According to Airbnb forums, most hosts put out two bath towels, two hand towels, and two face cloths per guest for a weekend stay. However, some hosts supply many more, and others ask their guests to conserve their towels.
The average consumer spends close to $115 per year on cleaning products. Everyone who runs a rental property or visits one is aware that things like towels can be expensive. However, many guests will balk at the idea of limiting their use while they’re staying with you. They may express their displeasure with low scores, which could impact your future profits. It’s important to balance this potential against the costs of providing more linens for your guests.
How Many Towels for Airbnb Guests?
Airbnb host forums suggest that most rentals are stocked with bath towels, hand towels, and facecloths. Each guest gets one per night. If you follow this plan, you’re likely providing what guests expect.
However, some hosts have an open linen closet for guests that’s stocked with extras of every type of towel. Guests who require more towels can help themselves when they need them. At the end of their visit, there will simply be more laundry to do.
Leaving a linen closet open is risky, as it can invite your guests to use more towels than you would like them to. Some hosts overcome this problem by locking the linen closet. Others keep excess linens in another area that isn’t accessible to guests. With this approach, you have more towels for restocking on a schedule set by you and not your guests.
How Many Towels Should You Have on Hand?
It’s clear that most hosts have a linen closet that’s packed with extra towels. How many should be in there?
Hotels typically have towels in triplicate. One set is in the room, one is in the wash, and one is ready to go. A plan like this ensures that you (and your guests) always have clean towels available. And your linen closet will remain stocked while you handle the wash.
If your home typically holds four guests, you’ll need 12 complete sets of towels to complete this plan. And unfortunately, they won’t last forever.
Housekeeping experts say that towels should be replaced when your towels have the following problems:
They smell. After many washings, your towels may have odors that won’t go away even after deep cleaning.
They don’t absorb liquid. If you use plenty of fabric softeners or you wash your towels too much, they may become too stiff and hard to absorb water.
They’re damaged. Towels can be frayed, ripped, or otherwise ruined after they’ve been used and abused by guests.
Examine your towels regularly to ensure that they’re up to par for your guests. And ensure that your budget allows you to buy replacements when you need them.
If you struggle to keep the right amount of towels on hand, you’re not alone. This is one of the main reasons businesses are turning to laundry rental instead of cleaning their own linens. When you use a linen rental service, you don’t have to worry about the state of your towels. When they are torn or stained, the service replaces them with fresh, pristine towels.
Why Do Towels Matter?
Towels may have been low on your list of priorities for your Airbnb rental. You may have been focused on things like location and parking instead. However, when your home is rented, towels may become extremely important to you.
Your customers expect clean towels they can use to wash their faces, dry their bodies, and otherwise keep themselves clean and dry. Whether or not these products are available can be part of the star rating for cleanliness every guest gives you at the end of the visit.
In 2024, more than 5 million hosts rent out Airbnb properties. Your competition for guests is very tight. Very low scores could make renting your properties difficult. Clean towels could make all the difference.
Can You Convince Guests to Use Less?
Housekeeping experts say the average homeowner should have four bath towels per person. In a scenario like this, homeowners reuse the same towel between washings. Can you convince them to do the same while in your property?
Interviews with consumers suggest limiting towels isn’t easy. Many consumers associate staying in a rental with luxury. They don’t want to think about depriving themselves of luxuries like a fresh towel after every shower.
Researchers say that consumers are more likely to reuse linens if they get a financial reward for doing so. For example, you could offer to lower the final price for your guests if they don’t dip into the linen closet. However, given how much is on the line with each stay, it might be smarter to just give your guests all of the towels they want.
Clean Towels Are Critical—We Can Help
Providing Airbnb clients with clean towels can lead to higher scores and more rentals. However, getting those towels and keeping them clean isn’t easy, especially for people who run rentals in addition to holding down full-time jobs. Alsco Uniforms can help.
Our linen cleaning services ensure that you always have fresh-smelling towels for guests. And our high-powered washers and dryers ensure that the towels are as clean as they could be—without requiring you to stand over the washing machine all day. We take the guesswork out of the equation, and we manage the whole process for you. Contact us to get started.
References
Average Annual Expenditure on Cleaning and Toilet Tissue, Paper Towels and Napkins Per Consumer Unit in the United States from 2010 to 2022. (September 2023). Statista.
Five Signs It’s Time to Get New Towels. (August 2022). Southern Living.
Airbnb: Statistics and Facts. (March 2024). Statista.
Star Ratings for Hosts. Airbnb.
How Many Bath Towels Should You Really Own? Here’s What Experts Say. (September 2023). Southern Living.
Hotel Towel Dilemma: Replace or Reuse? (March 2013). CNN.
Effective Approaches for Encouraging Hotel Guests’ Voluntary Bedding Linen Reuse Behavior. (February 2022). International Journal of Hospitality Management.