Airbnb laundry system: best setup for high-turnover properties

Category: Operations & Cleaning

By: Kevin O'Brien

Posted: 2026-01-17T08:08:26.607Z

I'm doing 3-4 turnovers per week and laundry is the bottleneck. My standard washer/dryer can't keep up with the volume. Sheets, towels, mattress pads — it's endless. What laundry systems do high-volume hosts use? Is it worth outsourcing? What about linen services?

Reply by David Okafor:

Laundry optimization was the biggest operational improvement I made going from 2 to 8 properties. Here are the options: **Option 1: On-site washing (1-3 properties)** - Commercial-grade washer/dryer: Speed Queen ($1,000-1,500 each, lasts 25+ years) - Multiple sheet/towel sets per property (3 sets minimum) - Cleaner washes during the clean — sheets go in first, clean while they dry - Cost: ~$3-5 per turnover in utilities - Best for: 1-3 properties in one area, budget hosts **Option 2: Linen rental service (3-10 properties)** - Commercial laundry company delivers fresh linens and picks up dirty ones - Cost: $15-30 per turnover (includes sheets, pillowcases, towels) - You don't own linens — they own and maintain them - Advantage: no laundry at ALL, consistent quality, no stain concerns - Disadvantage: less control over quality, may look/feel "hotel-like" vs premium - Search: "[Your City] commercial linen service" or "vacation rental linen service" **Option 3: Laundry service / wash-and-fold (5+ properties)** - Drop off dirty linens at a commercial laundry - Pick up clean, folded linens within 24 hours - Cost: $1-1.50 per pound (a full set is ~15-20 lbs = $15-30) - You own the linens but don't do the washing - Many dry cleaners offer this service **Option 4: In-house laundry facility (10+ properties)** - Dedicated laundry room with commercial machines - Hire a part-time laundry person ($15-18/hr) - This is what I do: rented a small storage unit ($200/month), installed 2 commercial washers + 2 dryers, hired someone 20 hrs/week - Total cost: ~$1,800/month for 8 properties = $225/property/month - Handles all linens for 8 properties with capacity to spare **My linen inventory per property:** - 3 sets of sheets per bed - 3 sets of towels per bathroom (bath towel, hand towel, washcloth × 3 for 2 guests) - 3 mattress protectors per bed - 3 pillow protectors per pillow - 2 duvet covers (if using duvets) - 10 kitchen towels - 5 bath mats Why 3 sets? One on the bed, one in the closet as backup, one in laundry. Rotation prevents any single set from wearing out. **Linen quality recommendation:** Don't go cheap. Guests notice bed quality more than almost anything else. My stack: - Sheets: 100% cotton percale, 300+ thread count (CGK Unlimited on Amazon, $45/set) - Towels: 100% Turkish cotton, 600 GSM (Amazon Basics are actually fine, $30/set of 6) - Pillows: 2 firm + 2 soft per bed (offer options) - Mattress protector: waterproof, noiseless (SafeRest brand, $30) For calculating your per-turnover costs including laundry, use https://strspecialist.com/tools/cleaning-fee-calculator.