How many towels do you need for 11 guests?
Short answer
For 11 guests with laundry done on site, plan on 33 bath towels, 18 hand towels, 33 washcloths and 9 bath mats: one set in use, one in the wash and one spare. With off-site laundry or a linen service, plan on 44 bath towels, 24 hand towels and 44 washcloths.
- Sample beds
- Two King beds, two Queen beds, a Twin bed and a Full sofa bed
- Bathrooms assumed
- 3
- Laundry per turnover
- 45.8 lb, 5 loads
- Closet space
- 9½ shelves
- Towels at catalog prices
- $488.31 (IKEA, Oct 30, 2026)
Eleven guests usually means a five-bedroom where one room has a single bed. At this size laundry takes longer than the gap between checkout and check-in, so the spare cycle is what lets the cleaner make up every bathroom on time. Our sample is a 5-bedroom home with 3 bathrooms: two King beds, two Queen beds, a Twin bed and a Full sofa bed. The math: 11 guests × 3 cycles gives 33 bath towels and 33 washcloths; 3 bathrooms × 2 × 3 gives 18 hand towels, plus 9 bath mats.
| Item | On-site laundry (3 cycles) | Off-site or linen service (4 cycles) | Cost on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath towels | 33 | 44 | $263.67 |
| Hand towels | 18 | 24 | $89.82 |
| Washcloths | 33 | 44 | $44.91 |
| Bath mats | 9 | 12 | $89.91 |
| Total | 93 | 124 | $488.31 |
Beds for 11 guests
Two King beds, two Queen beds, a Twin bed and a Full sofa bed in 5 bedrooms take 18 sheet sets with laundry on site. Adding the 11th guest costs $28.96 in towels: 3 bath towels and 3 washcloths. Laundry adds about 1 lb.
| Beds | Sheet sets | Other pieces | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| King bed × 2 | 6 | 22 | $1,029.84 |
| Queen bed × 2 | 6 | 10 | $609.84 |
| Twin bed | 3 | 5 | $229.92 |
| Full sofa bed | 3 | 4 | $157.96 |
| Pillows and pillow protectors | 30 | $449.70 | |
| Total | 18 | 71 | $2,477.26 |
Turnover laundry and closet space
Each turnover washes 11 bath towels, 11 washcloths, 6 hand towels and 3 mats: 17 lb, 2 loads. Bedding adds 28.8 lb, washed apart from towels. In all, 5 loads take about 6 hours on one washer and dryer, 1 hour past a 4 pm check-in, so the spare set goes out while the rest dries.
Clean spares fill 9½ shelves of a 24 in closet: 62 towels and mats, 12 sheet sets and their covers.
Planning weights, dry: bath towel 0.9 lb (VÅGSJÖN specs), King set 3 lb, Queen set 2.5 lb, Twin set 1.5 lb, Full set 2 lb; 12 lb per load in a 4.5 cu ft washer.
Adjust for your rental
What changes the count
- Laundry off site keeps a set away, which adds a fourth cycle: 31 more pieces for 11 guests (44 bath towels in place of 33).
- With 2 bathrooms instead of 3, 11 guests need 12 hand towels and 6 mats; the 33 bath towels stay, because they follow guests.
- Start the towel loads first. Towels are thicker than sheets and take longer to dry, so they set the finish time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a second washer for 11 guests?
It helps. 5 loads take about 6 hours on one washer and dryer and about 4 on two, which brings laundry inside a 5-hour turnover. Without it, keep the counts here: the spare cycle covers the gap.
How many towels hang in each bathroom?
For 11 guests across 3 bathrooms, set out 2 hand towels and 1 mat per bathroom. Hand out bath towels by bedroom rather than by bathroom so nobody comes up short.
Do it for your rental
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