For most hotels, banquet halls and guest houses in Faridabad, laundry is the biggest back-of-house job that isn’t part of hospitality itself. Every room turn creates a set of sheets, pillowcases and towels to wash, and wedding season adds tablecloths, napkins and chair covers by the hundred. So should you run your own laundry or outsource it?
What running an in-house laundry really costs
The washing machine is the visible cost. The full cost of ownership is much bigger:
- Capital equipment: commercial washer-extractors, dryers, a flatwork ironer or steam tables, plus installation, drainage and electrical work.
- Space: a laundry room is space you can’t use for rooms, storage or F&B.
- Utilities: hot water, power for dryers and irons, and water treatment.
- Staff: trained operators across shifts, plus cover for leave and turnover.
- Chemicals & maintenance: detergents, softeners, stain removers and spare parts, and the downtime when a machine fails on a Saturday.
- Linen replacement: poor dosing and over-bleaching shorten linen life, which is a cost many hotels never measure.
When outsourcing makes more sense
Outsourcing usually wins when your volume varies with occupancy and events, when space is tight, or when you can’t justify specialist staff. You pay per kg or per piece only for what you send, and peak loads become your laundry partner’s capacity problem, not yours.
| Factor | In-house | Outsourced |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | High (machines, fit-out) | None |
| Cost structure | Fixed, whether busy or not | Variable, per kg / per piece |
| Peak-season surges | Limited by your machines | Absorbed by industrial capacity |
| Quality consistency | Depends on staff training | Documented process and QC |
| Space required | Dedicated laundry room | Only a linen store |
Seven questions to ask any hotel laundry vendor
- Is my linen washed separately from other clients? If the answer is vague, look elsewhere.
- How are pieces counted? Insist on a chalan at pickup and delivery.
- What machines and chemistry do you use? Programmable washer-extractors and pH-balanced rinses protect linen life.
- What is the turnaround? Match it to your par levels. Most hotels need daily or alternate-day cycles.
- How do you handle stains and rejects? Good vendors re-wash before delivery, not after you complain.
- Can you handle banquet surges? Ask about capacity during wedding season.
- Can we run a trial? A trial batch tells you more than any brochure.
Tip: track your linen replacement spend for a year before and after switching. Better wash chemistry often pays for a large share of the laundry contract.
Par levels: how much linen do you need?
A common rule of thumb for outsourced laundry is three sets per bed: one in the room, one at the laundry and one on the shelf. Properties with very high occupancy or tight turnarounds sometimes keep a fourth set as a buffer. Your laundry partner should help you plan this around their pickup schedule.
Apex ProWash Bulk Care runs daily hotel linen routes across Surajkund Road, Mathura Road, NIT and the HUDA sectors. Every property is washed in its own batch. Request a rate card and free trial batch.