How to Care for Commercial Hotel Linen & Towelling

Commercial linen and towelling is an investment, and with the right care it can provide excellent performance through repeated use and laundering.

However, caring for commercial-grade linen is different from looking after the sheets and towels you might use at home.

Hotel linen is designed to cope with frequent washing, high room turnover and the demands of the accommodation industry. Understanding how to wash, dry and rotate your linen correctly can help extend its useful life, maintain its appearance and provide a better experience for your guests.

New Commercial Sheets May Feel Different. That's Normal.

One of the first things people notice when they receive new commercial sheets is that they can feel firmer or crisper than retail bed linen.

Don't be alarmed. This is normal.

Commercial linen is manufactured with durability in mind. New commercial sheets have not yet been "broken in" through repeated laundering and consequently may feel quite different when first removed from the packaging.

Commercial sheets soften with washing and use.

After several wash cycles, the fibres begin to relax and the linen develops the softer, more comfortable feel guests expect, while retaining the strength required for hospitality use.

This is one of the important differences between commercial and retail bed linen.

For this reason, we strongly recommend washing new commercial linen before putting it into guest rooms.

Always Follow the Manufacturer's Care Instructions

There is no single washing formula that is suitable for every commercial linen product.

Different fabrics, blends, GSMs and constructions can have different laundering requirements. Always check the manufacturer's care instructions before washing a new range of linen or towelling.

This is particularly important when using commercial laundry equipment, where temperatures, chemicals and drying conditions can be considerably more intensive than domestic washing.

Don't Overload the Washing Machine

It can be tempting to squeeze another few sheets or towels into a load, particularly during busy changeover periods.

Overloading, however, can prevent linen from moving freely through the wash. This may reduce cleaning effectiveness and prevent detergents and soils from being rinsed away properly.

Correct loading also helps reduce unnecessary friction and stress on the fabric.

Be Careful With Bleach and Laundry Chemicals

White hotel linen inevitably encounters stains, but reaching automatically for strong bleach isn't always the best solution. We don't recommend it at all.

Excessive use of chlorine bleach and other harsh laundry chemicals can weaken fibres over time and shorten the useful life of linen and towels.

Use laundry chemicals at the manufacturer's recommended concentration and make sure they are suitable for the particular fabric being washed.

More chemical doesn't necessarily mean cleaner linen.

Where possible, treat stains promptly rather than allowing them to set into the fabric through repeated washing and drying.

Watch Out for Cosmetics and Skincare Products

Some of the most difficult stains encountered by accommodation operators don't come from food or drinks.

Make-up, fake tan, hair dye, acne treatments, skincare products and other cosmetics can stain or discolour white linen and towelling. Some products may even cause permanent bleaching or colour changes that only become apparent after laundering.

Providing guests with dedicated make-up removal face washers can help protect your standard white towelling from unnecessary staining.

For accommodation providers experiencing regular make-up staining, a small preventative measure can be considerably cheaper than continually replacing damaged towels.

Avoid Excessive Fabric Softener on Towels

A soft, fluffy towel sounds ideal, so using plenty of fabric softener might seem logical.

Unfortunately, excessive fabric softener can coat cotton fibres and reduce their ability to absorb water effectively.

For commercial towelling, absorbency, durability and drying performance are just as important as softness.

Use products appropriate for commercial towelling and follow the recommended dosage rather than assuming more softener will produce a better result.

National Hotel Supplies offers commercial towelling in different weights and constructions, allowing accommodation providers to balance guest comfort, durability, absorbency, drying time and operating cost.

Don't Overdry Your Linen and Towels

Drying is an often-overlooked part of linen care.

Excessive heat and overdrying can place unnecessary stress on fibres and may contribute to shrinkage and premature wear.

Where commercial tumble dryers are used, follow the manufacturer's recommended settings and remove items once they are properly dry rather than continuing the cycle unnecessarily.

Heavier towels will naturally require different drying conditions from lightweight sheets, so avoid treating every laundry load the same way.

Separate Linen and Towelling Where Appropriate

Sheets and towels behave differently during laundering.

Towelling is heavier, retains more water and can produce lint, while bed linen is generally lighter and dries more quickly.

Separating different types of laundry can make it easier to use washing and drying cycles suited to the particular product and can improve overall laundry efficiency.

Rotate Your Linen Stock

One of the simplest ways to extend the life of commercial linen is also one of the easiest to overlook.

Rotate your stock.

If the same linen is continually taken from the top of the shelf, washed and returned to the top, some sheets and towels can receive considerably more use than others.

A simple first-in, first-out rotation system helps distribute wear across your linen inventory.

This is also why accommodation properties should carry sufficient linen to allow proper rotation rather than operating with the absolute minimum number of sets.

How Many Sets of Linen Should You Have?

There isn't one number suitable for every property because occupancy, laundry arrangements and room turnover all affect requirements.

As a general principle, you need enough stock to cover:

• linen currently in guest rooms

• linen waiting to be laundered

• clean linen ready for the next room change

• a reasonable reserve for stains, damage, unexpected occupancy and laundry delays

Running with too little linen can result in the same stock being washed and returned to rooms continuously, accelerating wear.

National Hotel Supplies offers commercial hotel linen sets as well as individual sheets and pillowcases, making it easier to establish and replenish your linen inventory.

Choose the Right Linen in the First Place

Correct care can extend linen life, but it can't turn household linen into commercial linen.

Commercial hotel sheets are specifically selected to balance comfort with durability and laundering performance. Depending on the range, commercial percale linen may use polyester/cotton blends designed to withstand the frequent washing associated with accommodation properties.

This is also why thread count alone isn't a reliable measure of commercial linen quality.

Fabric weight, commonly expressed as GSM (grams per square metre), fabric composition, weave and construction can all be important when evaluating linen for commercial use.

National Hotel Supplies stocks commercial sheets in a range of constructions and weights suitable for different accommodation environments.

The Same Principle Applies to Hotel Towels

The thickest towel isn't automatically the best towel for every property.

Higher-GSM towels generally provide a heavier and more luxurious feel, but they also hold more water and may take longer to dry.

A busy motel or high-turnover accommodation property may therefore have different requirements from a luxury resort.

For example, National Hotel Supplies offers commercial towelling ranging from practical everyday hospitality towels through to premium heavyweight ranges, allowing properties to choose according to their guest expectations and operational requirements.

Commercial Linen Is Designed to Work

Commercial linen isn't designed simply to feel impressive when it is first taken out of the packet.

It is designed to perform.

That means balancing guest comfort with durability, laundering, drying time, housekeeping efficiency and replacement cost.

A new commercial sheet may initially feel crisp or firm. Give it time. After repeated washing and use, quality commercial linen will soften and become more comfortable while continuing to provide the durability accommodation operators need.

With appropriate washing, drying, stain treatment and stock rotation, good-quality commercial linen and towelling can provide excellent value over its working life.

Looking for Commercial Hotel Linen or Towelling?

National Hotel Supplies supplies commercial-grade linen and towelling to hotels, motels, resorts, serviced apartments, holiday accommodation, Airbnb operators, healthcare facilities and other accommodation providers throughout Australia.

Our ranges are selected specifically with the demands of commercial environments in mind.

Not sure which linen weight, fabric blend or towel GSM is right for your property? Contact National Hotel Supplies 1300 557 415 and we can help you choose a range suited to your accommodation type, guest expectations and laundering requirements.