One hotelier has revealed how a combination of the right guest house furniture and polite reminders to residents is helping to put an end to an outbreak of linen abuse.
The unnamed individual emailed David Weston of the Bed & Breakfast Association to ask whether any members have encountered scorch marks on their linen from guests who have allowed a laptop to overheat while placed directly on the bed.
Using a laptop in such a way can compound the problem of the battery overheating, as the soft surface of a bed can make it harder for cool air to circulate around the machine, and can block the fan exhaust grille, causing hot air to accumulate inside the case.
The email to Mr Weston said: "I have had an incident where a duvet protector had a large hole in it," and after replacing the linen, "I now have a hole in the new protector and a scorch stain on the duvet cover."
It went on to state that the rooms are furnished with bedside tables and desks for such purposes, but that an increasing number of guests appear to prefer using their laptop while in or on the bed.
"I have decided to put warnings in all of my bedrooms, but I would be interested to hear if this is a general problem," the email added.
The issue highlights the importance of providing the right selection of guest house furniture in rooms and communal areas - including chairs and tables that are at the right height to comfortably be used as a desk, rather than purely for casual purposes.
And the unnamed enquirer in this particular instance points out that if laptops can scorch through linen, using them on the bed could reasonably present a fire hazard, putting staff and other residents at risk.
For hoteliers keen to address this problem, it may be worth ensuring that rooms contain seating suitable for relaxing and for working - perhaps including a straight-backed chair in addition to a comfortable armchair or sofa.
This may help guests to recognise that parts of the room are intended to be used for specific purposes - and discourage them from using other items of furniture inappropriately.