Preparing clothes, bed linen and tablecloths for a professional laundry service can be challenging, especially if you want to make sure your textiles are cleaned as effectively and safely as possible. Sending clothes and bedding to a laundry service does not simply mean putting everything in a bag and hoping for the best. Proper preparation can save you time and money and help extend the life of your textiles. In this article, we explain in detail how to prepare clothes, bed linen and tablecloths for a professional laundry service.
Sort your laundry
The first step in preparing laundry is sorting it. Separate clothes, bed linen and tablecloths by colour, fabric type and level of soiling. It is generally best to separate whites and light colours from dark colours to prevent colour transfer. Also, separate delicate fabrics such as silk or wool from more durable materials such as cotton or polyester.
Check pockets and remove loose items
Before putting your laundry into a bag, carefully check all clothing pockets and remove anything left inside.
This includes:
- coins
- papers and receipts
- hair ties and hairpins
- keys
- pens
- earphones
- lighters
- other small items.
During washing, such items can damage clothing, end up inside the machine or simply be ruined.
If your clothes have removable decorations or clips, take them off or make sure they are securely attached so they are not damaged during washing.
When preparing tablecloths and napkins, be sure to check that no fork, spoon or, even more commonly, toothpick has accidentally been left among them. Go through each tablecloth and shake it out thoroughly before preparing everything for the laundry service.
The same applies to sheets and bed linen. Earphones, hairpins, socks and other small items are often left inside duvet covers or between sheets, and you certainly do not want them washed together with your bedding.
Pay attention to stains
If you notice stubborn stains on clothes, sheets or tablecloths, it is a good idea to separate those items and point out the stains when handing over your laundry.
If you know what caused the stain, tell the laundry staff. Grease, wine, coffee, blood or food stains may require different treatment.
If you want to treat a stain at home before taking the item in, always check the care label and the instructions for the product you are using first. Aggressive rubbing or using an unsuitable product can further damage the fabric or set the stain.
Pay particular attention to ketchup, sauce, wine and grease stains on tablecloths. The sooner a stain is noticed and treated correctly, the better the chances of removing it successfully.
Check care labels
Some textiles require special treatment, such as gentle washing, a specific temperature, hand washing or another particular care method.
That is why you should check care labels and care symbols, especially on more delicate or expensive items.
Pay particular attention to:
- wool and silk
- delicate clothing
- curtains
- pillows
- blankets and throws
- decorative textiles
- items with special coatings or applications.
If the care label is missing or no longer readable, mention this when handing over the item, especially if you are unsure what material it is made from.
Prepare your laundry bags
Use sturdy and sufficiently large laundry bags to pack your textiles for the laundry service.
If you want to keep delicate items separate, place them in a separate bag or clearly separate them from the rest of the laundry.
Do not unnecessarily squeeze a large amount of textiles into one small bag. For larger quantities, it is more practical to use several bags and, if needed, label what each bag contains.
For example:
- bed linen
- towels
- tablecloths
- delicate laundry.
If you are handing over damp towels or other wet textiles, do not keep them sealed in an airtight bag for too long, as unpleasant odours can develop.
Make an item list for larger loads
If you are taking only a few pieces of clothing to the laundry, a list is usually not necessary. However, for larger quantities of bed linen, towels or tablecloths, a simple record can be very useful.
This is especially helpful for apartments, holiday homes, restaurants and other business customers.
The list can be very simple:
- 10 sheets
- 10 duvet covers
- 20 pillowcases
- 15 large towels
- 10 small towels
- 8 tablecloths
- 30 cloth napkins.
This gives you your own record of what you handed over and makes it easier to organise the laundry when you collect it.
Communicate with the laundry service
Good communication with the laundry service is essential for achieving the best results.
If you have any special requests or instructions related to washing, drying or ironing, remember to mention them when handing over your laundry.
Be sure to point out if:
- an item has a stubborn stain
- there is a damaged seam or another defect
- the material is especially delicate
- the care label is missing
- you want a particular type of treatment
- you want certain items kept separate from the rest of the laundry.
The more useful information the laundry service has when receiving your items, the easier it is to choose the appropriate treatment for each textile.
Quick checklist before handing over your laundry
Before going to the laundry service, go through this short checklist:
Pockets
All pockets have been checked
Coins, papers, keys and other items have been removed
Inner and hidden pockets have been checked
Stains
Visible stains have been checked
Items with stubborn stains have been separated
The cause of the stain is known, if possible to identify
Care labels
Care labels on delicate items have been checked
Items with special care instructions have been separated
Items with missing care labels have been identified
Item list
A list has been made if a larger amount of laundry is being handed over
Bed linen, towels and table linen have been recorded by category
Special requests
Delicate or damaged items have been separated
Any special requests have been noted
The laundry service will be informed about anything requiring special attention
What does laundry drop-off and collection look like?
Once your laundry is prepared, the next step is handing it over at the laundry service.
1. Dropping off your laundry
When handing it over, tell the staff if certain items have stains, special care labels or require extra attention.
If you have made a list for a larger quantity, you can use it as your own record of the laundry you handed over.
2. Laundry inspection
The laundry is inspected when received so the staff can determine what type of textiles they are dealing with and which treatment is appropriate.
This means you do not need to decide the exact washing programme for every item yourself at home.
3. Agreeing on the service
When you hand over your laundry, the required services and any special requests are agreed upon.
If there is anything you want to emphasise, this is the best time to do it, before the laundry is sent for processing.
4. Collection
Once the laundry has been processed, you collect it according to the previous arrangement.
If you handed over a larger quantity of bed linen, towels or table linen, your own list can help you organise the clean textiles more easily when putting them back into use.
Preparing clothes, bed linen and tablecloths for a professional laundry service can make the entire washing process much easier and help preserve your textiles.
You do not need to do the laundry service’s job yourself. It is enough to check pockets, pay attention to stains, review care labels on delicate items, make a list for larger quantities and clearly communicate any special requests.
With proper preparation and good communication with the laundry service, drop-off and collection become simpler, while each textile receives the treatment that suits it best.