Is an on-premises laundry your best solution?

When free space and time are in short supply, it can seem that outsourcing laundry service for a property – be it hotel, long-term care, gym, spa or something else – makes the most sense. However, that’s not always the case. There are plenty of reasons to go the on-premises laundry route.

Certainly, an OPL isn’t always an option. Properties may lack the space required or be reluctant to add employees to the payroll. It is worth noting that many managers are surprised at the small footprint that commercial equipment can be placed in. Similarly, existing staff can often manage laundry processing with other duties.  For instance, a laundry placed close to a front desk at small/midsize hotel could leverage front desk staff to switch out loads and assist housekeeping staff in folding.

On-premises laundries bring several advantages to properties, not the least of which is a lower overall cost than outsourcing the service. Other advantages include:

Quality: One of the obvious benefits of keeping laundry in-house is that nobody will be more focused on quality than your employees.

No logistics. Your staff aren’t bound by set pick up and drop off times…or saddled with working from behind if those times shift because of unforeseen circumstances or weather.

Full control. When linens are processed on-site by your staff you control all elements. You never have to worry about cross contamination, wrong cycle selection, someone else’s linens being returned, etc.

Again, not every facility has all the elements for an OPL. However, OPL’s bring a number of benefits to a property and can be far less costly to run than outsourcing. It’s worth a chat with a local equipment distributor to layout your challenges and laundry goals to see if an on-site solution can be crafted.