Full size toiletries

I have a small two bedroom 1.5 bath condo. I provide full size toiletries in the full bath , shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, small wrapped bar soap as well as lotions and makeup removers. Recently the Bath and Body Works products especially the body cream disappeared. I called a recent guest on it and he apologized saying he thought the guest before him left it. Short of not having these products available I though I’d leave a nice note in each bedroom to use what you like and leave the rest for the next guest. Thoughts? It’s amazing to me what I have to spell out. I hate the thought of using hotel size products. So wasteful. New here. Thanks in advance.

I vote for not bothering with a note or a house rule. Right now, I would assume this is not a common occurrence and just let it go, but if it is common, then I’d suggest switching to inexpensive products. You can could also put your expensive products in your own re-usable pump bottles.

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We provide earth-friendly liquid hand soap, shampoo, and shower gel, all in full-sized bottles. We tell guests (and our listing says) that the products are for their use, but to be left in the bathroom for the next guest. We refill and clean the bottles between guests.

I suggest that you simplify what you offer so it’s affordable if it disappears. In our 2.5 years, no guest has ever taken a product, although most guests use them, many have commented on how much they like them, and some have bought our extras from us.

Airbnb requires that hosts provide hand soap and body soap.

I switched to glass water bottles and two were taken. I asked one guest and she said “the guest guide said complimentary water bottles.” And it did. So now my guide says please don’t take the bottles, cups or glasses because I wash and re-use them.

That said I’ve been using full size products for 4 years and have hosted probably 500 different guests in that time. Not one full size product has been taken and I’ve provided some nice products from time to time like Bath and Body works and Kiehl’s. There are some things that are meant to be used like a single use razor or a toothbrush that have been taken.

If you are new it seems like people will target and take advantage of new hosts. If these things continue to disappear or their disappearance bothers you greatly you could switch to dollar store stuff. Softsoap, Suave and Dermasil hand lotion won’t kill anyone.

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That kind of theft has been pretty rare.

If you put things in other dispensers it’ll stop entirely, without getting into the waste of hotel-size toiletries.

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Something I am trying recently is that I bought some travel size bottles, small but not mini, of a Pantene shampoo and conditioner. I’m going to refill them from large sizes I get at Costco. I think the bottles are big enough for guests to realize they aren’t single use and are not meant to be taken. Although my big bottles have never been taken I’ve honestly thought a few guests might have refilled their own bottles from my supply. As I’m cleaning the bottles in the shower I swear they sometimes feel suddenly lighter.
I also like to periodically get new bottles. They get dropped, scratched and worn looking. I don’t want a dispenser on the wall but I may look into some other types of refillable bottles and buying even larger bulk sizes.

I have my eye on some Aluminum refillable bottles.

5+ years in I’m still trying to decide what is the best possible arrangement for me.

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I think you can say something either in person or on a note that also includes helpful information.

“We provide toiletries as a convenience in case you need them during your visit. Please use what you need and leave the rest for our next guests. Thank you! If you need anything else, the nearest pharmacy is ____________________ and the hours are _____________. Enjoy your stay!”

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I have had full size brand name everything. I lean heavily on P&G. I also stockpile during sales. Nothing has ever gone missing.

I keep an assortment of things guests have left behind on top of the medicine cabinet. Things get used, but they don’t disappear.

In my house things come and go. Some people take stuff, some people leave stuff behind. I only offer big bottles of 1l shampoo and conditioner, 1l bottle liquid hand soap and 1 l bottle body wash, all from Costco. One time in two years, a guest took all of them. I also offer makeup removal cloth, q-tips, cotton balls.

No other lotions and creams. Even if I wanted to offer them, people are so different, they might not like what I have, so why even bother? Some lotions in the US have parabens; some people prefer organic everything, others want no scent etc.

I am against leaving notes in the bedrooms. I don’t read them anyway, when I travel and they just show to me the host is very new or something.

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Yes, I noticed that distinction change recently.

@megshuffman1 Did you recently start hosting? Sometimes these things happen in the beginning to new hosts. I had my 4th or 5th guest take a bunch of stuff and I, too, then thought that I needed to change something to keep it from happening again. However, I didn’t change anything other than adding more and even better stuff. All of our toiletries are full size and nice brands but no one has taken anything again since - it’s been over a year since that one time.

There was another time that I thought someone took something and was really surprised as it was her second stay. But then we found the empty bottle in the trash can. Lol. She had just finished it off :grin:

Personally, I’d avoid the sign unless it keeps happening. It seems unusual for a guest to take something with them, even if they thought the last guest left it. I kinda call BS on his excuse and I would appreciate it being mentioned in his review.

No I’m not new. About two years into this. I call BS on his “reason” too. Why not take all the full size products then?:woman_shrugging:t3: Thanks for all the suggestions. It’s only happened twice. So just getting some feedback.

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Cost of doing business basically.

If it becomes a major problem, have a rethink, but for now I’d forget about it.

JF

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I provide little mason jars of q-tips and cotton balls; the q-tips are surprisingly popular.

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My personal rule: if it happens once, it’s just a silly guest. If it happens twice, time to see if it’s a problem on my end.

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What Allison H posted is exactly what I have and it has worked well. I just re-fill as needed.