Laundry Volume Management: How Mid-Size Hotels Can Optimize Linen Turnover

A challenge that most mid-size hotels have dealt with is managing their laundry. These hotels can have anywhere from 26 all the way up to 300 rooms or more. This means that, compared to small hotels, midsize hotel housekeepers may have hundreds or thousands of extra linens to wash each week. 

The demand for mid-size hotels is on the rise. With an increase in the number of guests staying in these midsize hotels, the risk of hotel linen turnover also increases. Wear and tear, linen damage, seasonal demands, and guest behavior all have drastic effects on linen turnover. 

M & F Laundry will explain the keys to proper hotel laundry management for mid-size hotels, in order to optimize hotel linen turnover, streamline operations, and reduce costs for your incredible business. 

How Can I Optimize My Hotel Linen Turnover? 

These are some useful ways to reduce your hotel linen turnover: 

Set Up a Linen Rotation System 

Repeatedly using the same towels, robes, washcloths, bedsheets, pillowcases, and other hotel linens in a short amount of time will wear them down. A linen rotation system is essential. 

By setting up a linen PAR rule (“PAR” stands for periodic automatic replacement), you can keep track of the minimum number of linens you need to keep your hotel flowing smoothly. Most mid-size hotels have a 3-PAR rule. 

This means that your staff has three sets of linen per guest bed. One set of linens is used in the guest room, one is in the laundry, and one serves as a backup. With this, you can easily rotate through linens so that one set doesn’t get used too much and worn down too quickly. 

Educate Staff on Proper Hotel Linen Care 

If you do your own laundry on-site, then your housekeeping staff are likely already familiar with how to properly wash, dry, fold, and manage your linens. However, more delicate items like robes or pillowcases may need different washing cycles or detergents to avoid damaging softer fabrics.  

You can educate your housekeeping staff to properly care for your linens by: 

• Making sure they carefully read manufacturer labels before washing linens.  

• Training everyone the same way and demonstrating how each linen item should be washed.  

• Ensuring that they properly separate your soiled linens, to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria, and to comply with safety standards. 

• Using gentler cycles to avoid damaging delicate items. 

• Instructing staff to avoid unnecessary linen changes for guests that are staying multiple nights. 

• Ensuring that your team knows how to check linens for wear and tear, so that they can be repaired or replaced. 

• Teaching staff how to properly store linens in a cool, dry place, away from heat or sunlight. 

Establish Guest Policies for Hotel Linens 

Your guests may also inadvertently contribute to a higher hotel linen turnover. Spills from food or drinks can cause serious damage to linens and result in replacements being needed sooner. Guests may even take some linens home as souvenirs. 

Setting up clear rules for guests and explaining them properly is crucial for effective hotel laundry management. Remind guests to avoid making big messes on your linens, if possible, especially on delicate bedsheets, and implement fines for linens that are taken without permission.  

With guests, some linen turnover is inevitable, but there are steps you can take to minimize your losses and increase your hotel linens’ lifespan.  

M & F Laundry is the Ideal Hotel Laundry Management Partner 

We know that you and your team already have enough on your plate running a mid-size hotel. That’s why us here at M & F Laundry are always prepared to be your trusted hotel laundry management partner. 

We have more than 50 years of experience in serving the Los Angeles hospitality industry. Our team of experts specialize in washing customer-owned goods (COG) for mid-size hotels, including duvets, pillows, mattress pads, and more. 

We have also worked with luxury brands such as Frette, Matouk, and many others. No matter what kind of hotel you run, you can always count on M & F Laundry to make hotel laundry management quick, easy, and affordable. Your hotel linen turnover will be more optimized than ever. 

Call Us Today to Get Hotel Linen Turnover Under Control 

Your hotel linen turnover says a lot about the efficiency of your business and the professionalism of your brand. Getting your linen turnover under control with rotation systems, standardized linen maintenance, and clear rules for guests will save your hotel plenty of time and money. M & F Laundry is always ready to help you with your hotel laundry management needs. 

Get in touch with us online to learn more about how our hotel laundry services can streamline your operations and elevate your hotel.