proper cleaning of pillows and bedding between stays.

[Cheryl682]

Should I clean all bedding between stays or is straying with disinfectant good enough?

[Helen350]

No way would I wash pillows @Cheryl682 ! They would get destroyed in the machine, or damage the machine, and I can't justify it on a 1 night, £20 booking which many of my stays are. ONE machine load per booking for me; that's 1x bottom sheet, 1 duvet cover, 2-4 pillow cases & 1-2 towels, depending on whether a single or couple!

[Robin4]

@Cheryl682 

Cheryl, the pillows themselves are ok, I would not contemplate washing them....good quality pillow protectors do an excellent job of stopping anything getting to the pillow itself. I have had pillows in use for 4 months that look exactly like they did when they were removed from their packaging. But the emphasis is on 'good quality' though.......not cheap plastic protectors.

One other thing I should have said, I change all guest linens every 4 days! I would not sleep on sheets and pillows myself for more than 4 days at a stretch and I don't expect guests to either.

As far as linen quality is concerned I have found, the higher the thread count the poorer the quality. Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch in a piece of fabric. Sateen sheets are sold in multiple thread counts, ranging from 120 to 1,000, just like other sheets. But since the government does not regulate thread counts, the manufacturer can twist several thinner threads together to make the thread count higher, which is misleading when  you're trying to purchase quality sheets. Of the sheets tested by 3 different Consumer Reports that I am aware of from 2013-17, a 280 thread-count percale sheet.....using a plain weave, performed the best against sheets with higher thread counts.

I have found my most durable and luxurious feeling sheets are my 250-300 thread count cotton Sateen sheets purchased from Home Co at around $40 AU ($32 US) when on special.

The worst quality sheets I have used cost in excess of $180 AU per set. Price is not a guide to quality when it comes to bed  linens!

Cheers.........Rob

[Cheryl682]

@Robin4 

Thank you so much for such detail.  Our first guest arrive in a few weeks. 

[Robin4]

@Cheryl682 

Cheryl, that's what the CC is all about. I started out just like you in 2015 not knowing what was ahead. I had wonderful help from many here on the Community centre, most of whom have moved on, but the tips you can learn here will help you become a competent host.

Being an Airbnb STR host is one of the best things I have ever done, it has introduced me to hundreds of lovely people and given my wife Ade and I a great lifestyle.

Good luck with that first guest of yours, I am sure it will be a lovely experience, and if there is something you are not sure of, come back here. Individually we may not know a lot or have differing ideas but, collectively there is nothing about hosting we don't know. All the best Cheryl.

Cheers.......Rob

[Ann72]

@Debra300  Until you mentioned a fabric disinfectant, I thought the OP had lost her mind when she suggested that "straying" with disinfectant would be a good substitute for doing the laundry.

I know I could search Amazon for this product, but just wanted to ask if there's one you recommend.

It's funny that this pillow talk came up today because I just finished washing all the pillows, discarding half of them, and ordering new ones.

[Debra300]

@Ann72,

I use Febreez Professional Sanitizing Fabric Refresher. 

[Cheryl682]

@Ann72 Thank you.

[Helen427]

I wash the pillows from time to time, always wash the pillow protectors & the pillow cases and they also are ironed between guests.

Make sure they get a good shake to fluff them up, air them out in the sunshine to kill any possible germs when you have a sunny day if in colder & wetter climates and unable to wash them.

We are blessed to have pretty good weather most of the year.

Trust me, Private homes in a home are probably a lot cleaner than the average Motel who simply don't do those things, hence also why they perhaps have more problems with BedBugs etc

[Cheryl682]

@Helen427 

Thank you for the information.

[Helen427]

 @Ann72 Do you give  your discarded clean pillows to charity groups who may use the inners for stuffing in handcrafted knitted, sewn soft toys?

A friend in Australia often knits for such purposes & said they really appreciate such donations that can be repurposed.

Do you have similar groups you can do the same with in New York?

@Cheryl682 @Robin4 @Debra300 @Helen350 and others