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Hey people,
Planning on listing a house with 4 or 5 bedrooms and thus potential occupancy up to 13 people!
Question, with that level of guests, and the washing that comes with it, any recommendations for a washer to handle it all?
Front loader or top loader? Would it be an idea to look at a commercial washer? Any other ideas?
Hi AquaticQuests,
I recommend a front loader. They get the laundry cleaner, use less soap and water and are easier on fabric. We have a fairly large front loader. We do three or four loads of laundry each time a guest leaves:
Sheets/Pillow Cases/Pillow Covers
Comforters (One load for each comforter used.)
Towels/Washcloths
In addition we have to wash cleaning rags and sponges much more often than before we were Airbnb hosts.
If you are expecting to host 13 guests, you should get a commercial washing machine and dryer. If you plan to permit your guests to do laundry, you will also need to get a regular washing machine and dryer (not commercial) as the commercial machines are too big for a regular load or two.
I worked in a 4 bedroom commercial BnB, 10-12 guests each night. I did laundry. EllenN has it just right! Follow her advice!
You are taking on a MAJOR occupation. I do hope you will be living in the house too, to manage these guests. I’de never leave that many without full time supervision. I worked in a commercial BnB about that size. Really two staff are best, but that costs money. 1 person will be pushed right to the limit by a business that big! I know, I did it. Right now I have an Air BnB with just One large guest room. 2-4 people. Very easy to handle. And I do live in.
Thanks people for the great advice,
Ellen, On the washing I was thinking if I went for a commercial washer, then guests couldn’t do their own cleaning, but could submit their clothes and we wash them on our own schedule (ie when we have a big enough load combined)?
Regarding staffing, was thinking we wouldn’t live on the property but we would have one full time staff member that lives on the property to handle cleaning of common areas, washing and room set up, etc
I was thinking a fully self catered house, so the staff member wouldn’t need to be involved in cooking at all. Think that would work James cole?
Hi Aquatic! I know many love front loaders B mine is a ton of maintenance or it reeks to high heaven. Mine needs to be drained and cleaned regularly, and the door left open. But a lot of other people like them so maybe it’s just my model.
But I can tell you what to avoid. The drain and filter on my machine are on the bottom, and there is no safeguards in place. So, if the wife, say, puts the filter back in place but doesn’t tighten it because she left the whole operation unfinished and thinks her husband will figure out the filter is not tightened, and the family goes on vacation and a roommate puts a load of laundry in and then goes down to her bedroom and shuts the door, a LOT of water is going to drain through to the basement and ruin a lot of stuff. I forget how it happened the second time but it did, though the person doing the wash caught it right away. (And if that roommate’s first language isn’t English and she calls while you’re on the highway with lots of background noise…)
So be sure any drain or filter, etc., has a safeguard so that the machine won’t run if it’s not secure. Like my van won’t open the back door if the gas cap is off. Just make sure something like that can’t happen while you’re away.
By the way, of course, said wife is ME and I had to own up to that huge mistake!!!
I don’t want to give bad advice. I am just trying to caution you as to the undertaking. That is a lot of people in one house. A staff member MUST be on hand 24/7 to manage this. Self Catering? This would not work with 4 groups trying to use the kitchen. I would do conventional BnB breakfast cooked by staff. You can’t allow 13 people self catering, no way.
In my commercial job, we had four bedrooms, breakfast was staff cooked and served at 9:00. Guests were allowed to use the fridge and microwave. Not the stove or burners due to risks.
I think you will do fine if you always have 1 staff person. Serve breakfast. Limit kitchen access to guests to warm ups and snacks.
All those guests at once is a chore, and self catering will never fly.
I allow full self catering in my Air BnB because I have just the one guest room and usually 2 people only. This works fine as only one party ever is using the kitchen. Important that people know a staff member is on hand 24/7, this very thought keeps guests in line, usually the younger ones!
Also need to consider the cost of laundry detergents, electricity and water. if you are going to allow your guests to do their own laundry chances are the machines will never stop running the whole time they are there. Laundry detergent, softener and dryer sheets are expensive especially when no one is measuring. i’m a fan of the coin machines you can purchase and supplement your income by selling the detergent although your tenants may not be fans of this approach.