Share your best laundry tips 🧺

[Rebecca]

Hello hosts 👋

Laundry tips seem to be a great conversation starter across the Community Center and we’ve seen some wonderful advice shared here recently. I bet there are loads of little laundry hacks that people do day-to-day, without ever realising.  

So, what’s working for you at the moment? Anything that has helped with stains, keeping your linens fresh, speeding things up between stays or even just making the whole process easier? Share your best laundry tips below 👇

I’m looking forward to reading your replies!

[Jhing0]

Hi I’m from the Philippines and I normally do my own laundry. When it’s the final rinse, I put a bit of white vinegar on the water together with fabric softener. The vinegar acts as an additional deodorizer makes the laundry more fragrant! I also use the same mixture of vinegar and fabric conditioner miced with water as my fabric spray. 

[Rebecca]

The vinegar tip is definitely a popular one @Jhing0, but I've never heard of mixing it with the fabric softener too - thank you so much for sharing. Do you have a preferred scent for your fabric softener? @Nav690 suggested above, about adding essential oils which I think is a great idea. 😊

[Jhing0]

I prefer something not too strong for those with sensitive noses. I like fresh and clean scents thay reflects the home. 

[Nav690]

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for raising a very good and important point, as it can give a guest a nice experience, and just imagine how dirty/unclean linens can give a horrible experience to a guest.

I believe one of the reasons why I always got 5 stars from guests is that I always care about the linens and make sure that guests always get neat and clean linens. The following are a few simple tricks one can use to make the process smoother, and these tricks will make linens stay fresh for longer. One of the best ways to tackle stains is to pre-treat them as soon as possible. Keeping a small stain remover spray by the laundry hamper means you can quickly treat any marks before they set. Another great tip for keeping your linens smelling fresh is adding half a cup of baking soda to your laundry detergent. This not only helps with odor neutralization but also freshens up your sheets, towels, and pillowcases.

For that luxurious scent that sticks, try adding a few drops of essential oils, like lavender or eucalyptus, to a wool dryer ball. Toss it in with your laundry, and you’ll get a fresh, subtle scent that lingers long after the wash. If you want your linens to last longer and feel softer, opt for a gentle detergent designed for delicates. This will clean your fabrics without stripping them of their softness or causing fading. Similarly, washing on a lower temperature (cool or warm) helps protect the fibers and keeps your linens in great condition for longer.

When it comes to drying, wool dryer balls are a game-changer. Not only do they help reduce drying time, but they also keep your linens soft and minimize static. After washing and drying, fold your linens while they’re still slightly warm to reduce wrinkles and store them in a cool, dry place to keep them fresh. For smaller items like pillowcases or napkins, using a mesh laundry bag keeps everything from getting lost or tangled in the wash. And speaking of washing, don’t forget to give your machine a monthly deep clean. Run an empty cycle with hot water and a cup of white vinegar to remove any soap residue or mold that could affect the freshness of your laundry.

Lastly, if you’ve got the time, air-drying your linens is an eco-friendly option that’s gentle on fabrics. The sunlight not only helps to naturally disinfect but also leaves everything smelling fresh and crisp. By following these simple tips, you can keep your laundry routine running smoothly and enjoy fresh, soft linens every time.

Hope these points help you in becoming/keeping your super host title 😉

Good luck!

Best regards,

Nav 🙂

[Rebecca]

@Nav690 you've shared some awesome tips here - thank you! I’ve seen hosts rave about lavender scent (I suppose it helps with sleep?), but eucalyptus sounds interesting! Do guests ever mention which scent they prefer, or do they just notice that “clean” smell?

I also think it's great that you mentioned cleaning the machine with a hot wash and vinegar - a simple task that can make a huge difference to your washes! 😊

[Greystone0]

Hi @Rebecca !

I love this subject! I'm here for the tips! thanks!

Here's some of our go to products:

- vinegar! yes, already mentioned, great fabric softener and more! I add to every load

- dryer balls! already mentioned, a must have!

- baking soda and/or boric acid - both are great additions to a wash cycle, help with hard water, odor, stain fighting.

- hydrogen peroxide - we keep a gallon jug of 12% and add to everything for cleaning etc. We add to the 'bleach' spot in the washer for our washing cycles.

Love laundry tips!

[Rebecca]

I'm so glad you love the topic @Greystone0; there are always so many little washing hacks that people know! I second the vinegar. My nana always used to add vinegar and she had the softest towels! 

Do you use detergent as well or just the vinegar/peroxide? 

[Paola2767]

You can buy it online or in shops having organic and environmentally friendly products

[Vicki704]

All of these, plus a small spray bottle of stain remover!

[Rebecca]

Thanks so much for sharing! Is it a home-made stain remover or a store bought one @Vicki704? 😊

[Vicki704]

It's a 100ml store-bought one, that really works well.  

However, the small size means it needs to be used sparingly.  

Also, I keep a bucket of bicarbonate soda handy as well as the classic white cleaning vinegar and a few old toothbrushes for safely scrubbing fabrics and upholstery.  

Mine is an upcycled, recyclable, non-toxic, bio-friendly laundry.

[Paola2767]

Good morning I am writing from Italy,

to remove stains I use citric acid powder which I dilute in water depending on the type of stain. It is a natural but effective remedy.

I use eco-friendly powder detergents to avoid single-use plastic. There are concentrated powder detergents to which only tap water is added.

The advantage of using these detergents is that you don't need plastic containers and you avoid needlessly stirring up water because I add it directly to the powder.

The linen is clean, fragrant and respects the environment

[Rebecca]

Hi @Paola2767 - thank you so much for sharing these environmentally friendly laundry tips with us. I too chose to use detergents that limit plastic usage, and I opt for a detergent sheet. These are great as they can be ripped for smaller loads or quick washes. 

I've not seen citric acid powder before though. Where would you purchase this from? A supermarket or perhaps a DIY store? 

[Palesa4]

Hi Rebecca

I only started hosting my Airbnb in December last year, and as it is a one-bedroom apartment, my laundry volume is relatively small. Currently, I use our home washing machine, although I do plan to purchase one dedicated to the apartment in the near future.

To maintain cleanliness and freshness, I manually soak all sheets and towels in a basin for approximately 15 minutes before washing them with detergent and using a fabric softener. I air-dry all linen and make a point of removing it as soon as they are dry. I also lightly iron fitted sheets, flat sheets, and pillowcases, and I am planning to invest in a steamer soon.

I also appreciate JhingO’s suggestion of using a mixture of vinegar, fabric conditioner, and water as a fabric spray. I have been using a store-bought linen spray, so this is a helpful and cost-effective alternative.

Thank you to everyone for reminding me of how vinegar can help make towels nice and soft 🙏