Hotel housekeepers confess: Why you shouldn’t make the bed before checking out

Hotel housekeepers have revealed some insider secrets about their job, including this surprising confession about the bedsheets.

A former hotel housekeeper has explained why guests should not make their beds when they check out, even if they think they are helping.

The Sun reports a perfectly made bed not only takes longer for staff to remake, but it can also cause confusion for cleaning staff.

The former housekeeper, who worked at a resort in Australia, told Business Insider: “If we think you haven’t used the bed at all, we may not change the sheet.

“So, it’s better if it looks slept in.”

So, to be helpful for hardworking staff, it’s actually better if you leave the bed unmade.

Guests who do want to help can ball up their used towels and sheets so it’s easy for staff to remove.

Resist your better instinct and leave the bed unmade.

People on Reddit discussed the bed etiquette when staying in a hotel.

“Anytime I stay at a hotel, I always strip the beds and pile the sheets and dirty towels together in the bathroom,” one person said.

Some explained how they had been taught to do this by their parents: “Every time we stayed at a hotel room growing up (which was a lot) my dad would bunch up all of the bedding and add it to the dirty linen pile.

“I never understood why until I was a house cleaner.”

Previous cleaning staff also replied: “Housekeeping loves it when you do that, it saves a lot of backbreaking effort.

Housekeepers have revealed the secrets of their job.

“Try and leave it on a waist-high spot too, as they often try and grab it all at once to speed things up and it’s less dangerous for their back if it’s not on the floor.”

Another former housekeeper explained leaving the TV on can also cause problems for cleaning staff.

If they can hear the TV playing, it means they “can’t tell if you’re in the room or not” and so have to call down to the front desk.

This can mean it takes longer for them to clean a room — especially if there is a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

Making sure everything is switched off and the sign is not on the door when leaving is the best way to help out staff.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission