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Category: Design & Furnishing
By: James Wu
Reply by Chris Nakamura:
In-unit laundry is the most underrated amenity in STR. Here's the data: **Impact on bookings:** - Listings with "washer/dryer in unit" get 15-20% more bookings in my market (Charlotte, NC) - It's a **filter** on Airbnb — many guests specifically filter for it. If you don't have it, you're invisible to those guests. - For stays 4+ nights, it becomes nearly essential. Families and business travelers won't book without it. - For 1-2 night stays in urban markets, it matters less. **Revenue impact:** - I can charge $10-15/night MORE with in-unit laundry - On a property averaging 20 booked nights/month: $200-300/month extra revenue - $3,000 investment pays for itself in 10-15 months **Alternatives if you genuinely can't add hookups:** 1. **Portable washer** — No hookups needed. Connects to a kitchen or bathroom faucet. $200-350. Paired with a ventless dryer ($400-600) or a drying rack. Not ideal but it checks the "washer in unit" box on Airbnb. 2. **Laundry service** — Partner with a local wash-and-fold service. Stock a branded laundry bag. In your house manual: "Leave clothes in the blue bag, our laundry service picks up and returns same-day for $2/lb." Some guests love this as a luxury touch. 3. **Laundromat with clear directions** — If this is your only option, include exact directions, hours, and "pro tip: go before 9 AM to avoid lines" in your house manual. It WILL cost you some bookings though. **My recommendation:** If the property will be a long-term STR, invest in the hookups. The ROI is clear within a year. If you're doing arbitrage or testing the market, go with the portable washer option. The amenity ROI calculator at https://strspecialist.com/tools/amenity-roi-calculator can help you model whether the $3-5K investment makes sense for your specific revenue numbers.
Reply by David Okafor:
For the laundry itself (as a host, not guest), here are my operational tips: - **Buy commercial-grade washer/dryer** — Speed Queen is the gold standard for STR. $2,000+ for the set but they last 15-20 years vs 5-7 for consumer models. The math works out. - **Stock detergent pods** for guests (not liquid — pods prevent over-pouring and spills) - **Dryer sheets** in a visible basket - **Laminated instructions** on the wall above the machines (guests WILL use them wrong otherwise) - **Clean the lint trap reminder** sign on the dryer (fire prevention) For your cleaner: - They should run washer/dryer as first task upon arrival (dirty linens from previous guest) - Have backup clean linen sets so they don't need to wait for the wash cycle - 3 complete linen sets per bed minimum: one on the bed, one in the wash, one in the closet