Laundry turnover

[Anthony2515]

Hii, I’ve tried different ways to manage laundry turnovers, but I keep running into one issue. After washing the linens, drying becomes the main bottleneck, especially with quick turnarounds. Do you usually rely on a dryer, or is there another reliable process for handling this?

[Greystone0]

Hi @Anthony2515  - not sure if this is part of your system, but as a rule of thumb you should have enough supplies to outfit for the next guest  WHILE finishing laundry from the last.  A general rule of thumb is:  one being washed, one out for guest,  one extra (so at least "3" of whatever it is, towels, sheets, etc). 

That way, if it is a super tight turnover, you don't have to have the previous laundry completely done. Alternatively, you can purchase another dryer and have two going OR take everything to a laundromat where you have access to larger machines/more machines. In our market it is common for larger homes to offer two for this type of scenario (it's just too much drying all at once).

In our case, if the laundry can't be totally completed for the next check in we have a few options: just leave until the next turnover if time allows at the next turnover OR our cleaner takes laundry home and does it without a panic (for this case she charges more for more effort).

just some thoughts! 

[Anthony2515]

@Greystone0 Thank you so much for your contribution honestly and I totally understand that perspective. 

I'd just like to clarify on the bottleneck.

I very much do have enough supplies. The main bottleneck was around drying an already washed bed linen, while 1 is being used and the other is being stored. It's like what's a better way to dry and store back. Because it's not nice drying the washed bed linens in the apartment yard while guests are there, also the rain is another factor if I'm to leave that hanging in the yard overnight, you get me. Usually, i would have considered a laundromat but we already have a simple wash and spin machine that washes the linens and leaves them dampened. Would you say i should just close eyes and purchase a dryer or would you suggest a better cost effective option. 

Thank you.

[Greystone0]

Hi @Anthony2515  - ahhh, so if the more common method is to hang dry, which is time consuming and needs to be monitored, but not by guests, as you have noted (it's unsightly, might get rained on, etc).

This conundrum is a common one with drying time generally speaking  - happens a lot and really the only solution is just more TIME to dry, be it in a dryer, hanging, etc. 

1. get your own dryer. As you noted, you could get a dryer and this would solve this idea, generally speaking, even folks with a dryer find they will need TWO dryers to finish in time so an alternative idea is often needed, nonetheless.

2. OR you could just wait until your hang drying time allows for things to be sufficiently dried (?). We do this on our end as we have enough supplies to, so if today's turnover doesn't allow a complete laundry start to finish, the next one might (so wait to wash). Not foolproof but an idea. Like just do what will dry in time and then leave some for next time and so on.

3. Is there another space that you can take laundry to, to complete a hang dry time? That isn't in the way of guests and can be managed? 

4. and you could just take the washed and semi dried stuff to the laundromat and dump in a dryer to finish drying (?), just when needed?

We end up doing all of the above depending on what is happening with our rental schedule. Sometimes, we leave all the laundry to be washed and dried at the next turnover, sometimes our cleaning person takes ALL of it home to manage without a hurry because the turnover is impossible and it's high season (so no next time), sometimes she just takes the last load of dryer out and home to finish drying because it just isn't done,  but it's only one load, sometimes I take everything up to the laundromat with large machines and it's done quickly and sometimes we leave a drying rack in a locked space if something is just damp (we have a utility room that has a sink and can accommodate a small rack and a few damp towels or a blanket (just a few things, not an entire load, but often there is just one damp thing left). Anyway, it's a combo approach.

[Anthony2515]

@Greystone0 I love this.

I'll definitely rotate these options and see the best fit. This was super helpful, Mr

Grey! Thank you so much for your time and knowledge 🙏 🫂

[Lynda452]

I am a "Live on site host"  all costs are in my nightly rate. The guest(s) have their own free laundry center in the suite. It is a smaller version, but is a medium load capacity. I do not allow guests to launder suite laundry. They're allowed to do their own laundry. I clean once a week & gather used rugs/toweling twice a week for them. I also provide all laundry & cleaning products for the laundry center use.

[Phil5677]

We don't rely on the laundry facilities in the unit for quick turnaround.   We change the linens and take the dirty ones home to clean and dry.     Then you have the luxury of drying any way you like.   Time is no longer a constraint.   

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Anthony2515 

Invest in extra linens and towels so you’re not forced to wash everything immediately when guests check out. Having a full backup set (or even two) makes turnovers much less stressful and gives you breathing room between bookings.

What we do is drop our used linens off at a laundromat for professional washing, while we already have fresh beddings and towels ready to go for the next guests. This keeps our turnaround smooth, maintains quality, and prevents burnout from doing multiple loads in a rush.

It’s a simple system, but it really helps protect your time, your energy, and your listing standards especially during back-to-back bookings.

[Anthony2515]

Hi @Patricia2526, thanks a bunch, for your contribution honestly.

I'd just like to clarify on the bottleneck.

I very much do have enough supplies. The main bottleneck was around drying an already washed bed linen, while 1 is being used and the other is being stored. It's like what's a better way to dry and store back. Because it's not nice drying the washed bed linens in the apartment yard while guests are there, also the rain is another factor if I'm to leave that hanging in the yard overnight, you get me. Usually, i would have considered a laundromat but we already have a simple wash and spin machine that washes the linens and leaves them dampened. Would you say i should just close eyes and purchase a dryer or would you suggest a better cost effective option. 

Thank you.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Anthony2515  

Yes, we do use a dryer  but not the regular one at home. We prefer using the industrial dryers at the laundromat because they only take about 40 minutes, compared to almost 4 hours with a standard home dryer. With electricity costs being so high, it honestly makes more sense financially and time-wise.

Plus, it’s more efficient for turnovers. We can get multiple loads done quickly, which is very important for short-term rentals, especially when there’s a same-day check-in. And the best part? They fold everything neatly for me too 😂 It saves so much time and effort, and we can focus on preparing the rest of the property for the next guests instead of waiting around for laundry to finish

[Anthony2515]

That sounds like a system there. I mean i actually considered that at first but I found that there was just 1 major laundromat in the area. And for some reasons, they don't accept dampened clothes to dry, except you're choosing to wash with them, then dry. But I'll try them again. Who knows what's change over the months. Thank you so much for your contribution @Patricia2526  ❤️ 

I honestly wouldn't have found this part of Airbnb if I wasn't the kind that just lovee to explore and read. That was how I literally stumbled at the "hosting resources" section. And it's been so so helpful. God bless each and every one of you responders ✨️❤️

[Lynda452]

I have many more than two-three linen changes for my guests, I provide seasonal decor as well as coordinating drapes, kitchen linens, bathroom & TV room decor. I live on site, the best way to host in my opinion, I can not understand why anyone stretches themselves so thin by being an

absentee host. I want my guests to be secure, safe, reliable & comfortable know I am here to help immediately during their stay in my home. 

[Shelley159]

You need a decent size dryer for the towels anyway @Anthony2515 ? 

As the others have said, 3 sets of bedding needed. More than 3 sets per bed  can also get tricky with storage and organisation. One may not want to clutter the guests' storage space inside the listing, so consider how much own storage space you have available before buying more than 3 sets.

[Anthony2515]

Right... Thanks Shelley.

As you see. The main bottleneck is around drying an already washed bed linen, while 1 is being used and the other is being stored. It's like what's a better way to dry and store back. Because it's not nice drying the washed bed linens in the apartment yard while guests are there, also the rain is another factor if I'm to leave that hanging in the yard overnight, you get me. Usually, i would have considered a laundromat but we already have a simple wash and spin machine that washes the linens and leaves them dampened. Would you say i should just close eyes and purchase a dryer or would you suggest a better cost effective option. 

Thank you.

[Shelley159]

How are you drying the towels at the moment @Anthony2515 ?

I'd say for most of us they're the main reason we can't get by without a tumble dryer (except for hosts who make use of a full commercial laundry service).