I am sure Barns is going to get a kick or a visusl out of this … but for all those that believe that a top sheet will be the only point of contact with a guest thus sparing any additional cover … but perhaps I am the only one that occassionally comes out of the shower, dries up and plonks down on the bed … …
3 Likes
I’m sure you are not. If hosts really gave it some thought and were extremely fastidious they wouldn’t have any textiles in their rentals. Everyone draws a line somewhere on cleaning but nothing is perfect. I saw on another thread someone suggested leather as a cleaner alternative to fabric. Uh no leather is not easier to clean except for hair. For all else leather is worse.
I sentence @zywan’s mean guests to 6 months’ travelling in Scandinavia where they will find fluffy, cloud-like duvets in snow-white covers, but not a single foot-trapping, body-clinging top/flat/useless sheet!
I expounded my theory of Topsheet/Notopsheet nations in a previous thread, but I’ve sinced developed it further and as there is no cleaning to be done today I’ll set it down here for the benefit of my fellow hosts:
Topsheet nations: For TS nations the watchword is Security. They love order and the feeling of safety that TS gives them. Equally important is the role of TS in keeping out undesirables such as germs, bedbugs or “cooties”, and it is notable that leaders of TS nations are keen to surround their people with protective environments againt foreign influences such as walls (the United States) large stretches of water (Australia) or forbiddingly cold weather (Canada). TS nationals will occasionally emerge from their TS to drive large, safe cars which are not allowed to travel above 50 miles per hour. They devote much time to the worship of their gods, Hulu, Roku and Net-flix and since they spend 20 hours a day working at their jobs and only have 2 days holiday per year, they do not often engage in sexual activity, which TS in any case renders impractical and uncomfortable.
NTS nations, conversely, lay the emphasis on Freedom - of people, thought and feet. They love Spontaneity and would rather casually toss an artistically-creased natural- linen covered bag of feathers on a simple pine bedstead than lay a mattress cover, starched bottom sheet, top sheet, blanket, comforter, coverlet and bed scarf on an upholstered King-sized throne. They do not drive big safe cars but ride healthy bicycles, terrorising NTS pedestrians. They thrive on the New, the Exciting, the Different! This is why they all shop at Ikea, all wear black and grey clothing and their homes all have pine floors and white walls.
Particularly interesting are the cases of nations who are in transition from TS to NTS, e.g. the United Kingdom. Although a few pockets of TS still hold out (see our chapter on Blackpool Boarding-house Landladies) the UK has become almost entirely NTS and it cannot be coincidence that the seeds of the NTS movement were sown in the late 1960s, the era of Free Love and experimentation in all fields. In fact, the year the word F*** was pronounced on the BBC was the year this author bought her first duvet.
Comments welcome, but only nice ones.
22 Likes
Ha, ha–Top sheet, duvet, comforter, kettle, (what am I forgetting?)–never stop being you, boo. You truly are the gift(s) that keeps on giving! 
1 Like
We’re in the UK and we can quite honestly say that until we joined this forum, in over 40 years of using duvets, we’d never, ever heard of the idea of a top sheet. We have extremely high quality Danish cotton duvet covers, pillowcases and bottom sheets that we wash and iron between every guest - even one-nighters. If somebody marked us down because of not having a top sheet we’d be furious - after all, when in Rome …!
6 Likes
I bought the uvBeast Black Light UV Flashlight on Amazon back in January as I had just got a new puppy and wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing any random pee spots. It works extremely well and it will scare you if you use it in the bathroom even after you clean. When I checked out my kitchen I couldn’t believe the splatter on the backsplash that you can’t see with the naked eye. It works well on bedding but most time I can see the icky stains with my naked eye . It was pricey but worth it for me.
3 Likes
I’m from the US. Yes, my husband and I definitely expect a top sheet that’s separate from the duvet cover. A duvet is often too hot. Having a top sheet gives us an option for controlling warmth. It also seems a lot more sanitary.
We are hosts as well. We wash everything on the bed after every guest leaves.
1 Like
I just ordered the first one, I hope it’s not just the £39.99 one which works!
This is the funniest, clever post, thank you for taking the time to write it, you gave me a giggle.
So - you’d expect a top sheet - even knowing that just about nobody in Europe uses them? This smacks of cultural imperialism!
6 Likes
Yeah if anyone wants a top sheet they can have one out of my linen cupboard. There’s no way I am putting one on because 90% of guests would just take it off again. Pointless!
3 Likes
I’m a super host with Airbnb in the UK and I’ve never heard of using a ‘top sheet’ either. I’ve been hosting for 20 years, long before Airbnb and have visitors from all over the world yet no one has ever mentioned the subject. The duvet cover obviously is washed and clean for every new guest wether they stay for one night or a week.
5 Likes
UK here, and no top sheet. But, I did have a couple from Australia stay and they pointed out in their private feedback that “the Doona was quite hot and would have liked a sheet”. Having been on this forum a while I know what a “doona” is! But my thought are, if you are too hot, take the duvet out and just use the cover as a sheet?
1 Like
I say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” I’m American but live and host in the UK. No top/flat sheets here. When I travel abroad, I don’t expect to find what I have at home.
1 Like
I think it’s important to offer season appropriate bedding e.g. a thin Summer duvet, spare blankets etc. so guests can adjust to their liking.
1 Like
Yes, of course - we have a whole library of duvets of various tog ratings, plus cotton blankets, etc.
2 Likes
Love it!
20202020202020
1 Like
The top sheet, the sheet between the person and the comforter, is not used in Switzerland or other countries where blankets are not used. In Spain the top sheet is used. Maybe that is because more homes have help to do the laundry et al. or because it has only recently come into use. For myself, I follow the Spanish way and change the sheet and the comforter cover once a week while I only wash the actual comforter when it starts to smell. For guests, I wash the actual comforter when they leave as well as the cover, sheets etc.
Canada can be both pretty cold and pretty hot. I wash everything every time and use the standard, mattress cover, fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet.
1 Like
I’m from Québec, and have always had a top sheet, fitted sheet, blanket AND then the comforter. In summer, I remove the blanket. For my guests, they have the whole kit and kaboodle. Mom is from the Martimes and dad is French Canadian, both sides of the family have always had the beds done up this way.
2 Likes