Having overnight guests can be a lot of fun, but it also means extra laundry! As a host, you want your guests to feel comfortable and have what they need during their stay. Making sure they have access to clean linens and towels is an important part of hospitality. However, doing extra laundry for guests doesn’t have to be a burdensome chore. With some simple planning and preparation, you can easily handle overnight laundry for your guests. Here are some easy tips and tricks to help make doing laundry for overnight visitors a breeze!
Prep the Guest Room in Advance
One of the best things you can do is prepare the guest room in advance. Make sure to have fresh, clean linens on the bed and plenty of towels stocked in the bathroom before your company arrives. This prevents you from having to wash everything right before they get there. It also allows your guests to settle in and get comfortable right away without having to ask for anything extra.
Some easy prep tips:
- Put fresh sheets, pillowcases, and a lightweight blanket or quilt on the bed so it’s all ready for your guests when they arrive.
- Fill the bathroom with clean hand towels, bath towels, and washcloths so they can shower and get cleaned up.
- Place an extra blanket in the closet along with a spare set of pillows. This gives them options if they get cold or want additional pillows.
- Check supplies of other bathroom essentials like soap, shampoo, and tissues to make sure your guests have what they need.
Taking the time to prepare the room in advance takes the stress out of hosting overnight visitors and lets you focus on enjoying their stay!
Have a Dedicated Laundry Basket or Bag for Guests
It can help to have a specific laundry hamper or bag just for your guests’ used linens and towels. This keeps their items separate from your household laundry and prevents anything from getting mixed up.
Place the basket or bag in an easy-to-access spot like the guest bedroom, hallway, or bathroom. Make sure your guests know where to put any used towels, sheets, or bedding.
Having a dedicated spot for guest laundry makes it easy to collect items and do a wash just for them as needed. It also helps you remember to return any forgotten clothing or personal items before they leave!
Wash Towels and Sheets Frequently
When hosting overnight guests, it’s a good idea to launder their towels and sheets more often. Swap out towels after a couple of uses, and change sheets every 2-3 nights. More frequent washing prevents buildup of dirt and oils and keeps things fresh.
Wash towels on a hot water setting and dry thoroughly to eliminate bacteria. Use an oxygen-based bleach alternative like OxiClean occasionally to keep towels white and disinfected.
For linens, wash sheets and pillowcases in warm to hot water with regular laundry detergent. Drying sheets in the sun can also help disinfect and brighten them.
Making an effort to wash linens and towels regularly while you have guests not only keeps them clean, but shows your visitors you value their comfort and sanitation needs.
Offer Laundry Facilities If Long-Term Guests
For overnight guests staying more than a couple nights, consider giving them access to laundry facilities. This could be your household washer and dryer, or nearby coin laundry if that’s easier.
Long-term guests will likely need to wash their personal clothing and other garments. Making machines available allows them to handle this on their own so you don’t have extra work.
Show your guests where the laundry supplies are kept – detergent, dryer sheets, etc. Explain any quirks to the machines and make sure they know when quiet hours for the laundry are if needed. Giving guests laundry autonomy makes for a more welcoming, convenient stay.
Use Color-Catching Sheets to Prevent Colors Bleeding
Having guests means washing a variety of fabrics, colors, and items together. To prevent colors from bleeding in the wash, use color catcher dryer sheets.
These specially designed sheets trap and absorb excess dye released during washing cycles. Simply throw one in the wash with your guest’s linens, towels, and clothing. The dye will get caught in the sheet instead of bleeding onto other fabrics and causing discoloration.
Color catchers prevent you from having to waste time rewashing or soak items that bled. They help fabrics maintain their original vibrancy and appearance after laundering. Your guests will appreciate you taking steps to protect their clothing!
Roll Towels and Linens for Faster Drying
After washing towels, sheets, and other laundry from guests, dry items faster by rolling them before placing in the dryer.
Gently roll up towels lengthwise instead of bunching them. For sheets, place them one at a time on a clean surface and roll tightly from top to bottom.
Rolling linens and towels allows air to easily circulate around the fabric in the dryer. This lets them dry faster without having to adjust settings or run additional cycles. It also reduces wrinkling in sheets and towels.
Demonstrate this quick trick to any long-term guests that are using your laundry facilities. Proper rolling technique gets laundry dry promptly so it’s ready to use again!
Fluff Dry Bath Mats and Bulky Items
While most overnight guest laundry can go in the dryer, a few items are better air dried. This includes bulky bath mats, delicate fabrics, and very damp towels or sheets.
Rather than drying these items completely in the machine, “fluff” dry them most of the way and finish air drying. This prevents bat mats or thick towels from retaining moisture in the center which can mildew.
To fluff dry:
- Place damp items in the dryer and turn on for 5-10 minutes at a medium-high heat. This gets airflow going through the fabrics.
- Remove from dryer and arrange on drying racks or hangers. Allow to finish air drying the rest of the way.
Fluff drying helps bulkier items dry faster and more evenly for your guests. Just make sure air dry fully to prevent musty smells from lingering moisture.
Use Dryer Balls to Soften Fabrics
For an easy, affordable way to soften laundry without dryer sheets, use wool or rubber dryer balls. These balls help separate fabrics and increase airflow as they bounce around the dryer drum.
Dryer balls naturally soften fabrics by absorbing some static electricity and allowing clothes to tumble freely. As a bonus, they also help decrease drying time and reduce wrinkling and lint.
Hand a couple dryer balls to your guests and explain how to use them with the washing cycles. They’ll help leave clothes and linens soft and static-free without added chemicals.
Check Lost and Found Before Guests Leave
Before your overnight company departs, double check for any belongings they may have left behind. Quickly glance under beds, around nightstands, and in bathroom drawers. Also take a second look in the guest laundry hamper or basket.
Collect any left items in a bag or basket to return to them. This may include clothing, toiletries, chargers, books, or other personal possessions.
Taking a few minutes to check for forgotten items gives your guests peace of mind. And making sure they don’t leave things behind saves you the trouble of having to mail forgotten possessions! A quick lost and found check makes for an appreciative goodbye.
Use Scent Booster to Freshen Laundry
To give overnight guest linens and towels a welcoming, clean scent, use a laundry scent booster. These liquid or bead products add a light fragrance to washed fabrics.
Look for a fresh but subtle scent like linen, lavender, or lemon. Avoid anything overpowering. Add the booster along with detergent in the wash or dryer cycle.
Scent boosters provide a nice finishing touch to freshen laundry without being overwhelming to guests. It’s an easy way to make them feel pampered through this small detail.
Wash and Reuse Guest Towels as Needed
Rather than doing full loads of guest laundry each time used towels or sheets need washing, reuse items first. For towels, place them in a “needs rewashing” hamper after use. Then just wash a few at a time on a quick cycle and return to guest bathrooms.
If hanging up wet towels to reuse, be sure to fully dry within 6-8 hours to prevent mildew smells. Rotate which towels get washed each day so they don’t go too long without laundering.
Reusing towels and only washing a few at a time saves water, energy, and laundry soap. Just inspect items for stains before reusing and launder frequently for cleanliness. Communicate any reuse practices with your guests so they know what to expect.
Remove Stains Right Away
If stains occur on guest linens or clothing, tackle them promptly. This prevents them from setting and becoming permanent.
Check laundry after each wash and treat any new stains immediately. For food, grease, or makeup stains, blot with a soapy solution first. For tough stains, apply a stain remover stick or spray and let sit before washing as directed. Heat can set some stains, so avoid ironing or drying until the stain is gone.
Getting to stains quickly makes laundering much easier and ensures your guests’ items don’t get permanently marked up while staying with you. Offer to treat any stubborn stains for them to help their laundry leave in the same condition it arrived.
Store Guest Detergent and Supplies Separately
If you allow guests to use your laundry machines and supplies, set aside detergent, softener, and stain remover just for them. Keep these guest-designated products together in a bin or caddy stored apart from your personal supplies.
Having separate laundry products prevents cross-contamination and mixing of types. It also lets you replenish just the guest supplies as needed without interfering with your own laundry items.
Make sure guests know which products are set aside for them and where to find washing accessories like drying racks, hangers, etc. Keeping their laundry supplies and gear stowed together maintains organization.
Conclusion
Having overnight visitors can mean tackling extra loads of sheets, towels, and clothing. Hopefully these tips make handling those additional laundry needs much smoother! Show your guests you want them to feel comfortable by presenting fresh linens and readily laundering items during their stay. With some preparation and organization, you can handle overnight laundry duties with ease. The key is staying on top of washing schedules, having the right tools and accessories, and quickly addressing any laundry hiccups like stains. Follow these home tips to become an overnight laundry pro and simplify this hosting task. Most importantly, remember that keeping guest laundry clean, fresh, and hassle-free is a great way to make overnight visitors really feel at home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Laundry Tips for Overnight Guests
1. How often should you wash sheets and towels for overnight guests?
It’s recommended to wash sheets every 2-3 uses, or every 2-3 nights for overnight guests. Towels should be washed after every 1-2 uses if possible. More frequent washing keeps them fresh and hygienic.
2. Should you use special laundry detergent for guests with allergies?
Yes, if guests have allergies it’s thoughtful to wash their sheets and towels in a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free detergent. This avoids aggravating any sensitivities from scented products during their stay.
3. Is it better to wash guest laundry separately?
Washing your own laundry separate from guests’ is smart to prevent colors from bleeding or fabric damage. Use separate cycles or day parts devoted just to guest laundry. Having a dedicated laundry basket for them helps keep it organized.
4. What temperature should you wash overnight guest laundry?
For sheets, pillowcases, towels and most garments, warm or hot water (with permanent press/gentle cycle) works best. Hot water helps remove oils, perspiration and bacteria buildup from frequent overnight use. Check clothing tags for any special washing instructions.
5. Should you inspect guest laundry before drying?
Yes, inspect all laundry first for stains or heavily soiled areas which may need pretreatment. Check pockets too for tissues or other items that could clog your machine. Doing this prevents stains from setting or appliances getting damaged during drying.
6. How can you make laundered sheets smell extra fresh for guests?
Try adding a few drops of essential oil like lavender to the rinse cycle, or spritzing sheets lightly with essential oils before making the bed. Baking soda and white vinegar also help boost freshness. Just avoid overpowering scents that might irritate guests.
7. What laundry-related amenities are nice to provide for overnight guests?
Having laundry supplies like detergent pods, dryer sheets, stain remover wipes, and a drying rack for delicates are all useful for guests. Providing these extras makes doing laundry away from home much simpler.
Conclusion
Handling extra laundry duties while hosting overnight company doesn’t have to be a burden. Following these easy guidelines helps streamline the process so you and your guests can simply enjoy your time together. By being organized, planning ahead, and taking advantage of handy laundry tools, you’ll handle those additional wash loads with grace. Overnight guests will feel well cared for thanks to your effort in providing fresh, clean linens and clothing during their stay.