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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
In a continuing effort to save money, hotel chains are changing sheets for their customers less frequently, sometimes only weekly, according to a published report Tuesday.
USA Today reported that hotel chains are saving millions of dollars by reducing their changes of sheets. New guests all get new sheets, according to the report, but those with extended stays will no longer see the daily sheet changes that used to be industry standard, the paper said.
"It's a growing industry trend," Steve Samson, an executive with Marriott International (Research), the world's largest hotel chain, told the paper. Marriott's more upscale, full-service hotels began switching to every three days earlier this year, the paper reports.
Privately-held Global Hyatt Corp. went from changing each guest's sheets daily to every four days last year, according to the paper.
Some leading chains, including Holiday Inn, do not have uniform policies on sheet changes across the chain, according to a survey of companies by the paper. Some lodging companies, including Sheraton, Westin and St. Regis, all owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (Research), still make daily sheet changes.
The paper said that hotels are explaining the move as an effort to be more environmentally friendly, using less hot water, detergents and bleach to clean sheets. But the hotels see savings from less laundry and reduced labor costs.
The paper said that most hotels are willing to change sheets daily for any customer who requests it. Samson told the paper about 5 to 7 percent of guests make that requests, although that varies by hotel.
About 15 percent of the guests at one Marriott in California request a daily linen change, while only 2 percent at a nearby site do, the paper said.
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