Host is asking us to load our laundry

[Stephenie3]

When we booked we were charged a $30 cleaning fee. I just received the checkout details from the host for tomorrow and in it he asks us to load and start the dishwasher (we didn't eat here so that's not an issue) and load and start the laundry.

We were two people. One in a bed and one on an air mattress. So that's two sets of sheets, two sets of pillowcases, two duvets, two towels, one floor mat, one hand towel and one face cloth. The laundry is two different colours (grey and white). This is in a condo and the machine is small. Plus you don't mix whites and greys.

There was no information on the listing and when we booked that we'd be expected to load and run a dishwasher and load and run a washing machine. It seems odd to me to charge a $30 cleaning fee and also not say in the post that you're expected to do the laundry.

I should note that no one lives here. It's a condo that is solely used for AirBnB rentals. They have cleaners that come anywhere between 11 am and 4 pm between when people check-out and the next guests check-in.

Edit: I just heard back from the host's assistant. She said it is not mandatory and she will modify the language on the check-out details to reflect that it's not mandatory.

[Stephenie3]

It's their bedding that stays at the location, not our clothing and intimates.

Do you have the same reaction when you go to a hotel? Do you wash the bedding at the hotel? No. The cleaners do it.

When you go to stay at a place it is universally assumed that bedding is taken care of by a host/cleaners unless otherwise stated. Especially if you're paying a cleaning fee.

Imagine that you have a 6 am flight and need to be at the airport at 4 am. As a guest do you see yourself waking up two hours earlier than normal to wash all the bedding? No.

Guests may not even wash the bedding properly and might mix darks with whites and have the colours bleed and then you'd be on the hook for the damages. Or maybe it's not even washed properly and therefore still dirty. It's the host's responsibility to ensure bedding is cleaned properly unless otherwise stated.

Again, if you expect guests to wash the bedding this needs to be stated in advance, upfront, on the listing details. Not sprung as a surprise after the fact the day before departure.

[Gordon0]

>>Why should a host handle or touch your soiled intimate laundry?<<

Because it's their job. They're being paid for it. 

[Victoria567]

Hi@Gordon

Im going to disagree with you.

As a host I am never prepared to handle people's intimate laundry.

I am not their servant.

I am a host and I provide use of my washing machine and drier for a fee to cover energy costs, wear and tear etc.

The guest loads their own soiled laundry into the machine, I add in the Daz pod and set the machine for s one hour cycle and whatever temperature the guest wants.

After an hour guest takes out their now clean wet laundry out of the machine into the drier where it is set to run for an hour at whatever heat setting they ask for.

Yes I do agree that guests do not need or are requested to strip the beds etc in an air bnb unless it's part of the house rules.

I would not have an issue as a guest stripping the bed if that's what the host requires as its my dirty linen anyway 

[Stephenie3]

Victoria, you're talking about a location where the host is on site. It seems that you have not read my original post in its entirety or any of the subsequent replies. This is a location where the host is not on site. This isn't a location where someone lives - it is being used like a hotel and they charge a cleaning fee stated up front. Nowhere in the posting does it say that guests are to wash the bedding for the next guest.

[Linda108]

You must use a linen cleaning service, right Victoria?  I have no problem washing the sheets and towels and I don't think Stephenie is speaking of personal laundry.

[Stephenie3]

Looking at Victoria's listing she lives on site. So what it seems like she does is she asks guests to put their towels and bedding into the machine and she sets it for them. That is understandable and makes sense. However it is *completely* different than what I'm describing. I don't think she read through the entire post or if she did she read it from a place of personal bias based on her own hosting situation and did not read with understanding.

[Sandra856]

@Stephenie3 I see doing laundry as a part of my job as a host. I just put on my cleaning gloves and start cleaning and it is my experience that almost every on-site host do the laundry themselves. 

I definitely agree with you that if a host expects the guests to do any laundry it should be very clear in the listing so the guests are aware before booking.

Btw if you want to write a message to someone specific in this thread the only way the person will get a notification that you wrote a mesaage is to press @ then the names of the persons contribuating will show. There is a bug with the system at the moment so you can only use the "down arrow key tab" on your computer keyboard to choose. 

[Stephenie3]

Ack I didn't realize they wouldn't get notified. I'm on mobile all this weekend and today and have been trying to tag people but can't do it. Hopefully this works now? @Sandra0

[Sandra856]

@Stephenie3 Hahaha..actually it is another Sandra you have tagged..try and press the name you tagged..It seems that the tagging doesn't work when using a mobile phone at the moment. Only when using a computer with the arrow tab/keyboard 🙂

[Victoria567]

Hi@Stephanie

Im Sorry I have misunderstood your post, apologies.

I never think of an air bnb in terms of a self catering environment as I always book with hosts who live in their family home or own apartment as I avidly avoid the host for whom air bnb is a burgeoning business with several  apartments, units etc.

I strip the beds myself so I turn over and hoover the mattress to hoover up dust mites, and  bugs etc.if any. 

I live on site, I provide the use of my washing machine and electric tumble drier for a clearly stated fee for guests, to do a load of their personal clothing and intimate items.

They load their ‘smalls’ into the machine and take them out when finished.

I provide this paid use of my laundry facilities to prevent guests from washing clothes under the fully running hot shower=emptied previously full, hot and cold water tanks, with £200 plumbing bill too.

I provide paid use of the electric tumble drier,

to prevent guests from hanging dripping clothes from hangers in my wardrobe,

along my curtain rails,

along the top of the bed frame,

along my radiators,

along my shower cubicle

All causing an increase in humidity in my home environment with possible future mould spore growth, staining of newly decorated painted walls, etc.

Icing on the cake? The guests using my hairdrier for hours to dry some of their laundry.

All the above happened to me, hence my decision to provide paid use of my washing machine and tumble drier.

[Victoria567]

Hi@Linda

Yes , I do use a linen cleaning service partly as they dry and iron all my bed linens as it’s too much for me to do on my own, as I do all the cleaning of  2 bathrooms and  2 bedrooms and making up of beds etc, servicing all the rooms myself, as well as keeping the rest of my home clean throughout.

I  must apologise as I understood that Stephanie was talking about including her personal laundry too.

I live in my very large house and rent out 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in total for 4 months of the year on air bnb.

[Emilia42]

Personally, if I was staying at my friend’s house, a vacation rental or an Airbnb if there was a washing machine I would always start a load of the sheets or towels before I left; whether or not it was expected. It just seems like a courteous thing to do for the cleaners.

It’s not doing 3 loads, folding and ironing, its pushing one button and saving someone a little bit of waiting around time.

[Pete28]

Yes, but you are not thinking like an Airbnb guest. Just leave piles of wet towels on the floor, dirty plates all over the counter, crumbs everywhere and make sure to drop hair in the sink  and shower. 🙂

[Sandra856]

Hi @Emilia42 🙂

I agree with you but I don't really think that's the point here? 

Should a host expect guests to do their own laundry?

[Emilia42]

@Sandra856, do all the laundry (sorting, folding, ironing) NO! but what is so wrong and absurd with asking someone to push the start button on the towels that they used?

I would not ask a guest to do so, I don’t even have a washing machine in the unit, but if I did and the guest helped me out by “starting” a load when I have 3 to do, I would think they were awesome and considerate guests.