Renting Linen / Paying for Laundry

[SherborneCottages]

I don't know if this will be region specific or if there are perhaps national companies..


We are looking to change our laundry system.. It is NOT working!! We've tried several methods.. When we first began we were using my personal cleaner and I would bring the laundry back to my house and she would do it while she was cleaning there. We just paid her an extra hour or two. She then decided she didn't want to do it anymore.

We then hired another cleaner who attempted to do the laundry at the properties but small machines with huge loads meant we were basically paying her to twiddle her thumbs for all the time she wasn't cleaning. And we have since lost her also!

So then I tried doing it myself but with up to 10 beds in use (and sometimes multiple changeovers) this can be a mountain of a task and recently has even had my poor mother doing laundry for two days solid to try and catch up!

I think what we need is either a laundry service where we can drop what we have off and pick it up. Or a service where we basically rent linen from them and do the same drop off/pick up type system.

I'm finding it quite difficult to get information on this though - companies, prices, etc.

Any suggestions? And what have you found works best? Do you do the laundry yourself or your cleaner or use some other service?

[Annew]

I too am having problems with this issue. I have made 8 phone calls to CLS (linen rental) and have sent 3 emails, but they have not even bothered getting back to me.

We have up to 18 guests worth of linen - sheets, towels bathrobes, etc etc, and we are struggling to keep on top of things when we are busy.

I had 2 local laundry services (maybe there is one somewhere in Sherborne) available, but one let me down badly 4 weeks in a row - didn't collect or deliver clean laundry when arranged. And the other shut overnight!

It's so difficult to know what to do.......

Current situation is that housekeeper and I do the laundry and she then irons the linen, but it's a time consuming and exhausting process.

My daughter worked as a chamber maid in a chateau in France last summer and they used a press for their linen. But they take up a lot of space and are quite expensive, even 2nd hand.

Do let me know if you find a magic solution! Good luck!

Maybe you might have better luck than me with CLS if they service your area.

[Nightowl]

I use a local laundry. He does service washes and collects from me and delivers once done. I am really lucky - he's never let me down.

Having said that, I think he relies on the regular income from me - about £30 - £40 every week.

He is very good though, everything is folded immediately it comes out of the dryers and I hardly have to iron a thing. It's a great symbiotic relationship - we both need eachtother.

If you can find a local laundry that needs you as much as you need them, then bingo. You are sorted.

[harcourtv57]

I agree with Nightowl - we used to do our own but with the possibilty of 15 sets over three properties it all got too much! We now use a local laundry - OH drops off the laundry and picks it up from them on the way to each changeover. Its not cheap and can cost up to £50 a time, but its such a relief having someone else do it. They also fold when out of the dryer so no need to iron - the other benefit is that we can now claim this as an expense on our tax return when previously we were given a pitiful allowance against electricity costs. And we feel that we are helping a local business as they are a small family run business.

[Nightowl]

yes, exactly, once you take the electricity into account, and the time it takes, it's quite a bargain really.

And my guy is a one man band business, not a big commerical laundry, so we are both local businesses. He gives me receipts so it's all above board too.