DEAR AMY: We recently had some dear friends stay with us for the weekend. We had a wonderful time with them. We fed them, even (due to some lost luggage) clothed them, etc. and they in turn treated us to a couple of meals. After they returned home, we discovered that they had used some sort of product which bleached both sets of guest hand towels and bath towels to the extent that we need to replace them. (The stains are very obvious, but we don't think our friends would have ignored this if they had noticed.) My husband thinks we should ask them to cover the cost or at least split it, as it goes beyond typical guest expenses; I am less inclined to do so, chalking it up to part of the business of having guests (though I certainly wouldn't want to replace my towels on a regular basis when I have guests). So I am writing you for your opinion. Should houseguests pay for damages they (presumably unknowingly) incur, or are such costs just part of the "cost" of hosting? Who should pay for new towels?
Hostess with the Mostest
DEAR HOSTESS: I think your household should absorb the cost of replacing your towels. Isn't hosting and guesting really a long-range exchange of expenses and inconvenience, all in service of a long and important relationship? If you choose NOT to approach your friends about this, make sure you really and truly drop it. Staying silent but judging them or seething about it is not good for your friendship.
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The Principle of Least Interest: He who cares least about a relationship, controls it.
I don't think I would like to stay at OP's house as a guest. I would be a nervous wreck worrying about the towels, did I clean up the shower/bath correctly, how about the toilet lid, etc. etc. LOL
Lordy, just towels, throw them out.
Someone was doing there own hair bleaching/coloring is my guess.
But the question wasn't about towels, it was about any damage to the hosts furnishings. I think it depends on the circumstances and the value of the item. I really can't think of any time I would ask my guest to pay for something they damaged unless they meant to damage the item.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
We don't have guest towels. Our towels don't match anything. They are simply for drying.
As for bleach, maybe they tried to clean up a mess and the cleaner had bleach in it. Most cleaners do these days.
Most of those experts say use all white towels and linens. Maybe for this reason.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
One time we made the mistake of telling his parents to help themselves to anything in the pantry or fridge. Next thing we know, ALL the alcohol was gone.
Now we just hide the alcohol except for the cheap stuff
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
My MIL had excreted over my feather pillow top mattress pad when staying over once. Fortunately we were in the process o remodeling and there was a dumpster out front for us to toss it in. It never occurred to me to ask her to pay for a replacement.
My MIL had excreted over my feather pillow top mattress pad when staying over once. Fortunately we were in the process o remodeling and there was a dumpster out front for us to toss it in. It never occurred to me to ask her to pay for a replacement.
Last time my dad and stepmother visited, she had just had some growths removed (cancers) from her face, and despite the steri strips and such, got little blood spots on the pillowcases and sheets. I debated trying to clean it, but then just trashed them
Does the bleaching affect the function of the towel? No? Then consider it a new design and use it anyway. Good grief.
This is me. They ain't fancy and don't match and may even have stains or bleach spots, but they are clean and do their job.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I would be sad because I have really pretty towels, but I would replace them without saying anything
I think I would presume that guests aren't purposefully trying to ruin stuff. But if you find out they are just the piggish sort, then if you are stuck having them over, hide the good towels and put out some cheap ones from then on!
My brother and his wife were visiting and in the middle of the night he got a bloody nose. He grab one of my cute towels and it was ruined but it was only a towel and I was glad it wasn't the brand new comforter set...
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“Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.” ― Julia Child ―
I usually buy the good towels around Christmas when they are on sale. They aren't that much really. If they get stained I use them for rags, hair dying towels, or give them to the animal shelter.
I would buy a couple of nice new guest towels and if they come again the next time I wouldn't say anything. I might replace the new towels with some older ones though if I was worried they would do it again.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
