Makeup and how to stop people from using face cloths to remove mascarra

[Susan277]

Does anyone else encounter this problem of make up on your face cloths? 

I provide makeup remover and organic pads and personally check  guests in and point out that we provide these items yet they still use face cloths to remove makeup. 

It is a huge pain to treat the face cloths after they have been used to remove makeup and costs time and money as they have 2 be treated and washed 2x to get clean.  Any suggestions?  

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[Tony134]

I did not.  It was probably about $50 in towels, and it was not to me worth it to go through the further frustration of jumping through Airbnb file-a-complaint hoops, all probably just to have Airbnb do nothing about it in the end anyway.  Just decided to lock my towels away so it could never happen again.

List of solutions that are saving Sanity:

Towels locked away

Digital keypad doorknobs for check-in(don't have to show up at house very often for checkins)

Lights on timers

Deadbolts' insides removed - guests can't lock each other out of the house and I don't have to show up at 3am to let them back in.

Cameras ordered to monitor kitchen and stove.

Nest so guests can not sent AC to 65 degrees CONSTANT ON and freeze AC unit.

Entry mats: everywhere.

[Portia6]

Yes, to all!

[Christine615]

This reminds me of the guests who asked to check in early (they were nice) but were coming in for a Chief's game and left me with a ton of trash for a single night. Apparently they tailgated and I was responsible for the trash disposal (and the Doritos dust on my couch). They used my dishtowels to clean up dirt on the floor they tracked in instead of the shop towels, the wet wipes or the many rolls of paper towels available.

They didn't leave a review. We didn't leave one (but should have). Instead I changed so I don't have single night bookings any more. And I hear you can "block" a guest from ever booking you again by clicking something on their profile in your message folder? I'm going to see if that feature exists.

Some people aren't intentionally bad - just sloppy. Others think they're renting a hotel with maid service

.

[Rebecca181]

I did not realize how extremely fortunate I have been thus far until reading this post. Out of almost 90 guests, I can count on one hand the guests that caused my plush white face towels to look like they had had a run-in with the Clown from 'IT'.  One trick I have that may be helping: I not only leave the makeup removers out with the toiletries; I also stick the makeup removers inside my rolled-up face towels, a few of them, making a pretty fan. Guess most of them are taking the not-so-subtle hint.

[Steve2743]

I find the problem isn't so much makeup remover, but acne creams, which bleach everything! And it's usually young men it happens with. Also, I recently found one of my face cloths TORN IN HALF, and placed in the compost bin out back! Seriously, WTF?

[Vive0]

Well, I am so glad to read all of your comments! I will think of you when I  am dealing with my disgusting towels and sheets 🙂

I had a long period at the beginning where this never happened - not once - but then the floodgates opened! I could live with it if they just ruined the washcloths but many also need to use the hand towels to remove makeup??? Who brought these people up? And unfortunately, it also gets on the pillowcases, duvet cover and sheets.  Again, I could live with it if it were only the pillowcases. I soak everything in hot water with a ton of baking soda and enough bleach to burn a hole through my hand - still leaves a stain. I am beginning to think its all those 24 hour - no budge lipsticks and blushes.

I was thinking of getting black towels but you can't even bleach those. I may try the black washcloths that say makeup on them to see if that works.

I am going to check with Airbnb as far as not being able to require reimbursement for ruined towels and sheets. My definition of normal wear and tear is on the washcloths and pillowcases - but not on everything.  I had one guest dye her hair pink - I am sure you can imagine... some people are just nuts.

[Helen427]

@Susan277@Portia6@Vive0@Steve2743@Rebecca181and @everyone else I'm not sure which is more frustrating but I've had a couple of guests who have churned through the toilet papre and I now think it's because they were using it to remove their makeup which was quite heavily ladden on.

Having worked in the makeup/ cosmetic industry It's well knoiwn some brands are gluggy and difficult to remove that one simply wouldn't use however until we imporve education and awareness it will continue one.

Marketing !

That said I was reading in trusty Papers Past NZ that they used to use "chalk" to remove stains and keep white's white in days before us.

Has anyone else heard or tried this?

@Vive0I see you use Baking soda

White vinegar and lemon juice is also supposed to be great ways to remove stains provided we have sunshine to dry them outside which is not always possible or practical

[Rebecca181]

@Helen427 I've gotten every kind of stain you can think of out of my white sheets / linens / towels / spa robes, temporary hair dye, blood, make-up, self-tanning lotion, spaghetti sauce, etc, out with good old fashioned bleach (one cup per large load) and hot water. Works every time. I also leave out aloe vera makeup remover pads. That helps as well.

[Vanessa698]

Hi @Rebecca181, that's awesome! What kind of bleach do you use? Is it just a cup of Clorox Bleach?

We use a cup of Oxi-Clean Powder with every load, in hot water, as well as an Oxi-Clean Spray treament before putting it in the washer, but some stains can't seem to come out..

[Rebecca181]

@Vanessa698 Yep, just a cup of plain old bleach. Only stains I couldn't get out were some weird sauce stains in some robes and towels from some guests last New Year's Eve (not through Airbnb). Other than those stains, absolutely ever other stain has come out the first washing. I do buy high quality robes and towels also, which likely helps.

[Marco65]

@Rebecca181 Maybe the bleach could work and it works (I found stains impossible to remove even with bleach) but the life cycle of this laundry shortens a lot and the towels will become harder and harder .... the bleach ultimately damages the fabrics and also the environment 😞

[Rebecca181]

I have a Septic system so it all goes in there. Towels have worn well - same ones for the past 3 years and the guests still rave about them. 

[Will53]

I am a Oxy fan... the only problem was sometimes all of this will suds the washer until it stops.   Also have gone to putting Borax in everything (20 mule team....)   Cheap and good.   Yes to Bleach too on everything white.   I have one washcloth soaking stain remover right now.  I go with Macy's stuff and for 8 bucks on the washcloth... shrug, breathing into it while I pour myself a strong adult beverage. 

[Emily487]

@Susan277 

I struggle with acne cream bleaching out the towels so I have kept these perfectly good but slightly orange-y face cloths in a nice basket and leave them for families with kiddos when then come to stay as "emergency cloths/towels". Eventually, they get repurposed into dust rags for the apartment. 

[Daisy71]

Do you guys leave this in their reviews? I just had my first group of guests who did this on my white towel. I managed to clean the towels, so the situation was not horrible, plus the guests were good in other aspects. I just don’t know how I should say this in the review. Thank you!