LINEN
ROOM IN HOTELS
The linen room is the center stage for the
supporting role that the Housekeeping Department plays in the hotel. Most linen
rooms are centralized and act as a storage point and distribution center for
clean linen. Although the term ?linen? originally referred to those fabrics
made from the fiber derived from the stem of the flax plant, linen in this
context means all launder able articles and often includes pillows, mattresses,
shower curtains, fabric lampshades and upholstery theater also handled by the
linen room.
ACTIVITIES OF LINEN ROOM
1. Collection of soiled linen
2. Sorting and counting of soiled linen
3. Packing and dispatching of soiled linen to
laundry
4. Receiving of fresh linen
5. Counting and storing of fresh linen
6. Distribution of fresh linen
7. Maintaining stock of linen
8. Managing discard linen
LAYOUT OF LINEN ROOM
While planning for linen room, following points
considered on prior basis
A) Architectural features (location): which may
further classify linen room as
1. Centralized- in this type of linen room all the
linen is collected and issued from one room only
2. Decentralized- in this type of linen room,
each floor maintains its par stock separately in the floor pantry and when
replenishment is required then it can replenish from the main linen room.
B) Activity areas: it can cover the following
criteria
1. Adjacent
to the laundry if on-premises, usually with an interconnecting window between
the rooms.
2. Near the
service entrance if the laundry is off-premises.
3. Near the
service elevator for easy transportation to various units.
4. Away from
the food production area to avoid a fire hazard as well as prevent linen from
absorbing food odors, smoke, soot and dampness
C) Space: Total space allocated for linen room will
depend on the size of the hotel and activities to
be carried out in the linen room. The minimum space
requirement for a linen room is 6 sq. ft.
Separate space is required for linen storage area
and linen exchange counter.
D) Entrance: A common entrance cum exit point is
ideal for security reason.
E) Floors and walls: The floors must be sturdy
enough to bear the load of heavy trolleys moving
across it. Tiles should be avoided as they tend to
chip. Walls should be of materials that can be easily cleaned frequently.
F) Lighting and ventilation: Though most of the
linen room is meant for storage, although ventilation is very much important to prevent the
growth mildew, even though the natural light may be less. The air must be free
of humidity and maintained at a temperature of 200 C
G) Storage: Linen storage shelves should be designed
for maximum utilization of space. The shelves are also need to be sturdy and
firmly fix as the weight they bear may be considerable. There should be 6
inches space between floor and lower-most shelf. Separate space should be
allocated for discard linen.
H) Linen exchange counter: this is usually a window
without any grilles to pass bundles of linen through. The area bellow this counter may be used to
park trolleys to collect the soiled linen.
I) Hygiene and Safety aspects:
1. Space for Cleaning procedures
2. Space for correct lifting techniques for heavy
linen.
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