If you’re shopping for the best bedding for Airbnb, you might be tempted to focus exclusively on thread count. That’s a mistake. While thread count can tell you something about your sheets, it’s not a perfect metric. Instead, look for other data points, such as the type of thread used, the weave, the breathability, and more.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to choose the right sheets by examining all of the data available to you. Whether you choose to buy your linens or rent from a linen rental service like Alsco, there are key factors you’ll want to keep in mind.
What Is Thread Count?
Thread count is a measurement of the number of lengthwise threads and the number of widthwise threads within a specific area. Typically, within the United States, thread count is measured in an inch of the fabric.
Thread count measurements aren’t regulated by an outside agency. That means manufacturers aren’t required to submit samples to a regulatory firm before they put a thread count on a label. Unfortunately, that makes cheating really easy.
Why Is Thread Count Unreliable?
Manufacturers know that consumers equate high thread count with a quality sheet. As a result, they do their best to adjust the numbers and make them as high as possible.
For example, some manufacturers use short and weak fibers that they must wrap (or ply) together to make one thread. When they calculate thread count, they include each ply as a separate thread. The sheet isn’t of a better quality, but it may seem that way.
Consumer Reports says consumers in the 1960s considered 180 thread sheets luxurious. Now, some companies say their sheets have a 1,000 thread count. With cheating like this, it’s very difficult to use this metric when you’re trying to purchase the right sheets.
7 Other Factors to Consider for Best Bedding for Airbnb
Just because you can’t rely on thread count doesn’t mean you have no data to examine. In fact, the label on every sheet can tell you a lot about what it is and how it works. These are the details to examine as you make your choice:
General Material Used
Sheets can be made of all types of materials, including cotton, silk, bamboo, and polyester. Including synthetic threads can make sheets feel soft and smooth. However, pure cotton sheets can make cleaning a little easier.
Type of Thread
If your sheets contain cotton, the label can tell you even more. Fabrics made of Egyptian or Pima cotton are made with very long fibers, so they’ll be both smooth and durable. By contrast, fabrics made of American cotton tend to be made of shorter threads, so they can be rougher and tear easier.
Weave
Sheet manufacturers can adjust the way that they weave their fibers together to make a big product like a sheet. The Sleep Foundation explains that several weave types are common in sheets, including the following:
Percale: Fibers are woven in a one-up, one-down repeating pattern. The resulting product is both breathable and crisp.
Sateen: Fibers are woven in a one-under, three-over pattern. The resulting product is warm and a little shiny.
Twill: Fibers are woven in a diagonal pattern, just as you see in denim products. These products are durable.
Jersey: Fibers are knitted, not woven, in these products. Sheets feel soft and stretchy, but they may not be very durable.
Color
Sheets come in almost all colors of the rainbow. While dark or brightly colored sheets could be pleasant to look at, white sheets could be easier to keep clean. For example, you can push harsher chemicals (like bleach) on white sheets without ruining them. You can’t do the same with dark-colored sheets. While there are plenty of ways to get the worst stains out of linen, white sheets are among the easiest to clean since you don’t have to worry about color preservation.
Breathability
In the United States, 14% of adults say they’re always too hot when they’re trying to sleep. If you put thick sheets on your Airbnb beds, you could make this problem worse. Choosing cotton blend sheets with a loose weave could ensure your hot sleepers are comfortable at night. And if they get cold, they could just add more blankets on the bed.
Wrinkle Resistance
Cotton threads may be easy to clean, but they can also wrinkle when they’re exposed to the heat of a dryer. Blended sheets can spring back quickly, even if you don’t iron them, so they always look smooth and crisp for your guests.
Cost
While you might be willing to splurge for sheets that you’ll sleep on every night, you might be leery of doing the same for your rental property. While you might treat your expensive sheets with respect, your guests are on vacation and might do things like eat on them or sit on them while wearing shoes. Keeping budget in mind is smart.
Let Alsco Uniforms Manage Your Airbnb Bedding & Linens
The best bedding for Airbnb is always clean. Keeping your sheets crisp and clean isn’t always easy. Let Alsco Uniforms help.
Our linen cleaning services include stain removal, cleaning, folding, and pressing. The sheets we deliver are ready to delight your customers, and you don’t have to do anything to keep them clean. Best of all, our services are gentle and environmentally friendly, so your sheets last longer.
We also offer full linen rental services, so you don’t have to worry about keeping your Airbnb bedding stocked. We handle the entire process for you, ensuring you have all the linens on hand that you need. If any item becomes stained or torn, we’ll replace it, so it’s taken out of the rotation. Contact us to get started.
References
What Is the Best Thread Count for Sheets? Here’s the Magic Number. (January 2023). Sleep Foundation.
Higher Thread Count Doesn’t Guarantee Better Sheets. (September 2013). Consumer Reports.
What Does Thread Count Mean? (February 2024). New York Magazine.
Best Material for Bed Sheets. (May 2023). Sleep Foundation.
Sleep Temperature Linked to Overall Sleep Quality, Wellbeing. (June 2023). Gallup.