Stained Sheets + Security Deposit

[Traci1]

What are other host's thoughts on charging against the security deposit for stained sheets (and making them unusable)? I've tried getting a stain (maybe blood, not sure) out of a fitted sheet for three days without success. The guests only stayed two nights. Thank you in advance for your advice!

[Coley0]

Oxiclean is my dear friend for sheets! Gets nearly all bloody messes out. The only thing it doesn’t seem to be able to tackle is mascara. 

[Milada-and-Jiří0]

If you have steam cleaner, you can put some detergent on the sheets  and then use  steam cleaner and then wash.  It works like magic.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

It's wear and tear and part of doing business and will happen from time to time. Yes, you could try and pursue a claim, but really just think about setting a small amount aside from each booking to replace sheets, towels etc as they get damaged, wear out, etc...

Unless of course someone really makes a complete and utter mess of your things...then...yes

[Sarah-and-Alex0]

Hi Traci, I just wrote a couple of thoughts on this issue as a post, since my thinking seems to diverge from some other hosts' responses to your questions and in a couple of similar threads.  I'll link to that below in case you're curious, but basically, a lot of hosts seem to view stained sheets as your (the Host's) problem.  I do not, and as a woman, I'm offended when a woman asks me to understand that she just cost me more than her booking to replace sheets because she forgot her period was coming again like it has every month for years.  

In my post I offer super polite sample text that hosts can use to request reimbursement, and we've had most guests reply completely graciously and immediately accept the charges (we buy either Ralph Lauren sheets at Home Goods for $60-$70, or the higher end Target sheets for $40-$50, so we just request that as reimbursement).  As info for other hosts, the first time someone left blood stains on our sheets, we were unsure of the expectation on our end, so we called Superhost Support for guidance - the rep seemed **horrified** that we were considering attempting to wash someone else's blood out ourselves.  I say this because a lot of hosts seem to think hosts should spend hours attempting to remove blood or other body fluid stains, which seems completely nuts to me (from a time value perspective as well as a health and safety perspective).  The person who bled on your sheets may know that they don't have a communicable disease, but the host doesn't.  

TLDR: Don't let other hosts make you feel bad for wanting to be reimbursed for something that was ruined (and sheets bled on by a stranger are ruined - most guests don't leave you needing to scrub out their blood).  Keep on keepin on!  🙂 

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/New-Hosts/Support-for-Hosts-with-Bloody-Sheets/m-p/301507#M25910

[Bruna-and-Andrew0]

Love your perspective and detailed article! Thank you!

Bruna

[Debra238]

I own a housekeeping company that specializes in vacation rentals — the statement that the person who bled on your sheets may know that they don't have an infectious disease, but you don't.  This statement answers all the questions of whether your guest should be charged.  Coffee stains, ketchup etc. is normal where and tear but blood is not, a whole bottle of ketchup is a different story.  As a host or housekeeper blood is nothing, you should be handling.  If a guest bleeds on linen, then they just purchased it period!  You can always let your guest know ahead of time that blood on linens will be deducted from thier deposet.  You touch You break You own it.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Debra238 

Thats fine if you can get the guest to agree to pay up without getting AirBnB involved. They will rarely support a claim for blood stains from a period bleed. Just as no hotel will ever contact you to ask for payment. Specialist stain removers are great - and zero trace of blood etc.

i think people using towels to wipe off make up, or when dying their hair is a different matter however...it’s a choice.

[Debra238]

Maybe linen rental is the answer.  Linen is such a tricky subject.  It’s funny how on one side hotels are referenced but on the other side they are not.  Either vacation rentals are stand alone or not.  Hotels will change sheets everyday that alone keeps them from the comparison.  If I bleed on hotel sheets,  housekeeping which I pay for in my rental rate will be there in a flash to take my bloody sheet away and bring me a clean one.  The changes of them getting that stain out are pretty high.  Plus you better believe that hotel has procedures in place to handle that bloody sheet.  I promise you it’s not standing scrubbing it out.

[Sarah-and-Alex0]

Also, transparency is helpful with this issue - we recognize that not everyone would instinctively agree that guests should pay for bloody sheets, so we include a polite line in our welcome note that we will request reimbursement from the security deposit for stains on linens - this way, guests know the expectation ahead of time.  

[Diana108]

This is a GREAT IDEA! I am going to do this from now on! I will also ask them to inspect the linens when they arrive and if they see any damage or stains to tell me immediately as I can miss things.

[Marilyn66]

I am new to hosting and was horrified to find what looked like blood (fresh)the size from a razor cut (man as guest) and he tried to hide the stain under the pillow (like I don't wash my sheets).  There is a ton of bathroom tissue under the sink and I had deliberately left 2 fresh unused rolls on the countertop before he checked in. No idea why he did not use that (tissue) as a bandaid like a normal person.  Then ask for a bandaid you know like a normal person.  I put on my plastic gloves cause it looked fresh. Then rinsed and bleached it out.  there was no mark left.   I came on here to see what others were doing.  I use cold water and know from hospital work that most virus can not survive bleach.  I did not wash sheets in the hospital but talked to the laundry workers and they claimed boiling water, soap and bleach kills everything.  No stain was left but I think I am going to post on the guest door. "Damage and value".  thanks for your help.  have not dealt with a woman and her period...  I know when I travelled I took adult incontenience products so I did not ruin someone's bed.  I am also going to Walmart to buy a mattress protector.  Can't believe a woman with a period would be so untidy.  My mattress is 5 months old and the damage deposit I have does not cover a mattress being replaced.

[Linda108]

You are on the right track, @Marilyn66.  Much better to buy a good mattress pad than to try to get a new mattress paid for.  As a new host, your frame of reference is probably related to your life and your friends' lives.  I found since I have been regularly participating in this host forum, I get a new perspective all the time.  

[Heather188]

I am somewhat torn on this issue.  I hate to nickel and dime a guest for things but on the other hand I am very cheaply priced (too cheaply to cover things like these) and the bargain shouldn't leave me losing money.  I had a group of frat boys stay and leave the place a disaster.  They didn't damage anything, but it was a mess and they didn't bother to clean much.  The place wreaked of alcohol, they left feces on a towel and spilled a red drink on my brand new white bedskirt and brand new white rug.  They tried to cover it up by switching the stained rug with one not so close to their door like I don't clean well enough to notice! They also snuck in two extra people without any mention to me and exceeded the maximum stated in my listing. I ended up not charging them anything extra because the stains came out with a little pretreatment and they hardly showered. Plus they were very quiet and I didn't have it explicitly in the rules (then) that extra people above the max are not allowed and if I do give prior permission extra people cost $10/person/night. I changed my rules and provided private feedback to the guest.

Now I have a guest that has left what appears to be turmeric stains on several linens and my countertops.  They didn't even try to clean it up and it's clearly something they use every day so they should know it stains.  They actually used bathroom linens in the kitchen and stained them both.  Grrrr...  I was able to get out most of the stains, including those on the counter top, with a little bleach.  I did ruin two bathroom washcloths and towels trying to get the stains out.  I am going to eat it I guess.  Rude, though.

As an aside, most things in my guest unit are white.  I wash in hot water and bleach after every guest, including duvet covers.  I also let my guests know that while I do not provide daily housekeeping, I do go into the unit when they are not there, if the DND sign is not up, to tidy up and restock some of the included food items.  This helps me to keep an eye on things throughout the stay and makes it so I don't have a 4-hour marathon cleaning for the next guest.  I hope my guests appreciate it, though only one so far has even mentioned it.  I feel a bit underappreciated since I make it clear it is an extra and it is should be a welcome surprise to them when they come home to a cleaner unit with a made bed and a chocolate on their pillow!

[Claudio-and-Moo--ส-บย-คล0]

I think it depends on your circumstances. Im in Thailand 100% cotton sheets set is are 65$ US. I charge 25$US a night. 30% of guests here stain the sheets. If I don't charge, I loose a lot of money. I can take the loss on a monthly stay but that is about it.

The main problem from Airbnb is when we ask the customers to pay for damages or claim the deposit we are almost guaranteed a horrible review.

[Susie--Randy--And-Atticu0]

I have this clause in my messages that they have to agree with before coming.

2. "I will remove all makeup before bed. I understand my mascara and foundation will permanently stain the sheets. "I know that eating Thai food on towels or any other linens will result in a permanent stain." There will a $50 charge for sheets and $14 for towels if you ruin a set of sheets from either of these. I have been able to get all other stains out so far but these two.

I don't charge for blood and other things.  But makeup stains can easily be avoided.