Is your home a revolving door of relatives and friends and their extra laundry loads of sheets, towels and other linens? Most guests come with a suitcase full of clothes and sometimes stay so long that they need to do a load of laundry. With the restrictions on luggage on the airlines, guests often pack as little as possible to avoid extra costs and laundry becomes a necessity after even a couple of days.
If it all sounds a bit overwhelming, learn some laundry etiquette that you can use to be a good laundry host or when the tables turn, a good laundry guest.
Be A Great Laundry Host
As the host, you should show your guests the location of the laundry room. Before they arrive might be a good time to do a bit of cleaning to be sure your laundry area is organized and clean. If you have an ironing board and iron or clothes steamer, be sure the guests know where they are stored.
Offer a quick tutorial on how to use the washer and dryer. This is especially important if the guest is not familiar with high-efficiency washers and their need for smaller amounts of detergent. Share what type of detergents, stain removers and other products that you have on hand. If you have an extra laundry basket or pop-up hamper, it can be helpful for the guests to keep their dirty clothes under control.
Often during the holidays or a long visit, guests must share bathrooms and towel bar space is just too limited. Give each guest a sturdy wooden or plastic hanger to use for their bath towel.
They can hang the towel and place the hanger over a doorknob in the bedroom. The towel will dry to be used another time and you'll avoid having wet towels dropped on your floor.
Adding an over-the-door hanging rack is perfect for creating closet space if none is available. Stock it with hangers to suit the needs of your guests.
Be A BETTER Laundry Guest
As a guest, you should use the washer and dryer when it is convenient to your host. Always ask first and ask for assistance if you don't know what you're doing and leave the area as clean or cleaner than you found it. If you need a specialty detergent or only use a certain unscented brand, go buy it yourself.
If you know your way around a washer, offer to assist your host with laundry. Helping with routine chores is a wonderful way to show your appreciation for the hospitality. Your host - even if it is your Mom or Dad - is not your maid.
Keep your room or sleeping area tidy and corral your dirty clothes. No one wants to peruse your dirty clothes. If you are not traveling with a drawstring dirty clothes bag, ask your host for a shopping bag to contain your clothes until it is laundry time or your departure.
Be as conservative as possible with bath towels. Just like many hotels ask that you use a bath towel more than once to conserve the water and resources needed to wash towels every day, do that same thing for your host. Hang your towel to dry so you can use it again. Your host may not have dozens of extra towels for you. If you are staying with someone near a beach or pool, pack a couple of extra beach towels for yourself.
When your visit is over, strip your bed or sleeping area of its linen and gather your towels. Ask the host what to do with the laundry. Some will be thrilled to let you wash it right away; others may want the items put in a hamper. Don't ever leave wet towels in a heap or hamper or they will mildew and cause not so fond memories of your visit!
Lastly, whether you do laundry while you're there or not, always give your host a small gift and send a handwritten thank-you note to express your appreciation for the hospitality. It is the very least you can do.