Ironing solution iron steam press anyone with experience?

[Vanessa312]

Hey Everyone, I know many of you, including me, have the same problem. Nowadays and Airbnb needs to be somewhat on a Hotel Standard. Over the many years as an airbnb host ironing was always a painful organization as it takes away a lot of time and many people who clean, dont do it properly or spend hours and ironing bed sheets. Last year we have tried it with a local laundry but turns that this is expensive (nearly 65 euros per check in) and in high-season when we most need them, they are not always in time. I have read that there are people who host on a large professional scale who outsource bedsheets by renting bed sheets. Unfortunately, where we have our property this is not an option. This is why I have been  researching in the internet what kind of modern machines there are to iron most effectively. There are now the so called Ironing Steam presses that apparently get the job done in no time. I cant find anybody with a pension, Airbnb, or B&B commenting on the usage of such  machine and so I am writing to the Airbnb Community today to see, if anybody has bought such a machine and give me some insights experience on how wonderful or not this machine gets the job done on Airbnb level/organization etc. I have seen machines in between 400-1600 Euros. 

Thank you very much everyone

[Robin4]

@Vanessa312 

I have become an expert bed linen ironer!

I have discovered over the years that natural is what guests want! They don't want starched perfumed linens that feel like you are sleeping between a couple of pieces of cardboard, which is what most professional linen services offer.

I so wish the CC would offer a video option so I could show my linen ironing regime. I can iron a complete set of bed linens including 6 pillowcases in less than 10 minutes from pulling the linens off the line to having them ready for the bed. 

It is novel but, it works!!!

Hosting in an old building is hard, some guests associate old with dirty and my lowest star rating at 4.9 is,  'cleanliness'! I don't have to just be clean, I have to provide evidence of how clean my listing is and the state of the bed linens is a major part of that image. The sheet creases have to be perfect as do the pillowcases. That bed has to show that it has been prepared for that incoming guest.  

There is no option in my life for a steam press, the secret is to fold the linens meticulously and iron with a hot dry iron no more than 4 layers at a time.

Almost every guest tells me how welcoming my bed was and I am sure that is responsible for much of my future business.

I would love to do a linen ironing tutorial if the CC offered it as an option! I am sure it would help many hosts. 

Cheers.........Rob

[Vanessa312]

Thank you for commenting Robin! I will try to pass this information on to our Team but here comes the problem with it: We rent out our own vacation property which means that we dont live there and we are very dependent on the methods of our Team. The reason why I looked up a steam press is, because it sounds like it facilitates the job they need to do locally and hence might give us more independence on the issue. I cannot find any experience reports from hosts about the steam press which makes me a bit skeptical about the not so cheap machine. Cheers, Vanessa

[Ana2038]

@Robin4 , I’m with you on ironing and giving an image of a freshly made bed. I press all of the linens, less the fitted sheets which I do later, as soon as they’re done in the dryer. I also buy higher quality sheets. I don’t necessarily enjoy ironing/pressing but I do love the look of a freshly made bed!!

[Francky4]

Hi there,

I've found a practical solution to the ironing challenge you mentioned. Instead of investing in expensive ironing equipment or services, I've switched to using wrinkle-free linens. The key is to promptly remove them from the dryer as soon as they're dry and then fold them immediately. This approach has significantly reduced the time and effort required for bedsheet maintenance, and I've been pleased with the results. It might be a simpler and more cost-effective solution for your Airbnb property as well.

[James3341]

Hello,  thank you for your mail.  A rather important part of hosting. I would want/expect it if I were to stay somewhere, especially if paying top dollar. Personally I find investing in a really good quality iron and big sturdy ironing board goes a long way. Use the steam function and make sure it’s always filled. Hope this helps. Ironing is difficult, takes time to master and folding should be precise as it’s also important 

[Dermot28]

I don't iron anything; I use"Lenor Crease Releaser  the Spring Awakening sent." 

I spray the bed lightly after it is made "job done."

[Bronwyn100]

I don’t iron the sheets. They are line dried. I do however iron the pillowcases. Fascinated to know how you fold a fitted sheet to iron it?

[Robin4]

@Francky4  @Dermot28  @Bronwyn100 

I guess it boils down to what you offer.

I don't, and never will, use flannelette sheets. To me they are just cheap and nasty, ok on a kids bed but not something for adults. You wouldn't expect to see ironed flannelette bed linens!

So ruling that out, sure we can all get away with not ironing bed linens but, to me, it's a part of the package. Line to bed linens may not be full of random crinkles in the linens but, they don't have neat ironed creases in them, and that to me is important.

When I stay somewhere I can't have confidence that bed was made just for me if I don't see ironed creases in the top sheet and pillowcases. To me, it infers the host takes shortcuts.

Many guests like natural, they don't like the perfume left by ironing aids so I stay away from them. 

I do use poly-cotton linens because they have a softer feel than pure cotton, they are easier to iron, present nicely on the bed and are generally a bit cheaper than pure cotton....which is important in a rental facility.

With regard to the fitted sheet, you can't iron a fitted sheet, and there is absolutely no point! As soon as you stretch it out on the bed any ironing creases would be lost, it would just be a waste of effort! It's a visual thing.

To me ironing bed linens is like vacuuming, dusting, it's just something you do when you service for the next guest.

Cheers........Rob

[Deb4660]

About ironing. We are rural & hiking people don't generally need ironed sheets & pillowcases.  But, should anyone require them I could look into it. Fitted sheets ? 

[Debra710]

We wash directly on site and make sheets immediately in cabins.  We don’t iron.  We have never used the machine that you propose 

[Alex1485]

One of our colleagues has the machine you mention.  Very expensive, $$$$, however, they determined it reduced overall labor costs, thus worth the investment.  Sheets come out crisp, simple and easy to use.  

As they outsource their cleaning, purchasing the machine  added consistency to ironing process, and made staff happier, as it cut down on overall time, and need for on-bed touch ups. 

[Vanessa312]

Hey @Alex1485 , thank you very much  for your answer! I would love to hear more about it to be honest! We rent out our own vacation property and are not at the location. Currently, every time we bring the sheets to the laundry it costs around 60 euros and then the house also needs to be cleaned so it is actually adding up to the costs tremendously as can not charge people in that area 200 euros for cleaning for a house of 150m2, especially not in low season where bookings come in slow. I saw that there is a steam press on the market for big families and small pensions for "only" 450 euros. I guess your friend has one of these that costs more or less 2000 euros ?  How much does it save in time? Thank you very much in advanced 🙂 

[Alex1485]

@Vanessa312 Yes, i think this is a good investment, as the cost of outsourcing the sheets is very expensive, we would have purchased however, we have no space to store. 

The machine was recommended by an interior designer who spec’s very high end homes (that have maid staffs) and boutique hotels.  I am not sure if it was commercial grade product, afraid, i do not have a name or model number for you. :(. 

The machine was portable, 3-4’; about 20-25 lbs, works like magic, 20 seconds all wrinkles gone, equivalent of dry cleaning.

In the past, we have reached out to small ops mgrs at boutique hotels…found them very helpful as resource for commercial products. .

good luck…I wish there were very high end disposable sheets, as i would use :)!  If i find any more info, will dm you…   

[Vanessa312]

Also, assuming your colleague bought the bigger/more expensive one,  might I ask, does he have like several Airbnbs and thats why he decided to go foor the hotel machinery ? We have a family house with 5 beds and one apartment with one bed. That's why I was looking for the :"big family" one