Pillow Shams

[Suzie Q]

We like the look of shams in our rooms. For some reason the guests consider them pillows. They will not wash nearly as long/well as pillow cases. How do you prevent guests from using them as pillows? Remove them from the rooms at breakfast?

 

[EmptyNest]

I always did a turn down when guests were out to dinner, took the sham pillows off the bed and put them away in a closet. I had 4 other pillow on the bed, so they had plenty others.

 

[BananaE29]

I think extra pillows will help. I have four on my beds also. I don't do turndown service, but most don't use them. Maybe 20% do.

 

[Madeleine]

You can't. We have 4 pillows PLUS the shams on the beds and still guests use the sham pillows to sleep. Here's what I have done with 'worn' shams...use them to make new ones. Usually the edges are fine, it's the center that gets dingy. Take a coordinating or contrasting fabric, cut it to fit inside the 'frame' created by the edge, turn under the raw edges and sew in place. New sham in no time.
I had white shams with a baby blue edge. I put a navy blue floral inside the 'frame' created by the baby blue border and had a striking new sham in about 30 minutes. Did all 3 of them in a little over an hour. Wish I had thought of this before I threw out all the old shams I had collected.
Yes, it's a lot of work to have to wash all the shams along with the pillow cases. I don't have backups so sometimes the shams are out of the room for a few days while the covers get washed.

 

[JBloggs]

They are on the bed. This means use them.
(I put two pillows in each sham so they are not quite as comfy as one pillow and this prevents some of it, but there is no way to no for sure who uses what when they are in the room).

 

[Suzie Q]

I always did a turn down when guests were out to dinner, took the sham pillows off the bed and put them away in a closet. I had 4 other pillow on the bed, so they had plenty others..

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Generic]

They are on the bed. This means use them.
(I put two pillows in each sham so they are not quite as comfy as one pillow and this prevents some of it, but there is no way to no for sure who uses what when they are in the room)..

I also put two pillows into them, which means them uncomfortably hard. For the most part, guests remove them.
We also reverse the order of the pillows, putting the pillows in front of the shams. This also helps.
But you may have noticed that most hotels don't do shams and eventually we will go that way, with two sets of pillows on bed instead and well, it isn't as fancy but at least it's nice and clean.

 

[muirford]

We have always had four pillows on our beds with two spares (in pillowcases) in the room. We changed the beds to just put one shammed pillow in the middle for decoration. We don't do turndown, so we don't take the pillow off the bed, but since most shams come in pairs it's easy enough to swap one out if it's been used. I will admit to using shammed pillows (not to sleep on, but between my knees for back support) if I'm in a guest room that doesn't have more than one pillow per person on the bed.

 

[Madeleine]

We have always had four pillows on our beds with two spares (in pillowcases) in the room. We changed the beds to just put one shammed pillow in the middle for decoration. We don't do turndown, so we don't take the pillow off the bed, but since most shams come in pairs it's easy enough to swap one out if it's been used. I will admit to using shammed pillows (not to sleep on, but between my knees for back support) if I'm in a guest room that doesn't have more than one pillow per person on the bed..

We had a guest use the sham pillow but she took the pillowcase off a pillow she wasn't using and put it over the sham. Both to protest herself AND the sham. I thought that was nice of her to do. Most people don't think that the shams don't get washed every time.

 

[gillumhouse]

I am utilitarian - 2 pillows on the bed and 2 extras in the drawers of the drewser. If they need more - let me know. I have a nice collection of shams for the next owner.

 

[Mtatoc]

I always did a turn down when guests were out to dinner, took the sham pillows off the bed and put them away in a closet. I had 4 other pillow on the bed, so they had plenty others..

Thanks for the ideas!
.

They usually ended up on the floor. Already had four pillows on the bed, so just got rid of them.

 

[mypillow]

Most pillows are designed to break down.when you would wake up in the morning with a sore arm, you neck would hurt, your fingers would be numb, and uoy would toss and turn all night not knowing why. you tried many different pillows on the market and none of them worked. So, we started to research pillows and study sleep disorders. we ware adamant about creating the world’s healthiest, most comfortable, and most durable pillow.