When do you do the endless piles of ironing?

[Sanctuary]

I pull my 100% cotton sheets from the washer, and to the dryer for just 4-5 minutes. Then, I put them on the beds, damp. I don't tuck in the flat sheet, but do make sure it's all smooth and not bunched up anywhere. I drape my pillow cases over the pillow flat. In about 30 minutes or so, they are dry and look as though they have been ironed. Then, I finish making the bed. I ususally have time to do a sheet change like this, too, since my guests are usually gone during the day. I only need a couple of hours of their absence to wash and dry what I remove from the bed. I do have back up sets that are dried in this same fashion, and then put away. The wrinkles are minimal for those.

 

[Morticia]

I pull my 100% cotton sheets from the washer, and to the dryer for just 4-5 minutes. Then, I put them on the beds, damp. I don't tuck in the flat sheet, but do make sure it's all smooth and not bunched up anywhere. I drape my pillow cases over the pillow flat. In about 30 minutes or so, they are dry and look as though they have been ironed. Then, I finish making the bed. I ususally have time to do a sheet change like this, too, since my guests are usually gone during the day. I only need a couple of hours of their absence to wash and dry what I remove from the bed. I do have back up sets that are dried in this same fashion, and then put away. The wrinkles are minimal for those..

You don't find this makes the mattress damp? When I was ironing the all cotton sheets, they were never quite dry when they went back on the beds and they didn't dry out all the way before the guests checked in. I had to stop doing that because the beds felt damp to the guests.

 

[Sanctuary]

I've had no issues with damp beds or mildew whatsoever. I learned this from a fellow yachtie and learned that that is standard practice in the charteryacht world. Perhaps, we are avoiding the dampness issue by the AC running all the time which further reduces humidity. And the sheets are not real wet coming out of the washer either, and then they hit the hot dryer for 4-5 minutes. The sheets don't get tucked in until completely dry. All I can say is that it works like a charm for us.

 

[Morticia]

I've had no issues with damp beds or mildew whatsoever. I learned this from a fellow yachtie and learned that that is standard practice in the charteryacht world. Perhaps, we are avoiding the dampness issue by the AC running all the time which further reduces humidity. And the sheets are not real wet coming out of the washer either, and then they hit the hot dryer for 4-5 minutes. The sheets don't get tucked in until completely dry. All I can say is that it works like a charm for us..

Must be the A/C. Good point. We don't run the A/C here the way you would there!

 

[ginocat]

I have read somewhere that one should always let sheets "rest" between usage. I always rotate sheet sets on beds. I could never wait until the washing was done to re-make the beds anyway.
I also could not have damp sheets on the beds. We are too humid here.

 

[Morticia]

I have read somewhere that one should always let sheets "rest" between usage. I always rotate sheet sets on beds. I could never wait until the washing was done to re-make the beds anyway.
I also could not have damp sheets on the beds. We are too humid here..

I have read somewhere that one should always let sheets "rest" between usage. I always rotate sheet sets on beds.

Sometimes the resting thing works, sometimes I figure if I pull the sheets out of the dryer and put them on the bed, I've saved myself the folding up part.

 

[aquarijen]

Ok, this may sound amateur or silly, or there may be some health department thing I don't know about that makes this not a good idea (because I do not own my own B&B yet)... But I'm one of those weird people who irons her own sheets and that of her family because I like it and it is so darn easy... and how I do it?
On the bed.
Make the bed, plug in the iron and iron the sheets right on the bed.
-Jen

 

[Morticia]

Ok, this may sound amateur or silly, or there may be some health department thing I don't know about that makes this not a good idea (because I do not own my own B&B yet)... But I'm one of those weird people who irons her own sheets and that of her family because I like it and it is so darn easy... and how I do it?
On the bed.
Make the bed, plug in the iron and iron the sheets right on the bed.
-Jen.

Ok, this may sound amateur or silly, or there may be some health department thing I don't know about that makes this not a good idea (because I do not own my own B&B yet)... But I'm one of those weird people who irons her own sheets and that of her family because I like it and it is so darn easy... and how I do it?
On the bed.
Make the bed, plug in the iron and iron the sheets right on the bed.
-Jen

That's ok if you're limiting yourself to one or two beds/day. And once/week at that. 11 beds every day? Not for this old back!

 

[hawley]

I do alot of ironing while I am waiting for someone to check in or waiting for something else. Tend to do it in spurts. I only iron pillow cases and napkins.
Have some table cloths I have to iron and they are hanging on hangers waiting. Will probably iron them when I want to use them.
Edited to add: I think I will try to iron the table cloths by tossing on a bed that has clean sheets and see if I can iron them better that way. They are a real pain.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I actually really enjoy ironing. I just bought the Rowenta Pressure Iron and Steamer which holds 4 cups of water for a long ironing session. I use that to iron all the napkins and pillowcases. We have 1000 thread count sheets. I iron all my flat and fitted sheets but not until I go to make up the beds. I carry a portable iron with me to the room and put the fitted sheet on the bed first and then iron it until it is smooth and then i lay the flat sheet over that and iron it till it is smooth. Then make the bed like normal. I am a guy but I do pay attention to ironed sheets when I go stay at another establishment. I prefer sheets to be crisp and ironed.

 

[YellowSocks]

I actually really enjoy ironing. I just bought the Rowenta Pressure Iron and Steamer which holds 4 cups of water for a long ironing session. I use that to iron all the napkins and pillowcases. We have 1000 thread count sheets. I iron all my flat and fitted sheets but not until I go to make up the beds. I carry a portable iron with me to the room and put the fitted sheet on the bed first and then iron it until it is smooth and then i lay the flat sheet over that and iron it till it is smooth. Then make the bed like normal. I am a guy but I do pay attention to ironed sheets when I go stay at another establishment. I prefer sheets to be crisp and ironed..

Are your beds "smooth"? At least one of my mattresses is pretty puffy, and the mattress pad doesn't help much. How many beds do you do this way? Are any of them king sized? I have two king-sized beds and it's hard enough for me to get them made since I can only reach about half way across. You must have a strong back.
I do put sheets on the bed damp sometimes. If I do, I let it dry while I do something else (dust, clean the bathroom), then put on the top sheet and repeat the let-it-dry process.
=)
Kk.

 

[user 26]

i don't iron.
ever.
although i have a steamer for special things.
i send out the sheets and pillowcases ... they come back crisp.
i have no idea how you all keep up with ironing!

 

[YellowSocks]

i don't iron.
ever.
although i have a steamer for special things.
i send out the sheets and pillowcases ... they come back crisp.
i have no idea how you all keep up with ironing!.

We don't have EIGHT rooms!!!!
I don't know how you keep up with anything!
=)
Kk.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

You know the saying "It all comes out in the wash"
Well the sheets are the same way. Prompt attention as they are hot out of the dryer then the wrinkles come out when stretched across the bed. Pillowcases I iron altho most of them do not require it.
I cannot find super high thread count sheets that are crisp, I find them too warm, almost flannel-like. Soft and warm. Not crisp and cool.

 

[Samster]

i don't iron.
ever.
although i have a steamer for special things.
i send out the sheets and pillowcases ... they come back crisp.
i have no idea how you all keep up with ironing!.

If I had as many rooms as you & was as busy as you, I would send all the linens out, if there was a good, reasonable service available There's no way that I could stay on top of it. I have 6 sets waiting to be ironed right now (1 set is a new King set that I just bought & actually may be OK in the future without ironing. yay!) I have a friend with 6 rooms and she sends her sheets & towels out & found a great price for it. She's mostly a weekend biz & it costs her $60/week. Not bad, if you are running full & your rates are $200/night on average. I will get help with this when I can justify the expense since it's my least favorite thing!
I did try using a steamer with the fitted sheets when I was making up the rooms. It just took too long. With these larger rooms & baths, I just can't spend the time doing it that way & still get the rooms done in time :-(

 

[Samster]

I do alot of ironing while I am waiting for someone to check in or waiting for something else. Tend to do it in spurts. I only iron pillow cases and napkins.
Have some table cloths I have to iron and they are hanging on hangers waiting. Will probably iron them when I want to use them.
Edited to add: I think I will try to iron the table cloths by tossing on a bed that has clean sheets and see if I can iron them better that way. They are a real pain..

Best tablecloths that I have for ease of care are these Martha Stewart tablecloths from KMart that my dh picked up on sale after the holidays in January. They were marked down to $7 each for burgundy damask! They come out of the dryer ready to go on the table. I hang them up. He bought the only 2 that they had that were large enough for our table. I've been looking for other colors to go on sale

 

[1linda]

This is an interesting thread. I do not iron the sheets, once in a while the top edge. The friend that helps me once in awhile can make anything wrinkled smooth. Her beds look like a million dollars.
All the pillowcases are ironed, using spray starch. When I have lots of time I like to starch and iron, now that is perfection. As to table clothes, a guy that owned and grew up in a laundry said fold, smooth,and pile. even put a weight of some sort on top, let sit for 24 hours. I love this system. Do this with napkins fresh out of the dryer too. They may need a touch up, but no hard ironing. After the table clothes are finished sitting, hang on hangers. I fold my sheets the MARTHA WAY and pile. Lots of smoothing. They are piled in the closet. Basically the pressing goes on. Yes there are folds, but that does not bother me. Life is too short to stand for hours behind the ironing board.

 

[gillumhouse]

i don't iron.
ever.
although i have a steamer for special things.
i send out the sheets and pillowcases ... they come back crisp.
i have no idea how you all keep up with ironing!.

I only have 3 rooms, have multiple sets of pillowcases, and iron (usually) when I cannot make a bed because there are nopillowcases for the sheets available. I may actually iron today - even though it is only 2 pillowcases to do (just did a marathon of ironing) - but because I just bought some blouses that need touched up and I hate to plug it in for just for a couple blouses.
You have so many rooms with a heck of a lot more turn-over than I do AND you are doing it alone. If that were me, it would be "Get the rubber room ready, Elizabeth!" forget the "Big One".

 

[Morticia]

OK, I USED to iron. Now I'm going to the laundromat and using a HUGE dryer for the sheets. Nothing is wrinkled coming out. Wow! Who knew. I DO have a pile of 'old' pillowcases to iron. And my clothes. Next week...

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I have 4 king beds. It takes me about 5 minutes to iron the sheets on the bed. I have long arms so it works out well. I can even get down on the floor and crawl around the bed and iron it so I am not bending my back. I iron the pillow cases while I am waiting for people to check-in. We can't send the sheets out because they are 1000 thread count and one set of sheets (1 flat, 1 fitted and two pillow cases) costs about 500 dollars per bed so we don't want anything happening to them. They are going on year three and still great. I only use 7th generation laundry soap so since a lot of guests have problems with chemicals and perfumes.