Hotel Laundry Equipment Mistakes That Could Be Costing You Money
Finding ways to reduce expenses and increase profitability is important to the success of any organization. Finding a balance between delivering excellent customer service and remaining financially sound is a far more difficult issue for hotels than many people outside the industry realize.
However, there is one area in particular where there is frequently room for improvement. Laundry is one amenity that may make or break a hotel guest's stay. Everything from the freshness of the bedding to the softness and cleanliness of the towels contributes to a guest's experience of his or her hotel stay, and all of these factors are dependent on your laundry running at optimal efficiency. Despite the significance of laundry to the continuous running of a hotel, even the best hoteliers make a number of common mistakes. These missteps can result in unnecessarily high operating expenses, a decrease in guest occupancy, and slow or inefficient service.
According to our Scott Equipment experts, here is a list of the most common problems with hotel laundry equipment:
Not Cleaning Out the Washing Machine
This is a typical mistake made by first-time hotel owners and managers. After all, why would a commercial washing machine need to be cleaned? The reality is that not all water will leave the machine between loads. Commercial washing machines will have a minimal amount of standing water at the end of the day. If this water is left to sit overnight, it might stagnate, producing unpleasant odors that will cling to textiles cleaned in that machine.
To combat this issue, machines must be cleaned at the end of the day so that water caught in the machine's drum does not get stagnant. This will help in keeping equipment running at peak efficiency and prevent bad odors in your property's linen, sheets, and towels.
Overloading the Commercial Laundry Equipment
This is the most common error made by both professional laundry services and individuals at home. The temptation with enormous, industrial-size laundry machines is to fill them to the brink rather than to their recommended capacity.
When commercial laundry equipment is overloaded, it cannot distribute detergent evenly throughout the load or adequately agitate fabrics, resulting in partial cleaning cycles and dirt remaining in linens and towels. Not only that but working at full capacity puts extra strain on the equipment, leading them to wear out quicker. This raises the expense of laundry machine repair and/or replacement.
Underloading the Laundry Equipment
When management is concerned about overloading their machines, they may make the opposite mistake and not load enough laundry into their machines before use. This can be extremely wasteful. A typical commercial washing machine will use the same amount of water and energy with a half-load as it would with a full load.
In addition to wasting water, half-loads waste the time of laundry employees for in-house laundry operations. This approach reduces the total amount of laundry that can be processed each day by half. So, if your laundry business is at full capacity with full loads, completing half loads may mean falling behind on supplying guests with basics such as bedding linens or towels.
Using the Wrong Amount of Chemicals and Soap
When it comes to chemicals, you should always follow the recommendations. The proper amount of chemicals and soaps must be used in your hotel's laundry operation. While your hotel may include a range of services, bed linens and towels may be the most important factors in providing a positive guest experience (and that important 5-star online review). Work with your chemical company's representative to ensure that the correct formulas are used and chemicals are added at the proper point in the cycle. Using the incorrect laundry detergents will have a direct impact on linen quality and the guest experience.
Old and Inefficient Laundry Equipment
Old commercial laundry equipment is inefficient and has more issues and downtime. In the end, this might cost your hotel thousands of dollars more in utility, labor, and repair/replacement expenses. Having modern, energy-efficient equipment will save you money in the long term. Laundry technology is more advanced than ever before, which is advantageous to your hotel company. Laundry room and equipment management software, such as Dexter Live or Continental Logi Controls, can assist you in better managing your hotel's on-premises laundry facility.
Are you looking for the best laundry equipment for your laundromat, multi-housing complex, or on-premises laundry business? We carry popular brand-name machines including Dexter, Continental Girbau, and B&C Technologies at Scott Equipment. We are your partner for stress-free commercial laundry equipment from service and maintenance to parts and supplies.
Contact us today and we’ll help you set up all of your commercial laundry equipment, and we stand by everything we sell.