Whether you’re doing it in-house or outsourcing, a reliable solution for your hotel’s linen is vital to running a tight ship.
Partnering with a quality commercial laundry and linen service means you can stay focused on your core business goals – while leaving the dirty work and logistics to someone else.
Here are 5 reasons you should reassess your hotel’s laundry situation.
Capacity is key
Designed with efficiency in mind, a good commercial laundry will feature state-of-the-art equipment that can handle large volumes without lengthy turnaround times.
The best way to find out if a potential partner is up to the task is to tour their plant. They should be able to show you a complete suite of matching tunnel washers, dryers, sheet ironers and towel folders, all ready to process thousands of items a day.
At the very least, make sure they’ve invested in tunnel washer technology. Tunnel washers are high-performing, energy-efficient machines that utilise the latest water recycling technology. Soiled linen is continuously loaded and passes through the tunnel in one direction, at the same time as water and detergents pass through in the opposite direction. Instead of waiting around for individual loads to finish, the soiled linen continuously goes into one end of the tunnel while clean linen moves continuously out the other.
Take notice of the quantity of tunnels, too. Most commercial laundries operate on one or two tunnels, while a better option will run off three, allowing them to process up to five tonnes an hour.
Greater flexibility
The service industry is driven by deadlines, and when you’ve got check-outs at 11 and check-ins at 2, time is always of the essence.
You’re going to want a partner that can collect, wash, dry, iron, package and deliver your linen when you need it. So find out what their fleet is like – avoid anyone that outsources their deliveries, and make sure their drivers are on rotated shifts, so you’re never left in the lurch.
A large-scale laundry can leave some wiggle room in their regular washing times, allowing them the flexibility to process urgent orders and accommodate extra tonnage if required.
And if your hotel routinely hires linen, or if you don’t have back-up stock when something is damaged, find a partner that invests in their own linen stock. With a range of sheeting, towelling and function linen at their disposal, they’ll be able to fulfil last minute demand at the drop of a hat.
Quality and consistency
Cautious people wouldn’t mix whites with colours in a domestic washing machine. On a commercial scale, the same principles apply.
A crucial benefit of having a third tunnel is that two can be used specifically for whites, while the other is reserved for colours. This extra capacity ultimately equals a better outcome for you – your whites stay white, completely uncontaminated by coloured dyes and the dirt that comes with it.
Find out how they go about the achieving a ‘gold standard’. You probably wouldn’t wash a wine-stained tablecloth the same way as a day-old bedsheet, so pick a partner that uses different techniques for different problems.
Another plus of partnering with a laundry that invests in linen stock is stricter quality control standards. While another laundry might be forced to let imperfections slide, a partner with stock on hand can make sure your linen meets and exceeds the benchmark.
Your carbon footprint
Don’t assume guests don’t care about your hotel’s green initiatives – they do.
Sustainable travel isn’t just a trend – it’s an indication that eco-consciousness is a mindset for many, and for good reason. So make sure your laundry partner prides themselves in plant efficiency and environmental savings.
Basically, better equipment is better for the environment. A major benefit of tunnel washer technology is that it uses much less energy and water than traditional commercial washing machines.
Plus, if you can let your guests know that the detergents used to keep their sheets and towels squeaky clean are completely biodegradable, without toxic chemicals, then you’re winning.
Community contribution
While some commercial laundries are stand-alone, profit-driven businesses, others are backed by broader, mission-driven organisations.
At Brightwater, we have a long history of providing not-for-profit care to some of WA’s most vulnerable people.
Based in Malaga, our 3500sqm commercial laundry exists solely to fulfil our mission: to enable the wellbeing of thousands of aged care, home care and disability support clients.
The commercial viability of Brightwater Linen allows us to reinvest in infrastructure, programs and research that benefit the people in our care.
Of our 2000+ workforce, we employ over 140 people at Brightwater Linen, who also provides supported employment opportunities for people with autism, via Autism WA.
With all profits sent straight back into our care services, the benefits of choosing a partner that pairs business smarts with a social agenda isn’t just good for your hotel – it’s good for your community.
Brightwater Linen provides commercial laundry services to hotels, restaurants, aged care homes, hospitals and the mining sector. For a fresh new take on your commercial laundry needs, or to tour our Malaga facility, call Chris Morgan on 08 9209 6800 or fill in an enquiry form.