Frequently Asked Questions

How to Remove Stains-The Innkeeper’s Guide

Stains are a nuisance that no one wants to deal with. They can happen when you least expect it. A scenario could be when you are preparing your inn for the next guests, and you suddenly notice a chocolate stain smeared on your table linen and the remnants of a spilled drink on your living room carpet. You try to act quickly by scrubbing it with a wash rag and soap and water. However, the thought crosses your mind- is there a more effective method for removing those stains? This article will offer some ideas on how to effectively remove different types of stains.

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Hospitality Industry 101: How to Become an Innkeeper

It’s the start of a new year. It often marks a time where people wonder if they should make changes in their life including their career. Are you already working in the hospitality industry or have you thought about joining it? While becoming an innkeeper can be challenging, we hope this blog will help make your preparations easier if this is something you are interested in pursuing. Whether you want to break into the hospitality industry or if you are already in the industry, we will recommend some start-up items that will get you started and keep you going. There is a wide range of products that will be needed to satisfy your guests. This can include food and beverages, entertainment, and linens such as bedding, towels, and napkins.

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How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

Fitted sheet

You pride yourself on having a neat, well-organized linen closet, with all your towels, washcloths, sheets and pillowcases cleanly squared away.

Then it comes time to fold a fitted sheet, and all bets are off.

As housekeeping chores go, this one can feel like a wrestling match, only your opponent is a squid, or a puff of smoke.

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How to Wash a Blanket

woman curled up in blanket at beach house

The nights are cold by the ocean, even in the summertime. Your guests have been strolling along the beach, chilled by the salt air at their backs.

As they walk back to your place, the thought of nestling themselves under a soft thick blanket initiates the warming process in their mind.

Whether you run a bed and breakfast in the mountains or the seaside resort we described above, your guests will appreciate coming home to blankets that are warm, comfortable…and clean.

With that in mind, we’ve put together this guide on how to wash a blanket.

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What is a Coverlet?

Back in 2015, we wrote a blog post on the difference between quilts and coverlets. It was a topic that drew a lot of interest, which is why we’ve decided to return to the subject with this post, where we’re answering the question “What is a coverlet?”

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How Important Is Thread Count When Choosing A Sheet?

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding thread count in the bedding industry, and we’d like to use this blog post as an opportunity to clear up some of that misunderstanding.

First of all, it’s important to understand that bed sheets weren’t always judged by thread count alone. In fact, the high thread count story barely existed prior to the mid-1990s. And yet even today, it’s still the first question most customers ask about bed linens.

Don’t misunderstand: Thread count certainly is an important way to judge the quality — or lack thereof — of a bed sheet. But it’s only one of many factors you should consider when comparing linens. Other important sheeting quality indicators include fiber quality, yarn size, finishing, and the actual construction of the sheets.

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Which Type of Bed Sheets Last the Longest?

Q. How long should my bed sheets last?

This is a question we’re asked frequently by innkeepers who are attempting to keep their costs to a reasonable minimum, and also by customers who only plan to use their bed sheets at home.

No matter who’s doing the asking, though, it’s a wise question to ask. Because bed sheets—especially well-made and comfortable bed sheets—can be costly. And for both hospitality and home use, most experts recommend having a minimum of three sets of sheeting per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash, and one in the closet. In between each use, we recommend laundering and then storing your linens in a well-ventilated space.

But take heart: With proper care, fine bed linens can last for many years, regardless of whether you’re using them exclusively in the home, or in a busy hotel or inn with a heavy guest turnover.

To ensure that your bed sheets will last as long as possible, alternate the use of each set on a weekly basis for home use. For innkeepers, of course, sheets need to be changed each time a guest checks out and a new guest arrives. Depending on the level of turnover, innkeepers will find that the majority of their sheets need to be replaced much sooner than a homeowner will need to replace hers.

For best results when laundering, use a non-chlorine bleach and a gentle liquid detergent not a fabric softener as it will lessen the life of the fabric and add a substance that does not allow the fabric to breathe. Wash on a gentle cycle with warm water, then tumble dry until slightly damp.

Pro tip: Over drying or drying on too hot a setting is the single biggest factor in reducing the life of your sheets. This is why we suggest taking your sheets out while slightly damp. Once smoothed and folded, most sheeting will be less wrinkled. Again, you can touch up with an iron on the hem of the flat sheet and pillowcase hem.

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How to Choose the Right Pillow

The type of pillow we use to sleep on at night doesn’t necessarily seem like the most important thing in the world, does it?

But consider this: The vast majority of us spend a full one-third of our lives in bed, with our heads placed firmly on a pillow. And if you’re using a pillow that’s too hard, too soft, too firm, or too weak, both your neck and your spine will suffer as a result.

In the short term, a low-quality pillow will also lead to a less-than-ideal night’s sleep. That’s why choosing the right pillow—the best pillow—has always been such a difficult and even agonizing decision for innkeepers.

Naturally, the comfort of an innkeeper’s guests is always a top-of-mind concern. But whether you’re running a luxury hotel or your own small household, there are a few other pillow-specific considerations to bear in mind.

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How to Make the Perfect Bed

Whether you’re running a three-room bed and breakfast from your quaint seaside cottage or a bustling 50-room boutique hotel in a trendy urban locale, making the perfect bed is one of your most important tasks.

Large hotels understand the importance most travelers place on getting a good night’s rest in a comfortable and luxurious bed, so much so that hotel chains have spent millions of dollars in recent years in what industry insiders have dubbed “the bed wars”.

Thanks to research conducted by large hotel chains, one thing we do know is that by and large, guests tend to associate white bedding as being the most comfortable, luxurious and calming. Do remember, though, that such a simple color palette need not be boring. You can really let your creativity shine by mixing up multiple layers and textures, and by accessorizing with tasteful pops of color.

Here, we’ll show you not only how to protect one of your most important investments — your mattresses — but also how to make your bed in the manner that will be most appealing to your guests.

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Category: Frequently Asked Questions