Can Switching Your Cleaning Company Alone Make You a Superhost? The Fastest Route to Better Reviews

In 2026, following the massive Osaka Expo, Osaka’s vacation rental market has fully entered its “maturity phase.”

In this environment of near-oversupply, there is only one condition that determines whether a property gets chosen by guests time and time again: whether or not it carries the “Superhost” badge. More guests every year are checking the “Superhost only” filter when searching, and it’s no exaggeration to say that this title alone determines your occupancy rate and pricing power.

Yet many owners find themselves hitting a wall—”just 0.1 points short,” or “my cleanliness score simply won’t budge.”

Should you renovate the interior? Replace the furniture?

No—that kind of large-scale investment isn’t necessary.

Let us give you the conclusion of this article up front.

Without question, the fastest route to Superhost status is switching cleaning companies. On platforms like Airbnb, “cleanliness” is the single factor that most heavily influences guest satisfaction—and it’s also the one that delivers the most immediate improvement. A high-quality cleaning company doesn’t just remove dirt; it creates a hotel-like sense of wonder that locks in that 5-star review.

In this article, we’ll thoroughly explain the mechanics behind why cleaning alone can dramatically improve your ratings, and the criteria that seasoned Superhost owners use to select a “winning” cleaning company.

Why “Cleanliness” Is the One Key to Superhost Status

One of the requirements for Superhost status is an overall rating of 4.8 or higher over the past year. This is an extremely high bar. To hit it, roughly 8 out of every 10 guests need to give you 5 stars, with the remaining 2 giving 4 stars.

Guests Score Using a “Deduction” Mindset

For guests staying at a vacation rental, expectations peak at the exact moment they check in. They walk in thinking, “Wow, it looks just like the photos!”—but from that point on, every small negative they spot chips away at the score.

• A single strand of hair on the floor (-0.5 points)
• Water stains left on the bathroom mirror (-0.5 points)
• Bedsheets that smell slightly musty from incomplete drying (-1.0 points)

Add it up, and you’re left with a 3-star review.

You can’t change your property’s location or size, but this kind of “deduction from cleaning oversights” can be reduced to zero simply by upgrading the quality of your cleaning company. In other words, flawless cleaning is your single strongest defense for protecting that 5-star rating.

“Cleanliness” Lifts Every Other Rating Category Too

In psychology, there’s a concept called the “halo effect”—when one positive trait makes the whole impression seem better.

When a room is overwhelmingly clean, smells wonderful, and the linens are crisp, guests come away thinking, “This place is impeccably managed.” As a result, even if the Wi-Fi is a little slow or the station is a bit far, they become more forgiving—”Well, the room was amazing, so it’s fine”—and the odds of them awarding an overall 5-star rating rise dramatically.

The Decisive Cleaning Difference Between a 4.5-Star Property and a 4.9-Star Property

“We think our current cleaning company does a reasonably good job.”

If you believe this yet your ratings still aren’t improving, there’s likely a “decisive difference” at play that only professionals can spot. The cleaning standards behind properties that maintain Superhost status go to the following lengths.

1. Relentless Attention to “Hidden Spots”

Cleaning at the 4.5-star level leaves visible floors and tables spotless. But areas like under the bed, in the gaps between sofa cushions, on top of the refrigerator, or the air conditioner filter are often left untouched.

Long-term guests and families with small children will inevitably discover these “blind spots.” Cleaning at the 4.9-star level recognizes that these unseen areas are exactly where dust accumulates, and removes it thoroughly, every single time.

2. The “Shine” of Wet Areas

Toilet, sink, kitchen, bathroom—the sense of cleanliness in wet areas comes down to two things: dryness and shine.

It’s not just about wiping surfaces down—it’s about polishing stainless steel faucets until they gleam like mirrors, and drying every last water droplet (a “dry-up” finish). This single extra step leaves guests thinking, “It looks brand new,” which sends their trust in the property’s cleanliness soaring.

3. Linens with “Crispness” and “Whiteness”

There’s a world of difference between wrinkled sheets washed in a home washing machine and the crisp, high-temperature-pressed sheets provided by a professional linen supply company.

The feel and freshness of the sheets the moment a guest gets into bed heavily shapes the quality of their entire stay. High-rated properties invest the extra cost in professional-grade linens and keep bedmaking standards at a “not a single wrinkle, perfectly taut” level.

The Negative Spiral: How a “Cheap Cleaning Company” Drags Your Reviews Down

Many owners, in an effort to cut costs, hire the cheapest cleaning company in the area or rely on individual part-timers. But this could well be the root cause of stagnant reviews.

Shortcuts Become the Norm When Time Is Squeezed

Budget cleaning companies operate on thin margins and high volume, meaning they need to make a profit somehow. So they try to shrink the time spent on each cleaning job as much as possible.

“Vacuuming in a rushed circular pattern,” “leaving the balcony or windows untouched,” “skipping the amenity restock check”—these shortcuts become routine, and the end result is guests left unhappy.

Insufficient Reporting Leaves Problems Unaddressed

Cheap companies don’t provide detailed photo reports or inspections. All you get is a one-line “done.”

As a result, damage caused by a previous guest, a burnt-out light bulb, or a clogged drain often goes unnoticed—and the next guest checks in right into the problem. A guest who walks straight into trouble upon arrival will not hesitate to leave a low rating.

Running Out of Supplies: Abandoning Hospitality Altogether

An empty shampoo bottle, no spare toilet paper—these issues go beyond cleaning itself, but a company with low management awareness will overlook them without a second thought.

For a guest, nothing is more stressful on a trip than having to run out and buy daily essentials. This alone is enough to convince them that “this host doesn’t care about their guests,” instantly eliminating any chance of a repeat booking.

A V-Shaped Recovery from Switching Companies: What Successful Owners Have in Common

There are countless real-world examples of owners whose ratings improved dramatically simply from switching cleaning companies. Successful owners share one common shift in mindset.

Reframing Cleaning Costs from “Expense” to “Investment”

They stopped viewing cleaning fees as “an expense to minimize” and started seeing them as “advertising spend (an investment) that drives the next booking.”

They concluded that even if it costs a few thousand yen more per turnover, the return—a 5-star review, a 10% boost in occupancy, and the ability to raise nightly rates—far outweighs that extra cost.

Using “Photo Reports” as a Business Management Tool

They required their new cleaning company to submit at least 50 detailed photos with every job.

Being able to see the property’s condition in vivid detail let them make maintenance decisions faster—”the sofa is looking worn, time to replace it,” “the wallpaper is getting dirty, let’s have it repaired”—keeping the property in top shape at all times.

Defining Cleaning as “Staging”

Rather than settling for simply “clean,” they asked their cleaning company to create a moment of “wow” the instant a guest walks in—welcome cards, beautifully folded towels, neatly arranged amenities. This is what generates genuine delight, transforming reviews from “it was fine” into “This was amazing! I absolutely have to come back!”

3 Criteria Superhost Regulars Use to Choose a “Winning” Cleaning Company

So what specifically should you look for in a cleaning company? Here are three checkpoints to confirm when selecting one.

1. Does It Have a Double-Check System (Inspectors)?

Check whether quality is guaranteed at the organizational level rather than depending solely on the skill of one individual cleaner.

Companies that have a “double safety net”—where a separate staff member (an inspector) checks the work after cleaning, or where head office reviews photos in real time and only signs off once everything checks out—make dramatically fewer mistakes.

2. Does It Support Hotel-Grade Linen (Linen Supply)?

Ask whether the company partners with a dedicated linen supply facility, rather than relying on a coin laundry or home washing machine.

Being able to consistently provide crisp, bright-white, freshly-pressed sheets is a non-negotiable requirement for reaching Superhost status.

3. Does It Include “Supply Management” and “Emergency Response”?

Does the company automatically manage inventory levels for toilet paper, detergent, and other supplies? And is there a system in place—cleaning staff or partnered personnel—who can rush to the property if a guest reports an issue like “the key won’t work” or “there’s no hot water” after check-in?

Choose a company that functions not just as a cleaner, but as a guardian on the ground for your property.

Summary: Reviews Are an Asset. Choosing a Cleaning Company Is a Core Business Strategy

Switching cleaning companies isn’t just a change of vendor. It’s a business decision that resets the “quality standard” of your vacation rental operation and fundamentally reshapes your revenue structure.

1. Cleanliness is scored on a deduction basis. Flawless cleaning is what protects that 5-star rating.
2. Shortcuts and poor reporting from budget cleaning companies are the biggest driver of declining reviews.
3. Treat cleaning as an “investment,” and choose a professional partner with double-checking and linen supply capabilities.

“I’m so close to Superhost status, yet just can’t seem to get there.”

If that’s your struggle, take a hard look at your cleaning setup right now. That single decision could transform your property, six months from now, into a sought-after listing that’s booked solid.

A 98% Review Improvement Rate: The Fastest Route to Superhost Status Runs Through Stay Buddy

“Our current company is affordable, but our reviews have hit a ceiling and I feel we’ve maxed out what they can do.”

“I want to raise our cleaning quality and achieve higher rates and higher occupancy at the same time.”

“I want to fully understand what’s happening at the property, with 50+ photos in every report.”

Leave every one of these concerns to us.

We are Stay Buddy Inc., a team of vacation rental management and cleaning professionals specializing exclusively in the Osaka City area.

We treat cleaning as “the front line of hospitality.”

• Hotel-quality linen supply and our own signature “showcase-style” bedmaking
• Rigorous cleaning standards that guarantee sparkling wet areas and dust-free hidden spots
• Photo checks on every property by head-office inspectors, ensuring consistent quality
• Full on-site coverage, from supply management to emergency response, for total peace of mind

“Change the cleaning, and you change the guest response.”

Stay Buddy will guide your property to Superhost status with uncompromising quality. Get in touch today for a free property assessment and cleaning quality check.