Do you have a washing machine in your listing?

[Sybe]

Hey everyone,

Laundry day. The joys of smelling your favourite softener on the laundry that’s hanging to dry. The possibility of wearing that cute shirt again. It’s a marvel, and one made so much easier by the invention of the washing machine! Only once in my life did I have to wash my laundry using a washboard and I can tell you, I was elated when that time was over.

Almost everyone has a laundry machine or washing machine at home nowadays. As a Host, however, there isn’t always a need for one. Hosts that mainly host short stays might often see their guests bring enough clothes to last their entire stay. Laundrettes / Laundromats / Self-service laundry / Coin laundry / Coin wash - or what you might want to call it - are still around as well and can prove to be useful if a guest does happen to run out of clean clothes.

Do you have a washing machine in your listing? Why did you choose to (not) have one? For Hosts who host guests in their own home (and who have a washing machine): Do you give your guests permission to use the machine?

Please let me know in the comments!

Sybe

Fun fact: Even before the introduction of the five-day workweek, Mondays were despised by many. Why? Well, it may have something to do with laundry! Before the invention of the washing machine, doing the laundry was seen by many as the worst job of housework, and Mondays used to be the standard laundry day. (Please note: this is not an actual fact but my own speculation)

[Trung-Hieu0]

the nhatrang business hotel , có máy giặt nhưng phải tính phí

[Sybe]

@Trung-Hieu0 How do you work out the fees when guests want to use the washing machine?

[Trung-Hieu0]

bạn có thể hỗ trợ tôi 1 chủ nhà  chuyên về  book khách ko , tôi chia sẻ lợi nhuận  cho anh ấy

[Trung-Hieu0]

tính theo bộ  và loại quần áo 

[Ahmed549]

all apartments in selena bay resort have washing machine

[Yui-Hei0]

We only have one unit that has a washing machine because this unit is intended for a 30-day rental. As for our other units, since these units are studio-type, we instruct our guests to use the coin-operated laundry.

[Kathi167]

Yes, we have a washer and dryer.. Main purpose was for the use by the quests. If I stayed somewhere for a week I would expect it so we provided for them. Bonus, its there for our family and the cleaner to do laundry as well. Win, Win, Win.

[Sybe]

@Kathi167 That does make it easy for the cleaner to quickly pop the laundry in!

[Sophie2131]

I do since it's mandatory for holiday homes in Dubai ! I would still have 1 if it wasn't mandatory.

[Sybe]

@Sophie2131 There are some situations where you can't do without yes, like in your case where it's required by the government. 😉

[Flavia202]

@Sybe 

I have a washer/dryer combo in my listing and most of my guests use the washer with a lesser amount using the dryer.  With the high energy costs these days I'll be replacing the combo with just a washer, so that the dryer will not be an option.  Guests can use the dry yard (sun-kissed laundry) or the drying rack in the laundry room.

[Sybe]

@Flavia202 Do you think people may not use the dryer that much out of personal preference or because they may not be aware that the machine is a combo? I actually don't know if ours at home is a combo, I'll need to ask my sister. The attic (where I have my room and hang my clothes) is quite humid but I may have been living with a dryer unknowingly!

[Flavia202]

😃 @Sybe

Nah.. the dryer portion is obvious (front loader) so you can't miss it.

[Ted307]

@Sybe

Our bunkhouse is small and over 100 years old, we just installed a hot water heater for the very first time in it's life to make it a vacation rental. Our first priority was having plenty of hot water and a nice new shower. Our remodel could have used a wall mounted water heater and washer like @Trude0 has, but we really do not want people to stay long enough to need to do their laundry. Our max is 2 weeks. Most people are just up in our mountains for the weekend to get away from the desert heat of Phoenix!

Even our regular returning traveling nurse does not want to do his laundry while he is here. He is glad to have me do it! Lots of clean towels are stacked by the big shower. I have a high enough electric bill for the hot water heater as it is -- not sure that a washer would be worth it. Our utilities have increased this winter. We heat with propane, it has gone from $7 a bottle to $15, we can burn 2 or 3 per weekend just heating the place. Our electric bill has also gone up.

[Sybe]

@Ted307 I think I remember you mentioning the nurse before! 😃

It's definitely a good strategy to not offer a washing machine if you really want people to limit the duration of their stay or, like yourselves, adhere to a max length.

What would you do with guests who find themselves in a situation where they've run out of clean clothes? Would you suggest to do it for them like with your returning guest?

[Ted307]

I do the laundry in advance: 6 clean towels stacked by the shower, change of sheets and bedding in the cedar chest. Clean kitchen towels in the kitchen drawers.

I never do guest's personal laundry. There is an info book with the location of a nearby coin operated laundry. My returning nurse goes through a clean towel every day, sometimes 2 per day! He is a clean freak, you can not tell he was there except by the pile of laundry. Brings his own pillow & sheets. (He uses the hand sanitizer I provide, too. Almost no one else does). I wait a full day after he leaves to go and clean, there are lots of bad viruses in our local hospital!

Other nurses we have had on occasion are also very clean. They all like having a kitchen so that they can eat healthy home cooked meals.

@Sybe

[Michael5047]

@Sybe 

I always include a washer and dryer in my apartments. That really helps me get those long term bookings!

[Sybe]

@Michael5047 You're using the same strategy (purposely having or not having a washing machine) as @Ted307 but for different outcomes, you're trying to get the long term guests while Ted & Chris try to get short term ones! 😃

[Trude0]

In my tinyhouse listing I have a compact/smaller washing machine.

Since I re-opened, I do only short stays, max 7 days, for max 2 guests and no kids - so the machine is not used very much. But some guests use it - I get guests who run/bicycle/go trecking, and they tend to want to do laundry. I think it is an attractive amenity to have for my listing. Especially since many tinyhouses/cabins don’t have one. Laundromats are practically non-existent in Sweden.

I used to offer to dry guests’ laundry in our drier if needed - but with the energy crisis, the drier is not in use, not by us and not for guests. Don’t think we’ll use it much even if/when electricity prices go down, either - for sustainability reasons.

For guests I have a drying rack to be used outside in summer, and in the heated, well ventilated garage in the winter - seems to work fine!

[Sybe]

@Trude0 You don't see many here in the Netherlands either, although I do know of one because it was part of the student complex I lived in at the time.

You certainly do have an advantage over other tinyhouses by offering a washing machine! Do you know if guests book your listing specifically because it has a washing machine, and do you incorporate it in your listing price?