Washing clothes in the sink

[Ale113]

Hello,

We have two guests that they were in the shower for 40 minutes. A little bit worried because we ask for fast showers, we decided to knock at the door. Then I saw she was cleaning her clothes in the sink.

I told her it was not a place for doing so, because it is a shared space that many of us need to use, not a place to dirt and not to stay there in for hours. Then I offer her to use our washing machine (3€) or use the public laundry (4,5€).

Some days after, I realised they have continued using the sink to wash the clothes and also our furniture as a clothes line. Also, the umbrella was drying in the floor. Of course, the closet hinges are half broken, they broke some clothe's hangers,...

Today I phone to Airbnb, but they didn't answer and I am still wainting their call...

What do you recommend?

Thank you 🙂

A.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ale113 

we don't offer washer and dryer

we have a leaflet for self-service laundrette nearby

we have a bucket and some laundry detergent for our guests and a small drying rack above the bathtub where they can dry their socks or Tshirts.

If you have a balcony or a garden I would recommend to put a drying rack for your guests so they don't use your furniture to hang their wet clothes.

[David6]

I feel we have to accept guests may want to wash their clothing in the sink. I’ve done it in hotel rooms and in many Airbnb bathrooms when I’m a guest. To be honest I also wouldn’t appreciate a host knocking on the bathroom door. These are paying guests. 

As it’s Spain with lots of warm weather I suggest an outdoor drying rack or line could be placed up for guest to  use;  you just need to explain to them that they can’t use your furniture because obviously this can cause damage.

 Airbnb are really tightening up on hosts claims for damage. You need to submit pictures showing any damage and also clear photographs showing everything was in perfect order before these guests arrived. I would  just calmly speak to these guests and just politely explain to them 

[Ale113]

I will do that, thanks.

Airbnb finally got in touch with me and closed the case. They say I have to ask money to the guest, and they will mediate after the guest answers yes or no.

I have photos of all the damage in the courtain, wooden closet and wooden floor. It was very violent to me to knock at the door, yes. But they were cleary breaking a House Rule.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Ale113 

I think most people who've done any traveling have experience washing socks or a few undies in the sink 🙂 

Also, in certain counties it is still very common for people to wash a few small items by hand while they shower. 

Imo, while I understand why you don't want them doing laundry in the sink or when they shower I don't think you can really *make them* stop. So I think it's better to provide a basin and drying rack BUT also set some ground rules. Be firm and very clear they can't use the bathroom for more than 20~25 mins at a time because it is shared. Maybe also tell them not to do laundry during morning/evening peak hours? 

[Linda108]

Hello Ale.  What are you wanting from Air BNB for this issue?  Are you going to cancel them or seek a damage claim?  I think most hosts would accommodate the need to do a little bit of hand washing from a traveler as the other hosts have posted.  It appears the issue is managing the shared bathroom to accommodate both guest rooms.  

[Ale113]

The point is that the closet is wood and it is wet, the courtain dirt of water and broken, they set wet jeans over the closet doors and they broke some pieces (hingers?) and the wood is splinted. Some hangers broken. In years I have never broken the closet like this. 

I have said her there was a laundry in the corner, the dryer is 1.5€. Of course, we have linens and tendals, but they just say nothing to us. They said they were going to quit (on the 1rst day) but they continued...

Sure i don't want guest that do that.

[Amanda967]

Hi

I have found that some guest's just do not respect your home or anything in it.

These last guests left blood on mattress cover and had been writing in a felt tip pen

on my White ottoman.

When I challenged for money on the deposit they said it wasn't them!!!!

They were the only ones in for 2 weeks there is just no RESPECT.

[Sebastian1017]

I have had quite a few guests now in my house near Alicante which only stayed 1 or 2 days, but tried to do all their laundry in the bathroom. Even worse, to hide the fact they also tried to dry their dripping wet clothes in their bedroom, causing the wooden floors and wooden furniture to take damage. Some of these guests were bicyclists or backpackers, travelling spain for weeks, and every now and then they rented a cheap AirBnB to get a hot shower and do their hand laundry. This is clearly not acceptable.

I do have a washing machine and I offer it at a very reasonable 3 Euros per cycle to my guests. I have outside drying racks on the terrace in front of the house.

If guests still do their laundry hiding in the bathroom and using my furniture to dry, it is clear that they try to get something for free which would normally cost a little money, and by doing that they willingly risk damage to my furniture and use obscene amounts of water. I have no understanding for this kind of behaviour, these people are freeloaders trying to bypass the system and get as much for free as possible.

[Huma0]

@Sebastian1017 

I only host long term guests now, but when I hosted short term ones, this was also sometimes a problem for me. I do have a washer/dryer and didn't mind guests using it (in moderation) if they were going to be here for several days, but I found that some guests who were travelling around would turn up with loads of  dirty laundry expecting to do it all for free at my house. Personally, I think that's just rude. I'm renting a room, not operating a free launderette. 

Others would put the machine on every day just to wash a t-shirt and pair of socks.

So, I started charging £3 a load, which is extremely reasonable by London standards, especially as this was a service wash. I mean, I didn't trust the guests to not break the machine or to not put it on a ridiculously long hot wash, so I would wash, dry and fold their clothes for them, all for only £3, including detergent and softener. Yet, it's amazing how many people took exception to paying £3 and reacted like I was trying to rip them off (even though it was mentioned on the listing). I'm not just talking about people on a really tight budget. Some of these people were coming home with piles of shopping bags from Harrods!

And yes, I had guests who were hand washing whole loads of laundry in the sink and hanging it dripping wet in their rooms or sometimes all over shared bathrooms despite this being prohibited in my house rules. I have three clothes racks they could use, but they would still do this. I remember one pair of girls who were repeatedly told to stop and said they would, but I could see from the window that they were still hanging their wet clothes on the curtain rail, on top of my silk curtains!

Now that I host long term guests, they get free use of the machine. I just ask them to buy their own detergent. Because some people are really excessive, I added to my rules that they can do one wash per week, but really, no guests pay attention to this at all! I explain to every guest which cycles are appropriate for small loads (they almost always wash really small amounts at a time) and some guests are conscientious and follow these instructions, but many don't. There are some guests who just don't care about water or energy usage and will put have the machine going for three hours for less than half a load.

With energy bills soaring and also my water bill rising due to this kind of excessive use, I'm tempted to start charging for use of the machine again, but I don't think that will be very popular with long term guests.