How to choose the right sheets for your Airbnb

Start with white, 100% cotton

One thing first, and I haven’t heard any different best practice: use white bedding in 100% cotton. It gives you the luxury hotel feel. Cotton breathes and absorbs moisture, so guests sleep cooler and drier. And crisp white, fresh-smelling linen is the kind of bed guests hope to find.

Hotels don’t use it only for the feel. There are practical reasons too. Cotton can be washed hot and bleached, so it can be sanitized and kept bright white on shorter wash cycles. My turnover laundry guide explains how.

Thread count: what actually matters

Thread count is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. Higher sounds better, but past a point it isn’t.

• Aim for about 400 to 600. That’s enough for a smooth, durable sheet with a hotel feel. At 300, sateen can feel thin.
• Higher isn’t necessarily better. Some makers twist two or more thin, lower-quality yarns together and count each strand. A sheet woven with 300 two-ply yarns can be sold as “600 thread count.”
• Inflated sheets can be worse. They’re often heavier, sleep warmer, and pill sooner.

Percale or sateen? Percale feels crisp and cool, like a classic hotel sheet. Sateen feels smoother and a little warmer. Both work well, so pick the feel you like.

Why I never use synthetic sheets

I never use microfiber or polyester sheets:

• You can’t bleach them. Chlorine bleach breaks down polyester and microfiber, so you lose the easiest way to whiten and sanitize.
• They don’t feel luxurious. They can feel slick, and they trap more heat than cotton.
• They don’t breathe. Guests who run warm notice.

What about bamboo? Bamboo sheets feel soft and cool, and some hosts love them. Most bamboo is made into viscose, though, and care guides say no chlorine bleach, no hot water and no high heat in the dryer. That rules out the hot, fast laundry routine. It comes down to personal preference.

Don’t forget the mattress

Sheets are only part of the bed. The mattress, the mattress topper and the mattress protector matter just as much. My bed setup guide covers every layer. If you use a topper, measure the mattress and topper together and buy fitted sheets with pockets deep enough for both.

Buy the right set configuration

• Check what’s in the set. Duvet covers and fitted sheets often aren’t sold together, so you may need to order two different sets. I use a fitted sheet and a duvet cover rather than triple sheeting.
• Stock extra pillowcases. They usually come with the sheets or the duvet cover. Keep plenty, so any with makeup or stains can be swapped right away.
• Plan on two pillows per sleeper. For a queen or king, that’s four pillows. I use one feather pillow from Costco and one down alternative pillow on each side, so guests can choose.
• Plan on three sets per bed. One on the bed, one in the wash, and one spare.

How I wash bedding

• Regular laundry detergent. Kirkland brand works for me.
• Bleach for whites. It keeps sheets white and sanitized.
• Fabric softener on sheets, not on towels. Softener coats cotton fibers and makes towels less absorbent over time.
• No dryer sheets. Some guests are sensitive to added fragrance, so I skip them.
• No Febreze on the bedding. It smells cheap, and guests may read it as covering something up. Clean linen should smell like clean linen.

The full routine, including how to stop sheets from balling up, is in how to wash your bedding during quick turnovers.

Add a little character

When your cleaner makes the bed, check that everything is spotless, then add some character with a throw and a couple of decorative pillows.

Keep an eye on those. Decorative pillows don’t need washing after every stay, but they do need it on a regular schedule. Throws need washing more often. My cleaners wash them after every stay.

When to replace bedding

Rule of thumb: every 5 years, or sooner if it’s stained, thin or pilling.