Toilet paper and bathroom products in vacation rentals: how much to leave, what brand, and what it really costs

Toilet paper seems trivial. Until a guest writes to you at 11:30 PM on a Sunday saying it's finished and there's no more. Or leaves a 3-star review because "there was no paper on the second day." Bathroom products are one of those invisible things: if they're good, no one mentions them. If they fail, they ruin the stay. In this post, I tell you how much of each item to leave, which brands work, how much they truly cost per month, and the mistakes I see repeatedly.

Why this matters more than it seems

The bathroom is where guests judge the cleanliness and care of your apartment. An empty dispenser, a roll hidden under the sink, a low-quality gel that smells strange... all these translate into comments like "clean but noticeable that they cut corners on details."

And details cost little. We're talking about 5-15 euros per reservation, depending on what you offer. Less than an Airbnb commission.

Basic rule: the guest should never have to ask you for toilet paper, gel, or shampoo during their stay. If they do, you've already failed.

Toilet paper: how much to leave truly

This is where most fall short. Quick calculation:

• 1 person uses between 1 and 2 rolls per week
• A couple over a weekend (2 nights) uses 1-2 rolls
• A family of 4 in a week uses 6-8 rolls

The effective formula

Leave 1 roll in place + 1 visible spare roll in the bathroom for each bathroom for stays up to 3 nights. For longer stays, add 1 extra roll for every 2 additional nights per person.

Real example: 2-bedroom apartment, 4 guests, 5 nights, 2 bathrooms.

• Rolls in place: 2
• Visible spares: 4-6
• Total: 6-8 rolls

Cost: about 3-4 euros with decent paper.

Where to place the spare

In a nice basket next to the toilet. Visible. So the guest doesn't have to open cabinets or look around. Hidden rolls generate messages like "where is the paper?".

Which paper to buy

Type	Price per roll	Recommendation
Basic 2-ply white paper	€0.20-0.30	No. Poor feel, bad image
White 3-ply brand paper	€0.40-0.60	Yes. Good quality/value
Premium paper (Scottex, Colhogar)	€0.70-1.00	Yes, if targeting a high-end audience
Recycled paper	€0.50-0.70	Only if your property promotes sustainability

My recommendation: 3-ply white brand paper from Mercadona or Lidl. No complaints and it won't break the bank.

Gel, shampoo, and soap: dispensers or small bottles

There are two approaches, both sensible.

Option A: individual small bottles (hotel style)

Pros: premium image, hygienic, each guest gets a new one.

Cons: expensive (€1-3 per reservation), creates plastic waste, some regions prohibit or discourage them due to environmental regulations.

Option B: refillable wall-mounted dispensers

Pros: much cheaper long-term (€0.20-0.50 per reservation), sustainable, practical.

Cons: need refilling, cleaner must check them each rotation, some guests distrust their cleanliness.

Actual cost comparison

Assuming 10 reservations per month with an average of 2 guests:

System	Monthly cost	Annual cost
Small individual bottles	€20-30	€240-360
Refillable dispensers	€4-6	€50-70
Large bottles without dispensers	€8-12	€100-140

Dispensers pay for themselves in 2 months. Done.

Which products to include

Minimum acceptable:

• Shower gel
• Shampoo
• Hand soap

Recommended (to improve reviews):

• Conditioner
• Body gel separately
• Facial soap

Brands that work well in dispenser format:

• Rituals: expensive but premium (about €20 per large bottle)
• The Body Shop: mid-range, good image
• Mercadona's white label (Deliplus): cheap and decent
• Eco-label from hotel suppliers: ideal if you have multiple properties

Hand soap: don't forget it

It's the most forgotten product. Installing a hand soap dispenser next to the sink costs €3 and is noticed by guests (even if they don't say so).

Avoid soap bars. They are unhygienic, melt, fall. Always use a dispenser.

Other bathroom products that add points

Cheap items that improve perceived quality:

• Cotton swabs: €1 per pack, in a nice container
• Makeup remover pads: €2 per pack
• Tissue paper (Kleenex): €1 per box, lasts for 3-4 stays
• Decent hairdryer: mandatory, not a €10 one
• Magnifying mirror: €15 once, very popular

Total cost per stay for these extras: less than €1. Impact on reviews: significant.

What NOT to do

• Leave products from previous reservations started. It's noticeable. Disgusting. Guaranteed 1-star review.
• Buy the cheapest gel from the supermarket with an industrial bleach smell. The smell lingers in the bathroom.
• Refill expensive brand bottles with cheap product. Guests notice. Worse than not providing it.
• Use only one roll of paper for the entire stay. Stingy and noticeable.
• Broken or poorly fixed dispensers. Worse than not having them.

How much it really costs per month

For a 2-bedroom apartment with 10 reservations per month (about 25 occupied nights):

Item	Monthly cost
Toilet paper (3-ply)	€15-20
Gel, shampoo, soap (dispensers)	€5-8
Tissues, cotton swabs, extras	€3-5
Total	€25-35

This is less than 2% of your average revenue. And it's among the investments with the best return in reviews.

Protocol for your cleaner

Provide a clear checklist for each rotation:

1. Check dispenser levels. Refill if below 50%
2. Count toilet rolls. Restock to minimum level
3. Check tissues, cotton swabs, makeup pads
4. Clean dispensers externally (they accumulate dry soap)
5. Change hand soap every 3-4 reservations (even if product remains)

Without a written protocol, this is forgotten. With a written protocol, it becomes automatic.

If you're interested in deepening your understanding of proper cleaning management, more details are available in cleaning in vacation rentals: how much to charge, what to include, and how to avoid burnout. And for general welcome products, check out welcome products in vacation rentals.

How Autoregistro fits in

Toilet paper and gel are part of those operational details that eat up your time. Another is the guest registration in SES Hospedajes, which by law you must do for each guest.

Autoregistro automates this: you send a link to the guest, they fill out their details from their phone, and we send them to SES Hospedajes for you. Costs €1 per month per property (less than a coffee) and saves you the hassle of manually entering data each time.

This way, you can focus on the things that truly improve your reviews, like ensuring there's always toilet paper in the bathroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just put 2-in-1 gel (shampoo and gel together)?

Yes, but it lowers perceived quality. It's the same cost to have two separate dispensers and looks much better. Guests with long hair especially appreciate this.

Are refillable dispensers legal in regulated tourist areas?

Yes, generally. In fact, more regions are recommending them for environmental reasons. For example, Balearic Islands have restricted single-use small containers in hotels, and this trend is spreading. Check your regional regulations.

How much toilet paper should I leave for a long stay (more than a week)?

Leave enough for the first week according to the formula in the post, and inform the guest via the welcome manual that if they need more, they can request it or find replacements in X place. For stays over 15 days, consider an intermediate restock.

Is it worth using premium brands like Rituals?

Depends on your audience and price. If you charge more than €150 per night or sell your property as an "experience," yes. If you're in the mid-range segment, decent white label brands work perfectly. The key is that it smells good and doesn't give a cheap impression.

What if the guest takes the bottles or the paper?

It happens. Not often, but it does. That's why wall-mounted dispensers are better: they can't be taken. And don't worry about the paper; the cost is minimal compared to the review you save.