Commercial Laundry Pricing & Agreements
There is no rate sheet here, because no two operations send the same laundry. What there is instead is the whole method — every variable that moves your number, and the agreement terms sitting behind it.
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How is commercial laundry priced?
Commercial laundry is priced one of two ways: per pound of linen processed, or per individual piece handled. Which method applies depends on what you send and how it has to come back. On top of that sits your weekly volume, pickup frequency, turnaround commitment and delivery footprint — and those inputs, not a list price, are what produce a rate.
That is why an honest published price does not exist in this industry. Any single figure is either a low anchor almost nobody qualifies for, or a high one that overcharges most businesses. So OrangeBag publishes the method instead: the variables are below, and the quote you get can be checked against every one of them.
The six variables behind every quote
Nothing here is proprietary. These are the inputs any commercial laundry uses to build a number — worth knowing before you read anyone’s quote, including ours.
Volume
How much leaves your building in a week is the single biggest lever. Rates step down as weekly poundage goes up, which is why two hotels on the same street can carry different numbers.
Bigger the volume, lower the unit rateItem mix
Sheets, bath towels, pool towels, robes, uniforms and table linen all cost different amounts to process. A property sending mostly terry prices differently from one sending mostly flat goods.
What you send, not just how muchPickup frequency
Twice a week and six days a week are different operations. More stops cost more to run, but they also cut how much linen you have to own to stay in service.
More stops, less inventory neededTurnaround
Standard turnaround is the baseline. Next-day and same-day commitments reserve capacity for you, and reserved capacity is what you are paying for.
Speed is capacity you reserveDelivery footprint
One address is simple. Four properties across a metro, or properties in two states, changes the routing — and a portfolio on one account usually prices better than four separate ones.
Portfolios price better than singlesFinishing and handling
Pressing, folding standards, wrapping, and any separation your operation requires all add labor on our end. Specialty finishing is a real line, not a rounding error.
Handling requirements are a real linePer pound or per piece
Both are legitimate. They suit different operations, and a quote should always say which one it is using.
Per pound
Weight-based- Best when
- You send high volumes of mixed terry and flat goods — bath towels, sheets, pool towels — and exact item counts matter less than throughput.
- How it is counted
- Linen is weighed on receipt and billed against that weight. Counts are still checked so nothing goes missing, but the rate is applied to poundage.
- Watch for
- Whether weight is taken soiled or clean, since wet and heavily soiled linen weighs more. It should be stated.
Per piece
Item-based- Best when
- Items are individually finished or tracked — pressed table linen, uniforms, robes, or anything where the standard on each item is the product.
- How it is counted
- Each item is counted out and counted back in against an agreed definition of a piece, and billed at that item’s rate.
- Watch for
- The definition itself. A sheet set can be one piece or three, and the difference compounds across a year.
How to compare two laundry quotes
Six things worth checking on any proposal you receive — ours included. Headline rates that look close often are not.
Is the billing method stated in writing?
Per pound and per piece are not comparable at a glance. A quote that does not say which one it uses is not a quote you can evaluate.
What exactly counts as one piece?
A fitted sheet, a flat sheet and a pillowcase can be three pieces or one set. Ask, and get the definition in the document.
Is there a minimum, and what happens below it?
Minimums are normal. Being charged for volume you never sent, in a week you were closed, is what catches people.
How long is the term, and does it renew itself?
Term length matters less than the auto-renewal clause and the notice window attached to it. Both should be stated plainly.
Who pays for lost or damaged linen?
Loss happens in every program. The question is whether the replacement policy is written down before it happens or negotiated after.
When and how can the price go up?
A rate is only meaningful alongside the clause that governs changing it. Look for notice requirements and any cap.
No surprises written into the small print
No three-to-five-year lock-ins. No rate that arrives verbally and gets documented later. No pricing that changes without notice. If a term matters enough to affect what you pay, it belongs in the document you sign — not in a conversation you half-remember.
Get pricing in writingPricing questions, answered
How much does commercial laundry cost?
Commercial laundry is quoted per pound or per piece, and the rate is built from your weekly volume, what you send, how often it is picked up, how fast you need it back, and how many locations are on the route. There is no single published figure because those five inputs vary enormously between businesses. OrangeBag documents the full rate in writing before anything is signed.
Is commercial laundry priced per pound or per piece?
Both methods are used. Per pound is typically simpler for mixed loads of towels and sheets where the exact item count matters less. Per piece is typically used where items are individually tracked or finished to a standard, such as pressed table linen or uniforms. The quote states which method applies and how a piece is defined.
Does OrangeBag publish a price list?
No, and neither can any commercial laundry honestly. A published rate would either be a low anchor that almost nobody qualifies for or a high one that overcharges most businesses. What OrangeBag publishes instead is the method: the exact variables that move your number, so the quote you receive can be checked against them.
How long are OrangeBag’s agreements?
Agreement terms run under three years, rather than the three-to-five-year lock-ins that are common across the industry, and most programs begin with a trial period before any longer commitment. The specific term, renewal and notice provisions are stated in the written agreement before signing.
Can I try the service before signing a long contract?
Yes. Most programs start with a trial period so the service can be judged on delivered results rather than on a sales conversation. The trial terms are documented alongside pricing in the same written quote.
What should I compare between two laundry quotes?
Compare the billing method, the definition of a piece, any minimum and what happens below it, the term length together with the auto-renewal and notice clauses, the lost-and-damaged linen policy, and the clause governing price increases. Two quotes with similar headline rates can differ substantially once those six items are read.
Ready to see your number?
Tell us about your operation, no obligation. Every request is read by our team and answered the same or next business day.
- Pricing documented in writing
- Agreement terms under three years
- Trial options before any longer commitment