Washer/Dryer question

We bought a washer/dryer for our Airbnb primarily because we’ve been spending $100/month at the local laundry place.

I want to make it available to guests, but I’m wondering if we should charge a small fee. I’m concerned that people will use it to wash a single pair of jeans, and the fee would be more of a psychological deterrent. What do you guys think?

The idea of wasting water/power like that really bothers me. As I wrote this, I realized that the unthinkable has happened: at age 46, I’ve become my mom.

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Yes they will. Not much you can do about it. How would you monitor it’s use and know how many loads they did? Personally, I would either include it in your price (raise rates accordingly) or not offer it at all to guests. Do you do LTR? Do you live on the premises?

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I’m thinking it will help with bookings if it’s added as an amenity.

Nobody’s asked for this in six months.

It’s a 2-bedroom private apartment.

Yeah - it’s a 2-family home. We live on the top unit and the bottom unit is Airbnb’ed.

What is your average rate? If i’m paying $200-300 a night I would think it is ridiculous for the washer and dryer to have a fee. If it is $30 a night I could see that.

My thoughts.

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We’re very laundromat-poor city. We do allow guests to use our, supervised, but have a “tip jar” out there with a $5 a load sign both at the W/D and in the Big Book Of The Cabana.

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We launched a second apartment in our triplex in late August. We chose to add a washer and dryer to this unit as there is no space in the first space for such a thing. We had originally worried about overuse. Out of the 35 stays that we have had only two people did laundry. Those two did three loads each but told us up front. They brought their own washing supplies. Those 6 loads are more than fine to us as the average person just does not take advantage of the washer dryer. We did also add a few dollars to our nightly rate to account for it.

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It ranges. I use a dynamic pricing service. On low demand nights, $80/night, on high demand nights, $300-$350/night. Annual average is $150/night.

My average stay duration is 3.79 days. Plenty stay for 1-2 nights, plenty stay for 5+ nights. There’s a good mix of people who fly in vs. drive in.

The washer/dryer will be located in the Airbnb apartment, in a lockable closet.

I walk around turning lights out more than my dad did!

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It will be ok until the day it’s not ok.

Some joker is going to think it’s perfectly reasonable to start washing just a pair of socks and their budgie smugglers on a two hour programme starting at 11.30pm every night for a week.

Then you will be peeved to the max.

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It worries me that we now think of our Apartments and Houses as; ‘our Airbnb’! No criticism intended but we seem to think like employees or that Airbnb owns us some how!

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I mean, I know it’s mine. It’s just a figure of speech to more easily communicate the point.

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I used to have a Budgie as a pet. He was amazing.

I never heard the term Budgie smuggler until now. Curiously, I googled it. The google image result now makes me want to un-know that term.

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I think it’s fine to charge for laundry no matter the price of your accommodation. Even in 5 star resorts and on cruise ships you pay extra for laundry

LOLOL… kind of like when I used the term spooge on here. Not everyone appreciated it.

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New washers and dryers are much more efficient these days. We have just bought a set for our cabin and the washer will cost $11 a YEAR to use, assuming that is based on the average user. I guess the dryer is where multiple uses could add up, particularly if it’s an electric dryer, but I would think it wouldn’t add up to enough to charge a fee.

Ha, I just had the problem with my nightmare guest. I stated clearly on my Airbnb site that there is a £3 charge each time using the washing machine. I offered her a free wash for the first time, and then she washed two pair of socks on a one hour cycle. When I said that I will charge her if she washes like that. She then only do it when I am away and then tell me she didn’t use it

Having read through, I’m unsure whether you mean a washer/dryer combo or separate machines. I also don’t know what your utility costs are but here in the UK they are ferocious. We inherited a combo machine in a house we bought sometime ago and it was dreadful. I’ll admit I haven’t used one in about ten years but it a) cost an arm and a leg to run and b) didn’t dry sufficiently well without costing another arm. We ditched it and made space for a condensing dryer under the stairs, in a cupboard, with the washer in the kitchen; much cheaper to run.

With regard to offering as an amenity for guests, our guests are in our home, usually for only a few nights at most, but I’ve had two experiences where I had agreed access for people of a week or more, and had to withdraw it for taking the piss. “but I won;t have any clean socks left”. Well, buy some more if you only brought six pairs for a month! That was literally ALL she wanted to wash and dry for an hour. Not even her bloody knickers…

Hi @spkrause,

I relatively recently purchased a washing machine. Front loading, Bosch. It looks like Bosch recently started manufacturing washing machines in India. Before that, I think their machines were imports, and really expensive. The machine has been working well so far.

Anyway, I’ve made the machine available to guests, as in mentioning it in the listing and the guest guide, and pointing it out during the walkthrough.

I’ve listed the charge per load as Rs 50 (around USD 0.80). Three guest groups have used the washing machine so far. Only one of them paid. I didn’t chase the others. I think two did one load each, and one did two loads.

I think it’s a good idea to state a nominal charge anyway, since it will help do discourage excessive use. Like, if the guests decide to do a dozen loads.

Modern frontloading washing machines don’t use much power. Water usage might be more of a concern. I’ve attached an electricity meter to that washing machine for no very good reason, and it currently reads 54 kWh. Amazon tells me the machine was delivered on 26th September 2017, and was in use within 10 days or so (the setup/installation people were slow). We don’t use it a lot, though. Maybe 5 loads a week.