Ironing the linens

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M

Mac

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So...last guests of the year are out of here. While changing the sheets (three suites plus bonus sleeping room) for our own adult children and grandchildren to come home and use for Christmas vaca, I was feeling guilty. I didn't use the ironed sheets for my own kiddos and I love them far more than I love my guests! Which leads me to my question. Do you iron your guest sheets? Use a vintage or new linen press? Hand iron? Have them ironed? I use a vintage press, which I live in fear of dying on me. We've been in b&b business almost two years and are learning as we goof up.
 
I use a Kalorik press board. Press my shams, duvet covers,pillow cases and just enough of my flat sheet where it folds over the blanket. Press my napkins too.
 
Pillowcases, duvets, top and side edges of flat sheets. By hand. While listening to books on tape.
Have a fun time with your family!
 
No ironing. Microfiber sheets and pull them tight on the bed. No wrinkles.
 
I iron pillowcases and dresser scarves. Napkins sometimes but rarely. Even after giving away 3 sets of full-size sheets, I still had at least 25 pairs of pillowcases and more dresser scarves than I care to think about that I ironed before my inspection (to get them off the dryer) and still have about 10 pair left to iron (small pile instead of the stack). I do not iron sheets. Flannel, wonderful flannel in winter does not get ironed, not even the pillowcases. I use standared iron and ironing board - no room for a mangle in this house.
I did just buy a steamer doohickey - since I have problems folding queen-size sheets, I wonder how the king-size are going to look. So I bought this hand-held steamer thing that I will look at after Christmas to see how it is used etc. Thought that might be a solution for stumble-bum folding with the cotton sheets this summer. (I HAVE thought of using the clothesline for folding - just keep fold, hang, fold until done and then just picking up the bottom to meet the clothesline/pins.)
 
gillumhouse said:
I iron pillowcases and dresser scarves. Napkins sometimes but rarely. Even after giving away 3 sets of full-size sheets, I still had at least 25 pairs of pillowcases and more dresser scarves than I care to think about that I ironed before my inspection (to get them off the dryer) and still have about 10 pair left to iron (small pile instead of the stack). I do not iron sheets. Flannel, wonderful flannel in winter does not get ironed, not even the pillowcases. I use standared iron and ironing board - no room for a mangle in this house.
I did just buy a steamer doohickey - since I have problems folding queen-size sheets, I wonder how the king-size are going to look. So I bought this hand-held steamer thing that I will look at after Christmas to see how it is used etc. Thought that might be a solution for stumble-bum folding with the cotton sheets this summer. (I HAVE thought of using the clothesline for folding - just keep fold, hang, fold until done and then just picking up the bottom to meet the clothesline/pins.).
Click to expand...
Any kind of table or counter top you can use for folding? I lay a clean sheet on a bed and use that when the counter is in use. I also use the ironing board - fold the sheet once lengthwise and throw it over the ironing board. Then you can gather it and fold as you gather. If lengthwise is too much then fold widthwise.
My cellar, where the washer is, is dirt. Have to fold upstairs where it's clean.
Just finished 10 sets of sheets. And 3 rooms' of towels. Hand me a drink someone.
 
Having a space big enough for folding king size sheets and duvet covers is my biggest problem. I hate it when they touch the floor and pick up lint or something.
I'm trying to picture something I could come up with like a tight clothesline at shoulder height I could throw them over to start the folding, then take the clothesline down afterward to get it out of the way.
 
I have an elna press which works wonders. I press pillowcases, tops of flat sheets and napkins religiously, my cotton sheets which I use less often are completely pressed & why they aren't used very often
wink_smile.gif
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Morticia said:
gillumhouse said:
I iron pillowcases and dresser scarves. Napkins sometimes but rarely. Even after giving away 3 sets of full-size sheets, I still had at least 25 pairs of pillowcases and more dresser scarves than I care to think about that I ironed before my inspection (to get them off the dryer) and still have about 10 pair left to iron (small pile instead of the stack). I do not iron sheets. Flannel, wonderful flannel in winter does not get ironed, not even the pillowcases. I use standared iron and ironing board - no room for a mangle in this house.
I did just buy a steamer doohickey - since I have problems folding queen-size sheets, I wonder how the king-size are going to look. So I bought this hand-held steamer thing that I will look at after Christmas to see how it is used etc. Thought that might be a solution for stumble-bum folding with the cotton sheets this summer. (I HAVE thought of using the clothesline for folding - just keep fold, hang, fold until done and then just picking up the bottom to meet the clothesline/pins.).
Click to expand...
Any kind of table or counter top you can use for folding? I lay a clean sheet on a bed and use that when the counter is in use. I also use the ironing board - fold the sheet once lengthwise and throw it over the ironing board. Then you can gather it and fold as you gather. If lengthwise is too much then fold widthwise.
My cellar, where the washer is, is dirt. Have to fold upstairs where it's clean.
Just finished 10 sets of sheets. And 3 rooms' of towels. Hand me a drink someone.
.
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
Any kind of table or counter top you can use for folding? I lay a clean sheet on a bed and use that when the counter is in use. I also use the ironing board - fold the sheet once lengthwise and throw it over the ironing board. Then you can gather it and fold as you gather. If lengthwise is too much then fold widthwise.
My cellar, where the washer is, is dirt. Have to fold upstairs where it's clean.
Just finished 10 sets of sheets. And 3 rooms' of towels. Hand me a drink someone.
Click to expand...
No counter space large enough to fold anything larger than a LUNCH napkin (dinner napkin is too big). Except on rainy days, the cotton sheets will hang outside to dry. I tried it with a queen sheet last time I hung outside. I think it will work to just keep moving the clothespins. The fitted will be my biggest problem - that is why I bought the steamer doohickey. Will update in the Spring when I start doing cotton again. Might try cleating the dining room table to see if that works (all beds are upstairs - a trip I make as little as possible).
 
Thank you for the replies. I love hearing about all your different places!
On a bed, I fold top sheets into half and then fourths, and then take them to my linen press to iron through all the layers, smoothing as I iron. The process goes fast that way. I iron the fitted sheets after I put them on their beds, carrying my steam iron and extension cord bedroom to bedroom! Pillow cases get ironed on the press too, folding them so they get lots of creases. I used to just iron them flat right before I put them on but then I decided I wanted my guests to SEE that I go that extra mile for them. I heard one guest tell another that she loves to come here because I iron the sheets. Hopefully we offer them more than that but I'll take it as the compliment it was intended! We get lots of repeat guests who ask for the same room every time, and one even asked for the same sheets that she had before. Luckily, I could make that happen.
 
Madeleine said:
Pillowcases, duvets, top and side edges of flat sheets. By hand. While listening to books on tape.
Have a fun time with your family!.
Click to expand...
just got all the Jean M Auel books, Ian flemming and game of thrones on Audible - cracking!
 
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine
 
JimBoone said:
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine.
Click to expand...
Welcome Jim and Maxine. Glad you were able to get the problem resolved.
Please introduce yourselves to the group. What area of the world are you in - not town if you wish anon, but perhaps region or State? It helps see your perspective. I am small 3 rooms in a tiny city so everyone knows I have no clue what it is to have a lot of rooms to flip and even more people to feed and satisfy demands from on a daily basis. I do have longevity as am in my 19th year.
 
JimBoone said:
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine.
Click to expand...
JimBoone said:
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine
Click to expand...
:welcome:
 
JimBoone said:
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine.
Click to expand...
Welcome.
I don't iron, but I tend to use sheets that are wrinkle-free. Anything that does need ironing, is donated to charity. I'm allergic to it.
 
Jon Sable said:
JimBoone said:
We are a mom and pop motel at a reasonable price point for our area, perhaps our guests don't have the same expectations as at some of your properties, but we don't iron our linen. Small, only eight guest rooms, but sixteen beds, mostly queens, all king flat sheets.
Thanks for letting us be part of the forum,
Jim & Maxine.
Click to expand...
Welcome.
I don't iron, but I tend to use sheets that are wrinkle-free. Anything that does need ironing, is donated to charity. I'm allergic to it.
.
Click to expand...
I share your allergy to ironing - we have got so bad we only buy non iron clothes as well!
 
We use an expensive no-iron cotton damask stripe sheet that does not need ironing- EVER! It is so worth it to us to pay the price upfront and avoid the extra expense of having us or our room manager iron. Ah-choo!
 
Arks said:
Having a space big enough for folding king size sheets and duvet covers is my biggest problem. I hate it when they touch the floor and pick up lint or something.
I'm trying to picture something I could come up with like a tight clothesline at shoulder height I could throw them over to start the folding, then take the clothesline down afterward to get it out of the way..
Click to expand...
They make retractable clothes lines if that is what you want. Install it on side of the room then put a hook up on the other side and you are good to go.
 
sachi3679 said:
Arks said:
Having a space big enough for folding king size sheets and duvet covers is my biggest problem. I hate it when they touch the floor and pick up lint or something.
I'm trying to picture something I could come up with like a tight clothesline at shoulder height I could throw them over to start the folding, then take the clothesline down afterward to get it out of the way..
Click to expand...
They make retractable clothes lines if that is what you want. Install it on side of the room then put a hook up on the other side and you are good to go.
.
Click to expand...
Yes, a retractable clothes line was what I was picturing. I'll probably set up something temporary first to see if it works. I just need a way to take sheets out of the dryer and throw them over something that will keep them from dragging on the floor while I fold them.
 

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