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I should have mentioned no extra storage on site. We may build something just for this reasons but currently guests can access every nook of the condo and if we leave “extra” anything they use it.
I’ve had bad luck with the Costco towels. Mine all snagged almost immediately.
Just get a storage trunk/bin you can put a combo lock on, label “private: housekeeping supplies” and tuck under a bed or in a closet. That’s what we do! No complaints and that way we always have plenty of backups on site
I’m getting frustrated with the make up and what appears to be self tanners on my white towels. I am considering buying black towels, and asking folks to use those if they are using self tanners and I already provide black make up face clothes.
It’s kind of eye opening to me, because it’s the bath towels that seem more stained lately than the face and and towels…and the sheets are not stained which makes me kinda wonder if it even is self tanner, but then ??? And for gosh sakes folks…use the black face clothes with the word “make up” embroidered in them. Black mascara is a biotch to get out!
Wow, the Charisma brand is the one I use. I’ve hosted over 1000 people and used those towels almost exclusively. I did get a pair of free towels through a promotion that was posted here on this site. Those towels weren’t 100% cotton and they did get pulls rather quickly.
My guests also don’t rip through all the stuff I leave. Full disclosure, I don’t have a “vacation rental.” I have mostly one night stays of people driving through. Even though they all have their cars they don’t take all my snacks/water or steal stuff. I often say it’s the difference between tourists and travelers. A great many tourists have a sense of entitlement. I guess it comes with having the money for a luxury like vacations.
Great idea.
Not a good idea unless they are 100% perfect cleaners. Why doesn’t your co-host deal with it?
Your rental must be tiny. Our smallest apartment is 490 square feet but we have a locked closet in there.
If I was in that situation I would create a some kind of locked storage space in the suite that the cleaners had access to, and put in spare towels, washcloths and maybe even glassware. Then you are not paying the cleaners for shopping time nor ore relying on their judgement when it comes to quality.
This is something not talked about a lot, but I think it’s an important distinction as far as what hosts experience with their guests.
Although I do have a “vacation rental” in the sense that it’s a destination tourist beach town, and my guests aren’t just passing through, but stay an average of a week-10 days, they don’t fit in the category of what one would consider to be a tourist.
For one thing, as I only acccommodate 1 guest at a time, those who go on vacation solo tend to be experienced travelers, confident in their ability to adjust to new places and customs. Most have travelled extensively, they aren’t Mr. and Mrs. Jones from Podunk, who have never been outside their familiar comfort zone.
And while they managed to be able to come up with the money to take a vacation, they chose my private room home-share, with no pool, no AC, no bells and whistles, and a 20 minute walk to town and the beach that is fairly budget priced, not an entire vacation home. So they don’t have high expectations of luxury, gift baskets, 1000 thread count sheets, they aren’t entitled or demanding, they don’t require hand-holding or constant reminders about not wasting utilities, they don’t abuse the furnishings or walk off with towels or toilet paper.
They’re the “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints” types. Low impact as opposed to “OMG, do they really live like this at home?”
Some guests will treat your home like a motel. Keep your price high enough to weed out the undesirables. Don’t take last minute late requests.
Another thing I’ve used before is a dock box. The sort of thing that you see on docks for storage for liveaboards.
You can have them outside in a small space and use a padlock with a combination.
A friend and I still laugh about our AirBnb in Honolulu. We were directed to a many-laminated-pages House Rules binder, one full page detailing stains & their various charges:
Stain towel $35
Stain bedsheet $35
Stain pillow $10
Tear or stain blanket $25
Stain carpet $50
Candle wax clean-up $25 (the “candle” provided was battery operated)
Sand on floor $25 (I know it’s hell on vacuum cleaners)
Break glass 5$
Break plate $5
Don’t use:
Microwave
Stove
Vacuum
I remember the charges, not because they made us any more careful, but because we found them so silly, recounting “the list” eclipsed sheltering in place and considerable preparations for a hurricane! 
I found, just this week, that this is the only product that will remove those yellow stains from toilet brushes (and other brushes). I don’t know if everyone experiences this as I think it’s based on your local water chemistry. I’ve tried other things in the past and just gave up and tossed the brush and put on a new one. I buy brushes with replaceable heads.
I wonder if it would also work on that orange stain that forms on plastic shower curtain liners? Between this, oxyclean, clorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide, I’m set.
Also note, this product has the most unpleasant smell of any cleaning type product I’ve ever used.
Yes, I agree! But it works when other things don’t. Good tip on the toilet brushes - I’ll try them on mine at home.
Let 'em soak and let me know the result you get.
Back to the original question of whether our guests live with stained towels. Well, we do. We use the towels that guests have stained.
I understand that no one wants to use stained towels in their rental, but as for guests using stained towels at home, doesn’t everyone? Does anyone except the wealthy get rid of a perfectly good towel just because it has a few stains on it?
Towels and stains are a problem. To me it’s just the price of doing business. I consider this when making the listing price. We have multiple big homes and need a lot operationally. We lose about 20% of the towels through-out the year. I am always looking for deal white towels to stock up on so once ours can’t be saved any longer I don’t feel or worry about it. I do supply make up wipes in the travel size and just bought some black towels that say MAKEUP embroidered in white on them. This week was our first time putting them out so we will see how that works.
You just can’t win with linens. Mine are gray, and they get bleach stains from acne products, sunscreen, and whitening toothpaste.
I prefer white towels but lately they have stains on them too. I just bought some black wash clothes but still a make up stain on the new towel. What works best for removing the stains???
@SarahK We do a good 24 hour soak in cold water with oxy powder, then wash with laundry detergent+ bleach (and cold water). Inspect before drying- if it’s still there repeat once more! Time consuming but it works more than half the time. The rest, we keep for ourselves or donate to local animal shelters 
Dawn dish soap gets that out in a flash!
