Why You Shouldn’t Make the Bed Before Leaving a Hotel – Housekeeping Staff Reveal the Truth!

Many hotel guests tidy up their room and neatly arrange the bed before checking out, thinking it’s a considerate gesture to help housekeeping staff. However, this well-intentioned habit can actually make their job harder and even lead to hygiene issues for the next guest.

 

 

Why You Shouldn’t Fold the Bedding Before You Leave

After a guest checks out, hotel staff must replace used bed linens with fresh, clean ones. If you neatly tuck in the sheets, fold the blanket, and arrange the pillows, the staff will have to spend extra time undoing everything before putting on new linens.

For rooms with multiple beds, making the bed too neatly might even lead to a serious problem—staff may assume the bed wasn’t used and skip replacing the sheets. This means the next guest could end up sleeping on unclean bedding.

The same applies to towels. Housekeeping appreciates it when guests leave used towels in a designated spot, such as in the bathtub or a corner of the bathroom. If you fold them too neatly, staff may struggle to distinguish between used and unused towels, leading to unnecessary laundry waste.

Now that you know why you shouldn’t fold the bedding before leaving a hotel, here’s how you can genuinely help the housekeeping team.

What to Do Before Checking Out

Housekeeping staff will be grateful if you follow these simple steps before leaving, as they can save time and effort during cleaning.

1. Turn Off Electronics

Leaving the TV, air conditioner, or lights on wastes electricity and may also confuse staff, making them unsure whether the room is still occupied. This can delay cleaning as they may need to check with the front desk before entering.

2. Put Items Back in Their Place

Returning the TV remote, air conditioner remote, electric kettle, and glasses to their original spots saves the staff a few extra minutes of searching and organizing.

3. Gather and Dispose of Trash Properly

Simply placing your trash in the bin makes cleaning much easier. If you have a large amount of waste, consider putting it in a plastic bag or gathering it in one corner of the room. Keeping the room organized also helps ensure you don’t leave any personal belongings behind.

4. Separate Used and Unused Items

Avoid mixing clean towels with used ones. If you haven’t used some of the provided towels, leave them untouched. Similarly, don’t refold used towels as this can make them appear clean when they actually need washing.

5. Minimize Unnecessary Bed Use

If you’re staying in a villa with multiple beds but only need one or two, try to leave the extra beds untouched. This reduces the workload for housekeeping and helps conserve water, detergent, and energy needed for washing linens.

By following these small but meaningful actions, you can truly assist hotel staff while ensuring the next guest enjoys a fresh and clean room.