Cleansol Guide · Commercial Laundry
Commercial laundry process: how hotels and hospitals wash linen – step by step
White, soft, fresh linen is not about one magic detergent – it is about the right steps in the right order. Here is the complete wash process used by hotel, hospital and commercial laundries: what goes in at each stage, at what dose and temperature, and why linen turns yellow when one step is skipped.
7 steps
sort to finish
4 products
detergent, booster, bleach, sour
60–80 °C
main wash
Sour last
stops yellowing
Quick answer: Sort and weigh the linen → cold pre-rinse → main wash with detergent (plus booster for oily linen) at 60–80 °C → bleach with oxygen bleach for whites → 2–3 rinses → sour in the final rinse to neutralise alkali → spin, dry and iron. Skipping the sour is the most common reason hotel linen turns yellow and stiff.
In this guide
Dose chart – per 50 kg of dry linen
| Stage | Product | Light soil | Heavy soil |
| Main wash | Ultra Detergent | 500 g | 750 g |
| Main wash – oily linen | Laundry Booster | 250 g | 550 g |
| Bleach – whites | Oxygen Bleach | 250 g | 500 g |
| Final rinse | Fabric Sour | 100 g | 150 g |
Doses for Cleansol products. For a 25 kg machine, use half. Weigh the dry linen – do not go by machine capacity. Use our free laundry dosing calculator for any load.
The 7-step commercial wash process
Hospitals: follow your own infection-control protocol for soiled and infected linen – separate bags, handling and disinfection steps as your hospital requires. This guide covers the cleaning and finishing process.
Linen types and soil levels
| Linen | Soil level | Booster per 50 kg | Main wash |
| Bedsheets, duvet covers | Light | 250 g | 30 min, 60–70 °C |
| Towels, pillow covers | Medium | 350 g | 30–40 min, 70 °C |
| Napkins, tablecloths | Heavy | 550 g | 45 min, 70–80 °C |
| Chef coats, kitchen dusters | Heavy | 550 g | 45 min, 70–80 °C |
| Staff uniforms, overalls | Medium–heavy | 350–550 g | 40–45 min, as label allows |
Always check the care label – some uniforms and coloured linen need lower temperatures.
Why linen turns yellow – and how to stop it
Detergent, booster and bleach all work in an alkaline wash. Even after 2–3 rinses, a little alkali and bleach stays in the fibre. When the linen is dried and pressed with a hot iron or calender, this residue shows up as a yellow or pale tint, a harsh, stiff feel and a faint chemical smell. Wash after wash, it also weakens the fibres, so linen tears sooner.
WITHOUT SOUR
Alkali residue → yellow tint after ironing, stiff towels, skin irritation complaints, shorter linen life.
WITH SOUR IN THE LAST RINSE
Residue neutralised → whiter, softer, fresher linen that lasts more washes – for about 11–17 paise per kg of linen.
Other causes of yellowing: oil that was never fully removed (use a booster), too much chlorine bleach on cotton, and storing linen while still damp.
Problem → fix chart
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
| Yellow after ironing | Alkali / bleach residue | Fabric sour in the final rinse |
| Grey, dull whites | Low dose, hard water, no bleach | Correct detergent dose + oxygen bleach |
| Oily smell, grease spots | Oil not fully removed | Laundry booster + hotter, longer wash |
| Stiff, rough towels | Too much detergent, alkali residue | Weigh and dose correctly + sour |
| White flakes, musty drum | Scale and detergent build-up | Washing machine descaler weekly to monthly |
Tips for longer linen life
- Weigh every load – over-dosing wastes chemicals and leaves residue; under-dosing leaves soil.
- Don't overload – linen needs room to move, or it will not rinse clean.
- Check the final rinse – a simple pH strip in the last rinse water shows whether the sour dose is right.
- Treat hard water – descale machines regularly; see our descaling guide.
- Never store damp linen – it causes mildew spots and yellowing.
- Train staff on the order of steps – most linen problems come from a skipped or swapped step.
Frequently asked questions
The complete Cleansol laundry range
Detergent · Booster · Oxygen Bleach · Fabric Sour · Machine Descaler – one maker, GST invoice, 1 kg to 25 kg.
Fabric Sour → Ultra Detergent → Laundry Booster → Oxygen Bleach →Related: How much detergent per kg of clothes · How to remove oil and grease stains · Oxygen bleach – how to use
Doses are for Cleansol products. Always follow the product labels, garment care labels and your own laundry or hospital protocols.