Hotel linen is the core “threshold” for testing hygiene standards. Its quality directly affects the guest experience and the hotel’s reputation. Currently, “one change per guest” has become a consensus in the hotel industry.
However, even with the principle of high-frequency washing and replacement, problems like guest complaints about skin itching, linen turning gray or yellow, and easy damage still occur frequently. Linen washing is not “qualified simply after being washed”. The irregular operations hidden in the washing process are the key cause of various quality issues. Addressing the pain points concerned by linen laundries, this article analyzes six common washing problems and scientific solutions to help the industry improve washing quality.
Problem 1: pH value
In linen washing, pH imbalance (that is, residual acid and base) is the primary issue that triggers guests’ complaints. The pH value of human skin surface is typically from 5.0 to 7.0. If the pH value of the linen differs too much from that of the skin, it will easily cause irritation and itching to the skin.
In the actual washing process, most procedures should be done in an alkaline condition. If the water is not fully added and neutralized before the washing is completed, alkali will remain on the linen, which may lead to an excessive pH value. These tiny alkaline particles come into contact with the skin through the linen and remain there for a long time. After being neutralized by sweat, they may cause allergies, a burning sensation, and in severe cases, even trigger contact dermatitis. This not only affects the guest experience but also damages the hotel’s reputation. It also hinders the possibility of long-term and stable cooperation between the laundry and the hotel.
Problem 2: Chlorine Residue
White linen has been the mainstream choice for hotels because of its strong adaptability and high visual cleanliness, but the risk of chlorine residue in the bleaching process cannot be ignored. The pigment dirt on linen should be removed through bleaching (oxidation-reduction action), and most bleaching agents contain chlorine, whose content directly determines the bleaching effect and dosage. If the following cleaning is not complete, the excessive chlorine residue not only damages skin proteins (symptoms such as itching, rashes, and allergies), but also damages the fibers of the linen fabric (a decrease in the toughness of the linen, easy breakage, and shorter service life). This increases the dual costs for both the laundry plant and the hotel.
Problem 3: Excessive Softener
Softener is extremely important for linen. It can improve the anti-static performance, shorten the duration for dehydration and drying, increase the skin-friendliness and luster of the fabric, and reduce the damage to the linen during the washing process. If the dosage of softener is excessive, it will cause irritation to the sensitive customers and trigger itchy skin problems. Laundry plants should precisely control the dosage of softener to ensure the texture of the linen and avoid the risk of residues.
Problem 4: Microbial Contamination of Laundry Equipment
The washing machine or tunnel washer, as the core equipment for linen washing, directly affects the hygiene of the linen.
Its cleanliness directly affects the hygiene of the linen. If the inner part of the washing machines or tunnel washers is not regularly disinfected, the residual bacteria and mold will adhere to linen and cause secondary contamination. Bacteria easily cause local skin itching, redness, and swelling in guests. Mold is even more harmful and may lead to the persistence of uncomfortable symptoms for a long time, seriously going against the “original intention of hygiene” of linen washing.
Problem 5: Improper Control of Water Temperature
Water temperature is a “delicate job” in linen washing. Both too high and too low temperatures can cause problems. High-temperature washing damages the toughness of linen fibers and the original color, and significantly shortens the service life. Low-temperature washing prevents detergents and bleaches from being fully dissolved and released, so that it is difficult for stains to separate from fibers, and this greatly reduces the washing quality. More importantly, water temperature needs to cooperate with washing time, the amount of used detergents, mechanical forces, and other factors to form a systematic The water temperature needs to be coordinated with factors such as washing time, the amount of chemical material used, and mechanical force to form a systematic process plan. Any imbalance in any link may affect the final effect. This really tests the refined management ability of the laundry factory.
Problem 6: Mixed Washing of Linen
● Linen washing needs strict classification. All items must be washed separately.
- new linen/old linen
- pure cotton linen/cotton-polyester linen
- towels/bed sheets
- linen with different types and degrees of contamination.
● However, some laundry plants mix linen for washing to reduce labor costs for sorting. This causes many problems:
- Linens of different materials have different requirements for detergents and water temperature. Mixed washing may result in incomplete cleaning or excessive damage to some linen.
- Washing linen with different degrees of contamination together can cause cross-contamination.
- Mixing new and old linen will accelerate the wear of old linen and stain new linen. In the end, this reduces washing quality, shortens linen lifespan, and even affects the hotel’s reputation.
Scientific Washing
The core aim of the linen washing is cleanliness and hygiene, rather than merely “having been washed”.
● For laundry plants, they should establish a scientific laundry system in detail:
- Establish a pH value testing mechanism to ensure full neutralization of linen
- Optimize the bleaching process and strictly control chlorine residues
- Accurately quantify the dosage of fabric softener
- Implement cleaning and disinfection standards for laundry equipment
- Formulate differentiated water temperature plans
- Strictly enforce the linen classification and washing system.
Conclusion
The hygiene of linen is related to the benefits of both the hotel and its guests. As a key link in the industrial chain, the professionalism and standardization of the laundry factory directly determine the quality of the linen. Only by discarding the short-sighted thinking of “emphasizing efficiency over quality” and solving the pain points of washing with scientific techniques and meticulous management can we truly ensure that linen is washed clean and used with peace of mind. This improves the competitiveness of the laundry plant in the market and ensures the hygiene of the hotels.
Post time: Oct-23-2025