Hotel Laundry: What Should PAR Be?

Every great hotel should have plenty of sheets and towels in their inventory to serve their guests with the best experience possible. Using an effective laundry service for hotels can make your linen cycle run smoother, but how many available sheets and towels should you keep your inventory?

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about hotel laundry, as well as discovering the recommended PAR amount to keep in storage.

 

What Is PAR Stock?

In the hotel industry, PAR stock is a ratio used to determine the demands that need to be met by the establishment on a regular basis. Standing for Per-Available-Room, viewing your laundry inventory through a PAR approach can help you to stay within budget, avoid overstocking and allow the hotel to run as smoothly as possible.

How Much PAR Should A Hotel Carry?

Linen and towel inventory levels are one of the main causes of friction between a hotel’s laundry system and the housekeeping team running the operation. Buying new supplies can be a hefty investment and one that often feels wasted—especially if you’re still struggling with unexpected linen shortages.

 To keep your hotel service running as smoothly as possible, we recommend 3.5 PAR as a go-to amount for any size of establishment. This applies if you send your linens and towels out multiple times per week, then keep it in check with a monthly inventory process and replacement order.

Why 3.5 PAR?

Any professional laundry service will recommend an average of 4 PAR, but at WaveMAX, we believe 3.5 PAR is the optimum amount. Let’s break it down, so you can understand the recommendation better…

  • 1 PAR is in your guest’s room

  • 1 PAR has been pulled, because it’s dirty and needs to be laundered

  • 1 PAR is in your storage or cart, ready to be fitted in rooms

  • 0.5 PAR is kept as spare sheets and towels in case of emergencies, loss or damage

 

It really is that simple. Also, carrying out monthly audits and inventories will allow you to stay on top of your 3.5 PAR, and keep your hotel running at complete operational efficiency.

 

While Updating Inventory, remember…

Inventory Per Item Varies

Your housekeepers can only place complete sets of linens and towels, so there’s no point basing your PAR on the items you have the largest amount of. If you’re short on pillowcases, they won’t be able to complete the job until your fresh laundry arrives.

Inventory Per Item Changes at Different Rates

This tip may seem obvious, but it’s something people forget about time and time again. Towels are a lot more likely to be carried out of your hotel in guest luggage than a full set of linen. Accounting for this in your PAR is essential for good practice.

Need Help With Your Hotel Laundry?

If you’re looking for a professional laundry service in Denver who can solve all of your linen and towel cleaning needs, WaveMAX Laundry is the place for you. As well as offering our regular coin laundromat and drop off laundry service, we’re also the experts when it comes to commercial laundry. Don’t hesitate to outsource your hotel laundry for a smoother sailing ship. Visit our website for more information on how we can help you.