Easily. I did that BEFORE airbnb. When you had 2 kids, 2 dogs, live on 2 acres where dirt gets tracked in, I was constantly mopping the floor, and washing my uniforms for work, workout clothes and towels etc… I can do up to 6 loads of laundry pr guest. The mattress cover, the sheets, the towels, the bedspreads, the cleaning rags etc…
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My record was 40. I just bought a new high efficiency washer that supposedly doesnt use a lot of water, not sure I like it.You have to only use their special HE soap etc
The turnovers do get old. I have 2 maids I’ve trained to do it, but they both have other jobs too since mine isn’t in a set schedule as far as day of the week, I can’t always get one of them. I end up getting stuck doing it about 1/3 of the time. And it’s a major job taking 3-4 hours for that main house rental and about an hour or so for the cottage. And they are rented separately so Not on same days always. I’ve got 3 sets of most everything, but I do all the laundry myself every time because it would take too long for the maid. Bedding for 7 beds + towels for up to 10 guests takes ALL day. Never-ending. And then there are all the other things I take care of…replenishing tp, paper towels, coffee pods, tea, etc.
I found a way to manage multiple loads of laundry. Wash them all, then take to laundromat for drying. I use 4-5 dryers and it’s all done in 20 minutes. I fold it there. This saves me money as I don’t have a gas dryer, no natural gas available, laundromat in town has gas dryers.
I understand the front loading HE washers can be a PIA, I’m using a 16 year old, Knemore top loader.
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I got a top loading HE washer. Now that I use the cycles that use more water I’m okay with it. LOL. I wish I’d kept my 25 year old one until it literally quit running.
Front loaders were such a fail. Have you noticed they aren’t as popular as they used to be? Why is it better to stoop over to pull laundry in and out?? I always wondered. Plus many of them have that horrible mold moss problem, where gunk gets in the gaskets and festers…then your clothes have that smell too. There was even a class action lawsuit about it. Such a huge fail for these manufacturers.
I absolutely LOVE my front loading machines. I converted 15 years ago and would never go back. My water consumption went way down and my clothes and linens are so much cleaner. The capacity is perfect for people like me who really don’t enjoy laundry time. And now, as an AirBNB host, the number of loads for a room turnover is reasonable.
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Agree. I’ve been using top loaders recently and nothing comes out as clean… I had been so used to washing on low temperatures too! Now I’m having to wash at 40 instead of 30 and even then I’m not happy.
That said the washers in The US are better than the ones in Mexico. Probably the worst washers I’ve ever come across are in Mexico and if I was a host using these on a day to day basis I’d rip my hair out.
I currently have to pre-wash in this before I then move it to the washing machine.
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I hate appliances that use little water!Low flow toilets…etc.I also dont like pushbutton washers as the button wears out and you have to punch it 20 times to get it going.I prefer the old fashioned washer with a knob that you turn…and I hate the fact that the manufacturer is telling me to only use HE soap, Tide preferably, its more expensive and the little square packs stick together sometimes and burst creating a mess. I like top loading washers, its easier on my back.
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I use Kirkland (Costco) fragrance free HE. I’ve only had it 2 years but no problems.
Yikes! It’s hardly surprising that you’re a little jaded. I do two loads per group of guests. One for the whites, the others for the coloured fabrics. The machines are not in my house but in a shared laundry room onsite (with just one washer and one dryer). Nevertheless because I have three of everything, I can do the laundry more or less at my leisure.
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That Airbnb is newer on my side in a dispute - I basicaly do not trust them and only use them becaus of the money…
I have a waher and dryer in the apartment so they can do it for them selves… but some people use every towel in the house and that really gets to me…
I found that there’s a problem when guests do the laundry. They are likely to wash everything on hot (and thus set in stains), wash the duvet in its cover (which takes forever to disentangle) or wash whites and coloured items together.
Our guests have access to the laundry area but we encourage them to use it for their personal laundry only. I’d rather deal with the household washing myself.
Regarding towels, I leave 3 or 4 bath towels, a few hand towels and four facecloths only per group of guests. (The apartment sleeps two people and most stays are of just a few days). Therefore, they can only use the towels that are left out for them.
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LOL! So true! I feel the same. My AirBnb is spotless and organized (except right now when my partner’s son is crashing there to avoid his roomates in-laws) and my house is disheveled.
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I stayed at an Airbnb and the host stored all the linens and cleaning supplies on the open air front porch. That was different. The unit itself was spotless. Creativity counts!
I have 4 rooms for rent, and Guests have access throughout. The whole house and garden has to be kept spotless. A great way to cut down on the work is not allow use of the stove or oven. My rooms rent for under $25 a night, which is more than enough to afford take-out. This rule has the added benefit of attracting working professionals who eat at work.
Each room has its own bar fridge and microwave. They also have access to a main microwave and a dishwasher, so it seems to keep the peace.
Laundry is permitted during certain hours after 3 days’ stay, though they can use the clothesline at any time.
As my ratings increased, this resulted in longer stays, and less change outs. When changeouts happen, I literally lay siege to the room. In addition to protected bedding, i also sterilize all bedding with bleach and hot water, spray with top rated bug killer, clean the windows and mirrors, vac and mop, etc.
I err on the side of generous with towels, and also provide bathrobes, extra blankets, soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Where possible, I also provide fresh flowers and muffins.
I learned these things the hard way. I’ve stayed in hotels in 25 countries. Even in 5-stars, most of them I wouldn’t get under the covers for reasons that you don’t wanna know. Keeping the place immaculate also allows me to slip away for the weekend the odd time when there is only one guest annd I need to regenerate. I’m always a call or text away.
Please tell!
…
Back in the day I travelled a lot on business to Manhattan. My company always put us up in 5 stars. My boss told me to avoid unpacking except in the bathroom because of cockroaches. Yup, even in a 5 star! They are almost impossible to avoid in a multiplex because the entire building needs to be fumigated. Regularly. This is impossible with guests. However it IS possible in a house, which when you think about it is another advantage ABB has over hotels.
Several friends who also travelled extensively also picked up a few pets in superior accommodation, to their absolute horror.
I have always been suspicious of bedspreads, and if you watch CSI long enough you will be too. Most hotels simply don’t clean them. That’s why they are often brown mix colours, and riddled with DNA. Google this topic, ideally on an empty stomach.
Bedbugs are rampant in my city. The nicest people get them. That’s why I generally sleep on top of hotel beds and not in them.
In my home, I am in a de facto state of war. I’ve never had an infestation. I exceed the requirements of the best cleaning companies in the city, and am a frequent flyer at industrial cleaning centers. if I am away overnight, I allow no new guests in my home so that they understand…toilet seats must be kept down, and shower stalls sprayed.
I literally put myself in my guest’s shoes - along with everything else. [
] I am proud to be OCD about cleanliness. This means overkill, quite literally.
Many if not most of my Guests are HCP’s - we have excellent hospitals - and i need to protect them AND my rep.
I do go through a lot of bleach. Bedding and towels wear out more quickly. Special sprays, protective bedding, etc. are expensive. But once I’ve eaten those bills, it’s not a lot of extra work. It’s well worth it for the peace of mind - not to mention the reviews.
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Wowser! And I though my room was a good value! May I ask where you are located?
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