Commercial Laundry – Reduce Waste, Rewash, and Water Usage

Commercial laundry may seem straightforward, but anyone managing linen for a hotel, assisted living facility, or athletic program knows it’s anything but simple. Stains that won’t lift, skyrocketing utility bills, and rising replacement costs all point to a deeper issue: outdated processes and underperforming chemistry.

“A lot of laundries, especially in hotels, fail to separate their linens… they’ll wash them together, and then they wonder why they’re not getting a proper cleaning,” said Ray Kaplan, Chief Revenue Officer at Sani Chem.

“You need to batch wash each individual item—wash cloths, hand towels, sheets, bedspreads—to get a better clean.”

That’s where Sani Chem steps in. As a proud distributor of UNX Christeyns products, Sani Chem brings world-class chemistry and hands-on service to every customer. With a team of experienced thought leaders in the commercial cleaning space and access to cutting-edge systems, Sani Chem delivers not just product but ongoing partnership.

Why Residential Chemistry Fails Commercial Needs

One of the most common missteps in commercial laundry? Assuming off-the-shelf detergents will do the trick. “The majority of the product that’s store-bought is 95% water,” said Ray. “You’re mainly cleaning with water.”

And it’s not just about concentration. The process behind the clean matters just as much. “We need time, temperature, mechanical action before we ever introduce chemical,” Kevin Peterson, Territory Manager at UNX Christeyns explained.

“I look at the hot water heater, then the program—it’s mechanical action. And you can overfill or underfill a washer. If it swims, it doesn’t get mechanical friction.”

The High Cost of Chlorine and the Power of PAA

Many facilities rely on chlorine bleach, thinking it’s the gold standard for sanitation. But chlorine can be damaging. “Chlorine deteriorates linens,” said Kevin. “That’s why you walk into a lot of places and see dryers full of lint. That’s degraded fabric.”

Sani-Chem offers an alternative through UNX: peracetic acid (PAA), a gentler disinfectant that’s ideal for hospitality settings. “We’ve seen people’s utility bills go down as much as 50%, but on average probably 35 to 45%,” Ray noted. “It doesn’t degrade the fabric. It only uses one rinse, so you’re saving water, time, and energy.”

Proven Success: Pelican Pointe Hotel & Resort

“The Pelican Pointe Hotel was spending between $5,000 and $7,000 a month on rewash,” Ray recalled. “They thought that was normal. We got them down to around $2,500 with better chemistry and proper programming.”

Their rewash rate dropped from 25% to under 3%, and program cycle times were slashed from nearly an hour to just 37 minutes—a significant boost in labor efficiency. “She can get almost double the washes out of her machines now,” Kevin added.

More Than a Vendor—A Laundry Partner

Sani Chem doesn’t just drop off chemicals and disappear. “I sell it, I install it, I maintain it. They deal with one guy,” Kevin said. “You’re not calling an 800 number. You’re calling me.”

The Sani Chem team also programs laundry equipment for optimal performance, trains staff and returns regularly to titrate chemicals and perform maintenance.

“A lot of chemical companies throw their pumps up on the wall, bring in their chemicals, and they’re gone. You’re probably not going to see them for six months, or until you have a problem,” Ray said.

Breaking Free from National Contracts

One major roadblock? Franchises that feel locked into national contracts. “Our biggest obstacle, especially in hospitality, are franchises that think they have to adhere to national contracts,” Ray said. “They’re made to believe they have to keep the laundry products too, but that’s actually a separate line item. They really can step away from that.”

Facilities like IHG or Marriott properties may be able to make their own purchasing decisions when it comes to laundry, even if other departments are under contract. “We’ve helped many clients make that transition—quietly and cost-effectively,” Kevin said.

Want to Find the Hidden Costs in Your Laundry Program?

Whether you’re dealing with high rewash rates, expensive replacement costs, or just want to improve your sustainability, Sani Chem is ready to help. As a distributor of UNX Christeyns solutions, we’ll evaluate your current setup, recommend improvements, and stick around to make sure they work.

“It’s not just about the price of the bucket,” Kevin said. “It’s about what you’re really paying per load—in money, time, and lost productivity.”

Let Sani Chem help you rethink what clean can mean – contact us today.