How Often Do Hotels Change Bed Sheets? Let’s Find Out

Have you ever wondered and asked yourself how often do hotels change bed sheets?

Well! It is indeed your lucky day today, a moment in space and time has brought you to this article.

Have you ever checked into a hotel room late into the night? Tired out from traveling, barely able to carry your luggage.

You just can’t wait to free yourself from the shackles binding you to this tired body of yours.

All you want is simply to climb into the bed and yield yourself into the comforting arms of sweet sleep for a couple of hours.

That is exactly what you do. The next morning, you’re energized and ready to conquer the world with your newly sharpened senses if only you can find an army loyal to you.

This is exactly when you see it – you see things on the bed sheet that didn’t come from you.

Hotels usually would follow their policies as regards changing bed sheets. Whilst others change sheets after every guest leaves, others may decide to wait until a guest requests a change.

Not changing bed sheets as often as possible is all a bid to cut down costs of operation.

Fact About Hotels and Changing Bed Sheets

The expectation is that bedsheets should be changed once a guest leaves to avoid one guest sleeping on the dead skin cells of a total stranger.

This, plus putting the pandemic into consideration, cleanliness should be observed as strictly as possible.

Usually, protocols require that housekeepers pay more attention to high-touch areas.

And also, hard non-porous items like remote controls, toilet seats, doorknobs, furniture handle, etc. when cleaning.

It may be that a housekeeper looks at a sheet and says “Nah! This looks clean, more time saved for me”.

Just like the experiment carried out by Inside Edition portrays, most dirt will not be seen by the naked eye.

Depending on rules and policies peculiar to each hotel, some change sheets immediately after one guest leaves. The aim is to leave the room as fresh as possible for the next guest.

Tip: In other hotels, changing a sheet is dependent on whether or not a guest requests it in between their stay (this is if they stay longer). Some only change after seven days or after three days.

Why Change Bed Sheets Regularly?

Why the fuss about hotels not changing bedsheets after guests?

I do get mad when I discover I spent the night in the same sheets a total stranger spent the night in after giving away hundreds of dollars to the hotel for my room.

(it may not have been up to a hundred dollars).

Here are some reasons why bedsheets should be changed regularly;

Reason #1. Some persons may have allergies or asthma and hence be sensitive to dust. Although dust may not be a concern in a hotel since someone vacated the bed after all.

Reason #2. The previous occupant may have an infection or lesion that will likely make contact with the sheets.

Reason #3. Sweat, the previous occupant may have sweated profusely.

Reason #4. In hotels where pets are allowed, the occupant may have shared the bed with his/her pet. Not everyone would fancy this, some may be allergic to certain animals.

Crumbs of a meal may be left especially when housekeeping has done a poor job of cleaning.

Reason #5. Eating in bed – crumbs of a meal may be left especially when housekeeping has done a poor job of cleaning.

Reason #6. The previous occupant may have gone straight to bed without showering, rubbing grime and dirt all over the sheets.

Reason #7. Some sleep naked, fecal material and other juices from the body are bound to be left on the sheets

If you are a hotel owner seeing this, you may have a change of ways and consider changing bedsheets after guests leave going forward.

Note: I will describe no further, just to spare us all the yuckiness going through the graphic details. Just use your imagination if you won’t be grossed out.

Pros and Cons of Changing Bed Sheets Regularly

Really? Are there turndowns for hotels or just any other person to change bedsheets?

Of course, whatever has an upside has its downside.

Don’t get lost though, we are still trashing the question of how often do hotels change bed sheets?

Pros

The best hotels out there change sheets between guests even without them requesting, here are some reasons why they do that;

1. Clean sheets will give new guests a sense of homely comfort immediately they walk into the room.
2. Daily cleaning and changing of bedsheets will rid the bed of bugs and other crawling insects that may occupy the bed.
3. A clean bed sheet means you are giving your guests a shot at a healthier lifestyle, promoting healthy skin as well.

Imagine the great disservice done to guests who have slept on used bedsheets.

Cons

The good benefits that changing bedsheets give are swept under the carpet for this reason; it is costly and time-consuming.

The hotel owners are operating a business.

Every business person besides the front of wanting to be of service to their customers wants to make a profit as well.

Note: Changing bed sheets every day would incur costs; Electricity, water, labor, etc. perhaps guests would understand going forward.

How To Identify A Clean Hotel Bed Sheet

Remember our little story at the beginning? Yeah, I wouldn’t want you in that situation.

So, here are tips on how to identify a clean bed:

1.   Ensure You Read Reviews

Don’t just pick hotels blindly, what do other guests or previous users have to say about their experience? Read reviews and know for yourself

2.   Always Trust Your Guts

If a first look at the surroundings did not sit well with you, don’t shelf it.

Take an even closer look at the mirror, the switches, and the door from different angles. Uncleanliness cannot be completely hidden

3.   Check Old Pieces of Stuff

Previous guests may leave clues, check for them, and request housekeeping

4.   Always Check the Sheets First

No matter how tired you are, do not gun to lie down first. Do due diligence, inspect the bed sheets

So, Do Hotels Change Their Sheets?

Away from our little trip down imagine street. Of course, it is normal for a customer to want services of top quality from any service provider.

Guests would expect hotels to change bedroom sheets as often as they get new guests in line with keeping cleanliness.

Do hotels do so? Are they even required to do so?

You may want to believe that housekeeping has done its job of cleaning a room by mere looking.

Since they have indeed done all other parts/aspects of the room. This is not always accurate.

Inside Edition carried out an experiment in New York covering three hotels where they checked in like everyday guests.

The crew sprayed a washable fluorescent paint visible only under UV light with the Inside Edition logo and the words YUCK or I SLEPT HERE respectively on the bed sheets and pillowcases.

They checked out and subsequently booked the same rooms again the following night.

Let’s say the hotels all failed this experiment woefully – the linens were left untouched in all hotels. Some pillowcases were changed in just one hotel.

Conclusion

Cleanliness ought to be the watchword in the hospitality industry.

Those in the business need to be held accountable this is why questions such as how often do hotels change bed sheets need to be asked.

The little experiment carried out by the Inside edition is never out of place, it keeps those in the industry on their feet at all times.