An important attribute in the restaurant or healthcare industry is having clean linens for customers and clients. Linens that are unclean, worn, or have an odor can make an awful impression on clientele, perhaps resulting in negative word-of-mouth and loss of business. To keep up the beautiful appearance of your company’s linens, following specific linen care instructions is essential.
Tips For Long Lasting Linens
Try these cost-effective techniques to make your commercial linens last as long as possible and to keep your guests returning to your business.
Always Keep Linens Stocked
It is a good rule of thumb to stock more linens than you think you will need. A busy night at a restaurant can use thousands of cloth napkins, depending on table turnover. Running out of linens during a rush could be catastrophic.
Also, an overage of linens keeps them from being worn out too quickly. Washing the same linens over and over, even with the best of care, will wear them out and require you to buy more. Also, frequent washing can increase laundry labor costs or linen services.
Proper Linen Care
Taking care of linens properly is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Try these care techniques to ensure your linens last.
- Instead of throwing towels in a bin, hang them up before laundering to prevent mildew growth.
- Don’t use scalding hot water–it quickly wears out towels, sheets, and other linens.
- Avoid water that is too cold–it doesn’t remove bacteria and dust mites effectively.
- Always use warm water.
- Fill the washing machine to 80 percent capacity–over- or under-filled loads can lead to quicker linen wear.
Using Your Washing Machine
Clean your washing machine as part of a weekly routine. Run the washer on a large load cycle, and use a cup of bleach in the water. This weekly cleaning prevents mold and mildew from growing in the washer between uses. Also, a dash of vinegar instead of fabric softener keeps linens fresh and also kills bacteria.
It’s also beneficial to steer away from older washing machines with a long cycle. If possible, upgrade your equipment to a polymer-bead based washing system–your linens will last much longer.
Care Instructions
You should always check the care instructions of the linens you’re using, especially if you’ve recently bought new stock. Different linens may have varying care instructions, and not following them can easily damage linens.
Contact Wilkins Linen
Taking care of your linens can be time-consuming. If you’re feeling frustrated with managing your business’ linens, contact Wilkins Linen today. Our professional cleaning services have been helping Houston area businesses for over 60 years–and we can help you too!
