Investing in quality linens comes with two crucial benefits: your guests will have a more comfortable stay, and your linens will last longer which will ultimately cut the costs. However, when you start putting together an Airbnb checklist of linens, you realize there’s so much to think about and decide—but don’t fret!
If you’ve set off on a quest to find high-quality linens that will get you amazing reviews and more bookings, our guide to the best linens for Airbnb will help you with that! We’ve explained everything property owners and managers need to know about linens to make the most cost-effective choice for quality items.
What Are Linens?
Linens are household items made of fabric, such as bedding, towels, tablecloths, and so on. Pretty much every item made of fabric that guests use in your rental falls under linens.
What some may find puzzling is the difference between linens and linen. Now, linens can be made of any fabric, including linen. On the other hand, linen refers to that strong, absorbent, and fast-drying textile. So, that one little “s” in the end makes a world of difference.
Types of Linens You Should Have in Your Vacation Rental
Lists are awesome for keeping track of what you have/need/must buy, so we compiled all the linens you should have in your Airbnb according to the rooms:
Bedroom
Bathroom
- Towels
- Washcloths
Kitchen
The following items aren’t necessities, but, if you’re providing them at your Airbnb, they fall into the ‘linens’ category as well:
Tips for Choosing the Best Airbnb Linens
If you want to find the right linens on the first try, we recommend going through these points as they will guide you to the best linens for Airbnb:
Choose High-Quality Linens – Linens made of high-quality materials such as cotton, microfiber, and cotton-poly blend will maintain their soft feel for a longer time. In addition to material, you should look for hypoallergenic linens or get pillow protectors, for example, that will keep the germs away from the bedding. Learn more about pillow protectors in our post about the best pillow protectors for Airbnb.
Buy White Linens for Easier Cleaning – You can choose the color of linens to go with the aesthetic of your rental, but white linens are the easiest to wash and maintain. In case of a spill, you can put bleach on white bedding, towels, kitchen towels, or any other piece of linen. Also, you can wash them at a high temperature without worrying that the color will fade.
Choose Linens with Simple Design That Will Be Easy to Replace – If you check out our top picks for the best sheets, pillowcases, and towels, you’ll notice that they have an elegant but simple look to them. We’ve chosen a classic design for linens because if an item gets stained or ripped, you can simply buy another one for replacement without having to purchase the whole set.
Replace Linens Regularly – That smooth feel of new fabric will diminish over time, so you should replace your linens from time to time. Here are some general recommendations for when you should repurchase Airbnb linens:
- Shower and hand towels – after 3-6 months
- Bedding – after 12 months or when they start showing signs of wear
- Beach towels – after 12 months
- Kitchen towels – when they get stained
Aim for Higher Thread Count – The thread count is the number of threads per square inch of the textile. Linens with a higher thread count are softer and feel more luxurious. If you want to provide your guests with a luxurious experience, aim for at least 300-800 thread count.
Stock Extra Sets of Linens – Having 2-3 sets of linens will get them to last longer and you won’t need to stress if you have a short turnaround. So, keep 2-3 sets of sheets, towels, duvet covers, and so on.
Should I Splurge on Luxury Linens for My Vacation Rental?
How much you’ll spend on linens depends on the type of vacation rental you’re running. If the emphasis is on luxury, your guests will expect the highest quality. In this case, it is worth splurging to justify the higher cost of your rental.
However, you can get linens of high quality at an affordable price. Just check out our top picks for a duvet or mattress protector, for example, to see how budget-friendly and premium quality can go hand in hand.
Should I Leave Extra Linens at My Airbnb?
This is a definite yes. You should keep an extra set of sheets, pillowcases, towels, and even duvet covers in the Airbnb just in case your guests ask for them during their stay.
The best places to store them are the bedroom closet for bedding and the bathroom cupboard for towels. If you don’t have a bathroom cupboard, you can stock the towels in the closet as well.
Having extra linens at your Airbnb is also useful when you have a tight turnover time, so the cleaners can replace them right away.
How to Care for Airbnb Linens
Every host knows how tiring maintaining the linens can be, so we’ve put together a list of top laundry tips sourced from our best laundry detergent post:
- Check the linens for stains and set aside those that need to be treated with a stain remover.
- Rinse the stained linens in cold water as soon as possible if they’re made of natural fibers such as linen or cotton.
- Set the laundry for an extra spin if you want the linens to come out dryer out of the washing machine.
- Buy fast-drying linens to speed up the drying process.
- Check the sheets for hair after you’ve washed them, and use a lint roller to remove them.
Final Thoughts
A path to rave reviews on hosting websites is paved with high-quality linens. For a five-star-worthy Airbnb experience, your guests need to sleep in a comfy bed, use soft towels, and wipe the dishes with fast-absorbing kitchen towels. Use this guide wisely and pick the best of the best so your guests will leave your rental with a smile on their faces.
