You don’t need to start seeing holes in your bed linens to know it’s time to replace them. Watching for signs of wear and tear will indicate that it’s time to retire old linen and bring in the new before guests start leaving catty insults about your property on social media and hotel reservation sites.

According to the queen of affordable fine living, Martha Stewart, the sort of frequent washing hotels give sheets will break down even high-quality linens. Her advice is a good dollop of common sense: “Replace them when you see obvious signs of aging, such as stains, fraying hems or faded patterns.”

In addition to making a poor impression on guests, such signs of wear and tear indicate that the linens are becoming less comfortable for the guest.

If your sheets are getting close to daily use, you should be replacing them at least once a year.

Pillows need replacing as well. When past their prime they don’t properly support the necks of sleepers, giving guests sore, stiff necks in the morning. Generally replacing pillows every six months is recommended.

However, yours might be wearing out faster than that. To know when you should replace them, try the following:

Put the  pillow on a flat surface. Is it lumpy or bumpy? Can you see a permanent impression? If so, it’s time to get a new one. Pillows in good, usable condition have a smooth, convex curved surface, without noticeable irregularities.

Overstock.com recommends folding the pillow in half lengthwise, then “place your hand on the top. Hold in this position for 30 seconds and then release. The pillow should spring back to its original form. If it stays folded or doesn't spring back quickly, replace the pillow with a new one.”

Of course sometimes your guests will help you know when it’s time to get a new pillow by generously removing the old one.