have a separate list of single-use toiletries for Airbnbs, including extras I like to leave in the borrow basket in case people forget something.
You should probably grab individually wrapped makeup wipes, as many Airbnb and hotel guests appreciate those. You may also want to include a lotion like this individual-sized Curel body lotion.
Toiletry Recommendations:
Shower Dispenser Recommendations:
Bulk Refill Recommendations:
The above bulk refills link to a fragrance-free product, which some hosts and guests prefer. That said, I personally enjoy scented bathroom products. I love luxury bathroom products at nice hotels! I feel like people who are adamant about wanting fragrance-free would likely travel with their own.
So, do what you want here!
Bathroom Hand Soap
Again, talk to your cleaners here. Mine provides a bar of soap for both the sink and the shower. But I prefer providing liquid hand soap as well. So, I buy inexpensive hand soap and leave several backups under the sink.
Consider using refillable soap dispensers, too. Amazon has many great refillable hand soap dispensers. Just make sure your cleaners know to refill them every turn and have plenty of bulk hand soap!
Hand Soap Recommendations:
Refillable Soap Dispenser Recommendations:
Soap Refill Recommendations:
Airbnb Bathroom Wastebasket
Straightforward enough, a small wastebasket with a liner/bag for trash is needed in every bathroom in your short-term rental.
If you use a wastebasket liner, which I recommend, keep one or two extra underneath the fresh one in case they need to empty the wastebasket during their stay.
Wastebasket Recommendations:
Airbnb Hair Dryer
Offering a hairdryer is always a nice touch and a standard hotel amenity. Choose an easy-to-use, compact, yet powerful hair dryer. Consider buying a hair dryer bag to store it in, and make sure your cleaners are wiping out the drawer it’s stored in. That is one place that almost always has loose hairs in a short-term rental bathroom.
I have toyed with including a hair straightener and curling iron as well. Last month, however, I wasn’t sure whether people would rather bring their own. Do you have any thoughts? Leave me a comment!
Hairdryer Recommendations:
In addition to the hair dryer, I like to provide silicone mats for any hot hair tools your Airbnb guests may bring. Most bathroom counters won’t be affected by heat, but if you have a mirror over a dresser or desk that serves as a place to get ready, these can really help protect surfaces!
Hooks + More Hooks
I love these so much that I have another dedicated blog post about how great hooks are in an Airbnb rental property. I have hooks all over my vacation rentals, and my guests always tell me they appreciate them!
So, you will want to have a long bar with hooks for towels like this one from Home Depot that I use. Or, use something similar as a place for your Airbnb guests to hang towels and even clothes as needed.
Then add these white double-pronged hooks (2 sets) to the front and back of the bathroom door. If there is a linen closet in the bathroom, put them on that door too! You can never have enough hooks!
Also, include hooks inside the shower. I like to use suction cup hooks. These are great for wet swimwear and washcloths and keep them from dripping all over your moldings.
Multi Hook Rack Recommendations:
Other Hook Recommendations:
Essential Bathroom Cleaning Supplies
As with the plungers above, include any necessary and expected bathroom cleaning supplies, such as counter spray, Lysol, toilet bowl cleaner, air freshener, Windex, etc., that a guest may want to use to keep their space tidy during their stay.
TIP: Avoid leaving bleach sprays in an Airbnb. The last thing you want is someone cleaning your new Airbnb sofa or rug with it and causing long-term damage.
And, if you are hosting families with young children and offering a baby-friendly Airbnb, consider having easy-to-use cabinet locks available for them to use. Otherwise, many parents will move all of that stuff from lower cabinets, and it doesn’t always make it back to the right place.
A container of Lysol Wipes is also nice to include, as is a bottle of wrinkle release.
You don’t need hyper-specific recommendations here. Just pick up your favorite cleaning supplies at Target like you would for your home. A caddy to keep them organized is a great addition.
Elevating Your Airbnb Bathroom: Nice-to-Have Extras
The items above are pretty much all non-negotiable and must be included in every Airbnb bathroom. But some additional items are a great extra touch. That is important when it comes to earning 5-star reviews and achieving superhost status!
So, before launching your new Airbnb rental, consider adding some of these!
Airbnb Bathroom Makeup Mirror
I provide a small two-sided makeup mirror in our Airbnb bathrooms. You can purchase them anywhere, but I’ll include a few of my favorites next. This is such an easy, inexpensive upgrade!
Makeup Mirror Recommendations:
Bathroom First Aid Kit
This is an important item I mentioned in my blog post, 7 Airbnb Must Haves That You Don’t Know You Need. I keep a first aid kit under the sink in our Airbnb bathrooms, and you should, too!
In fact, I think you should have one in every bathroom and under the kitchen sink. An Airbnb first aid kit is a nice extra that guests will really appreciate when they need it. Guests thank me for having these all the time!
Plus, having band-aids on hand helps keep blood from razor nicks and skinned knees off your Airbnb sheets!
First Aid Kit Recommendation:
Airbnb Garment Steamer
This may or may not be kept in the bathroom. We include ours in the bedroom closet, which is why it’s included in my Must Have Airbnb Closet Essentials blog post.
I wanted to mention it here as it serves dual purposes. Trust me, you do not want your guests trying to steam their clothes in the bathroom by running a hot shower for an hour. This can cause excessive moisture buildup and permanent damage.
Garment Steamer Recommendation:
Step Stool For Kids
If you are hosting families with young kids, make sure to have a small foldable step stool available for them to use. This is very handy when washing little hands or brushing teeth at night.
We keep ours in our Airbnb kitchen area or a closet so it’s out of the way and available for guests to reach higher cabinets or shelves.
Folding Stool Recommendation:
Full-Length Mirror
If you don’t have one in the bathroom, include it in the bedroom or a hallway just outside the bathroom. I have several linked in the Airbnb Furniture and Decor section of my Amazon Storefront and in a dedicated Airbnb Mirrors list!
An Additional Area to Get Ready In
And speaking of that, it’s also helpful to have additional “getting ready areas” when more than 1-2 people use a bathroom. This is a space for someone to blow-dry hair, put on makeup, etc., and is typically a dresser-and-mirror setup in the adjacent bedroom.
Here are two of ours as an example. Do provide a silicone mat for the dresser. We had our brand-new Ashley Furniture Jennily Dresser (shown in the first photo below) top ruined in the first month by a hair straightener.
RELATED POST: How to Get Reimbursed if a Guest Damages Something
Make sure outlets are available nearby, or you have an extension cord so people don’t have to move furniture to access power.
Airbnb Borrow Basket
This is my secret weapon! I talk about my borrow baskets in several other posts, including my Best Coffeemaker blog post and Airbnb Essentials blog post.
In a nutshell, my Airbnb Borrow Baskets are a plastic bin that I keep in the bathroom and kitchen where guests can take or leave something. I often restock it with feminine hygiene products and various zip-lock bags with everything from safety pins to laundry detergent.
I’ve noticed guests often leave behind aerosol beauty products and sunscreen for future guests to use. It’s a great way to have that option available without people leaving random stuff behind in drawers and under sinks. That can get messy really quickly!
I always make sure to go through and clean out my borrow baskets when I am at my rental properties to keep them clean and somewhat organized.
Just make sure to mention your Borrow Baskets in the House Manual so that people know their purpose. I also mention them in my departure checklist, letting guests know that they are welcome to leave items in them.
Borrow Basket Recommendation:
Extra Airbnb Bathroom Amenities
Other optional amenities like toothpaste and toothbrushes, mouthwash, Q-tips, sunscreen, aloe, razors, and such are always a nice extra. But again, manage expectations and avoid leaving yourself open to disappointed guests when these items aren’t there. And people like to take these with them, which can add up fast!
But it’s still a nice touch to have these extras on hand as a nice surprise, and not a promised amenity.
So, these are the types of things that I often stock in the borrow basket when I am there. It’s a nice treat, especially when a guest forgets something. But it is not an extra consumable that your cleaners have to manage on every turn.
View my list of single-use Airbnb extras here!
Speaking of cleaners, originally, I provided Kleenex in our bathrooms. I even purchased a cute bamboo cover for the box. This isn’t part of the company’s standard items for each turn, and after a few messages from guests who ran out of Kleenex, I nixed it. I would love to offer this, but again, I work hard to identify and limit pain points like that.
It seems silly, but I think one of the secrets to my Airbnb success is keeping these simple, straightforward, and streamlined!
Airbnb Bathroom Accent Rug
If you have beautiful new bathroom floors, you don’t need these. My bathrooms still need updating. So, until I can redo them, I have a particular Target Threshold rug in each one, just below the sink. These help cover up the ugly travertine floors. Depending on your Airbnb bathroom layout and flooring, you could do the same.
I love these washable Geometric Border Tufted Rugs by Threshold at Target! They used to come in another design and a grey color, but now it’s just black, so I use those.
They are non-skid, so they don’t move around, and they’re dark enough that stains don’t show. They are easy to spot-clean, but at $30 each, I replace them a few times a year because it’s easier than bringing them home to wash.
I have a matching one in the hallway and kitchen area in each of our one-bedroom condos as well, and love them! It seems everyone else does, too, because they boast an almost perfect 5-star review!
Other Items In the Closet
Lastly, I would love for you to read my Airbnb Closet Essentials post. It contains many items that overlap with the bathroom and need to be included in one or the other.
What to Skip in Your Airbnb Bathrooms
Now that you know everything you NEED, let’s talk about what you DO NOT NEED in your Airbnb bathrooms.
I always recommend keeping bathrooms minimal, easy to clean, and as airy as possible. I like using more daylight-colored light bulbs over yellow tones so it feels bright and people can do makeup more easily!
Avoid over-the-top luxury items unless you are in a luxury market. Most Airbnb guests with champagne taste bring their own favorite products. Robes and slippers aren’t necessary unless your cleaners can guarantee they’ll launder robes and provide fresh slippers for each new set of guests.
I want to emphasize simplicity and practicality here, especially when it comes to decorating your Airbnb bathrooms. Avoid anything extravagant or unnecessary items that will clutter countertops or gather dust on shelves. This includes artwork, candles, or plants. One or two are fine, but too many can make the space feel cluttered.
Also, don’t over-stage your photos. Your Airbnb bathroom photos should look exactly how guests will see them when they arrive. Only show Airbnb bathroom accessories in your pictures if they are in your actual bathroom for guests to use.
On the other hand, avoid low-quality products. Read reviews before purchasing, and don’t skimp. I can’t stress the importance of guest comfort and durability in a busy short-term rental enough.
Read my full post on things you do not want to have in your rental property!
Organization in Your Airbnb Bathroom
Make sure to keep Airbnb bathroom essentials organized. Use a label maker for items like the borrow basket or the drawer where you keep your hair dryer. You will usually need to rearrange and reset your rental when you visit because things always get moved, but everything should have a set place.
Lastly, pay attention to guest feedback. Every rental in every market is different. If you notice a pattern where guests appreciate or lack a particular item, take note and adapt based on guest suggestions.
Read my post about how to use Airbnb guest feedback to improve for more tips here!
Wrap Up: Airbnb Bathroom Essentials
I hope that this blog post helps you set yourself up for success! Make it count where it matters, and avoid the extra fluff and hassles where you can and need to. The best Airbnb bathrooms are the clean ones. That is what’s most important!
Regardless, a clean and well-equipped Airbnb bathroom is a requirement if you want to maximize revenue and success as a host! You are responsible for creating a welcoming ambiance in the Airbnb bathroom.
Also, one more item that I almost forgot!
Make SURE to have a Velcro drain snake in your owner’s or cleaners’ closets. You will no doubt have clogged or slow-draining tubs and sinks at some point. These let you or your cleaners pull up the inevitable wad of hair stuck in there.
It’s so gross, but I do this to all sinks, showers, and tubs every time I set foot in my Seacrest Beach rental properties!
Are you a seasoned host? Feel free to leave a comment with your own hosting tips and experiences. I love hearing about things I forgot, and I appreciate conversations here!
More Airbnb Hosting Resources
And if you are looking for more Airbnb hosting resources, check out my other blog posts!
If you click here, you can access my FREE 5-Star Airbnb Hosting page. It links to all my other posts in an easy-to-follow way.
There are so many items that new Airbnb hosts forget in their rentals or that they need to buy backups of, so make sure to cross-check my Airbnb Setup Checklist before listing your new Airbnb rental.
Also, feel free to hop over to Facebook and join almost 5,000 other Airbnb hosts in my 5-Star Airbnb Hosting Facebook group!
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