One of the largest operational expenses for hotels is back-of-house laundry. Hotel operators know that these services utilize significant gas and water utilities, use valuable hotel manpower and also lead to more frequent linen replacement. What can a hotel do to cut down on these costs? See below!
1. Offer An Opt-Out Program – This is a very simple step that reduces utility and manpower costs without negatively affecting the guest experience. Management can instate an opt-out program for guest to choose if their bed linen and towels are washed each day. The AHLA estimates that this type of program reduces total laundry volume by 17% on average and also extends linen life.
2. Select High Speed Extraction Washers – Hotel owners can use high-speed extraction washers which dramatically reduce the amount of water used in a wash cycle. In addition, these types of washers cut down on linen dry times as linens enter the dry cycle with much less moisture.
3. Select Dryers With Moisture Sensors – Dryers with this capability determine when a load of laundry is dry and automatically turn off the cycle. Without this feature, dryers often run unnecessarily for extra hours wasting energy and putting unnecessary wear on linens.
4. Utilize Cold Water Washing – New cold water washing processes can reduce the water used per wash while also reducing your linen replacement. Some sources show that this can result in up to a 40% reduction in total water used compared to traditional wash cycles. This also means less water to heat translating to significant savings on a hotel’s utility bill.
5. Train Staff – Hotel staff can get too comfortable with simply throwing in dirty linens and towels, hitting start, and walking away. Managers must spend time training laundry personnel on the features of all appliances or they will not be utilized to their full potential.
6. Select Low Maintenance Linens – Utilize linens that are easier to wash. This will cut down on water used for laundering and reduce dry times.
7. Maintain Appliances – Laundry equipment requires regular maintenance and cleaning to continually operate at its highest efficiency. Maintenance personnel should check machine wells, inspect for leaks and clear filters on a regular basis.
The key to saving time and money on laundry operations is making those changes that make good financial business sense WITHOUT negatively affecting the overall guest experience for your customers. Guests will always expect clean, soft, white linens and towels, but how you go about delivering this is up to you!
