Do Hotels Wash Bedspreads After Each Guest?

No, hotels and hotel chains typically do not wash bedspreads, comforters, or duvets after each guest.

Most hotels and hotel chains will change bedding such as sheets and pillowcases in between guests.

However, unless there has been a major problem or there is something to clean on the bedspread, most hotels or chains will not wash bedspreads after each guest.

Hotels do not wash bedspreads after each guest. Most of the time, this is due to the cost of time and resources for housekeeping, but also water and power costs to launder bedspreads can get expensive.

Hotels typically do wash sheets and pillowcases after each guest, but items such as bedspreads and throw pillows will usually be washed less regularly according to hotel policy.

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Do hotels wash bedding in between stays?

sheets and pillowcases

Hotels do not wash bedspreads in between stays but will wash sheets and pillowcases in between each guest.

Some hotel guests will not mind or think twice about whether or not the bedspreads have been cleaned before they arrived.

Almost every guest, however, will be upset if the sheets or pillowcases have been cleaned.

That is because hotel guests are spending a lot of money on being there. Additionally, since Covid-19, there is a higher expectation of cleanliness when traveling.

Still, it might not be so unusual to come across a hotel or hotel room experience where the cleanliness was worthy of complaining about.

Among the most common hotel reviews online are those of guests that have noted they entered a hotel room where the bedding had not been cleaned.

It’s rare to find a complaint that the bedspread, comforter, or hotel duvet had not been cleaned.

But unclean sheets can happen, and this is why hotels will, as part of the job requirement, clean bedding in between stays.

Are linens and bedding in a hotel room cleaned daily?

bed sheets and the towels

Most hotels will wash the bed sheets and the towels daily or in between guests. For stays that are longer than one night, the towels will be exchanged if they have been used, and the towels will be cleaned that day.

Bedsheets are not cleaned every day during a guest’s stay.

For bedsheets during a guest’s stay that is longer than one night, each hotel has its own policy.

Some hotels won’t change them at all until the guest checks out. Other hotels will change them every other day and launder them at the same time.

Additionally, it depends on the brand and the ranking or rating of the hotel. Hotels such as the Ritz Carlson or the Four Seasons may change and launder their bedding, including the bedspreads, in between their guests.

There is a higher standard of cleanliness expected in these types of hotels, in order to maintain their ranking, and also in order to accommodate the prices that the guests are paying to stay in a hotel with a high rating.

How can you tell if a hotel’s linen has been cleaned?

It can be very difficult to tell if a hotel’s bedding has been cleaned, or even what to look for to see if it hasn’t.

hotel bedding

For sheets and pillowcases, it is typically very easy to determine if a hotel has changed its bedding and linens.

Dirty towels and face linens can easily be detected, while clean bedding and linens will have a beautiful fresh scent to them, often of bleach.

However, bedspreads, comforters, and duvets are not so easy to detect. Many hotel chains will purchase bedding and comforters that are darker in color so that stains and dirt cannot easily be seen.

Many will follow hotel policy and clean the bedspreads accordingly, even if they are dirty.

You can tell if the hotel has a problem with something like bedbugs by the state of the bedding sometimes.

Bedbugs will suck blood from their targets, and this blood leaves behind a brown stain on the bedding.

If you see this in a hotel, you have a reason to ask for cleaner bedding and even clean bedspreads.

Can you request cleaner bedspreads or bedding in a hotel?

You can always make any request of a hotel that will make your stay comfortable. If you have a bedspread or sheets that do not meet your own standards, there is nothing that says you can’t ask for cleaner bedding.

Even if you want a clean bedspread, you can ask for that.

request cleaner bedspreads or bedding

When you are requesting cleaner bedspreads or bedding, the more reasonable you sound in your requests, the likelier you are of getting what you want there.

Ask for clean bedding and tell the hotel that it doesn’t smell the way you would expect clean bedding to smell.

That may result in a fresh wash for you before you get your clean bedding.

A hotel may go out of its way to launder something before meeting your request, so expect some time for your requests to be met.

Additionally, if the hotel is very busy, it may not be able to arrive at your door with clean bedding right away.

The easier and kinder you are when you make these requests, the more likely you are going to get what you want.

Should you report dirty bedding to hotels?

Yes, you should report dirty bedding to hotels, even if it does not seem like a big deal. In an era where Covid-19 is a significant global problem or has been in certain areas, clean bedding is essential.

dirty bedding

There are many health reasons that support your need to report bedding that is not clean in a hotel.

Additionally, when you leave a hotel, they will inspect the room for unusual problems. A bedspread that seems dirty to them may go on your bill or credit card if you do not report it to them, to begin with.

Whenever you see a problem in your hotel, take a photo of it and report it to the hotel staff as soon as you can.

Any stain or scent of uncleanliness should be reported to the hotel. Dirt, rotten food, cigarette smoke, and many other stale scents can create a problem in a hotel room.

You don’t want to be charged for that.

Is the cleanliness of bedding in a hotel room regulated by law?

The cleanliness of bedding in a hotel room is regulated by state law. Every state will have different regulations.

On average, though, there is a minimum expectation that cleanliness is maintained with the bedding of your room.

For the truly astute guest, you may want to investigate or research those laws before you go to a hotel.

research laws

You don’t want to become a horrible guest that complains too much about nothing but knowing what the expectations are ahead of time could help you.

Check the standards briefly before you travel.

It is going to be a rare event where the cleanliness of the bedding is not going to meet the expectations of state law, so keep that in mind.

If you are truly concerned about the cleanliness of your bedding in accordance with state regulations, ask about the hotel’s bedding laundering policy when you are making your reservation.

It would not be unusual today to ask a hotel to offer a clean and freshly washed bedspread before you arrive.

Do hotels think it is wrong if a guest complains about dirty bedding?

A hotel may not like it if a guest complains about dirty bedding. However, unless the guest is just plain in the wrong, the hotel can’t think that it is a problem request.

The hotel staff may complain amongst themselves because they have a little extra work to do before you arrive, or in between the evenings of your stay.

choose a different location to stay in

A hotel can only offer you their policy if they do not agree with you. The best thing to do to avoid problems such as this is to check the policy ahead of time.

If it does not work for you, choose a different place to stay.

When hotel bedding is regulated by law, sometimes the wording of the law can be ubiquitous, and hotel policy will be worded just as ubiquitously.

The law or policy may be worded in such a way that states the bedding needs to be cleaned regularly.

Keep this in mind when you are complaining or presenting problems to hotels, but you can always request to have your bedding laundered if it does not meet your own personal standards.

How often are bedspreads changed or cleaned in a hotel room?

The most common average here is four times a year, for a hotel room to clean the bedspreads of its rooms.

This will involve a detailed schedule where all of the hotel rooms get done at the same time, or on a rotating schedule so that they are cleaned four times annually.

This is not a hard and fast rule, however, and some hotels will clean bedspreads even less.

It won’t matter what kind of room it is. If it is a pet-approved room or a smoking room, hotels will follow their own policy on cleaning bedspreads, regardless of if there is a problem or not.

higher-rated chain

Again, if you want a hotel that has a more rigorous schedule for changing its bedspreads, reserving with a higher-ranked or higher-rated chain or brand may be the easiest solution for you.

There are some hotel chains that promise to have their bedspreads changed and cleaned in-between guests.

The Marriott Hotel brand is said to be one of them. Check with the hotel before you arrive to see if their policies and regulations meet your expectations.

Can a guest do anything to ensure a cleaner stay?

A hotel guest can always plan ahead to ensure their stay in a strange building where others have slept is consistent with their standards of cleanliness.

At the same time, hotels know that the guests have a reasonable expectation of taking some responsibility here.

While the hotel must offer cleanliness, every guest is different and may have their own standards.

The hotel is not required to meet every standard. Again, you can check for signs of bedbugs or other pests.

You can also take the steps that you need to take to ensure cleanliness in your hotel room.

hotel room

You can sanitize your own hotel room with wipes or cleaners if you are unhappy with the hotel’s standard of care.

Many hotel guests also bring their own hotels and even bedding sometimes when they are concerned about standards and cleanliness.

When you are using hotels, use your common sense and some preparedness before you arrive to ensure an enjoyable and healthy stay every time.