When you have a Bed & Breakfast, it can seem that you spend as much time (maybe more) with your laundry than you spend with your guests. The idea of doing laundry should not be a surprise to anyone but the realization of how much there is to do can be a bit overwhelming. Every guest check-out for us generates a minimum of four loads of laundry for tablecloths, sheets, blankets, bed spreads, towels, robes, slippers and anything they may have spilled on.
I remember when we were visiting B&B's for sale, we looked at a house that had beautiful dry clean only bedspreads. I did not ask out loud but wondered how often they were cleaned and how did the hostess keep them so pristine. My personal motto is: if your heart will be broken by a stain, tear or disappearance, it does not belong in your guest room. Yes, I have been known to get emotionally attached to linens!
Another B&B that we visited had one washing machine and two dryers, stating that the second dryer was needed to keep up with the washer. We have not had that concern but we do have a back-up washer and dryer in case our primaries go out of service. Yes, laundry can be taken to the laundromat but I like being able to multi-task (I am doing laundry as I write this post). Speaking of laundromats, some B&B owners have their laundry picked up weekly and get it back clean, folded and ready to go. That does sound like a luxury service that might be worth looking into...
Our Owner's Quarters are in the garden apartment (i.e. basement with windows) and that is where our laundry room is. The washer and dryer share space with the HVAC systems but the room has a window and the laundry chute, strategically located in the same area, delivers the linens from the second floor so the room is good. We have talked about putting a laundry on the second floor but I am not sure the cost outweighs the benefits at this time. As long as there is enough room and light to stage dirty and fold clean, then that's all this girl needs.
Let's talk bed linens! Every room needs at least two sets of bed linens including sheets, pillow cases, blankets and bedspreads. This allows for quick turnaround between guests or in case guests have a spillage that requires changing out the bedding during their stay. In the beginning we dressed our beds in colored sheets, coordinating blankets and duvets with patterned covers. With the recent pandemic, we changed everything to white, white, white and we will probably continue with the whites when the pandemic is over. I found that the colored sheets seemed to absorb and show the guest's body oils which were not always easy to wash out. As much as I like the look of the duvet covers, the bedspreads are easier and faster to put on the beds. And the whites are very reassuring to the guests (and me) who want feel confident that the room has been cleaned thoroughly. So it's all good for now.
The towels, wash cloths, bath mats, robes and slippers that we provide are also white (this is a requirement in some areas). This makes for easy cleaning and stocking of rooms. The only exception we provide are the black "makeup" wash cloths. We have found the whites are used by guests to remove makeup, clean or polish shoes, dry hair with temporary hair coloring, soak up spilled drinks and for other countless applications that I don't even want to imagine. At these times, bleach is my best friend and I am so glad for the whites. We have tried to think of a polite, direct way to set out a bucket of cleaning supplies with a note for guests to help themselves but, so far, nothing has worked.
For stubborn stains and deep cleaning, I found this laundry recipe on the internet. I am sorry I am unable to give credit where credit is due for this but I am truly thankful to the person that originally posted this:
How to wash sheets -
- Machine settings
- Bulky/Sheets
- Deep Water
- Hot Temperature
- Presoak
- Load sheets and add in
- Laundry Detergent
- Dishwashing soap - three squirts
- Borax - 1/4 cup
- White Vinegar - 1/4 cup in Downey Ball
- Presoak 30 minutes
- Wash and dry as usual
Well, who would have imagined that I could spend so much time writing about laundry? If I could sum it up in in just a few words, I guess I would have to say: Load, Wash, Dry, Fold, Repeat. OK, I am out of here, time to throw in the towel!
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