My family is full of these difficult guests who believe that because they’re guests the host should let them do anything or else they’re rude, but they are also completely oblivious and messy. My mom claims our water is too harsh on her face to use with her usual cleanser and makeup remover, so she doesn’t use either and says “it’s never been a problem at my own house”. She’ll partially wash her face and then spread makeup and mascara all over the sheets and pillowcases. After the first time I bought a set of sheets just for her to ruin. Of course, the next time she showed up after that she came into the kitchen to let me know that I had put stained sheets on her bed. She asked for fresh ones and accused me of giving her a bed with used sheets on it.

Anonymous wrote:You aren’t fit to host.

The end.

Or maybe some people aren’t fit to be guests?!

You aren’t fit to host.

The end.

Anonymous wrote:I host a lot but make things clear for the guest. I tell them either just leave the sheets and towels in front of the washer or throw the towels in the washer and the sheets on the floor.

We don't allow food all over our house. Inhare cleaning sticky messes outside of the kitchen nut inevitably I have a guest that let's their kid eat gogurt in a bedroom or living room. I sigh and clean it up.

You need to treat your wood furniture if you don't want people leaving sweat stains. I put a glass cover on a lot of my wood furniture for this reason. No one uses coasters.

OP here. We don’t allow food about the house either, especially for kids. However, as you say, parents allow their kids to do strange things. Similarly, parents let their kids eat a greasy grilled cheese sandwich and transition to toys and furniture without washing their hands. Crazy to me, but obviously a standard for many.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. These responses are kinda interesting, and thanks for sharing. They seem to be in three camps : 1) you need to expect wear-and-tear because people have different standards, and some live rough; 2) you need to instruct your guests how to meet your standards or hover over them for the quick save. 3) you shouldn’t host.

To me, it’s astonishing that so many would-be visitors struggle with the basics.

Then again, I attended an elite private college and was a RA. I recall that some students thought it was their “right” to tear up the dorm because their parents paid rent. They didn’t seem to understand or want to understand that rent was for reasonable use of the space, not abuse.

I guess I’m cut from different cloth.

This speaks volumes to your character. Do not host. No one will live up to your standards.

OP here. These responses are kinda interesting, and thanks for sharing. They seem to be in three camps : 1) you need to expect wear-and-tear because people have different standards, and some live rough; 2) you need to instruct your guests how to meet your standards or hover over them for the quick save. 3) you shouldn’t host.

To me, it’s astonishing that so many would-be visitors struggle with the basics.

Then again, I attended an elite private college and was a RA. I recall that some students thought it was their “right” to tear up the dorm because their parents paid rent. They didn’t seem to understand or want to understand that rent was for reasonable use of the space, not abuse.

I guess I’m cut from different cloth.

I host a lot but make things clear for the guest. I tell them either just leave the sheets and towels in front of the washer or throw the towels in the washer and the sheets on the floor.

We don't allow food all over our house. Inhare cleaning sticky messes outside of the kitchen nut inevitably I have a guest that let's their kid eat gogurt in a bedroom or living room. I sigh and clean it up.

You need to treat your wood furniture if you don't want people leaving sweat stains. I put a glass cover on a lot of my wood furniture for this reason. No one uses coasters.

People are being pretty rough on OP. It’s weird not to wring out and hang up a saturated wash cloth. I don’t put drinking glasses on wood without something underneath.

Not in my house or anyone else's.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take good care of my things and have definitely had inconsiderate guests, but I try to keep it in perspective. Shocked? None of things you mentioned are shocking and try to value the people more than the furniture. I enjoy hosting and some wear-and-tear is part of the cost of hosting. If rings on the wood mean we had a great time drinking around the table, I can make a peace with that.

Honestly, I don't why the wet towels upset you. If they gathered all the linens and towels together --that's being a pretty good guest. If you want them to hang it in the bathroom in a specific way (because apparently leaving it on the towel rack is not acceptable?), just casually mention it. I would be walking on eggshells in your house.

OP here. Wet towels left on towel racks, spread to dry would be ideal. If a washcloth was immersed for face washing or bathing, wrung and hung would be nice.

See my POV is that a good guest collects the dirty bedsheets and towels in preparation for the host to launder, and would never leave them hung up like a princess.

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have the kind of furniture where leaving a glass of water is no problem. So they probably thought what with you being so fancy, surely your rich-lady furniture would have that feature.

The towels are no big deal - don't you wash sheets and towels together anyway?

Scratching furniture sucks, but that's kind of the cost of hosting - guests probably aren't used to maneuvering around your guest bedroom while holding a bag or wheeling a suitcase - they probably just bumped into things.

Maybe you should have lower-end things in your guest room or not host.

+1

OP, this in on you - you just don't know how to host.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have the kind of furniture where leaving a glass of water is no problem. So they probably thought what with you being so fancy, surely your rich-lady furniture would have that feature.

The towels are no big deal - don't you wash sheets and towels together anyway?

Scratching furniture sucks, but that's kind of the cost of hosting - guests probably aren't used to maneuvering around your guest bedroom while holding a bag or wheeling a suitcase - they probably just bumped into things.

Maybe you should have lower-end things in your guest room or not host.

NP. It’s not about the towels being mixed with the linens. It’s that they are wet and hiding in a “dry” pile and possibly damaging furniture and flooring.

I resolve this by telling my guests to leave everything and I’ll take care of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have the kind of furniture where leaving a glass of water is no problem. So they probably thought what with you being so fancy, surely your rich-lady furniture would have that feature.

The towels are no big deal - don't you wash sheets and towels together anyway?

Scratching furniture sucks, but that's kind of the cost of hosting - guests probably aren't used to maneuvering around your guest bedroom while holding a bag or wheeling a suitcase - they probably just bumped into things.

Maybe you should have lower-end things in your guest room or not host.

NP. It’s not about the towels being mixed with the linens. It’s that they are wet and hiding in a “dry” pile and possibly damaging furniture and flooring.

So put laundry bins or baskets in guest rooms, or ask them to strip beds and take all towels and linens directly to the laundry room. DUH.

I'm just wondering how long OP left the room alone without cleaning it after the guests left that it was a problem that a wet towel was bunched in with stripped bedding. Hours? Days? How long?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have the kind of furniture where leaving a glass of water is no problem. So they probably thought what with you being so fancy, surely your rich-lady furniture would have that feature.

The towels are no big deal - don't you wash sheets and towels together anyway?

Scratching furniture sucks, but that's kind of the cost of hosting - guests probably aren't used to maneuvering around your guest bedroom while holding a bag or wheeling a suitcase - they probably just bumped into things.

Maybe you should have lower-end things in your guest room or not host.

NP. It’s not about the towels being mixed with the linens. It’s that they are wet and hiding in a “dry” pile and possibly damaging furniture and flooring.

So put laundry bins or baskets in guest rooms, or ask them to strip beds and take all towels and linens directly to the laundry room. DUH.

Put more towel racks and hooks up.

I host people all the time. When they arrive I show them to their rooms and take an over the door towel rack and towels with me. I tell them that to use these hooks for their wet bath towels and i show them the outside hooks for the wet swim towels. I also do things like put coasters out for them. I’m not sure if my furniture has been scratched but I don’t have a wet towel and water ring problem.