As an experienced host, you know that small details transform a good stay into a memorable one. You've perfected the bedding, curated the welcome basket, and fine-tuned your check-in process. But have you considered the importance of your shower products? The best body wash for Airbnb properties isn't just about cleanliness; it's about elevating the guest experience, reinforcing your property's brand identity, and protecting your bottom line through smart purchasing decisions.
In this guide, we'll help you decide between bulk dispensers and individual bottles, outline the key factors for selecting products, and provide a list of top body wash recommendations for all rental types, from luxury to budget-friendly. By the end, you'll have a clear framework for making this small but significant choice for your short-term rental business.
Best Body Wash for Every STR Style and Budget
We've vetted the options and selected our top recommendations, categorized by the guest experience you want to provide.
The Luxury Touch: For High-End Properties
When hosting in premium properties, your toiletry choices should reinforce the elevated experience, justifying your higher nightly rate. These luxury Airbnb amenities reflect quality and attention to detail.
- Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser: The gold standard for design-forward luxury properties. This Australian brand's amber bottles with minimalist labels elevate any bathroom's aesthetic. The invigorating, herbaceous scent appeals to all genders and creates a spa-like experience. While expensive (around $45 for 17 oz), its presence signals to guests that no expense has been spared in curating their experience.
- Malin+Goetz Rum Body Wash: This New York-based brand offers a blend of luxury and approachability, and it's a favorite in boutique hotels. The rum scent provides a unique, sophisticated fragrance profile with bergamot and plum notes that is upscale but not overpowering. Its amino acid technology creates a rich lather while being gentle for sensitive skin.
The Crowd-Pleaser: Best All-Around & Budget-Friendly
These trusted, cost-effective brands offer excellent quality-to-price ratios for Airbnbs and short-term rentals.
- Public Goods Body Wash: A top choice for modern, design-conscious hosts. The minimalist white bottle with clean typography looks far more expensive than its price point ($6.50 for 18 oz). The gentle formula features a subtle, gender-neutral citrus and herb scent. Refill pouches make this an economical option for bulk dispensers.
- Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals All-Purpose: A go-to solution for hosts buying in bulk. Available in one-gallon containers (around $40), this versatile formula can be used as body wash, hand soap, and shampoo. The clean scents like Cucumber Melon and Ocean Breeze are universally appealing, and the formula contains aloe vera for added moisture without residue.
- Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash: The ultimate safe bet for hosts prioritizing reliability. This globally recognized brand offers a hypoallergenic, moisturizing formula for all skin types. The gentle, clean scent and creamy texture provide a quality experience at an affordable price (under $10 for 22 oz), and the familiar brand name signals care and reliability to guests.
The Eco-Conscious Choice: Sustainable and Natural
These options demonstrate your commitment to environmental responsibility for properties that emphasize sustainability in their brand identity.
- Plaine Products Body Wash: The perfect choice for zero-waste hosts. This company's aluminum bottle return and refill program eliminates plastic waste. The vegan, all-natural formula comes in light, refreshing scents like Rosemary Mint Vanilla. While premium-priced (around $30 for 16 oz), it makes a major eco-statement that environmentally conscious guests will appreciate and mention in reviews.
- ATTITUDE Living Body Wash: This Canadian brand offers clean formulations without industry greenwashing, with EWG-verified status and biodegradable ingredients. Their large refill formats (up to 67 oz) make this ideal for bulk dispensers, and gentle scents like Wildflowers or Unscented cater to sensitive guests.
Why Your Body Wash Choice Matters More Than You Think
For short-term rental (STR) success, bathroom amenities are crucial. Savvy hosts recognize that this decision extends beyond helping guests get clean.
Your choice of body wash indicates your property's quality and attention to detail. A thin, watery formula in a cheap bottle can make a lovely property feel like a budget motel. Conversely, a thoughtfully selected body wash with an appealing scent and quality ingredients can feel like a luxury touch that guests mention in their reviews.
This selection helps define and reinforce your property's unique brand identity. A rustic mountain cabin features a pine-scented, organic body wash that complements the natural setting. A sleek urban loft showcases a minimalist, design-forward brand that aligns with the modern aesthetic.
Guest reviews frequently mention bathroom amenities. Common complaints include irritating scents, allergic reactions, empty dispensers, or cheap, ineffective products. The right body wash choice is connected to earning a 5-star review that keeps your property booked.
Key takeaways on why your body wash choice matters:
- It influences guest perception of your property's quality and attention to detail.
- It helps define and reinforce your rental's unique brand identity.
- It affects guest reviews and repeat bookings.
Bulk Dispensers vs. Individual Bottles
Hosts face a big decision regarding Airbnb toiletries: whether to install mounted dispensers or provide individual bottles. The best choice depends on priorities regarding cost, guest perception, and operational efficiency.
The Case for Bulk Dispensers
Wall-mounted dispensers are a professional, eco-friendly, and cost-effective solution gaining popularity among STR hosts. These systems let you buy your preferred products in larger quantities and dispense them through permanent shower fixtures.
Pros:
- Cost-Effective: After the initial hardware investment, the cost-per-stay for bulk body wash for rentals is drastically lower than individual bottles, sometimes by 70-80%.
- Eco-Friendly: Significantly reduces plastic waste from single-use bottles. This is important to environmentally conscious travelers.
- Operational Efficiency: Cleaning teams spend less time restocking bottles between guests, streamlining the turnover process.
- Prevents Theft: Guests are less likely to take a mounted dispenser than individual travel-sized bottles.
Cons:
- Upfront Cost: Requires purchasing quality dispenser hardware, which ranges from $20 to $100+ per unit based on quality and design.
- Hygiene Perception: Some guests have concerns about tampering or cleanliness of shared dispensers. High-quality, locking models can mitigate this.
- Refill Labor: Requires a robust cleaning and refill process to ensure dispensers are never empty during a guest's stay.
The Case for Individual Bottles
Individual bottles represent the classic hotel-style approach that guarantees a fresh product for every guest and offers flexible presentation.
Pros:
- Hygiene Guarantee: In a post-pandemic world, guests feel confident they are the first to use the product.
- Perceived Luxury: Small branded bottles feel like a premium gift or amenity, especially from recognizable brands.
- Simplicity: No installation required; just place new bottles before each guest's arrival.
Cons:
- High Cost: The most expensive option per stay, especially for higher-quality products.
- Environmentally Wasteful: Generates significant plastic waste, contradicting sustainability messaging.
- Inventory Management: Requires purchasing and storing large quantities of tiny bottles and monitoring stock levels.
5 Key Factors for Choosing the Best Airbnb Body Wash
Once you've decided on your format, use these five criteria to select the perfect product.
Scent: The Neutral Ground
For fragrance, neutral and universally appealing scents are safest. Light citrus, green tea, cucumber, or gentle sandalwood notes work well across demographics. Avoid strongly gendered, heavily floral, or overly sweet scents that can be polarizing or trigger sensitivities. Remember that what smells good to you might be overwhelming or off-putting to others in a confined shower space.
Ingredients: Prioritize Hypoallergenic
A guest having an allergic reaction to your toiletries can instantly tank your reviews. To minimize this risk, look for "hypoallergenic," "dye-free," and "paraben-free" products. Avoiding common irritants shows care and consideration for your guests' well-being. This is crucial in family-friendly properties, as children have more sensitive skin.
Brand Perception: Budget vs. Bougie
The brand name communicates a message about your property. A recognized, trusted brand like Dove signals reliability and comfort. A niche, upscale brand like Aesop signals luxury and attention to detail. Conversely, an obvious value brand can undermine a premium property experience. The brand you choose should align with your property's positioning and price point, guests paying $500/night expect different amenities than those paying $100/night.
Cost-Effectiveness: Price Per Ounce
Smart hosts consider the cost-per-ounce, especially when buying in bulk. This is the true measure of a vacation rental supplies budget. A $20 32-ounce bottle ($0.63/oz) is more economical than four $7 8-ounce bottles ($0.88/oz). Create a simple spreadsheet to track these calculations and factor in shipping costs for online purchases.
Eco-Friendliness: A Growing Guest Priority
Many modern travelers, especially millennials and Gen Z, value sustainability. Highlighting eco-friendly hotel toiletries that are refillable, biodegradable, or made with clean ingredients can be a selling point in your listing. Products with sustainable packaging or cruelty-free certification enhance your property's appeal to environmentally conscious guests while reducing your operation's environmental footprint.
Tips for Presentation and Management
How you present your body wash is almost as important as the product. For bulk dispensers, ensure they are clean, properly labeled, and functioning. Invest in quality dispensers with a modern aesthetic rather than utilitarian plastic models; brushed metal or matte black options elevate the bathroom's appearance. If using individual bottles, arrange them neatly on a small tray or dedicated shelf instead of scattered around the shower.
Incorporate toiletry management into your cleaning team's checklist. Checking and refilling dispensers is a non-negotiable step in every turnover. For high occupancy properties, implement a schedule for complete dispenser cleaning to prevent buildup or contamination. The dreaded "the dispenser was empty" review is preventable with proper systems.
Optimizing small details like body wash is crucial, but it's just one piece of the puzzle. A full-service partner can be a game-changer for hosts wanting to elevate their guest experience and operational workflow without the hassle. At Checkmate Rentals, we handle everything from guest communication to cleaning coordination, allowing you to focus on the bigger picture. If you're ready to streamline your operation and maximize your rental's potential, learn more about our transparent, contract-free co-hosting model.
FAQ
What about 2-in-1 shampoo/body wash products?
While 2-in-1 products save money and space, guests often perceive them as lower quality. For the best experience, we recommend providing separate shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, except in very small properties with limited shower space or those marketed as budget accommodations.
Where is the best place to buy toiletries in bulk?
Check direct-from-brand websites (like Public Goods), restaurant/hotel supply stores (like WebstaurantStore or Guest Supply), or big-box stores like Costco for the best bulk pricing. Online marketplaces like Amazon also offer Subscribe & Save options for regularly purchased items. We cover this in our guide to stocking vacation rental supplies.
Should I offer a bar of soap?
It's not recommended as the primary cleansing option due to hygiene concerns (sharing a used bar). A liquid body wash is the modern standard expected by most guests. If you choose to offer bar soap, it should be a new, individually wrapped bar for each guest, which creates unnecessary waste and expense. Consider providing a separate hand soap at the sink.
Conclusion
Choosing the best body wash for your Airbnb is more than just checking a box on your setup list. It's a strategic decision impacting guest happiness, operational efficiency, and your property's brand identity. By considering factors like dispenser format, scent, ingredients, brand perception, and sustainability, you enhance your property's overall experience.
These small touchpoints often appear in reviews and guest memories. The key is making an intentional choice that aligns with your property's positioning and guest expectations, whether you choose luxury branded products, crowd-pleasing classics, or eco-friendly alternatives. With the right body wash strategy, you are closer to consistent 5-star reviews and a thriving short-term rental business.
