Hehe, her hackles are up because apparently “Europeans seize upon every opportunity to criticize American norms”… how dare we come to this country with our foreign habits, threatening the American way of life by striving for anything beyond cheap motel-style room turnovers… 
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Stephanie Borns is being a complete jerk, attacking everyone she can for doing things differently than she does them. I don’t see, however, where she is criticizing Europeans. Apparently, you were looking for yet another opportunity to criticize Americans for the horrible crime of practicing their culture in their country.
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Knock it off lady. Your name calling and outright hostility are not allowed here.
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Bit of a late reply but I have only just come across this discussion and think it’s really interesting. Feelings obviously run very high about bed coverings!
I have heard this confusion over duvet/duvet cover before and thought I’d clear this one up.
Sorry Georgygirl but here in Europe (I’m in the UK), the duvet DEFINITELY refers to the soft filled insert, not the cover. One way to think about it is that the Duvet is to the Duvet cover what the Pillow is to the Pillowcase. Basically the pillowcase and duvet cover are easily washed protective (and often decorative) sleeves to cover the less washable squishy duvet or pillow inside. People here would think it very odd to hear someone refer to the duvet cover as a “duvet” in the same way as it would be strange for someone to call the pillowcase “the pillow”.
As a potentially confusing aside, once the duvet cover is on the duvet, you refer to the whole shebang as ‘the duvet’, in the same way as you call the pillow plus pillowcase ‘the pillow’ once it is on the bed.
For example:
“Oh no, I just spilt tea all over the duvet!”
“Oops, did it go through to the duvet?”
“No, it’s ok, it’s only on the duvet cover”
Or equally:
“Oh no, I just spilt tea all over the pillow!”
“Oops, did it go through to the pillow?”
“No, it’s ok, only on the pilllowcase”
Here in the UK pretty much everyone uses duvets with no top sheet and it is completely normal to launder the duvet cover regularly along with the sheets and pillowcases. We genuinely do wash that cover every time. I had NO IDEA what a top sheet was until a couple of weeks ago when it came up in conversation. TBH I have always been a bit confused in hotels where there are multiple sheets all tucked in. As a duvet-only user I had no idea which layers you are meant to sleep between and have definitely slept on top of the top sheet and under the duvet. I am as shocked as others on here that it is considered ok to not wash the duvet cover if you use a top sheet.
However I have now been educated in how to sleep in a bed made with a top sheet and will be between the sheets in hotels etc from now on
Having said that, I am a very restless sleeper and don’t get how you can not get all tangled up with the top sheet even if it is tucked uncomfortably tight around your lower legs. And finally - how on earth is one meant to do sexy time in a tightly made bed? Is it “missionary position under the top sheet” only? Otherwise I don’t see how you can guarantee nothing nasty gets onto all the other layers that don’t get washed as frequently. Ick.
I do, now, understand the idea of the top sheet but it just doesn’t seem in any way as practical or hygienic as a duvet to me.
Ha ha ha. You can tell I’ve thought about all this way too much!!!
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Great point. Duvets are the best for rumpy pumpy purposes 
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I’ve never understood why it is called the ‘missionary position’…and now I’ve got ‘rumpy pumpy’ to add to that.
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All the rumpy pumpys I’ve ever done happened on top of the duvet in hot weather and under in cold. As it happens I’ve always travelled solo on Airbnb… and have never brought a guest back. I’m a good guest 
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It’s called the missionary position because it’s the least fun for the woman and the most likely to result in conception. Protestant missionaries are believed to think that sex should be for procreation and that enjoyment should be minimized.
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Interrr-esting…though I would not support the first part of your statement as being (ahem) gospel.
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Well said! I’m also grossed out because I’m European I guess and I would expect everything I touch to be fresh washed and I hate sliding sheets, am used to only a bed protector sheet, a fitted sheet over that and a quilt in a quilt cover over me, that’s it! I’d feel I cheated my guests if I didn’t wash it all (except protector sheet unless stained) so I always wash it all…
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I use a flat sheet and I still wash the duvet cover each time !
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me too we wash it all and between 2 houses that is 9 bedrooms not counting sofa beds and cots etc. Wash !
I wash everything after guest stay, including duvet cover and blanket, even for one nighters. But I use 2.5 hour wash cycle when guests stayed a few days to weeks, and 1 hour wash cycle for one or two night stays. I have to wash 6-8 loads after each guest stay (depending on whether they use the extra bed). It can take a day or two so I’m considering hiring linens and towel when my current ones wear out.
For cushion cover and mattress protector, I don’t wash very often, maybe once every two months, or when they are stained.
A duvet and comforter are two different things …
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please ask Laurel see above
A year on Airbnb, has left me with a broken washing machine and broken tumble dryer, both had to be replaced and new ones bought. Between guests I was washing bottom sheets, pillows covers, duvet covers and throws ( not forgetting all the towels ) and my machines just gave up.
In ireland it rains all the time hence the need for the dryer, so I remembered this thread and I went out and bought top sheets. Have just tried them out on Irish and Us guests and all said they had a lovely sleep. I am officially converted to the top sheet now. They are going to stay in my house now.
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Just when I was suggesting that washcloths and hand towels could be the duvet cover and electric kettles of 2017, ta da, the duvet cover has made a resurgence!
I use a top sheet in the rental, but have adopted the duvet cover only in the house. Go figure! @cassid
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About time, too. My favourite ever topic!
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How did we survive four months without it??? Ha!
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Agreed - it is a forum classic!
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