All about linen and bedding sets

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

All about linen and bedding sets

Linen.png

 

Hello everyone,

 

A topic that we talk about fairly regularly here in the Community Center is around how to manage linens and bed sheets, especially when it comes to providing them, changing them and washing them. We also see hosts ask what colour linen others think are the most welcoming, but also the most managable when used regularly.

 

There are quite a lot of different solutions that hosts adopt, many of which are based on the type of accomodation you offer, but one of common concerns is around controlling costs. Perhaps you have a plan of how often you change the bedding and replace it, perhaps you have little tips like applying a mattress cover to help prevent ware, perhaps you choose to wash your linen at a certain temperature to make them last longer.

 

How can you offer an excellent service and keep in budget at the same time? 

 

Please share your tips on how to manage linens and bed sheets, and get inspired by the solutions suggested by other hosts. Please give a “thumbs up” on your favorite ideas shared by others!

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Lizzie


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166 Replies 166
Yulianna0
Level 10
Madrid, Spain

Thanks to hot sun I have no problems about drying bedsheets. May be they lose color more quickly, but they are sterilized for sure! The question is about cleaning blankets. How often you do it? And if you have carpets on the floor, how often should I clean it (not vacuuming, but serious cleaning)? 

Emily487
Level 10
KCMO, MO

Sheets:

-Foral sheets made by Better Homes and Gardens and sold at Walmart. They are 100% cotton and the edges have held up well to lots of hot water washings. They aren't the most luxurious sheets in the world but they are cozy and cheery to look at, feel just fine, and we can get extras anytime we need it without having to order online or pay an arm and a leg. And honestly, the floral pattern hides any evidence of minor, normal wear. 

 

-Our duvet covers are just cheap white microfiber ones from Amazon and they have held up spectacularly well. We wash these between every guest. 

-We have a folded mid weight coverlett at the foot of each bed and I wash it only once a week or as needed.

 

Washing:

Speed Queen washing machine (seriously, the BEST purchase I have ever made)

Hot water

Unscented detergent

Unscented Downy only on towels and only once a week

Lysol Laundry Sanitizer in the rinse cycle as needed  or during flu season (mild clean scent)

I've looked at the microfiber duvet covers and they all say no bleach. How do you get stains out and keep them nice and white?

Monica618
Level 2
Murphy, NC

I have had my Airbnb cottage for a little over a year now and it is booked back to back once the season begins. I would like to find some hotel quality linens. I get everything on Amazon usually, but I have not found a set I like yet. If anyone has the time, please send a link to the place you use to buy your quality linens. 

 

Wishing everyone the best of luck for 2019!!

Mindy40
Level 2
Joshua Tree, CA

Hi everyone ! Professional cleaner here . This has been a great thread. I have discovered a wonderful product that is saving me so much time and money .  It is called a  SmartKlean Laundrey ball and is made by Lavlmatic. It eliminates the need for detergent and bleach and works in cold water . It’s hypo- allergenic, eco -friendly and can be used for 1,500 washes . It uses ceramic micro beads that you place in the sun once a month to recharge. I was very sceptical at first but am now it’s biggest fan. My whites come out whiter and brighter than they ever did using bleach and detergent and have a clean natural scent. I just leave it in the machine and use it over and over . I love it !  Also I have a tip for duvet covers. Sew ties into all 4 corners inside of cover and tie them around the corners of the bedding inside to hold it in place. This also makes putting it on much easier.  My trick for that is to turn cover inside out and lay it and  the comforter on top of each other on the bed and then reach up inside the bottom opening to grab the top corner and pull it back down through the opening so it’s right side out. . To get a nice tight straight edge when tucking it under the mattress I’ve found that by turning my back to it and using both hands , one to tuck and one to smooth it comes out perfectly ! Hope this helps !

It amazes me how many people still have trouble placing duvets into their covers efficiently.  The technique you mentioned is exactly what I’ve always done since learning it from Martha years ago.  I take it one step further, while I’m sewing ties on the duvet corners...sew some onto the duvet insert corners too.  That way you don’t end up with the weird knots created buy tying the corners only.  For an even flatter finish, use something like 3/8” wide ribbon strips that have a small hem on the end to prevent fraying.  

Happy Bed Making Y’all!!!

Hello All,

 

This is one of my first posts in the community.  Although I've stalked it for a couple years now, learning so many things along the way in my preparation for our upcoming listing here in Beautiful San Francisco,

I chimmed in on this thread because it is in my wheelhouse.  

 

For 6 years I worked for a very high end interior design firm which also had a home staging department for homes that clients would be selling.  After a couple years I became THE bed queen...Albeit I'm a guy.  lol. They wouldnt let anyone else at the firm do clients beds because, well my OCD worked well for me and they always looked flawless.  haha

I would be sent to all interior installations and stagings to specifically do the beds and make sure they looked flawless for the clients home reveal, or for real estate photography.  

 

While those two preparations are different beasts altogether and require different tricks of the trade, wrinkles haunt us all at every stage regardless.  When I read all the pages here about how other hosts deal with wrinkles, etc, I'm so surprised I've never once seen anyone mention my very favorite trick.  I create my own linen sprays depending on the exact clients likes & dislikes, or I use a neutral spray to mist...simply distilled water.  Warm water works best I find.  I can literally spend hours working on just a couple beds, but thats when its for a multi-million dollar home that requires perfection.  But EVERY bed gets this same treatement as a basic preparation.

 

  1. Put on the fitted sheet and flatten as best as possible without going crazy.
  2. completely mist the top and sides towards the top, because that part is exposed when sheets get folded back.  Let the mist sit for a minute or two.  Then use your freshly cleaned hands to smooth it out to perfection.  It dries SO fast, especially if a bit of vodka is incorporated.  Go do something else for a few minutes, there's always more home prep to do.
  3. Once dry, spread out the flat sheet.  You can either mist it while completely untucked or not.  I prefer doing it untucked because then you get wrinkle-free hospital corners...if that's your jam.
  4. Add your blanket if that's how you roll.
  5. Add the duvet cover totally flat and mist it too.  Use your hands until wrinkle free.  fold the top half back and do the same underneath.
  6. Along the way you can use a homemade linen spray.  I personally change it up but a common one would be: 2 tablespoons vodka, several drops of essential oil like lavander, fill the bottle with distilled water and shake the hell out of it.  Mist away.

I know this was a hyper long post, but the topic hit home and I wanted to share this with you all.  If any of you try this and find that it works for you, please let me know.  I've always had success and many compliments from high end clientelle, AND my husband.  hahaha. (hundreds of beds. ugh)

@Portia6 when do you put the duvet in?

@Portia6 interesting tip. I'll give the must a shot. I'm also new to posting and have benefited from this community for a while. 

 

Another tip we learned (the hard way) is to always have extra comforters. Helps when one gets stained and you have a quick turn for the next guest and don't have time to get it cleaned properly. 

 

Dave

@Portia6 thanks for the linen spray recipe!!  I'm going to try it right away!

Keep in mind that I gave a very bare bones idea of a fragranced linen spray.  I encourage you to google this and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised by all the lovely linen sprays/room deodorizers that you can create.  Also, the use of distilled water and vodka give these longevity, but shake occassionally and certainly before each use.  As a go-to, I still just use warm distilled water to de-wrinkle all beds I make.  I try not to assume that everyone likes the same fragrances or aren't allergic to specific essential oils.  That can be troublesome.  Happy Spritzing. 😉

 

Portia

 

A couple of examples:

https://www.diynatural.com/aromatherapy-room-linen-spray-recipe/

https://wellnessmama.com/205948/linen-spray/

https://www.diynatural.com/wrinkle-release-vinegar-spray/

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Portia6 and we're very happy to have you make yourself known with some excellent information! 

 

Welcome to the CC!

 

Thanks,

 

Stephanie

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@Portia6  Sounds great, but misting bedding would never work in hot humid tropical places. It wouldn't dry, believe me, and the bed would just stay damp. 

One thing I have found handy, though, as I'm not in the habit of ironing sheets, is, if they are pretty wrinkled, to put them on the bed and iron them on the bed. It's so much easier than on an ironing board.

And I'd also never use scent in a spray for a guest room. You might think lavendar smells great, but personally I can't stand that smell.

Yeah, lavender certainly isn’t one I would use in my own home either.  That’s why I usually only use distilled water.  

As far as misting wrinkled beds, it most definitely works here in my California climate but I know it wouldn’t work in a tropical environment.  The last thing you would want would be bedding that smells like mildew.  Haha

 

Stella207
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

@Portia6 this is amazing thank you!