5 reasons in-house laundry is costing you a fortune
For an establishment reliant on paying clients, fresh, clean linen is simply expected. But what isn't always obvious is how much that linen is really costing your business.
From replacement stock and staff time to utilities and damaged linen, the cost of doing laundry goes well beyond washing and drying.
Here are 5 things every owner/manager should consider.
1. The cost of linen doesn't stop when you buy it
Sheets and towels are working assets. Every day they're collected, sorted, washed, dried, finished, transported and put back into circulation.
And replacement can become a significant hidden cost.
Industry guidance produced by the Textile Services Association, UK Housekeepers Association and UK Hospitality says a survey of commercial laundries found that nearly half of the linen purchased each year by laundries servicing hospitality venues is lost, damaged or stolen. Even more strikingly, the guidance says 50% of products last less than three months, rather than the two years they could last if well looked after. Only 10% are rejected because they've actually worn out. That means good linen management isn't just good housekeeping. It can protect something you've already paid for.
2. Know the true cost of every occupied room
A linen change for one room can represent a surprising amount of laundry.
Vision Linens gives the example of a standard double room containing 15 laundry pieces, including a sheet, duvet cover, four pillowcases, towels, bath mat, face cloths and bathrobes. It cites a potential linen changeover cost of £10 to £55 per room, depending on factors including linen specification and service frequency. That range is broad, but it makes an important point for smaller establishments:
Laundry costs multiply with every occupied room.
Knowing your real laundry cost per occupied room can help you make a much more meaningful comparison between keeping laundry in-house and using a commercial service.
3. In-house laundry has costs you don't see on the invoice
When you wash linen yourself, there isn't one neat bill showing you the true cost.
There are staff hours, water, energy, detergents, equipment purchases, servicing, repairs and replacement linen to consider.
And those pressures have been changing. The Textile Services Association's Laundry Cost Index reported a 3.60% annual increase in its published 2025/26 figures, following substantially higher annual increases during previous periods. So instead of asking:
"How much would it cost to outsource our laundry?"
Try asking:
"How much does it really cost us to do it ourselves?"
That's a much more valuable comparison.
4. Linen loss is a profit issue
A missing towel may not seem particularly significant. Multiply missing, stained and damaged items across an entire venue over a year and it becomes another story.
The industry guidance is especially revealing here: nearly half of the linen purchased annually by surveyed commercial laundries servicing hospitality venues was being lost, damaged or stolen. Controlling linen stocks, reducing avoidable damage and getting the maximum useful life out of every item can therefore have real commercial value.
A good laundry partner shouldn't just wash your linen. They should help you get better value from it.
5. Put a value on your team's time
For a small hotel, your most precious resource might not be your linen at all.
It could be your people.
Every hour an employee spends sorting, loading, unloading, drying and folding linen is an hour they aren't preparing rooms, maintaining standards or looking after guests.
Commercial laundry isn't therefore simply about outsourcing a chore.
It's about asking whether laundry is genuinely the best use of your staff, equipment, space and working day.
Before your next load, do the maths
Add up what you're currently spending on:
Staff time + energy + water + chemicals + equipment + maintenance + linen replacement + management time.
You may discover that the cheapest-looking way of doing laundry isn't necessarily the one delivering the best value.
Want to find out what your laundry is really costing you?
Talk to us today for a no-obligation review of your linen and laundry requirements. We'll help you look beyond the price of a wash and explore where a professional commercial laundry service could save time, protect your linen investment and make running your establishment simpler.