Hotel-level bedding might be easier to achieve than you think. The secret doesn't appear to be a closely guarded industry secret and could come down to one simple, inexpensive method using a single ingredient.
For one cleaner, a tightly-made bed with smooth linens is the cornerstone of a well-cleaned room. Anais Aouchiche, housekeeping manager at Royal Champagne, says it's the "first thing your eye goes to."
Anais told Martha Stewart: "I always start with the bed. It’s the largest element in the room and the first thing your eye goes to, so if it’s not perfect, nothing else will feel right."
Misting with water
Jose Flores, director of housekeeping at The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, suggests gently misting the top layer of the linens with water once the bed is made, allowing the fabric to "dry into a crisp, tailored finish."
Jose said: "This technique helps the sheets dry into a crisp, tailored finish and creates an immediate first impression that makes the whole room feel more elevated."
Related towel trick
It comes as a method to restore the softness to hard towels that has recently emerged on Facebook. On the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips, one user asked: "How do you get towels nice and soft without using a tumble dryer?"
It sparked more than 150 replies - and one ingredient proved popular. One person wrote: "You need to start by washing them separately from your other washes and ditching the fabric softener. Then add baking soda to your wash. It makes them soft and fluffy, but I personally prefer a rough towel."
Another said: "Towels go hard because of the laundry conditioner. I always just use baking soda to help remove the buildup."
A third said: "The conditioner is bad for towels, so it's good to wash them now and again without it and use baking soda instead."
Limescale removal tip
In related news, Sophie, a cleaning specialist and the person behind Sustainably Lazy, recently shared a method for shifting limescale from toilets - and it doesn't involve bleach.
She said: "The trick to removing limescale is with acid and heat. Commercial cleaners tend to use hazardous substances such as hydrochloric acid or sulphamidic acid, which are toxic to aquatic life and unpleasant to inhale. They are definitely not the sort of chemicals I want in my home now that I have children. The acid of my choice is citric acid."
Sophie added: "Alternatively, you could use white vinegar, but I find citric acid is more effective and works out cheaper and better."
