Unit 1-Linen Room PDF

UNIT-1-LINEN ROOM  Linen is a material woven from flax fibre, but the term linen is often used to denote launderable articles found in the linen room.  The linen room is a control center for storage and distribution of hotel linen used in an establishment.  There...

UNIT-1-LINEN ROOM  Linen is a material woven from flax fibre, but the term linen is often used to denote launderable articles found in the linen room.  The linen room is a control center for storage and distribution of hotel linen used in an establishment.  Therefore it serves as a base of operation for the housekeeping department. TYPES OF LINEN ROOM:‑  Centralized‑ Linen from all floors are collected and sorted in one central area mostly for smaller hotels. The linen room supervisor has complete control over the linen room. All linen issues are made from here.  Decentralized‑ In this system, each floor maintains its own par stock of linen. The floor supervisor maintains this linen room. These are found in hotels where there are larger no. of floors. ACTIVITIES OF THE LINEN ROOM:‑ i. Collection and Transportation:‑ Soiled linen should be sent to linen room as soon as possible for dispatch to laundry to avoid misuse if left lying around and will develop stains if left in damp conditions. The linen are transported in canvas bags, trolleys, chutes etc. ii. Sorting and Counting:‑ Badly stained articles require special attention and hence should be sorted out and sent to laundry separately. Sorting can be carried in four ways according to:‑ ‑ Type of fabric ‑ Degree of stains, ‑ Weight of fabric, ‑ Colour  Counting is done in order to keep a record of the count of linen sent to laundry for washing. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 1  iii. Packaging:‑ Similar linen are packed in canvas bags or trolleys to prevent damage to the linen article. Those articles that need mending and those heavily stained are segregated and put into separate bags. iv. Dispatch :‑ The articles are sent to laundry for washing along with a list of no. and names of linen articles. v. Receiving deliveries from laundry:‑ As soon as the clean linen is delivered by the laundry, the articles are checked (for tear and stains), sorted according to types and counted and noted. vi. Checking and Inspection:‑ The quantities should be checked to ensure that the amount of washed linen match with the soiled linen count. In terms of quality, it should be checked that stains and dirt is not there, no colour fading is there, no patches are there, it is properly ironed etc. vii. Storage‑ The articles are stored in the linen room for atleast 24 hours. Care must be taken to see that there is proper circulation of air and the atmosphere is dust free. viii. Distribution to units:‑ The articles are sent to the required areas as per the need. Apart from this other activities of linen room are:‑ ix. Monogramming:‑ The name or logo of the establishment is put onto the linen item for identification and differentiation between hotel linen and guest linen. The different ways of monogramming are:‑ ‑Embroidering, ‑Sewing, ‑Weaving ‑Marking with chisel ink x. Repairs and Stitching: -In the hotel damaged items are mended by stitching or darning. Xi. Stock‑taking and Records:‑ Records are entered on a day‑to‑day basis for the exchange of linen between the linen room, laundry and floors/departments. Periodical stock taking is carried out and the annual stocktaking is recorded in the stock register. Also condemned linen and purchased linen records are maintained. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 2  xii. Security :‑The linen room supervisor closes the room and the keys are kept with the security officer. It is important that the access of linen room is restricted so as to prevent misuse and pilferage. Layout and Equipment LOCATION OF THE LINEN ROOM  – Adjacent to the laundry if on-premises, usually with an interconnecting window between the rooms.  – Near the service entrance if the laundry is off-premises.  – Near the service elevator for easy transportation to various units.  – Away from the food production area to avoid a fire hazard as well as prevent linen from absorbing food odours, smoke, soot and dampness. LINEN ROOM REQUIREMENTS – Equipment and Areas  – storage shelves both open and closed  – hanging space  – Reserve Stock storage  – drop counter for exchange of linen (stable-type door)  – trollies for clean linen  – soiled linen hampers  – Linen keeper’s desk and storage space for records  – telephone and computer LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 3  – step ladder  – washbasin  – storage for materials required to clean the room  – sink and drying rack (optional)  – iron and ironing board  – area for accumulation of soiled linen  – area for receiving laundered linen  – area for sorting and counting of linen  – sewing section  – work tables (with table tops in contrast to white)  – traffic lane to laundry  – traffic lane to uniform room Planning and Staffing Essential features to be kept in mind while planning for a linen room Location: close to the housekeeper’s office. Close to the service elevators. Easy accessibility to the OPL or the hotel back entrance in case of a commercial laundry. Away from the food production area as food smells can get absorbed by linen. Space allocation: 6 Sq ft per room is the minimum space requirement. The area should be large enough for the necessary work to be carried on without overcrowding. Entrance: Ideally the linen room should have only one entry/ exit point for security reasons. A stable type door is recommended which could deter unauthorized persons from walking in. The entrance must be at least 4 ft wide without a threshold for an easy threshold for easy movement of trolleys. Lighting: Since most of the area in the linen room is used for storing, the amount of natural light will be very little. Hence adequate, shadowless, glare-free lighting is required. The lighting should preferably be white fluorescent lights. Heating and Ventilation: The linen room must have ventilation provided by fresh air vents. Moreover, the air must be humidity free and maintained at around 20-degree centigrade. Floors: Must be easily cleaned and sturdy enough to take the movement of loaded trolleys. Also, the floor must not be too noisy or slippery. Most suited is Kota stone. Walls: Should be light coloured washable paint with matt finish i.e. should be easily cleaned the walls should not have any dampness. Linen storage area: shelves should be designed using maximum utilization of space. Shelves can reach up to the ceiling with a 6-inch clearance at the bottom. Shelves must be slatted for adequate ventilation. Items which are stored for a long period of time must have shelves with the sliding doors and curtains to prevent LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 4  dust from settling in. The depth of the shelves should be about 18 – 20 inches if against the wall; if accessible from both sides it could be about 38-40 inches. Maybe metal/ wooden storage of condemned and to be condemned linen must also be thought of. Linen exchange counter: is normally a window without any grills and wide enough to pass bundles of linen. The window normally opens download forming a counter. The area below this counter can be used to park trolleys to collect soiled linen. When not in use the counter should be kept bolted. The 1st one connecting the laundry and linen room and the second for the exchange of linen with F&B and housekeeping. Have a wash basin with soap and towel as most of the articles dealt with are white. Should have an ironing board with an iron for minor finishing if required. Inspection area/ Table: The inspection table should be large enough to accommodate the freshly washed linen which needs to be inspected. A 100 rooms property could perhaps make do with a table size 10ft X 6ft. This need not be one solid piece but could be separated if required. The colours of the inspection table should contrast with the linen since this utilizes a lot of space. The underneath of the table can be utilized for storage. Soiled linen area: Should be close to the entrance and must be large enough to accommodate all the soil linen. There should be enough space to sort and count the linen, move and park trolleys. Floor and storage units of this area should be of a surface which does not stain the damp linen. A separate adjoining room for new linen. Supervisor’s desk: should be located in such a way that he/ she has a good view of the entire linen room especially the transaction points. Drawers, desk must be designed to accommodate files records etc. Fire and safety precautions: They should be well planned as the linen in highly combustible and a large amount of finance has been put into it. Hot water or steam pipes should not run through the linen room. Standard sizes of Bed and Bath Linen Sheets:  Single 78” x 108” (203 cm. x 274 cm.)  Double 90” x 108” (224 cm. x 274cm.)  King size 117” x 108”(295 cm. x 274 cm.) Pillowcases:  Standard 20” x 30” (50 cm. x 75 cm.)  King size 20” x 40” (50 cm. x 100 cm.) Blanket:  Single 70” x 100” (175 cm. x 250 cm.)  Double 90” x 100” (228 cm. x 250 cm.)  King size 116” x 100”(290 cm. x 250 cm.) LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 5  Towels:  Bath sheets/Bath Blankets 40” x 70” (100 cm. x 178 cm.)  Bath Towels 30” x 54” (76 cm. x 137 cm.)  Medium-sized Towels 22” x 40” (56 cm. x 100 cm.)  Hand Towels 15” x 24” (38 cm. x 60 cm.)  Face Towels 10” square (26 cm. square)  Roller Towels 18” (45 cm.) width in huckaback  Bath Mat 24” x 36” (60 cm. x 92 cm.) Table Linen:  Square Tablecloths: 36”, 54”, 63” or 72” square (91, 137,160. 182 cm. square)  Rectangular Tablecloths 52” or 90” x 72” (133 or 230 cm. x 183 cm.)  Serviettes 24” square (60 cm. square)  Cocktail Napkins 10” square (26 cm. square) Selection of Linen Selection criteria for fabrics Cost of buying and maintenance Laundering cost comes next to labour cost. Synthetics require lesser temperature and shorter programs for laundering when compared to cotton. “No iron blends” do not require ironing. Durability of the fabric The life expectancy of the fabric should be substantial. This can be achieved by keeping the following in mind: 1. Thread count: It is the measure of the number of warps and wefts per square inch of a fabric. Warp is the thread stretched longitudinally along the length of the loom. The weft is the thread stretched across the width of the loom and is interwoven into the wrap. They are also called the filling. In a high thread count, the shrinkage is considerably reduced and the fabric is comparatively finer and is more durable. Note – fabrics must not only retain their appearance throughout their life but also must be serviceable, easy to maintain and long lasting. 2. Tensile strength: It is defined as the number of pounds of pressure that a strip of fabric measuring 3” in length and 1” in width can withstand under controlled conditions of humidity and temperature before it breaks. A higher tensile strength, therefore, implies more stability. 3. Amount of dressing: It is the starch applied to a material. The even loosely woven material gives the appearance of being firm when starched. To test the amount of starch keep fabric on a dark surface and rub it with both hands. The starch will fall like flakes. Higher the amount of flakes poorer the fabric. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 6 4. Elasticity and Resilience/ Crease resistance: Elasticity of fibre is the ability to come back to its original length after tension is removed. Resilience is the ability of the fibre to provide crease resistance. The resiliency of fibre is its ability to resist compression. Both elasticity and resiliency will provide some sort of crease resistance to a fabric. 5. Abrasive resistance: It is the resistance of the fabric to surface wear and tear and it can be measured by the number of rubs that a particular fabric can take before weakening. 6. Shrinkage resistance: It is how much the particular fabric shrinks after the first/ second wash the shrinkage resistance should be high for all the fabrics. The preferable shrinkage should be 1-2 % and in cotton 5 %. 7. Colour: The following points should be taken care of:  Bleeding of colour – When colour runs on coming in contact with water or chemicals.  Cracking- When colour runs onto a surface due to friction. In both the cases problem arises due to the usage of non-fast colours/dyes or due to improper methods of dying. Fabrics dyed at the yarn stage (VAT Stayed) are definitely more colour fast than one dyed at the fabric stage. Dyed natural fibres will fade after several washings. Fabrics must be checked for dye stability. Colourfast fabrics must be used which do not fade away on exposure to sunlight/chemicals and whose colours do not bleed/run or crack. * Dark colour fabrics show dust and light colour fabrics show dust and stains easily. These will be less apparent in a medium toned fabric. * Colours chosen must be easily available when replacements are required. * In hotels and hospitals normally white coloured bed linen is used a give a better appearance of cleanliness and as easy to maintain and sterilize. 8. Method of construction: The fabric can be knitted, woven or bonded. A woven fabric is most durable and most common. The method of construction, the type of surface, appearance and fall of the fabric are to be considered while selecting the fabric. The closer the weave lesser will be the shrinkage. The weave must be balanced one example 96/94. 96/70 is an unbalanced weave and it shows that is a loose weave. 9. Weight of the fabric: Lighter the fabric. Easier to handle and takes less time to dry. This is particularly true for bed and table linen as these are handled and worked frequently. For soft furnishings, the heavier fabric is preferred as they are better for durability, texture and fall. The weight of the fabric may be expressed in ounces/yard or pound/yard. Example Bed linen is 36 ounces/yard. 10. Width of the fabric: 4 standard widths i.e. 1 meter (36”) 1.3 meter (48”) 1.5 meter (54”) and 1.6 meters (60”) are widely used out of which 48” is the most commonly used. 11. Thermal properties: Whether the fabric is cool/ warm, the criteria are taken in mind depending on the area and purpose of use. It also gives an indication of the laundering temperature. 12. Flames retardancy: Wool is a naturally flame retardant. Synthetic fibres which are made flame retardant are available. They can be used for drapery, upholstery and carpets. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 7 13. Resistance to pests: Mildew is a type of fungus that causes stains especially on cotton and linen. Moth larvae, on the other hand, eat into the cloth so cloth should be resistant to these pests. All samples must be tested before placing an order. Samples are tested by:  Rubbing the material between hands or over a darker surface to see the amount of starch falling from it.  Looking at the material under a magnifying glass to see the closeness & smoothness of the weave.  Checking the selvedge & corners.  Laundering the samples a number of times & checking the quality.  Samples may be sent for chemical treatment. Selection criteria for various Linen Items Each individual piece of linen requires special consideration in terms of quality, type and size. BED LINEN Bedsheets  Should have a good finish, usually with a slight lustre, and be made from a non-crease fabric so as to retain its appearance.  For comfort, the texture should be soft and smooth, absorbent and free from static.  They should be easily launderable and the fabric should not lose colour in repeated washes.  Superior quality bedsheets made from linen or union (a combination of cotton and linen) are expensive and not easily available. Cotton is absorbent, less expensive and is capable of withstanding extremely hot washes. Cotton may be Percale or Muslin. More frequently used are combinations of natural and man- made fibres like polyester cotton or terry-cot. Blending with man-made fibres offsets the disadvantages of the natural fibre. The introduction of a man-made fibre increases durability and makes laundering easier, but some of the absorbency is lost. 65% of cotton and 35% man-made combinations are the best. Blended no-iron sheets must be folded while still warm from the tumbler to eliminate creasing.  The crinkle sheet or night sheet is made from cotton seersucker.  A sheet should be large enough to be tucked in securely all around the mattress. The width of the fabric is dependent on whether the bed is single or double. When cutting the length of fabric for the bedsheet, it is necessary to make a provision for:  Fitted sheets are unpopular as they have more disadvantages than advantages. Pillowcases  These are generally made from the same fabric. The housewife tuck-in type is now rapidly being replaced by the longer bag-type which are folded in at the open end. In order to calculate the amount of material LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 8  required to stitch a pillowcase, it is necessary to measure the circumference of the pillow and add on 2 to 4 inches to allow for shrinkage and a perfect fit. Blankets  These need to adhere to the body in order to provide warmth. In order to be comfortable, they should be soft, smooth and resilient and not too heavy. Though expensive, pure woollen blankets that are napped are ideal in this respect, but they are difficult to launder and are attacked by insects. To cut costs, improve launderability and prevent attack by insects, wool is often blended with a synthetic fibre (acrylic) and the percentage of woollen fibre is mentioned on the label. A less durable alternative is made from nylon fibres electrostatically flocked on polyurethane (fibre lock) This is suitable for those who are allergic to wool. Electric Blankets are uncommon as they are difficult to maintain and anchor to prevent pilferage. Moreover, persons who suffer from phobias would opt for the ordinary blanket. SOFT FURNISHINGS Duvets  Duvets have become increasingly popular in hotels and are fast replacing the blanket, especially on double beds. They consist of a filling sandwiched or stitched in a fabric case with a changeable cover.  The fillers may be duck/goose down, a feather mix or a combination of the two. The down feathers are the small, fluffy feathers from beneath the wings and the breast of the fowl. Goose down is superior and lightweight because of the hollow quills. The well-known Eider goose and Siberian goose down are the best. Although they are warmer, professional cleaning is necessary and they are heavier and more expensive than their synthetic counterparts. The synthetic filling is usually polyester fibres. These duvets are lighter and can be washed in large- capacity washing machines. Casings can be cotton cambric or synthetic fabric but must have a close weave to keep the filling in place. The higher the tog value or rating, the warmer the duvet will be. 10.5 is the average tog rating. While the polyester fibre-filled duvets have a tog between 8 and 11, the best down duvets have a count between 11 and 14. The tog rating is generally printed on the duvet. Even if the establishment uses natural fillings to provide the best degree of comfort, a small stock of duvets filled with man-made fibres should be made available for anyone who has an allergy to the natural product.  It is essential for the duvet to have an outside cover. Changing a duvet cover is a skill which is developed with practice. To save laundry costs and labour, it is advisable to provide a covering sheer in conjunction with the duvet cover. Though it is common to have all of them in white, the duvet cover, the bottom sheet and valance could be part of the colour scheme of the guest room. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 9  Bedspread/Bedcover/Counterpane  These are purchased, considering appearance, durability and size. The colour and print should match the décor, and soil should not show easily. The weave should not be susceptible to snagging. The fabric should drape well and not crease easily (quilted for this purpose). The durability of the fabric is judged by the effect of laundering and constant use. The life expectancy may be totally disregarded in order to meet with a certain decorative colour scheme. Readymade bedcovers lack individuality so they are usually stitched and a number of styles are possible. Bedcovers should be interchangeable wherever possible. The amount of fabric required to stitch a single bedspread is approx. 8 metres. Curtains/Draperies  These are also purchased considering appearance, durability and size. Sheer curtains/net curtains/glass curtains combined with heavy draperies are usual in a guest room. This combination allows light to pass through and facilitates privacy as well. Sheer curtains are generally made from synthetic/blended net or lace or from plain nylon or terylene. It is advisable to use a fire-resistant finish or fabric for these curtains. Draperies are usually lined. Lined curtains are thicker, fall better and allow less light to pass through. They are less likely to fade, soil-less easily and thereby last longer. When selecting the curtains, the appearance is judged by ensuring that the colour and pattern match the décor; viewing the fabric hanging and gathered in folds; viewing the fabric with daylight behind it; viewing the fabric with artificial light falling on it. It is also advisable to select patterns which are repetitive after shorter lengths to reduce wastage when stitching wide curtains. The amount of material required is dependent on the window treatment and 15 metres is the average requirement. A heavy fabric is usual for public areas and a lighter one in the guest rooms. Cushion Covers and Upholstery  Like the rest of the soft furnishings, these must also match the décor. It is also important that they are resistant to dirt, accumulation of dust and snagging. The fabric should be non-slip without being rough and free from static so that it does not cling to customer’s clothes. It also should not lose lint or colour easily.  Cushion covers should be launderable and non-crease. Upholstery fabrics should not stretch after they have been fitted. In both cases, the fabric should be firm with a close weave. This, however, is more applicable in the case of upholstery and in most cases, the fabric has a jute backing. BATH LINEN Requires being gentle on the skin, with a high degree of absorbency and lint-free. Linen or cotton are the fibres from which the towels are made. The weave may be a Dobby weave which is used to make a fabric called Huckaback, that is often used for face towels and sometimes hand towels. Bath towels are invariably made from Turkish towelling using a pile weave known as the Terry weave. The loops of the towels should be at least 1/8” high for good absorbency. When selecting Turkish towels hold them against the light out find out how close the basic weave is. Coloured and patterned towels may LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 10  be selected for public areas like the swimming pool, health club or beauty parlour, largely for identification. White towels are preferred to coloured ones. NAPERY Table linen The fabric selection is largely dependent on its launderability. Stain removal should be possible and it must have the ability to retain colour and shape. As far as appearance is concerned, it should match the décor and have a lustre for a good finish. The fabric should be preferably non-slip, as all restaurant tables do not have a baize top. Linen is better than cotton but very expensive. Starched cotton casement is commonly used. The fabric considered ideal for table linen is Damask. The pattern is highlighted by using lustrous yarns. Blends are unsuitable as the linen cannot be starched for the ‘crisp’ effect. Also, the resins present in blends attract grease, making oil stains difficult to remove and often these resins break down when exposed to the heat in the tumble dryer. Tablecloths should hang 9” over the edge of the table. Sizes vary according to the size of the table. If they are to be stitched, then an allowance should be made for 5% shrinkage along the length. Although is seems that it is only necessary to hem tablecloths at the ends that unravel, it is preferable to hem all four sides so that the article retains its shape. Banquet Frills (Juponé) These are coloured and lustrous, usually made of satin or rayon which may be plain or patterned. The pleats may be stitched or pleating may be done when draping the table. Varied styles may be used when draping which will affect the length of fabric required. The width of the fabric must correspond to the height of the table. Calculating Linen Requirement, Establishing Par Stock The housekeeping department of a hotel goes through hundreds of sheets per day. To have enough linen, housekeeping managers maintain par levels of inventory to meet the needs of the hotel. What Are Par Levels? Maria, the housekeeping manager at the Coral Beach Hotel, was always running out of linen. At first, she had concerns that the guests were stealing the sheets. But as it turned out, Maria simply did not have enough sheets to make every bed in her 100-room hotel. Searching for help, Maria turned to her general manager for answers. The problem was relatively easy to find. Maria did not maintain a par level for her linen inventory. A par level is a set number of inventory items that a hotel should have on hand at any given time. How to Calculate Linen Par Levels When Maria and her general manager sat down to figure out what is needed to make every bed in the hotel, they came to the following conclusions:  The hotel has 100 rooms  Each bed has three sheets, including 1 bottom sheet and 2 top sheets LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 11  Here is the calculation:  100 beds * 3 sheets per bed = 300 sheets per par number Now, 300 sheets will be enough to make the beds, but Maria knows she will also need additional sheets on hand. Here is how the par is calculated for the spare sheets:  One par of linen on the beds is 1 * 300 = 300 sheets  One par of linen in linen storage area is 1 * 300 = 300 sheets  One par of dirty in laundry room is 1 * 300 = 300 sheets  One par of linen for replacement (pantry) is 1 * 300 = 300 sheets  One par for emergency situations is 1 * 300 = 300 sheets  Total number of linen needed is 1,500 sheets  So the calculation is: 1,500 sheets / 300 sheets/par = 5 par of linen Let’s go through each of the par levels for a better understanding. Different Par Levels From the calculation, Maria needs to have 5 par of sheets in the housekeeping department at all times. ADVANTAGE OF PAR STOCK It prevents stock taking. It makes optimum use of surface. It ensures supplies at all times. It helps in effective budgeting. It helps to bring out control of number of issues each day. It helps in more guest satisfaction. It helps in proper security of linens. It prevents over stocking & hence avoids chances of spoilage during storage Stock taking Stocktaking is counting what you have (ACTUAL or PHYSICAL STOCK) and comparing it to what you are supposed to have (BOOK or RECORDED STOCK). It is an essential activity that must be carried out at regular intervals. Any discrepancies should be accounted for and adjusted in the records. It is an operational necessity in order to be able to predict future requirements. Stocktaking acts as a control measure by highlighting discrepancies, thereby promoting investigation. It also acts as a deterrent for pilferage and ensures rotation of stock. Procedures and Records, Linen Issuing System LINEN CONTROL LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 12 This is carried out in four phases: 1) Routine checking of linen for appearance and hygiene standards - Quality Control 2) Quantity control of the daily flow of linen stock/linen exchange procedure. 3) Stocktaking or physical inventory & documentation. 4) Documenting and marking the discard 1. Routine checking of linen for appearance and hygiene standards The executive housekeeper must emphasize the inspection of fresh and soiled linen not only by the linen room staff but also the other staff handling linen. Stringent checking should be carried out by the laundry staff. However, where the laundry is contracted out, the onus falls on the linen room staff. Spot checking of linen should be carried out by supervisors in the areas where linen is used such as room service, staff changing rooms, and so on. If inspection of all articles is carried out thoroughly, a high standard of linen quality is maintained and the chance of a guest finding a torn or stained article is minimal. 2. Quantity control of the daily flow of linen stock/linen exchange procedure A definite par stock is allocated as per requirement to various areas where linen is used on daily basis e.g. floor pantries of various floors, restaurant, coffee shop etc. Post that linen is simply exchanged on 'Clean for Dirty' basis. Following formats are used to exchange linen by ORA or F & B service employee. ROOM LINEN EXCHANGE SLIP ORIGINAL: LINEN ROOM 1st COPY: RETAINED IN BOOK WITH FLOOR SUPERVISOR LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 13 LINEN EXCHANGE:- Linen is provided for rooms and F&B areas following one of these procedures: Fresh-for-soiled/one-for-one :- This is a simple method of linen exchange. Fresh linen is provided only if an equivalent soiled article is given back. The advantage in this method is that there need be no record format. Usually uniforms' are exchanged according to this method. Even though fresh-for-soiled or one-for-one is the simplest exchange, in case of large numbers of linen, it will take more time on account of the counting of both fresh and soiled and the fetching of the requisite amount of fresh articles. Topping up :- This is the bringing up of the stock to the optimum level at periodic intervals or whenever it falls short of the pre-determined optimum. Requisition / Indent: - This method of linen exchange is mostly used for banquet linen, where the requirements may vary from day to day. A requisition slip is filled in, on the basis of which linen is provided. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 14 The linen room entry book contains daily records of the soiled linen brought to the linen room from the various floors and departments as well as the amount of soiled linen sent to the laundry. There is no duplicate for this record as it is for the reference of the linen room staff only. It is signed and maintained by the linen room supervisor and it helps him/her to keep track of the day-to-day movement of the linen handled by the staff. It also indicates that the total amount of soiled linen received in a day is not equal to the amount dispatched to the laundry. Linen Room Entry Book Total soiled Total soiled Linen 1st 2nd Bar Coffee Restaurant Restaurant linen linen delivered Remarks article Floor Floor Shop A B received to laundry Signature of linen room supervisor................... LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 15 3. Stocktaking or physical inventory & documentation Stocktaking of linen is a physical verification, by counting, of the stocks of all linen items at all points in the cycle. It is carried out at periodic intervals or at the time of the 'closing of books' for evaluation purposes - at the end of each financial year. Accurate recording of entries is important during stocktaking so that the overages and shortages can be determined from the difference between the physical count of balances and the balance appearing in the accounts inventory ledger. Importance of stocktaking: Accurate track of physical stock Identification of thefts or pilferage Problem With Damage, Unprocessed and Missing Stock Highlight Stock Control Issues- procedural deficiencies. Efficient capital management Helps in making budget. STOCKTAKING PROCEDURE: Pre-preparation of stocktaking: Appoint a particular day / time for stocktaking (Room linen, F&B line & Uniform) - The day and time should be such when there is minimum occupancy and minimum movement of linen / uniform so that sealing movements does not hinder daily operations. This can be after 3 p.m. for Room Linen Inventory and between lunch and dinner operations for F&B linen inventory. In a large establishment, three separate days may be identified - one for room linen stocktaking, second for F & B linen stocktaking and third for uniform stocktaking. Appointing Stocktaking committee – Executive Housekeeper Internal auditor Accountant Linen supervisor Informing various concerned departments and committee of appointed date and time of stocktaking so that linen movement can be freezed without hampering operations. Segregate all linen items (Including Discard) - Appropriate discard procedure may be carried out as detailed in next sub topic. Count may be written on the master inventory sheet. Identify all locations of linen: e.g. Room linen may be placed in Linen room, Linen store, Guest rooms, Floor pantries, Ends of linen chutes, Maid's trolley and Laundry. Similarly F & B linen may be placed in F & B outlets, side stations, back areas of restaurants, trays, on tables / buffet etc Conducting stocktaking: Freezing all movement of linen for appointed period: All floor linen rooms, linen room, linen store and chutes are sealed. Laundry delivery carts are frozen for dispatch. Physical count at each location is carried out by stocktaking team Preparing Records LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 16  Room linen inventory form is filled Transcribe of information onto the master inventory sheet. ROOM LINEN INVENTORY FORMAT FLOOR DATE FLOOR. SUPER ROOM BEDSHEET BEDSHEET PILLOWSLIP NIGHT BATH HANDTOWEL NO. ( single) (double) SPREAD TOWEL 101 102 103 TOTAL STOCK Pantry GRAND SIGNATURE FL.SUP. TOTAL LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 17  4. Documenting and marking the discard Discarded or condemned linen are items that are no longer useful in their present condition due to some irreversible damage such as a permanent stain or simply wear and tear. ‘Cutting Down’ refers to the using of any discarded material for some other purpose. The examples of it are as follows:  Bed sheets can be used as dust sheets, double bed sheet to single bed sheet, pillow cover.  Easiest way is to discard it into rags and dusters with the marking of condemned linen so that the purpose of the linen is clear.  Bath towel or bath sheets can be cut onto small toweling dusters  Large discard sheets can be cut down for use as crib sheets, aprons etc.  Discarded linen is sold to hotel staff at reasonable prices. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 18  Donate to charities. All discards should be recorded properly for different references like inventory control. Discard Procedure Identification of linen beyond state of repair or stain removal (may be done in laundry, linen room during stocktaking) Linen taken out of circulation and placed separately in laundry on daily basis. Discards done on monthly basis. Discards counted, sorted. Discards inspected by the EHK & a representative from accounts. Discarded items are stamped as“condemned” fill discards register. LINEN DISCARD REGISTER Checklist to Reduce Damage  Dropping large bundles of linen down the chute causes damage by abrasion against the sides of chute.  Knifes and pointed tools should not be whipped with table cloth or waiter’s cloth it can damage the cloth LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 19  fiber.  Careful handling of linen is required when stripping out from the bed.  All the dusters should be coded properly for specific area use; adequate dusters should be given to the staff for cleaning.  Hotel should provide tissues and shoe shine pads in the guest rooms  Control the use of excessive bleach in the laundry process as it weakens the fabric, check and supervise the laundry is on-premises.  Insufficient stock and poor rotation of linen shortens the life span of the linen article as it does not have rest period.  Adequate inspection should be given to torn articles which should be mended immediately. Stained articles should be treated immediately.  Care must be taken on reserve stock to ensure that it does not develop marked folds or is attacked by pests.  Frequent inspection of laundry baskets bins and trolleys, chutes as well as storage spaces to detect protruding nails or sharp edges/splinters.  Sufficient care of damp area for linen causes mildew (black spots on cloth) thus causing eventual tear and spoilage of linen. LINEN HIRE Hiring linen is uncommon in India, but many hotels in other parts of the world do not purchase linen and prefer to hire laundered linen from a hiring company. Linen hire companies supply clean linen to hotels on a hire basis. Thus it is a contract with a company which rents and launders linen. The system has both advantages and disadvantages. Advantages  Initial purchase investment is eliminated.  No laundering of linen is necessary.  Less storage space.  Less staff which means fewer salaries to pay.  No need to order linen so purchase function is eliminated.  No repairing of linen by the hotel.  It is ideal for spasmodic trade such as seasonal hotels, by avoiding capital expenditure and the need to store seldom used linen.  Linen hire charges may be no greater than the combined depreciation and laundering costs. Disadvantages  No individuality. LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 20  The choice is limited – the linen specifications, sizes and standards may be different from those required by the hotel.  No cut-downs or makeovers possible.  Damages have to be paid for, usually at a higher rate. u  The hotel is totally dependent on the hiring company.  There is no control over the quality of the wash.  Linen supply may be affected by bad weather or strikes causing a breakdown in operations.  If low occupancy, there is a loss due to unused linen.  The excess requirement is charged at the current rate.  Guest laundry will have to be dealt with or co-ordinated with a commercial laundry. Storage of linen  Linen should be arranged by size.  Linen must be kept free from dust.  They should be stored in cup-boards with sliding doors (preferably).  Articles that are not in frequent use (Blankets, special banqueting cloth) should be always be covered with linen covers.  All linen should be covered with dust sheets to avoid dust and fluff.  Linen should be rotated on ‘first-in’ ‘first-out’ (FIFO) basis..  Heavier linen should be placed on lower shelves.  LINEN ROOM JYOTSNA 21