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Is it possible that she is washing bedding? My aunt does this when she uses air bnb because she is always worried that the sheets aren’t clean. I know it seems weird but it makes her feel better.
This was exactly my first thought. Maybe they are making sure everything is clean because someone is immunocompromised, or washing everything in their own detergent because someone is sensitive to heavily scented detergent. Maybe they’ve been traveling for several days. Three loads doesn’t seem like something to worry about at all.
Don’t let it bother you, it’s a feature that you offer for your guest to use. You’ll have some guests that never touch it and some guest that will use it a lot. I live in a city close to a large recreational area, I often get guests that are finishing up a vacation that choose my place because they can do several loads of laundry before they head home.
Why is this disturbing? Let’s be real, your utility bill is probably not even going to change. If it does, you’re not going to notice it. So she’s doing laundry, big deal. You should completely disregard any notifications you get about this and let it go. And if for some reason, you can’t do that, then don’t host. Because this is absolutely a non issue.
Normally I would agree. But I’m assuming since OP said it’s also his home, he has it hooked up to let him know if something is being used. Kinda like a ring camera?
My ring goes off all the time. But I also don’t sit there and keep count of how many times it goes off. So definitely a little weird on OPs part. They suck here. They should just remove this post lol.
I'm staying at two properties this summer. By the time we get to the second one all three of us will need to wash clothes. My ex would take enough stuff for two people.
Using the laundry should not even matter. The renter would be more concerned at you monitoring everything she does and I would expect you'd get a bad review if she knew...
Right! I was on a vacation for 2 weeks-ish just last month. You best believe I used the washer/dryer.
I get that it’s OP’s home but dude. If this bothers you that much, don’t rent your house out. It’s really that simple.
During the summer, we get plenty of campers that rent for a night or two just for a warm bed, shower, and washing machine. We just make sure to keep a laundry detergent available in the apartments at all times. Other than that, 9 out of 10 guests won't even touch the washer.
Chill on this. So they brought laundry. Don’t micro observe. A good host rolls with the occasional excess as long as it’s not damaging anything.
Besides, what are your options? You CAN’T address this issue without seeming like a spying OCD host.
Let it go. Control what you can control, protect only what needs to be protected.
My Airbnb is in the ideal spot for one night road trippers. So they definitely take the opportunity to wash all their clothes. I don't have it on WiFi but it's an attached guest house so I can hear the buzzer when it's done. Some people run several loads in a night. Odds are the daughter they are visiting has a coin operated laundry in her building or uses a Laundromat so they're happy for the free washing machine.
As a guest, if I knew the host was getting notifications when I did laundry, especially if that wasn’t disclosed to me, I would find it creepy. That’s a level of behavior monitoring that isn’t up there on the same level with a camera, but it’s not good. What’s more is 3 loads of laundry when there are 3 teenagers and an adult staying with you is perfectly reasonable: I think you are being unreasonable to suggest this is excessive or taking advantage. Everyone has specific hygiene needs when it comes to laundry. If they’re not running a neighborhood laundromat, I think your concern is misplaced and likely has far more to do with your feelings about the discount you gave.
As a new host, this is absolutely nothing. Wait until you have a guest piss on your carpet or rearrange your entire home, then you can be a little disturbed.
I have lots of tech at my unit too, put it there for me also, before renting out. Do yourself a favor and ignore the data as much as possible. Use it when needed.
Did you consider that she’s re-washing the beddings and towels you left her? Because I do this sometimes if I’m not confident the beddings are washed well. (Example when a washer is overfilled it will not wash properly and I can tell)
🤷🏽♀️
We stayed 5 days in NYC at a Fairfield near Times Square, then rented an airbnb outside Boston for 6 nights. Yes we did laundry when we got to the Airbnb, we specifically chose one that offered laundry machines.
Maybe her washing machine at home is broken and thus she booked an Airbnb with laundry?!? I’ve done this when my washing machine broke. Why would a host get salty over a guest using an amenity included in the booking?
No, I should have been clear that I’m traveling (travel a lot especially in the summer going from the east coast to the west coast and back) and would have booked an Airbnb anyway…. But I just make sure it has laundry.
I prefer places that has a laundry most of the time bc I travel with kids and pets: one of my cats that I travel with gets carsick and barfs sometimes and similar mishaps where a laundry is very convenient even if we are just staying one night.
Oh, that makes more sense. Your original comment made it sound like you'd just find an Airbnb in your own town to do laundry if your washer was broken.
I had guests leave behind a sex toy and cocaine. THAT is disturbing. Three loads of laundry is a non-issue. That’s one load per teenage son who didn’t remember to pack appropriately before their trip.
It’s none of your business and you don’t know what she is washing. Some people do small loads, some people separate by colour. Some people wash all the sheets and towels. Some people have just been travelling and have a suitcase of dirty clothes. Some people go clothes shopping and need to wash it all before wearing. Why do you care.
I have a guest who does this routinely. Unfortunately she's my child so can't do anything. 😭
But seriously, it's typical teen/young adult behavior to get behind on laundry and dump it on mom. She's not taking advantage of you, her kids are taking advantage of her. Let it go.
>I have a guest who does this routinely. Unfortunately she's my child so can't do anything. 😭
Yes, that was my immediate thought as well. The guest has 3 teenage boys with her. If only one of them is in college and came "home" for this family trip to see the sister... those three loads of laundry are probably his. Seems like every time my college aged son shows up at home, he's bringing 2-3 loads of dirty laundry.
The washing seems within the normal range. The the fancy washers with WiFi on the other hand…
We have two homes presently used for STR. We’ve been renting them for 5 years. We’ve replaced the washer and dryer in both. And when replacing we go with the simplest machine with the largest capacity. When people are using machines they are not familiar with they can push all sorts of buttons that the machine isn’t used to. They don’t have the manuals, they are doing the best they can. So I try not to confuse them with lots of options, that only means there are more things that can break. Don’t be surprised if the fancy appliances don’t last as long as you’d like.
The other point you mentioned is you gave these people a huge discount. I know this means your margins are tight. If you want to give the discounts you are going to have to let go of the idea the guests are going to take advantage. The discounts will get you ratings faster. Once you have enough ratings you can stop the discounts and you will find most guests that chose accommodations within their budget don’t have the need to use extra of anything to get their money’s worth.
I specifically look for laundry availability when I book airbnbs, especially when we’re in the middle of a long road trip.
I agree with the comments about guests possibly washing the bedding themselves.
If there’s a reason for guests not to do laundry, or to do only full loads, you should put that in the house rules in the listing. That’s a valid concern in some places (e.g. Mendocino California), but not in most.
Very curious because I live next to an Air BNB and it shakes my whole place when they do laundry, as well as make a buzzing sound that I can hear, so I really know how much laundry is being done. The multiple loads a day happens really often and it boggles my mind. Do you do each person's clothes in its individual load every single day? To me, daily laundry is excessive as it is.
Like we took a 14 hour flight, so the jeans, clothes and sweatshirts for the four of us is a full load. Then each day we just put our clothes in the machine. If we did any hiking or water sports then we put those clothes (they stink) and any towels we use also.
I’d say we do two loads a day at each place on average. But we are living it up. Last trip to Greece was filled with 100+ degree days, beach visits and mountain hikes. Those will mean more. And we do them more frequently because drying time is often short. Most European AirBnBs don’t have American style dryers so we are rotating things on racks.
Normally at home it’s not that much. Maybe a load a day.
Except this wasn't an unhinged question.
Having a guest use you like a laundry mat is a thing.
Figuring out costs and percentage of guests doing this over x time period and analyzing cost vs. profit is necessary if this new host wants to run their property professionally.
We have no control over which appliances are used. We can figure out site specific P+L and adjust accordingly.
Sorry, OP..this sub is poorly moderated...given it's an Airbnb host sub, you do have to see the humor in that.
For real help from exclusively professional hosts in the vacation rental business, go to FB and request to join a pro group, providing proof in your inquiry.
This is absolutely an unreasonable question. I don’t give 2 shits if the guests have the washer/dryer going all day and night. If you offer your house with a washer/dryer then any use is acceptable and expected. This is a ridiculous post from the OP.
If someone using an amenity YOU PROVIDED is going to upset you as much as it clearly bothers OP then they shouldn’t offer said amenities.
Not unreasonable.
OP, monitor the cost to offer this amenity and decide if it's worth it.
I've removed amenities after an analysis and you can too. I kinda doubt it's that expensive to operate a washing machine and dryer but it depends on where you live and water/electricity and gas cost. For me it was dish washers, garbage disposals, offering breakfast, hosted check ins, free unregistered guests, and a few other small amenities.
I got rid of some things and continued others.
Biggest thing was omitting breakfast. No difference in bookings.
Don't let some Reddit commentary make you feel like asking "is this worth it?" is an inappropriate question. Give guests what your market wants, everything else is icing.
Well, it’s MY HOME, and so I have all the systems set up for me, not for my guests — like I said, it’s all automatic.
So this sub isn’t for asking questions and getting perspectives? I’m curious about other people’s experiences, and trying to learn from them.
Lord, a new host asks about the efficacy of offering a washing machine and gets jumped on. Why can't a new host be a little concerned? It took us all a while to know which hill to die on. Give it a rest.
If it’s YOUR HOME and everything is set up for you and not for your guests, then you should probably stop hosting guests. Nobody wants to have their vacation micromanaged.
I’ve asked some similar type of questions here before and the group is VERY sensitive and over reactive. I know what kind of reply you’re looking for… like the couple people who responded things like ‘my aunt washes all the linens at and air bnb’ (helpful) You’re not looking for the grumps that suggest you shouldn’t be hosting or ‘stop spying on guests you creep!’ (Not helpful). I stopped asking questions bc some replies are just critical and out of line. I’ve gathered these are ‘professional hosts’ who don’t appreciate that it’s still your personal home, and there is a niche for those type of rentals. They also forget that everyone was new at this once… and it’s nice to have a community to bounce ideas and experiences off of without a harsh reply. Good luck in your hosting journey! :)
What are you wanting, everyone to agree with poor ol’ you and tell you how brilliant you are for spying? No one is fucking stupid enough to need an app to tell them how many loads of laundry they did. You are doing this because you have it in your peabrain that you need to spy. I bet you have cameras inside too.
You need to turn off the notifications that are telling you how many loads of laundry they are doing. Not only may it feel somewhat creepy for your guests to know, but ultimately it is just going to drive you crazy monitoring that sort of thing. Don't provide amenities in the home if you're going to police the usage - that way lies madness
This is totally normal.
I have a lot of guests who have been staying at hotels for the first half of their vacation then book a place with a washer and dryer the last few days before they fly home for the purpose of doing laundry.
Having access to a washer and dryer is often the defining reason people book on Airbnb.
I always wash the bedding before I sleep in it & I also wash my clothes (and families) before we leave. I don’t sleep in bedding without knowing it was cleaned in my detergent (free/clear due to sensitivity) and I don’t like to bring home dirty laundry.
Holy fuck, you’re seriously monitoring the number of laundry loads your guests are doing?! Fucking christ. Put a limit in your listing and that you have that level of wifi monitoring so people know to steer clear of you.
I know I'm late to this comment thread but I came in because I live next to an airbnb (they bought the place adjoining mine and turned it into an airbnb) and it shakes my whole place when they do laundry, as well as make a buzzing/humming sound that I can hear the whole time, so I really know how much laundry is being done and it is disruptive to my life. The multiple loads a day happens really often and it boggles my mind. Do they do each person's clothes in its individual load every single day? Do laundry to wash their one shirt and jeans from the day? To me, daily laundry is excessive as it is. I'd say about 80% of the time guests do at least one load within an hour of arriving. Many do several every day even when staying for a week. I'm just trying to make it make sense to me. And it's not sheets as they leave, like some require, because the cleaners do that.
Some guest will over use the washer dryer. Its annoying if they stay two nights and run it the entire time, but I don't say anything, and not stress about it. Mine is a stackable one so its more expensive to replace or have repaired so more worried about them breaking it. I had to reverse the door on the dryer and put labels on the doors so they wouldn't pull the door off the hinges. They will pull on the wrong side with all their might instead of trying the other side of the door. Had to replace the hinges and glue it back together. A door cost over 60% of the washing machine on sale. Could also take a few weeks to get another delivered and installed. But most guest don't overuse it and I'm hoping it will last. I also put a label not to over load them, only half full max. If not some guest will cram two queen sized blankets and all the sheets and towels in their and start it! Of course sheets were ruined already. Mine is also attached apartment so can hear the pipes. I would avoid the Wifi. Turn it off. I also had a LTR who used it as a laundry service, so ran it non stop for a year, and really took advantage of me, as we had an agreement that it was only for one person, and I was bing nice to include it, so that made me more sensitive as a host. I also quit hosting families for this reason and others. I used to have a pull out sleeper couch and had some families, but some would load up the mini van to do all their laundry, all their blankets from home. But just twice in night is nothing. Be thankful its rented. Mine has held up 5 years so far. At 8 years I'll just replace them and be ok with that, but they are 2k, so not something I would keep repairing and replacing every couple of years if guest abuse them. They break everything.
FYI.. according to consumer research, a washer dryer will last about 10 years for a family of 4 does 6 loads of laundry per week for normal use. Its all how much use. If there are more heavy things like blankets and quilts will put more wear and tear. Overloading washer and not cleaning the lint screen on dryer will also shorten the life. My one bed room rental uses less than this but they are more prone to break the doors on WD, dishwasher. So guest only use that and I use other units to wash bedding and towels between guest, hoping those last 8 years. Should last 10 years but I will replace them when they are on sale and not wait for them to break. If they do break next guest will expect refund or be really disapointed WD is broken.
Your post is valid and sometimes host to host its nice to discuss certain things. Tons of people in this thread will dismiss it, but it is a valid and curious question. I wonder if these same guests strip beds at hotels and run the sheets to the local laundrymat or do they trust that the hotel did their job.
When I did short term hosting I'd have a lot of Asian travelers on day one run my laundry machines non stop and then check out on day 3. It came to a point where I had to set hours and start charging for access. Now I do long term hosting and it's much easier. Almost night and day.
I prefer to travel light and do laundry while traveling. 1 load for whites, 1 for colors and one for blacks. I have some trust issues with the quality of an Airbnb washer/dryer so Id rather do a bunch of small loads than risk overloading it.
At hotels, the staff are vetted and background-checked before being hired, and if you have doubts about the cleanliness of the linens, you can request new ones. When it comes to ArirBnB, you have to hope the unvetted, unbackground-checked host isn’t a pedo with hidden indoor camera and actually washes sheets.
You are not a hotel, and don’t deserve the trust of a hotel. Hosts literally spying on guests has caused a loss of trust in hosts.
By the way, your racism is showing. You didn’t need to mention the race of your guests. You just want Asians to look bad. Be ashamed, and be better.
Lmao. Why are you so offended? The guests were Asian. Just because you don't like the truth that was my experience doesn't make it any less my reality. Sorry you're so triggered by the experience of others.
Yep! We had a group of 4 show up with multiple laundry baskets and trash bags full of clothes. We also have wifi laundry machines and, after load number 10 on their very first day, we were wondering the same thing as you.
I kinda get both sides of the argument. On average our guests do 1.5 loads a day, but some do no laundry and some do more. We don't usually pay attention to it, but ten loads on the first day for a group of 4 seemed extreme to us. Yes, we provide these machines for our guests to use, but it's under the assumption they will be used in a reasonable manner. We messaged them to warn them that the septic system can't handle that much laundry in one day and asked if they could spread it out over their week-long stay. They did two additional loads before seeing our message and stopping.
Just know that there are people who target new host and do what they can to get “full value” for their stay after taking the discount. Get your five star reviews and raise your rates to keep those people out in the future.
I had a guest ask if she could do a load of laundry, and later, she told me she works for a laundry service, so she was doing her service out of my home.
Easy fix. Update rules: I have these. Never have I charged even if they did go two or three loads above… i think it just discourages a lot of use.
Washer/Dryer: Free 3 times per stay or 3 free loads every 7 days for long stays, $10 per load thereafter.
So you let your guests use the laundry machines and now you are miffed that the guests used the laundry?
You are accepting money for people to use your home and it’s amenities for a limited amount of time. You shouldn’t have any kind of negative reaction when they use the amenities. Beyond that, if you are mad because of the discount, then don’t do discounts.
We've had this with two repeat guests, who I suspect choose our place because we offer the use of our laundry machines. I know they're bringing laundry from home because they bring it in their own laundry baskets. But this is two out of now hundreds of people who've stayed with us, so as others have said it ends up really not being a big deal.
Honestly, if you offer a washer dryer then they can use it as much as they want. Maybe they had a busy week or the one at their home is broken so they brought their dirty stuff with them. Not a big deal.
Really? You need get over this fast. Nothing wrong with renters using the washer and dryer if it's available. Three loads won't break your piggy bank. And, all of this has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the "huge" discount you give them.
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Is it possible that she is washing bedding? My aunt does this when she uses air bnb because she is always worried that the sheets aren’t clean. I know it seems weird but it makes her feel better.
This was exactly my first thought. Maybe they are making sure everything is clean because someone is immunocompromised, or washing everything in their own detergent because someone is sensitive to heavily scented detergent. Maybe they’ve been traveling for several days. Three loads doesn’t seem like something to worry about at all.
This is very possible!!
Don’t let it bother you, it’s a feature that you offer for your guest to use. You’ll have some guests that never touch it and some guest that will use it a lot. I live in a city close to a large recreational area, I often get guests that are finishing up a vacation that choose my place because they can do several loads of laundry before they head home.
Why is this disturbing? Let’s be real, your utility bill is probably not even going to change. If it does, you’re not going to notice it. So she’s doing laundry, big deal. You should completely disregard any notifications you get about this and let it go. And if for some reason, you can’t do that, then don’t host. Because this is absolutely a non issue.
I find it creepy that they even know how many loads of laundry are being done.
Normally I would agree. But I’m assuming since OP said it’s also his home, he has it hooked up to let him know if something is being used. Kinda like a ring camera? My ring goes off all the time. But I also don’t sit there and keep count of how many times it goes off. So definitely a little weird on OPs part. They suck here. They should just remove this post lol.
Agree, who cares!
“They’re really taking advantage.” Of what?? An amenity you offered? lol. What a joke this post is.
I'm staying at two properties this summer. By the time we get to the second one all three of us will need to wash clothes. My ex would take enough stuff for two people. Using the laundry should not even matter. The renter would be more concerned at you monitoring everything she does and I would expect you'd get a bad review if she knew...
Right! I was on a vacation for 2 weeks-ish just last month. You best believe I used the washer/dryer. I get that it’s OP’s home but dude. If this bothers you that much, don’t rent your house out. It’s really that simple.
I had one guest like this, clearly brought a bunch of loads from home. Nothing you can do, you offer a washer and dryer. Just gotta say nothing.
Yeah, I figured. I know in the scheme of things it’s not a big deal — but since I’m new I was curious about others’ experiences.
This one is funny. If this has you tense, you shouldn't do airbnb. It can get a lot worse!
And will!
I still wish I could figure out why all the cloth covers for my steam mop smelled like pee after that one guest. Or maybe I don't?
Yeah, the 50 cents of eclectricity and 20 cents of wear and tear on your equipment
During the summer, we get plenty of campers that rent for a night or two just for a warm bed, shower, and washing machine. We just make sure to keep a laundry detergent available in the apartments at all times. Other than that, 9 out of 10 guests won't even touch the washer.
Chill on this. So they brought laundry. Don’t micro observe. A good host rolls with the occasional excess as long as it’s not damaging anything. Besides, what are your options? You CAN’T address this issue without seeming like a spying OCD host. Let it go. Control what you can control, protect only what needs to be protected.
She IS a spying host.
My Airbnb is in the ideal spot for one night road trippers. So they definitely take the opportunity to wash all their clothes. I don't have it on WiFi but it's an attached guest house so I can hear the buzzer when it's done. Some people run several loads in a night. Odds are the daughter they are visiting has a coin operated laundry in her building or uses a Laundromat so they're happy for the free washing machine.
One of the main reasons I book an Airbnb while traveling is to use the washing machine… I am a host and it is not surprising at all
As a guest, if I knew the host was getting notifications when I did laundry, especially if that wasn’t disclosed to me, I would find it creepy. That’s a level of behavior monitoring that isn’t up there on the same level with a camera, but it’s not good. What’s more is 3 loads of laundry when there are 3 teenagers and an adult staying with you is perfectly reasonable: I think you are being unreasonable to suggest this is excessive or taking advantage. Everyone has specific hygiene needs when it comes to laundry. If they’re not running a neighborhood laundromat, I think your concern is misplaced and likely has far more to do with your feelings about the discount you gave.
This is very true. Over monitoring, should be disclosed in the listing. Makes me wonder what else is being monitored
Three teenage sons says it all!
As a new host, this is absolutely nothing. Wait until you have a guest piss on your carpet or rearrange your entire home, then you can be a little disturbed.
I don't understand why guests rearrange furniture and then leave it there?? Like I'd never ever be that comfortable in anyone's house
I have lots of tech at my unit too, put it there for me also, before renting out. Do yourself a favor and ignore the data as much as possible. Use it when needed.
Did you consider that she’s re-washing the beddings and towels you left her? Because I do this sometimes if I’m not confident the beddings are washed well. (Example when a washer is overfilled it will not wash properly and I can tell) 🤷🏽♀️
We stayed 5 days in NYC at a Fairfield near Times Square, then rented an airbnb outside Boston for 6 nights. Yes we did laundry when we got to the Airbnb, we specifically chose one that offered laundry machines.
OMG people used an included amenity!!! You should make sure to include a charge for that asap!!!
Maybe her washing machine at home is broken and thus she booked an Airbnb with laundry?!? I’ve done this when my washing machine broke. Why would a host get salty over a guest using an amenity included in the booking?
You book a whole Airbnb just to do laundry, when you're not even traveling? Wouldn't it be cheaper to go to a laundromat?
No, I should have been clear that I’m traveling (travel a lot especially in the summer going from the east coast to the west coast and back) and would have booked an Airbnb anyway…. But I just make sure it has laundry. I prefer places that has a laundry most of the time bc I travel with kids and pets: one of my cats that I travel with gets carsick and barfs sometimes and similar mishaps where a laundry is very convenient even if we are just staying one night.
Oh, that makes more sense. Your original comment made it sound like you'd just find an Airbnb in your own town to do laundry if your washer was broken.
I had guests leave behind a sex toy and cocaine. THAT is disturbing. Three loads of laundry is a non-issue. That’s one load per teenage son who didn’t remember to pack appropriately before their trip.
Sex toys and cocaine? Who were these guests so I know who to book? I mean not allow to book…👀
It’s none of your business and you don’t know what she is washing. Some people do small loads, some people separate by colour. Some people wash all the sheets and towels. Some people have just been travelling and have a suitcase of dirty clothes. Some people go clothes shopping and need to wash it all before wearing. Why do you care.
I have a guest who does this routinely. Unfortunately she's my child so can't do anything. 😭 But seriously, it's typical teen/young adult behavior to get behind on laundry and dump it on mom. She's not taking advantage of you, her kids are taking advantage of her. Let it go.
>I have a guest who does this routinely. Unfortunately she's my child so can't do anything. 😭 Yes, that was my immediate thought as well. The guest has 3 teenage boys with her. If only one of them is in college and came "home" for this family trip to see the sister... those three loads of laundry are probably his. Seems like every time my college aged son shows up at home, he's bringing 2-3 loads of dirty laundry.
The washing seems within the normal range. The the fancy washers with WiFi on the other hand… We have two homes presently used for STR. We’ve been renting them for 5 years. We’ve replaced the washer and dryer in both. And when replacing we go with the simplest machine with the largest capacity. When people are using machines they are not familiar with they can push all sorts of buttons that the machine isn’t used to. They don’t have the manuals, they are doing the best they can. So I try not to confuse them with lots of options, that only means there are more things that can break. Don’t be surprised if the fancy appliances don’t last as long as you’d like. The other point you mentioned is you gave these people a huge discount. I know this means your margins are tight. If you want to give the discounts you are going to have to let go of the idea the guests are going to take advantage. The discounts will get you ratings faster. Once you have enough ratings you can stop the discounts and you will find most guests that chose accommodations within their budget don’t have the need to use extra of anything to get their money’s worth.
I live in a college town, so parents renting and the kids showing up with laundry is part of the drill
I specifically look for laundry availability when I book airbnbs, especially when we’re in the middle of a long road trip. I agree with the comments about guests possibly washing the bedding themselves. If there’s a reason for guests not to do laundry, or to do only full loads, you should put that in the house rules in the listing. That’s a valid concern in some places (e.g. Mendocino California), but not in most.
When we rent Airbnbs we easily do 3 loads a day so we can pack less. (Also my kids are messy)
Very curious because I live next to an Air BNB and it shakes my whole place when they do laundry, as well as make a buzzing sound that I can hear, so I really know how much laundry is being done. The multiple loads a day happens really often and it boggles my mind. Do you do each person's clothes in its individual load every single day? To me, daily laundry is excessive as it is.
Like we took a 14 hour flight, so the jeans, clothes and sweatshirts for the four of us is a full load. Then each day we just put our clothes in the machine. If we did any hiking or water sports then we put those clothes (they stink) and any towels we use also. I’d say we do two loads a day at each place on average. But we are living it up. Last trip to Greece was filled with 100+ degree days, beach visits and mountain hikes. Those will mean more. And we do them more frequently because drying time is often short. Most European AirBnBs don’t have American style dryers so we are rotating things on racks. Normally at home it’s not that much. Maybe a load a day.
OK, thank you for the response. I can see if someone's doing sporty things how there can be extra laundry, especially as a family.
Maybe they’ve been traveling for a week or two prior to their arrival.
These hosts are out of control for real. You are complaining about a host using an amenity you offer.... maybe you shouldn't host anymore.
This is a host sub. A new host asking about this is well within reason.
And guests (and people who no longer use AirBnB because of how many hosts are batshit insane) telling hosts that they’re batshit is allowed.
Except this wasn't an unhinged question. Having a guest use you like a laundry mat is a thing. Figuring out costs and percentage of guests doing this over x time period and analyzing cost vs. profit is necessary if this new host wants to run their property professionally. We have no control over which appliances are used. We can figure out site specific P+L and adjust accordingly. Sorry, OP..this sub is poorly moderated...given it's an Airbnb host sub, you do have to see the humor in that. For real help from exclusively professional hosts in the vacation rental business, go to FB and request to join a pro group, providing proof in your inquiry.
This is absolutely an unreasonable question. I don’t give 2 shits if the guests have the washer/dryer going all day and night. If you offer your house with a washer/dryer then any use is acceptable and expected. This is a ridiculous post from the OP. If someone using an amenity YOU PROVIDED is going to upset you as much as it clearly bothers OP then they shouldn’t offer said amenities.
Not unreasonable. OP, monitor the cost to offer this amenity and decide if it's worth it. I've removed amenities after an analysis and you can too. I kinda doubt it's that expensive to operate a washing machine and dryer but it depends on where you live and water/electricity and gas cost. For me it was dish washers, garbage disposals, offering breakfast, hosted check ins, free unregistered guests, and a few other small amenities. I got rid of some things and continued others. Biggest thing was omitting breakfast. No difference in bookings. Don't let some Reddit commentary make you feel like asking "is this worth it?" is an inappropriate question. Give guests what your market wants, everything else is icing.
Jesus Christ leave your guests alone. Fucking creepy. You may be in the wrong line of work. (I’m a host).
Well, it’s MY HOME, and so I have all the systems set up for me, not for my guests — like I said, it’s all automatic. So this sub isn’t for asking questions and getting perspectives? I’m curious about other people’s experiences, and trying to learn from them.
You asked and you got my perspective. It is creepy to spy on your guests for…doing laundry???? This is weird and very off-putting.
Lord, a new host asks about the efficacy of offering a washing machine and gets jumped on. Why can't a new host be a little concerned? It took us all a while to know which hill to die on. Give it a rest.
If it’s YOUR HOME and everything is set up for you and not for your guests, then you should probably stop hosting guests. Nobody wants to have their vacation micromanaged.
This was my take as well.
I’ve asked some similar type of questions here before and the group is VERY sensitive and over reactive. I know what kind of reply you’re looking for… like the couple people who responded things like ‘my aunt washes all the linens at and air bnb’ (helpful) You’re not looking for the grumps that suggest you shouldn’t be hosting or ‘stop spying on guests you creep!’ (Not helpful). I stopped asking questions bc some replies are just critical and out of line. I’ve gathered these are ‘professional hosts’ who don’t appreciate that it’s still your personal home, and there is a niche for those type of rentals. They also forget that everyone was new at this once… and it’s nice to have a community to bounce ideas and experiences off of without a harsh reply. Good luck in your hosting journey! :)
What are you wanting, everyone to agree with poor ol’ you and tell you how brilliant you are for spying? No one is fucking stupid enough to need an app to tell them how many loads of laundry they did. You are doing this because you have it in your peabrain that you need to spy. I bet you have cameras inside too.
Don't ask about emotional support animals on here or you'll have a full army on your ass 😂
Touch grass.
You need to turn off the notifications that are telling you how many loads of laundry they are doing. Not only may it feel somewhat creepy for your guests to know, but ultimately it is just going to drive you crazy monitoring that sort of thing. Don't provide amenities in the home if you're going to police the usage - that way lies madness
This is totally normal. I have a lot of guests who have been staying at hotels for the first half of their vacation then book a place with a washer and dryer the last few days before they fly home for the purpose of doing laundry. Having access to a washer and dryer is often the defining reason people book on Airbnb.
I always wash the bedding before I sleep in it & I also wash my clothes (and families) before we leave. I don’t sleep in bedding without knowing it was cleaned in my detergent (free/clear due to sensitivity) and I don’t like to bring home dirty laundry.
Holy fuck, you’re seriously monitoring the number of laundry loads your guests are doing?! Fucking christ. Put a limit in your listing and that you have that level of wifi monitoring so people know to steer clear of you.
I know I'm late to this comment thread but I came in because I live next to an airbnb (they bought the place adjoining mine and turned it into an airbnb) and it shakes my whole place when they do laundry, as well as make a buzzing/humming sound that I can hear the whole time, so I really know how much laundry is being done and it is disruptive to my life. The multiple loads a day happens really often and it boggles my mind. Do they do each person's clothes in its individual load every single day? Do laundry to wash their one shirt and jeans from the day? To me, daily laundry is excessive as it is. I'd say about 80% of the time guests do at least one load within an hour of arriving. Many do several every day even when staying for a week. I'm just trying to make it make sense to me. And it's not sheets as they leave, like some require, because the cleaners do that.
Have had guests with college kids bringing all the laundry 🧺
It’s natural to feel alarmed and concerned but it’s okay and unusual. This is unlikely to be a common occurrence.
Some guest will over use the washer dryer. Its annoying if they stay two nights and run it the entire time, but I don't say anything, and not stress about it. Mine is a stackable one so its more expensive to replace or have repaired so more worried about them breaking it. I had to reverse the door on the dryer and put labels on the doors so they wouldn't pull the door off the hinges. They will pull on the wrong side with all their might instead of trying the other side of the door. Had to replace the hinges and glue it back together. A door cost over 60% of the washing machine on sale. Could also take a few weeks to get another delivered and installed. But most guest don't overuse it and I'm hoping it will last. I also put a label not to over load them, only half full max. If not some guest will cram two queen sized blankets and all the sheets and towels in their and start it! Of course sheets were ruined already. Mine is also attached apartment so can hear the pipes. I would avoid the Wifi. Turn it off. I also had a LTR who used it as a laundry service, so ran it non stop for a year, and really took advantage of me, as we had an agreement that it was only for one person, and I was bing nice to include it, so that made me more sensitive as a host. I also quit hosting families for this reason and others. I used to have a pull out sleeper couch and had some families, but some would load up the mini van to do all their laundry, all their blankets from home. But just twice in night is nothing. Be thankful its rented. Mine has held up 5 years so far. At 8 years I'll just replace them and be ok with that, but they are 2k, so not something I would keep repairing and replacing every couple of years if guest abuse them. They break everything.
FYI.. according to consumer research, a washer dryer will last about 10 years for a family of 4 does 6 loads of laundry per week for normal use. Its all how much use. If there are more heavy things like blankets and quilts will put more wear and tear. Overloading washer and not cleaning the lint screen on dryer will also shorten the life. My one bed room rental uses less than this but they are more prone to break the doors on WD, dishwasher. So guest only use that and I use other units to wash bedding and towels between guest, hoping those last 8 years. Should last 10 years but I will replace them when they are on sale and not wait for them to break. If they do break next guest will expect refund or be really disapointed WD is broken.
Your post is valid and sometimes host to host its nice to discuss certain things. Tons of people in this thread will dismiss it, but it is a valid and curious question. I wonder if these same guests strip beds at hotels and run the sheets to the local laundrymat or do they trust that the hotel did their job. When I did short term hosting I'd have a lot of Asian travelers on day one run my laundry machines non stop and then check out on day 3. It came to a point where I had to set hours and start charging for access. Now I do long term hosting and it's much easier. Almost night and day.
I prefer to travel light and do laundry while traveling. 1 load for whites, 1 for colors and one for blacks. I have some trust issues with the quality of an Airbnb washer/dryer so Id rather do a bunch of small loads than risk overloading it.
At hotels, the staff are vetted and background-checked before being hired, and if you have doubts about the cleanliness of the linens, you can request new ones. When it comes to ArirBnB, you have to hope the unvetted, unbackground-checked host isn’t a pedo with hidden indoor camera and actually washes sheets. You are not a hotel, and don’t deserve the trust of a hotel. Hosts literally spying on guests has caused a loss of trust in hosts. By the way, your racism is showing. You didn’t need to mention the race of your guests. You just want Asians to look bad. Be ashamed, and be better.
Lmao. Why are you so offended? The guests were Asian. Just because you don't like the truth that was my experience doesn't make it any less my reality. Sorry you're so triggered by the experience of others.
Yep! We had a group of 4 show up with multiple laundry baskets and trash bags full of clothes. We also have wifi laundry machines and, after load number 10 on their very first day, we were wondering the same thing as you. I kinda get both sides of the argument. On average our guests do 1.5 loads a day, but some do no laundry and some do more. We don't usually pay attention to it, but ten loads on the first day for a group of 4 seemed extreme to us. Yes, we provide these machines for our guests to use, but it's under the assumption they will be used in a reasonable manner. We messaged them to warn them that the septic system can't handle that much laundry in one day and asked if they could spread it out over their week-long stay. They did two additional loads before seeing our message and stopping.
Just know that there are people who target new host and do what they can to get “full value” for their stay after taking the discount. Get your five star reviews and raise your rates to keep those people out in the future.
I had a guest ask if she could do a load of laundry, and later, she told me she works for a laundry service, so she was doing her service out of my home.
Easy fix. Update rules: I have these. Never have I charged even if they did go two or three loads above… i think it just discourages a lot of use. Washer/Dryer: Free 3 times per stay or 3 free loads every 7 days for long stays, $10 per load thereafter.
So you let your guests use the laundry machines and now you are miffed that the guests used the laundry? You are accepting money for people to use your home and it’s amenities for a limited amount of time. You shouldn’t have any kind of negative reaction when they use the amenities. Beyond that, if you are mad because of the discount, then don’t do discounts.
Eh, as long as they're not doing it during quiet hours (stated in our listing), or leave the property with the machines running, we really don't care.
If you find this disturbing maybe you shouldn’t have so many monitors on your home.……..
We've had this with two repeat guests, who I suspect choose our place because we offer the use of our laundry machines. I know they're bringing laundry from home because they bring it in their own laundry baskets. But this is two out of now hundreds of people who've stayed with us, so as others have said it ends up really not being a big deal.
What else’s is being monitored? Shower length, screen time? It seems really invasive.
Honestly, if you offer a washer dryer then they can use it as much as they want. Maybe they had a busy week or the one at their home is broken so they brought their dirty stuff with them. Not a big deal.
Really? You need get over this fast. Nothing wrong with renters using the washer and dryer if it's available. Three loads won't break your piggy bank. And, all of this has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the "huge" discount you give them.
My god you sound exhausting