Waterproof mattress protectors and pillow protectors specially designed for hotels have been available on the Estonian market for some time now. At first you might think why a hotel would even need those products? Mattress protectors and pillow protectors are costly and for a bigger hotel it might mean a considerable one-time expense.
There are four ways how a hotel benefits from using mattress protectors and pillow protectors:
1) saving the hotel employees time
2) saving on washing costs
3) longer life span of the mattress and the pillow
4) protection from dust mites, a hypoallergenic bed
Saving the hotel employees time:
The mattress protector and the pillow protector consist of two layers: water-absorbent textile layer on top and a 100% waterproof polyurethane layer underneath. If there is an accident in the hotel room and some liquid ends up in the bed, the mattress and pillow will remain clean. If there is no mattress protector or pillow protector the dirty mattress or pillow has to be sent to the cleaners.
If the mattress has a removable textile cover it should be removed and sent to the cleaners. Removing the cover is a tedious and time-consuming task. What is even more time-consuming is putting the textile cover back on the mattress as often the cover shrinks during the washing and forcing the contents of the mattress (e.g. poly foam) into the cover again might take great effort. If the textile cover of the mattress is not removable, cleaning the mattress might be extra complicated and expensive and should definitely be given some thought to.
Another time-consuming activity for the employees is transporting the stained mattress cover or pillow from the hotel to the cleaners, as both items take a lot of space and moving them takes time and effort. Not having to transport the mattress covers or pillows would surely make the life of the hotel housekeeping easier.
Saving on washing costs:
When sending a dirty mattress cover or pillow to the cleaners, the hotel must account for the following expenses transport to the cleaners + washing/cleaning):
* The cost of cleaning the stained mattress cover – about 5 euros/pc.
* The cost of cleaning the stained pillow – about 2 euros/pc.
If you add the time cost of the hotel employees this number can increase several times.
The prices of the mattress protector start from 5.30 euros/pc. and pillow protector prices start from 2.20 euros/pc. As you can see from the comparison it would be a win for the hotel even when needing to wash the mattress or pillow for the first time.
The prices to wash a mattress protector and a pillow protector are only a bit higher than the average price for washing bed linen which means that there are minimal additional costs when washing them regularly.
Longer life span of the mattress and the pillow:
If the mattress or the pillow are permanently stained in a way that leaves the cleaners unable to clean the product, the hotel needs to buy a new one. A new pillow might not seem that expensive, but a new mattress or a textile cover of the mattress might be quite pricey. Some hotels also use more expensive pillows (down and other special pillows) and in this case their price is also an important factor and they are worth protecting.
Washing in the cleaners always affects the qualities of the product. Cleaners try to treat the products as delicately as possible but when it comes to heavier stains, higher temperatures must be used to clean the product.
For example, in regard to pillows it often happens that after visiting the cleaners the pillow looks worn out and is not as comfortable as before. The reason for this is that the manufacturer of the pillow has not taken into account the hotel’s need to wash pillows. The polyester fibre content of these pillows shrinks and forms up strong balls that can clearly be felt when sleeping and are not comfortable. The polyester fibre content also deflates and the pillow becomes very flat. Sleeping on a 5–8 cm thick pillow is surely not comfortable.
The pillows sold by Hotellitarbed OÜ are hotel pillows that are specially designed in a way that makes them washable. Our company’s pillows are tested in cleaners, the contents of the pillow don't form balls and the pillow doesn't deflate and become a “pancake”.
When washing pillows their qualities change and in case of poor quality pillows they need to be replaced. The short lifespan of a pillow could be considerably extended by covering the pillow with a pillow protector.
If the hotel doesn’t protect its mattresses and pillows and occasionally sends them to the cleaners, then the hotel should also have a larger set of mattresses and pillows that replace the ones currently in the cleaners. This means financial cost to buy backup mattresses and extra space to store them but as we know there isn’t much extra space in the hotel’s housekeeping areas.
Protection from dust mites, a hypoallergenic bed:
The bottom layer of the pillow protector and mattress protector, made from 100% waterproof polyurethane, is dense enough for the dust mites not to get through. Dust mites feed on dead skin cells and biologic waste which also cannot get through the mattress protector and pillow protector. This means that when washing the mattress protectors and pillow protectors regularly all the dust mites found in bed will be destroyed as well.
Considering the modern rising issue related to allergies, the hotel could use this as a selling point, showing that its beds are clean from dust mites and are hypoallergenic.
It is also very important that mattress protectors and pillow protectors can be washed at a high temperature which will eliminate dust mites and other bacteria effectively. According to the product instructions Hotellitarbed OÜ mattress protectors and pillow protectors can be washed at 70 degrees but in reality they can easily be washed at 90 degrees. Even the biggest stains can be washed off using a high temperature. You cannot wash an ordinary pillow at such a high temperature, it would immediately ruin the pillow.
Using the right care mattress protectors and pillow protectors can last many years and preserve their qualities even when they are being used intensively.
It is a quite widespread opinion that mattress protectors and in particular pillow protectors are not convenient and make rustling sounds. We can assure you with 100% conviction that the mattress protector and the pillow protector do not cause any kind of discomfort. We have tested these products extensively ourselves and we can assure you that the mattress protector and pillow protector are very comfortable for sleeping and do not make any sounds in their movement.
There are different types of mattress protectors.
The most affordable version is Mattress Protectors with Elastic Straps which means that the mattress protector is like a small bed sheet the size of the mattress with elastic straps in each corner that will be strapped under the corners of the mattress. As the elastic strap stretches, this product can be used with different height mattresses (it works with mattresses that are 5–25 cm thick). As this type of mattress protector uses the least material it is also the most affordable. This type of mattress protector will protect the mattress only from the top. Mattress Protectors with Elastic Straps sold by Hotellitarbed OÜ are made from 100% jersey weighing 100 g/m2 which doesn’t have the same water-absorbent qualities as terry fabrics, but as it is a thin material it makes the product a bit cheaper.
Mattress Protectors with a Skirt surround the mattress on the sides as well, protecting the mattress from five sides (top + 4 sides). Since there is more material used for the skirt this mattress protector is a bit more expensive. However, it gives the mattress additional protection. As the material stretches, it is suitable for mattresses in different heights. The height of the skirt of the mattress protector is 35 cm (suitable for mattresses with a height up to 33 cm). The top layer of Mattress Protectors with a Skirt is made from terry fabric 80% cotton / 20% polyester weighing 125 g/m2 and this terry fabric absorbs water a lot better. Since terry fabric is a thicker material it increases the price of the product.
Additional information about mattress protectors: Mattress protectors
Additional information about pillow protectors: Pillow protectors
