Laundry service costs

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Mary573
Level 2
Boulder, CO

Laundry service costs

Laundry is killing me!  

 

My cleaners are charging me over $50 per load of laundry.  My recent guests used a ton of linens.  

 

The cleaners did 4 loads.  You can do the math.  

 

Does anyone have a cleaver idea to help me decrease laundry costs?

1 Best Answer
Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

From afar, it seems pointless to advertise you cleaning business here, since it's absolutely useless to us, and most others on this forum, because they're nowhere near your 10 sq. Km patch on the planet. Out of 1000 views of your post, you'd be lucky to get >one< anywhere near you. 

 

So, regarding the topic, "cleaning fees" are "problematic", we just hide it in the price. 

 

Yes, laundry and cleaning is expensive. But I've found that people would rather pay a higher per night rate than pay extra for cleaning.

 

And when they "pay" for "cleaning", they tend to not bother tidying up on departure, leaving the place messy with lots of dirty dishes, don't bother with the rubbish, etc. But if it's included in the price, most will try to tidy up before departure. Some obsessively. 

 

Now, I realise that this probably wouldn't make sense unless you're  "whole house" listing. But we are, and these have been our observations. 

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51 Replies 51
Michelle2475
Level 8
Massachusetts, United States

@Mary573 also, I think I should hug and kiss my cleaner!  She charges $25/hr that includes cleaning, laundry, and trash which must be brought to the dump.  The normal turnover for a four bedroom, two bathroom, house is about $150.  I charge $175 to account for supplies, occasional overages, and trash fees (we pay per bag).  

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom


@Mary573 

 

True, some people are dishonest and some people are just clueless.

 

Recent guest washed her laundry (her own clothes, not her sheets and towels, which I washed for her) and then accused me and my washing machine of making her clothes 'stink'. Turns out she washed them and took them wet to her room and just magically expected them to dry themselves. ???

 

When she left, I also realised that she was not actually using laundry detergent. She had bought a sanitising product that you are supposed to add as an extra to your fabric softener/conditioner, rather than any kind of soap. She had been 'washing' her clothes like that for a month.

 

I would absolutely not trust guests with washing the linens for me and then use those for the next guest. What about stains? There are soooo many things that could go wrong!

Hello Mary 

 

to avoid high laundry costs I use Sudshare.com $1 per pound. The most I paid for Airbnb linens with towels 45$ & without towels 25$  

Lisa,

Great advice, We are located in Canmore/Banff Alberta Canada and decided to open our own commercial laundry to serve the VR (vacation rental) market here in the Canadain Rockies. There are over 300 legal VR condos and homes in our area. We offer condo service or rental linen packages to our customers and average $40-$50 for bath and bed linen for 2-3 bed condos, duvets and bath robes and blankets are extra.

 

The large laundries in the area refuse to take anyone smaller than 30 rooms - so we decided to fill that market need. We have very defined systems for sorting, marking, cleaning with eco friendly products, including stain treating for textile recovery etc..  We extend the life of linen helping avoid poor home washing techniques that damage your linens.

 

We are in talks with frustrated folks like Mary about how to setup simular linen services in their markets. If there is enough concentration, this is a nice little side buiness - if done right. I've been in the laundry buiness 30 years, we own/operate our own VR properties and we got into this after seeing the pain others were having.

 

here is our webpage www.mountainparklaundry.com

 

Cheers!

Bob

Don't forget - even if your cleaners will add on the laundry for an additional price, it's not as easy as you might think.  Not only do they need to be compensated for their time to actually wash, dry and fold  but also for the time spent traveling to and from the home to pick up / drop off the laundry. There is also the cost of laundry supplies, laundromat fees, or the cost of wear and tear on the cleaner's own washer and dryer.  $50 doesn't nearly cover the work involved when you factor all of this in. 

 

@Mary573, your cleaners get paid $50 per load of laundry?!?!?!

Great Caesar's Collar Button!

Is that the going rate? And they get that on top of whatever they are paid for the rest of the cleaning?

(I mean, the machine is doing most of the work.)

Maybe we should all get into the house cleaning business...

The machine does most of the work?  You're kidding right?  

Mary573
Level 2
Boulder, CO

I would love to connect with other airbnb hosts in Boulder.  Specifically, I rent my home when I am away and want to hear what others do about cleaning and laundry.  

 

Please let me know if you are a fellow Boulderite and want to swap ideas!

 

Mary

@Mary573

Hi Im not in Boulder but in Denver, actually Five Points.

Happy to connect and swap ideas.

 

As a host of multiple locations, I too have lived thru the challenges of clean towels and linens. Could write a book... Instead I started a towel and linen rental service. We have some nice resort quality towels that guests like.  It is called Street Blossoms. 

 

Feel free to private message me.

Take care,

LaSheita

 

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

I put far more towels out than anyone would really need, and I find the opposite to some of you that the majority of guests only use the minumum. The rest are still rolled up, unused. It makes me look more generous as a host, and sometimes they will all be used but this is rare. If someone has long thick hair, for instance, they will want a towel just for that. But $50 a load! Extortion. I do my own washing.

One night stays don't get a dressing gown, min of two nights as that is a load in itself.

 

Is this a culture of consumerism localised to where you live?

I used to live in Boulder County and visit Boulder once or twice a week and I was amazed at that figure.

 

Buy a wahing machine and dryer, soon will pay it back.

David
Michelle2475
Level 8
Massachusetts, United States

@Sandra126 I think it's a US thing.  We tend to overuse a lot of things.  Personally, I use one towel for my hair and one for the rest.  When I'm at a hotel (not Airbnb) I ask for fresh towels every day.  However, in my own home, I will change them out weekly.  Many, many guests over here think that our homes are hotels.  They even bring extra rolls of toilet paper home with them.  

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Hello, 

Do You looking for a good and experienced cleaner that help You turn Your House in to a spotless clean place? 

My name is Dora, I am self employed , with        8 years experience. 
I provide cleaning services to a high standard ! 

If you do not have time for cleaning or just need some help with it I will clean up your house as you expect. 

I am Experienced cleaner, reliable,organised,loyal and hardworking person with positive attitude and good eye for details. I am very hard-working and looking to clean every house like it's my own. 

I am available from Monday to Saturday , I am flexible with working hours. 

I have the best available rate for high quality services. 

 

I also provide laundry service for our AIRBNB Clients

 

https://www.facebook.com/Better-Option-Laundrette-304847506703100/


Any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me on 07514027356 or via e-mail. 


https://www.facebook.com/cleaningserviceglasgow/


I look forward to hearing from you. 


Thank you 
Dora

Leslie-and-Paul0
Level 2
Canmore, Canada

I am a cleaner, for most I do laundry on site while cleaning.  A few don’t have machines so i use the laundry mat.   $50. load is for time and coin I presume but man that is steeeep!   Our local laundry uses $3 wash, $ 3$ dry fits 6 towels, or 2 king sheet sets, and I don’t wash sheets with towels, ever.  Buy lighter regular  towels.  550 gram.  I am an owner too, my sheets take 8 minutes to dry, they are 100/ cotton, 600 and 800 thread, but I have a Samsung super set in my unit, which is huge.  Cold water wash 25 minutes. You could  hang sheets to dry if you have a spare closet or storage area.  ...or your cleaner can.  And for most readers here : let it be known, cleaning is critical in your business,  we have the right to make money, you have the right to find someone else, and sometimes you get what you pay for. 

Thanks for your input!  I appreciate it.  I solved the problem by hiring a different cleaner. She comes by herself and stays for 3-4 hours. She is always able to finish the wash in that amount of time.  I also kept open a turnover day which takes pressure off of everybody.