6 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Hospitality Linen

With hospitality margins growing smaller and costs of goods ever increasing, any way to reduce cost and increase the life of assets is welcomed. While sheets & towels may seem like just another expense, with proper care and attention you can make your linens last longer and save on replacement costs.

Below are 6 of our top tips to get the most out of your hospitality linen:

Tip 1: It all Starts with Quality

The first step to extending linen product life and minimizing waste is to start with a higher quality product. Lower quality, cheaper products may seem like a smart way to save money initially, however, this strategy will result in the frustration of having to constantly reorder products due to premature rips, tears, or fraying. Spending a bit more money initially on higher quality products will save you significantly in the long run.

Here at Standard Textile, our engineered linens are designed using our patented Centium Core Technology^®. But what does that really mean? With Centium Core Technology^®, cotton and polyester are not blended together. Instead, our products offer a natural, cotton surface and a synthetic fiber core. You receive all the benefits of premium cotton, plus the strength of multifilament synthetic fiber at the core.

The result: incredible comfort against your skin, significantly higher strength, and extended service life. The tensile strength has been tested as much as 237% stronger than traditional textiles. For terry, we have can achieve 50% higher tensile strength.

Since the launch of Centium Core Technology^®, our hotel partners have reported significant savings due to the reduction of operational & replacement costs and the overall reduction of waste. We want your products to work for you, not against you. That’s why we created Centium Core^®.

Learn more about Centium Core^®

Tip 2: Manage Your Staining

Stains are inevitable, but there are ways to minimize their impact on your sheeting and terry supply. Tackling these laundry issues can save hoteliers considerably on replenishment costs.

Staining or rewash rates should average around 3% and most stained items should be processed through a stain reclaim process.

Good recovery rates should be 80% or higher. Spot stains early and separate linens accordingly so stains don’t spread in the wash.

Learn how to treat stains

Tip 3: Separate Products Before Laundering

Since most hotel linens are white, it can be tempting to combine them all into one load. However, different product types (such as sheets and towels) require different wash cycles and drying times.

And if you stock multiple different types of sheets/towels (for example 100% Cotton and 50% Cotton/50% Polyester) these should also be separated, since polyester dries much faster than cotton.

Combining different product types and constructions together will result in a less effective wash and potentially cause overdrying of linen. Both of which will reduce the lifespan of your linens over time.

Tip 4: Maintain Proper Wash Cycling

The #1 thing you can do to ensure your linens get clean is to NOT overload your washer. Overloading a washer will prevent mechanical action and linens won’t come clean. Overloading also contributes to staining, redeposition, and wrinkling.

Our laundry experts recommend that loads should be at 80% of your machine’s rated capacity. When properly loaded, the tumbling action will allow the load to drop at the 11:00 position during clockwise rotation or 1:00 position during counterclockwise rotation, allowing the linen items to open up as they fall.

In addition, an overly aggressive wash cycle can accelerate wear on products and cause them to be removed from your inventory prematurely. Ensure that your wash process, chemistry, and finishing procedures are appropriate for the products being washed and are managed correctly.

View other common laundry mistakes

Tip 5: Don’t Overdry

Most laundry novices don’t realize that over-drying is one of the easiest ways to cause wrinkles and shrinkage in your textiles. Believe it or not, you should never dry your hotel laundry until the items are bone dry.

Cotton in its “dry” state holds about 7-8% of its weight in water. Without this moisture, the fabric will be somewhat limp and prone to shrinkage and wrinkles. To avoid this, linens should still be slightly damp when removed from the dryer.

Another important tip is to utilize a cool down cycle. The hotter the fabric, the more prone it will be to wrinkle or shrink. Make sure your dryer programming includes a cool-down cycle and use it. That drop in temperature will help the fibers relax and minimize the potential for shrinkage and wrinkles.

Learn how to reduce wrinkles

How to address shrinkage

Tip 6: Let your Linen Rest

Lack of a proper par level will mean that your housekeepers will be taking linen straight from the dryer to their rooms. While you might think this is nothing to worry about, it is actually a worst-case scenario for your linens.

Without proper rest, cotton products can begin to lose strength and durability. In addition, using immediately after laundering can lead to guest complaints of “scratchy” sheets or towels. To avoid this, allow product to rest on laundry shelves for 24 hours.

This rest period allows the cotton fibers to re-hydrate and will ultimately extend the life of your bedding and towels.

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Need More Help?

Are you having any issues with product lifespan? If you have specific questions or concerns regarding laundry process or best practices, please contact your approved chemical supplier or feel free to reach out to our laundry experts at Standard Textile.