Linen and Laundry
Service
The linen and laundry
section is responsible for
the processing of all
requests for laundry
service, including guest’s
laundry and employee
uniforms.
The laundry section is usually managed by a
Laundry Manager or supervisor and is manned with
the following personnel:
 Valet Runner
- picks ups and delivers guest laundry.
 Sorter/ marker - sorts, classifies and labels laundry items.
 Linen attendant - does the recording, storage and
issuance of linen.
 Washer
- responsible for washing and drying
laundry items.
 Flat Ironer
- does the ironing.
 Steam Presser - performs steam pressing.
 Dry Cleaner-spotter – assigned to do dry cleaning and spot
removal.
 Seamstress
- does mending of guest laundry or
employees uniforms.
Distribution of Laundry
Responsibilities
Linen and Laundry Supervisor
Basic Function:
Directs, leads, monitors and controls all
activities covering linen and laundry service.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Checks quality of laundry service; ensures that
laundry standards are complied with and that
garments are protected from damages.
 Ensures the proper use, storage, and
maintenance of linen and laundry equipment, tools
and supplies.
 Checks equipment regularly for their condition.
Looks after their preventive maintenance through
periodic cleaning and repair when necessary.
 Checks and maintains par stock requirements.
Makes requisition whenever needed.
 Initiates and supervises weekly inventory of
laundry supplies and other items allocated to his
unit. Reports losses and damages and takes
corrective action against reckless use of
equipment.
 Sees to it that laundered items are delivered on
time.
 Trains, coaches and supervises his staff.
 Conducts performance evaluation of his
subordinates; conducts appraisal interview.
 Attends to complaints regarding linen and laundry
service.
 Performs other related duties as maybe assigned
by superior.
Linen Attendant/ Custodian
Basic Function:
Stocks, stores and issues employees’
uniforms, linens, cleaning supplies,
guestroom, and public area amenities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Responsible for the issuance of uniforms as well
as guestroom, restaurant and banquet linens,
cleaning materials, supplies as well as guestroom
amenities; ensures that all issued items are
properly recorded and accounted for.
 Reports to the Supervisor missing articles, losses,
breakages and damaged items in the linen room.
 Assists the supervisor in conducting inventories of
linen, general supplies and uniforms.
 Responsible for the proper arrangement and
storage of linen, uniforms and general supplies in
the linen room.
 Performs side duties like mending, repair of
uniforms and baby-sitting.
 Receives all surrendered linen items;
checks if they are complete and in good
condition; endorses soiled linens to laundry
section for laundry.
 Performs other related duties as may be
assigned by superior.
Valet Runner
Basic Function:
Responsible for pick up and delivery of
laundry items of guests and those for house
use.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Picks up guests’ items for laundry and endorses
them to sorter/marker for proper classification.
 Checks laundry items for possible damages and
immediately informs guests about it. Also indicates
noted damages in the endorsement record.
 Informs the sorter/marker about the special
instructions of guests regarding the latter’s laundry
items.
 Helps in sorting finished laundry items that are
ready for delivery.
 Delivers processed guests’ laundry making
reference to tag number and room number and
makes sure these items are delivered on time.
 Coordinates with the rooms keeping supervisor for
the delivery of all processed items when guests
are not in their rooms.
 Informs the laundry office of his whereabouts in
case there is any call for pick up and immediate
delivery.
 Coordinates with front office/housekeeping
regarding information on room changes to avoid
wrong delivery.
 Helps in keeping the laundry area clean.
 Performs other related duties as may be assigned
by his/her superior.
Flatwork Ironer / Wrangler
Basic Function:
Performs ironing of linen items in the flatwork
machine following the standard procedures.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Sorts all items by classification before running
them through the machine.
 Performs pressing and ironing, straightens edges
and smoothly presses wrinkles; starts and stops
machine according to prescribed procedures.
 Inspects and sorts out stains and damaged linens.
Refers them to supervisor for proper action.
 Folds duly accomplished items; counts and
classifies them.
 Prepares and keeps records of
accomplishments.
 Cleans work areas and machine.
 Reports malfunction of machine to superior.
 Performs other related duties as maybe
assigned by supervisor from time to time.
Washer (Guest Items)
Basic Function:
Attends the washing and extracting, drying of
all guests laundry and FOC (free of charge)
items.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Receives laundry items of guests from the sortermarker.
 Sorts and classifies items according to kind, color,
and degree of dirt.
 Inspects items for damages and stains and reports
any damage to the laundry supervisor.
 Manually cleans with detergent the badly soiled
portion of the guests items prior to machine
washing; informs sorter or supervisor regarding
irremovable stains for the latter to bring it to
attention of the guest.
 Loads guests items into the washing machine and
performs washing according to standard washing
procedures. Unloads washed items and transfer
them to the laundry cart.
 Loads the extracted items to the drying machine
for completion.
 Inspects and sorts dried items and forwards them
to the pressing section for pressing or ironing.
 Constantly checks the cleanliness and
maintenance of the equipments and reports the
defects to his supervisor.
 Performs other duties as may be assigned by his/
her superior.
Washer (Linens)
Basic Function:
Attends to the washing, extracting and drying
of all housekeeping linens such as towels,
bed sheets, pillow slips and pillow cases,
etc., and also linen used for dining and
banquet functions.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Sorts all dirty linens and towels brought into the
laundry section.
 Sorts all dirty linens like tablecloths, napkins and
cocktail napkins received from different food
outlets.
 Loads items into the washing machine and
performs washing in accordance with standard
washing procedures.
 Unloads extracted items and forwards them either
mangling or pressing section.
 Performs daily cleaning of his area and the
machine he is operating.
 Performs other related duties as maybe assigned
by his/her superior.
Seamstress
Basic Function:
Performs sewing or mending of guest room
linens as well as those used for banquet and
food service operations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Response for mending and repair of guest garments as
well as uniforms and linens for house use.
 Mends and repairs torn or damaged curtains, bed cover,
skirting of guest rooms.
 Maintains the cleanliness and condition of the sewing
machine.
 Reports to the supervisor any malfunctioning of the sewing
equipment.
 Maintains a stock of sewing kit and looks after their
safekeeping.
 Assisting linen attendant in the issuance of guest room
linens and banquet linen during peak season.
 Performs other related duties as maybe assigned by his/
her superior.
Sequence of Guest
Laundry Service
 Guest shall fill up the laundry list and may request
for pick-up either through the Housekeeping or
Laundry office guest phone, through the Front
desk or any room supervisor or room attendant.
 If the pick-up request is coursed through the
laundry clerk, the latter logs down the guest’s
instructions for the processing of items and calls
the linen attendant, valet runner or room boy for
eh pick-up of the linen.
 The laundry list and laundry items are
picked up by concerned staff.
 Upon pick-up of the laundry items, the
attending staff checks items on the list in
front of the guest if he is around. If the guest
is not around, he checks it in the presence
of a floor guard or room boy/ supervisor who
will be serving as witness for damages or
valuables.
If stains or damage are found in the item, the
valet runner or room attendant who picks up the
laundry will fill up the guest notification form to
notify the guest of noted damage or any
discrepancy. This notification is brought to the
guest by the room boy or bellboy. The guest
shall acknowledge receipt of said notification by
signing his name.
If the item is not suited for the requested
processing method (dry cleaning, washing, etc.),
the guest is also notified thru the same
notification form, indicating therein the
recommended method in processing the item.
 Items for washing are endorsed to washer for processing.
Upon receipt of the items, the washer shall count and
double check items against the laundry list; sort and
classify them, then place the appropriate tag.
– If the item is for dry cleaning (color code it with blue tag)
– If the item is for machine-washing, (color code it with
pink tag)
Hotel has the option to make their own coding system.
If the item is to be hand washed, washer should hand
wash with care.
After washing the laundry items, the washer endorses the
finished items to the other laundry staff (i.e. ironer or
presser) for further processing.
 If the items is for other forms of processing,
it is endorsed to other laundry staff, namely:
 Presser – for blouse, dresses, trousers and related
items.
 Hand ironer – for normal shirts.
 Utility presser – for trousers, skirt and long dresses.
– The attending staff shall double check each
items upon receiving them, and takes note of
discrepancies in quantity and damaged parts.
 If the item need no further processing, it is
placed inside the pigeon box (if any)
according to tag.
 If the item is ready for delivery, the linen
attendant or valet runner sorts them against
the laundry list, collects altogether laundry
items of each guest in a garment bag,
attaches the laundry list to the bag and
endorses it to the presser or linen attendant.
 If the guest is on cash basis, laundry clerk,
prepares a voucher to be attached to the
item for billing. Payment must be made
upon delivery of the items.
 The processed items will now be delivered
to the guest. If the guest is around, he is
asked to sign in the delivery logbook for
acknowledgement. Then the bill is
presented to him for settlement.
If the guest is not around, the housekeeping
supervisor acknowledges by signing in the
logbook.
If the room is on “Do Not Disturb” sign and said
item is on special service, a notification is placed
in the guest’s room through the door, (another
copy to the front office) notifying him that an
attempt to deliver his laundry was made while he
is on DND.
Undelivered linens brought back to the laundry
area to be redelivered upon the arrival of guest.
Summary of the basic wash steps:
 Flush – the linen is wet to dissolve watersoluble soil and to reduce soil load in the
following suds steps. Always flush at highwater level and medium-temperature water.
– Time: 1 to 3 minutes
 Suds – involves actual washing step, where
detergent is added to the wheel, low-water
level and hot water is used.
– Time: 5to 8 minutes
 Bleach – elimination of stains that could be
removed by the detergent. This is done
using chlorinated bleach added to the
wheel. Usually low-water level and hot water
is used.
– Time: 5 to 8 minutes
 Rinse – rids the linen of detergent and soil.
Usually 3 to 5 steps are utilized at highwater level temperature usually dripping with
subsequent rinses.
– Time: 1 to 3 minutes
 Sour and soft step – is the final conditioning of the
linen using fabric softener and sour (wild acid).
This id performed at low-water level, medium
temperature water.
– Time: 3 to 5 minutes
 Extract – processing of reducing the moisture
content of linen by 50% (100 lbs. dry weight); linen
will retail 50 lbs water after extraction.
– Time: 1 to 12 minutes
 Break – performed before the suds step. Lowwater level; medium to hot water, with a highlyalkaline-break product is added to break loose
soils.
– Time: 3 to 7 minutes.
 Interdictor extract – this process spins soil-laden
detergent solution out of linen. A high-speed is
used, usually after the first rinse step. This
process reduces the required number of deepwater rinses.
– Time: 30 seconds to 2 minutes
The End