A Guest Reviewed My Place as Dirty When It Wasn't — Can I Remove It?
A review calling your place dirty is the guest's genuine impression of the stay and is not removable, even if you cleaned thoroughly — Airbnb does not fact-check opinions. It only comes down if it also breaks a ground, like being fabricated by someone who never stayed. Otherwise, respond calmly and let stronger reviews outweigh it.
Why 'it was dirty' stays up
Cleanliness is one of the core things guests are asked to rate, so a complaint about it is squarely about the stay — the most relevant kind of feedback there is. Airbnb won't remove it just because you're confident the place was spotless; it doesn't adjudicate whose account is accurate.
The exception, and what to do instead
There's one real opening: if the review is non-genuine — from someone who never stayed, or fabricating a stay that didn't happen — it can be removed. Check that honestly before spending the dispute window.
- 1If the guest genuinely stayed, don't request removal — it will fail.
- 2Post a calm public reply: thank them, note the specific cleaning step you've since reinforced, keep it short.
- 3Keep earning clean-stay reviews; one outlier fades fast against a strong record.
Check your review in ~30 seconds — free
Paste the review. We'll tell you honestly whether Airbnb's policy makes it removable — and give you the exact words if it is. No login, no account access.
Check my review — freeFrequently asked questions
I have photos proving it was clean. Doesn't that force removal?
No. Airbnb doesn't run a fact-check on cleanliness disputes, so your photos won't get an honest guest's review removed. They're useful for a calm public reply, not for removal.
What if the guest was only there an hour and trashed it themselves?
If they genuinely checked in, their review generally stays. But if they caused damage, report that separately — and if you formally reported a violation before the review, look at the retaliatory ground.
Should I mention my cleaning process in my reply?
Briefly, yes — one line noting your cleaning standard and any step you've reinforced reassures future guests without sounding defensive. Don't litigate the accusation point by point.
Sources
This guide reflects Airbnb's own published policies. Verify against the primary source, as Airbnb can update its policy: