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I know I started with this line of thinking too. I was like “every rug, quilt, throw, pillow sham, blah de blah” Impossible. But the more I read, and thought and reflected the more I realized I needed to change my routine. It is very easy to imagine the top layer on the bed (regardless of what it is) being exposed to lots of icky things. People drooling in their sleep, wiping their mouths and then resting their hand on the comforter top. I don’t have a sofa and I changed my desk chair to a leather look vinyl for cleanliness and design purposes.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve read on the forum. Don’t wash your comforter, Brandt, it’s not the end of the world. But no need to justify it with ludicrous statements.
No one has complained about the thin quilts. A couple of middle aged women (like me) have commented they prefer lighter weight covers because we are at the phase of life when we “run hot”. The other person can layer on more covers.
I hope they aren’t sticking any body parts out from under the sheets and out on top of the parts of the bed covers that aren’t designed to touch the body.
I’m just getting ready to talk about kettles. I have an electric kettle that I bought because I thought it looked cool. It’s clear glass with a row of blue led lights on the bottom. I also liked the idea of the clear glass showing a guest that the kettle is spotlessly clean. However, every time someone uses tap water in it there is an unsightly mineral deposit on the stainless steel inside bottom. I have to then scrub this out with baking soda and vinegar. So I’m considering replacing it with a solid stainless one where I don’t have to spend so much time washing and polishing the darn thing.
It can be clean enough to feed a baby out of but if it doesn’t look clean the potential to get marked down on reviews is great.
Like any business, we operate in a market. We provide a service at a price, and that price has to cover our operating costs. A very competitive market sets the price range in which we must operate, and our circumstances determine our operating costs. Our job is to adjust these two in such a manner as to both satisfy our customers needs, yet remain profitable.
Adopting a “wash everything, every time” policy means we would not be able to offer our service at a price the customers would be willing to pay.
I agree with you 100%. Every listing is different and it’s a competitive enviroment. But even as a “don’t guarantee the duvet cover is washed every time” host I know that positition gives me no real advantage and no satisfaction. I want to be the best I can be as often as possible. Although I’m in a market I don’t need the bookings like some people do. Those of us who can have a higher standard without hurting our bottom line have a built in advantage. So as a guest I can usually find the host with the higher standard. If I can’t, I can always stay in a hotel.
Hotels don’t wash everything every time. In particular, they don’t wash quilts, comforters or blankets - all of which may have been in contact with previous guests.
Our accommodation is cleaner than many hotels I’ve stayed in
I have used lightweight quilts in both of my AirBnB rooms since I started hosting in 2016. There are great deals on Wayfair! I have had over 100 bookings and one of the things guests consistently compliment me on is the comfort of the beds and bedding. I keep spare blankets and comforters in the closet but they are seldom used. If they are pulled out by a guest, they are laundered. The quilts launder quickly and easily, my dryer almost spins them dry. I do keep an extra set for each room and I admit I do not always launder between each guest as a large number of my guests are one nighters and back to back in summer. I do have a 100% 5* cleanliness rating and like KKC, I use a black light between each cleaning.
You are exactly right. And…I’m not running a hotel. Look Ross if you feel justified in doing what you do and your guests are happy, who am I to judge? All I’m saying is that if one is a new host one should consider the pros and cons of providing unwashed bed linens occasionally.
I agree with you. We live in a year-round warm climate, but because of air-conditioning, some guests want to get under quilts at night. I found very reasonably-priced light-weight down-alternative comforters at Target. They wash beautifully and dry very quickly. Pulling off duvet covers and putting them back on called for more more effort than I wanted to do. In Europe, duvet changing is usually a 2-person team making the job a snap. And, I found that the duvet covers added a significant amount of weight to the comforter.
I “complained” to a friend a while ago that there was no top sheet on the guest bed I stay in during summer. As in, when it is warm its “all or nothing”. Her family are now making fun of me about the “she needs a top sheet” issue, but I am loving that I now get a top sheet when I stay. I know a couple that when they were travelling through Europe they would do a little celebratory dance around the room when there was a top sheet on the bed.
As an Airbnb management issue surely a top sheet helps the whole cleanliness issue.
I include a clean new top sheet in the cabinet if it’s very hot you will be expected to use it or nothing or an empty duvet cover= 2 sheets…
Other wise my custom sewn Ralph Lauren duvet covers, made from flat sheets, will be laundered every time. If hosts have enough sets, it shouldn’t be an issue. I had guests for 3 days, they really loved the bed, but divulged that they kept the heater on and slept on top of the duvet!>? I still washed the fitted sheet.
Maybe I should start a hosts duvet cover sewing company. How much would it be worth to you to get covers made from your flat sheets<><>???
If go you ewwww…then don’t ever stay at a hotel again as the majority of them (even 5 star hotels) do not change them out btwn guests. That is why you will see the sheets folded down over the top of the comforter in the U.S. After 17 years in the 5 star hotel industry you can imagine the things that I found out and have seen. So while I do change everything it is not the worse thing in the world if you don’t. You are more likely to catch the flu/cold from the door knob than you are from the comforter.
Spot on! I met someone who said that when they travel they clean with an hygienic wipe all things in their room that people touch frequently, knobs, light switches etc after her family suffered a shocking Bali belly episode.
My daughter has a thing about not touching the rail on escalators. I don’t want to point out to her that the flush button and door locks in the public toilets are more of a worry!
Absolutely!!! Although I change my comforters I just laugh at those that go ewwww at the thought of sitting on a bed that someone else has. Because there are many more germs elsewhere vs a previously used comforters.
