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I seem to remember an entire thread (or was it a tangent going off of a thread) that talked about just leaving one or two pre-packed washing machine laundry detergent pouches or packs for one or two loads.
You very easily could be losing a $100 booking to save $4. You would have to make the calculation that you could be at the same occupancy/ price point without offering the amenity. I would not make that gamble if it were me.
I donât have any limits on washer/dryer use. Iâve had a handful of guests who did a lot of laundry. I figure that the guests who donât do laundry even it out.
As I prefer that only unscented laundry detergent be used in my washing machine, I provide the laundry detergent. I donât use or provide fabric softener or dryer sheets.
Iâm going to be a bit of a cop-out, Iâm afraid! I kind of agree with everyone - some guests do a lot of laundry but the vast majority donât any at all soâŚpffft.
BUT when someone assumes that they can do such a large amount of laundry without checking with you first? Thatâs going to piss you off. Itâs the assumption, isnât it? What else will they help themselves to? All the toilet paper they can get their hands on? All the cereal you provided for breakfast?
Some people come from countries where electricity is cheap, some people have absolutely no idea how much it costs to run these appliances, some people donât care either way.
In short, make a rule about laundry use that is fair: eg, If you are staying for 3+ nights, laundry facilities are free of charge. For 1-2 night stays, you are welcome to use the facilities for X amount per load.
You can make it really cheap - just enough to cover your costs so you donât get pissed off!
That is exactly what I have in my house rules. Guests staying more than three nights can use the washer and dryer free of charge. Guests staying fewer than three nights can use the laundry for $2 per load each. I provide soap for all guests. All my guests have been fine with that.
The other thing I would say is that just because a guest is only staying for one night, if their stay is part of a larger trip, they may need to do laundry by the time they get to you! It might be a genuine need, rather than them taking advantage of the situation.
Good point. If you have certain amenities listed as available (eg, kitchen access, washer, dryer) some guests will select your place precisely because they want/need that amenity. If you offer it free of charge - you canât renege on that.
Since offering laundry as an amenity has the potential to annoy you so much Iâd advise not offering it. Itâs not worth the aggravation. OTOH, I believe you said you have a luxury property that gets $250+ a night. You make $900-1000 net and fuss about $25 worth of laundry supplies and utilities? That seems so strange to me. Raise your price $2 a night for everyone if it bothers you that much.
The 2 âluxuryâ vacation rentals Iâve stayed at in the last year had free laundry and detergent. No dryer sheets.
I donât offer laundry, but only because the stairs to our basement are so narrow and dangerous. There are three laundromats within an easy [well, if you doât count the hill to come back] distance. People often do a bit of laundry in their private bathroom. I am planning to put some Woolite in the bathroom closet for those folks.
I had one long term guest who used the machines, by agreement. She was young and able to naviaged the stairs, but she was an unusual case.
Here we go. The $250+ is for a DIFFERENT listing that is in the desert. Iâm not talking about this one! Everyone can relax I leave there a box of laundry pods to use as they wish.
My answer is the same. Since it bothers you, donât offer it.
I used to have a room in my home and they came in the front door. I listed laundry and breakfast as amenities. People asked to park in my garage. People took their dogs into my back yard or they sat on my back patio and smoked. I told people to fill their water bottles from my filtered water dispenser. One couple brought in a large ice chest filled with empty bottles and filled them all. My guess it was case of 24. It was annoying but it was less than a dollar of water.
I ve been through all kinds of laundry abusersđ.
When my rate was very low in a slow season and at the beginning of my Airbnb âcareerâ I had a couple coming for one day who did laundry from 6 pm until 1 am. At that time my husband"s office was in a same room. And he was there for the whole night. But that didnât stop the couple going back and forth slamming doors, using my laundry detergent and keep on washing. So ⌠the laundry went on for 7 hours!!
Then I had a guy who would come home every day and wash 5 items of clothes.
Then laundry loving lawyer who washed enormous amount of clothes every single day. Itâs like he didnât laundry for a year before he came to my house .
I donât want to refuse laundry to longer term guests. Now I rarely hve someone staying less than 5 days . Most of my guests stay a month or longer. But even for them I have a rule:
Only 2 loads per week
Laundry is free only when you stay 5 days or longer .
If you want to do more loads itâs 5$ each.
Use of detergent is really minuscule. It comes to 7 cents per load so I canât really count it as an expense. Definitely electric bill goes up but with renting 3 rooms with almost 100% occupancy my electric bill went up 80$ a month Considering I make more than 3500$ a month income itâs justified .
Laundry abusers get on my nerves not only because of cost but because of if senseless absurd behavior. Like the guy who ran on full capacity his bandana and couple of shorts. Or lawyer with absurd amount of dirty clothes. Or a young couple who used 16 towels in 2 days of their stay.
They heard it all from me, believe me. I requested 5$ from them for extra laundry when they left not because of money but because I wanted to prove the point and they paid through resolution center and apologized.
Donât be shy with guests, after all they are not shy to abuse your laundry
I agree 100% and it goes not only to Airbnb. âThis is how WE do itâ is best policy for hosts. Bending before guests never did any good to anyone , not hosts not guests themselves. Because eventually volcano will errupt.
Polite and cheerful approach to insist on house rules works for me most times. Sometimes I âloose itâ and make everyone upset which I am working on hard how to control it.
I keep reminding myself that not everyone is a sensible person and I am making mistakes myself .
I think thatâs why hostâs burn out happens because of this exact reason: hosts trying too hard to please giving away goodies and giving in to guestâs requests .