So, what happens if an airbnb guest needs new sheets? Will you be expected to deal with that? How about if there’re other issues? You think the HO may ask you to help with that too? Have you asked these questions?
When I read in your original post:
I was under the impression that this was shortly before the sit started and after the sit was confirmed but now I am really puzzled and think that most of what I said probably don’t apply to you situation, which I still don’t understand
Was that before confirming the sit?
Tiny UK washer and dryer, the full set of sheets wouldn’t fit in at once so had to break them up.
Again I’m reading additional comments and curious as to why any sitter would agree to this?
Changing sheets in an Airbnb is a task that has absolutely nothing to do with pet/housesitting.
Is the real issue here the inability of many sitters to say a firm ‘No!’ to any HO request outside of the parameters of home/pet sitting. Please explain it to me because I’m truly puzzled….
I think we try to be helpful, I too might think oh just a set of sheets, I can do that to help out, then you find out it’s six beds! You’ve said yes so it feels bad to back out. Now that I’ve read this thread I am forewarned, already any mention of Airbnb on site I scrutinize carefully.
I wouldn’t even consider it @Joannacurwood
5 sets of sheets is still not 10 loads to wash, and our washing machines are not “tiny”, you exaggerate, they could be done in 2 loads maximum, but thanks for replying anyway.
It depends on the size and thickness of the bedding. Our superking set of Dorma bedding definitely needs washing in 2 loads - duvet cover in one, pillowcases and bottom sheet in another. cramming 5 sets of bedlinen into 2 loads wouldn’t adequately wash them. Regardless, having to deal with such a quantity of bedding is excessive and certainly not a task the sitter should have to undertake.
The OP wrote:
There’s actually no mention of washing here, but simply of changing the sheets, so maybe the intention is for the cleaner to deal with that? In any case, regardless of any prior agreement, with the goalposts now being changed from an intimated single bed change to six, it’d be reasonable to politely decline. If the HO subsequently wants to cancel because the sitter won’t agree to be her unpaid skivvy, then I’d let her go right ahead!
Edit: I realise the sit has now commenced. Did you challenge the HO, @Joannacurwood , or did you change the six sets of bedding? Please do mention this in your review.
We once did a sit where there was an Airbnb in the basement. One day, I’d left my phone on charge whilst we’d taken the dog out and I didn’t bother looking at it for the rest of the afternoon or evening. On going to bed, I noticed a high number of texts and missed calls from the HO, and a flurry of voice messages stating their Airbnb tenants were having trouble with their boiler and could we go immediately to sort it out for them. The final message was that they’d now remedied the situation.
The bottom line is; we’d have happily done our best to help if the guests had knocked on the door and asked, we took umbrage at the fact our assistance had been expected - indeed, demanded - by the HO, and rather smug that we’d not realised until after the situation had been otherwise resolved.
Where there is an expectation that sitters should provide additional favours at the HO’s bidding, it denotes entitlement, IMHO.
Even more of an inconvenience for you then. Please tell me you’ll give the owners an invoice for this work…..
As I’ve mentioned above, I had a housesit which had an Airbnb in the grounds but clearly stated on the listing that I wouldn’t be involved in it. A different matter when they caught me unawares when I arrived at 0700, 30 minutes before they left. I did say, half jokingly, I’d add it to the bill which they didn’t see the funny side of!
A bit of a silly thing to be arguing about, but Happypets was correct that there was no way to fit one entire set of sheets of the particular size/style used by that AirBNB into the specific size of washer/dryer the owner had available and I did in fact have to split them up In multiple loads. As I said, when the owner first asked for this favor it was presented as one time/one AirBNB guest. Then, when I arrived, I found out it was multiple guests stays thus multiple sets of linens.
Anyway, to anyone else reading this and considering doing a favor for a host, definitely ask more questions before you accept. Small favors are usually fine, but sometimes it turns into bigger ones and you end up feeling resentful, which is never fun.
One lady wants me to clip her cat’s claws—NO WAY!
I am honest and told her that’s not going to happen.
All in one free labour
Leave clean linens at the foot of the bed for guest to make themselves. It will reflect poorly on their Airbnb review and they will recognize their error in mixing platforms.
Say no. Suppose someone was intimate or menstrating in the bed – why do you need to strip it?
Ha. My cat that I had from 4 months old would let me clip his claws, but that’s only because he was used to it (and he still didn’t like it). My parents had a spicier kitty who would not tolerate that at all. One day my dad walked in the door and I said “good news! I clipped two of Pepper’s claws.” His droll response: “That’s one more than I might have expected.”
azfinch is not necessarily exaggerating. My daughter rented an apartment that came with a very small stacking washer and dryer unit. It could not handle a full set of sheets, and because front load machines use gravity for agitation, the small size required hours per load. 5 sets of sheets, with no blankets or duvet would have been 10 loads and taken days to complete.
Thanks for all your responses guys. It’s been solved now 
I think most of the people who participated in this thread would appreciate it if you could share the solution with us.
That’s great news @Joannacurwood thanks for coming back to the forum with an update .
It would be helpful if you can share the solution for anyone who is reading this thread because they find themselves in a similar situation .