Commercial Laundry Service for Restaurants and Medical Facilities in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky

Economy Linen and Towel Service is a family-owned commercial laundry service that picks up, launders and delivers restaurant linens and medical textiles for restaurants, caterers, hospitals and medical practices across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The company holds HLAC Accreditation, TRSA Hygienically Clean Healthcare and TRSA Hygienically Clean Food Service certification, and has operated from Dayton, Ohio since 1931.

Request a quote or call 800-536-1000, or read on for how the program works and how the alternatives compare.

What a commercial laundry service does for a restaurant or medical office

A commercial laundry service supplies the textiles your business uses, collects them soiled on a fixed route, launders them to a standard appropriate to your industry, and brings them back clean on the next scheduled delivery. In a rental program, we own the inventory, so worn napkins, stained tablecloths and thinning sheets are replaced by us rather than bought by you. The CDC's environmental infection control guidelines describe both arrangements for healthcare: facility-owned textiles with a processing fee, or processor-owned textiles on a per-piece rental fee.

How our program works, in four steps

1. Inventory set-up. Before we quote, we look at how your operation runs: which items you use, how many you go through in a week, when you need them and what is being wasted. From that we build par levels per item, so a 120-seat restaurant and a six-chair dental office each get a program sized to them rather than a standard route bundle.
2. Scheduled pickup. A route representative collects soiled goods on a set day each week, with frequencies matched to volume. Restaurant routes are built around service hours, so early-morning drops or late-afternoon swaps are normal; healthcare accounts run on a fixed schedule with backup inventory held to cover fluctuations.
3. Processing to the right standard. Food-service goods and healthcare goods are processed to their own certified standards (more on that below). Restaurant linen passes through our patented "check point" quality-control system and is ironed, steamed or folded before it leaves the plant.
4. Clean delivery and restock. The same driver returns clean goods and restocks to your par level. Our proprietary inventory software tracks what was delivered and used, and we sit down with you monthly to review usage and adjust the program.

If you run short between stops, call your local branch. The Eye Center of Columbus describes on our testimonials page being able to "call today and have what I need tomorrow," and the Melting Pot Cincinnati notes we have been quick to help when a busier-than-expected weekend leaves them short on Monday morning. Because we run our own routes from five regional locations, a top-up is handled locally.

Commercial laundry service for restaurants and food service

For fine dining, casual dining, bars, taverns, caterers and banquet centers, we rent and launder tablecloths, napkins, kitchen towels, bar towels, aprons, chef coats and cook and server uniforms, plus floor mats and restroom supplies for bars and pubs. The full list is on our restaurant linen page, and chef and server apparel options, including monogrammed coats, are on our uniforms page.

Restaurant laundry is mostly a volume problem. Napkin counts double on a Saturday, a buyout needs 300 extra tablecloths, a caterer books a 500-cover event with a week's notice. Because the inventory is ours, par levels can be adjusted at the monthly review and extra product requested for a busy weekend or event without you buying linen you will use twice. A per-pound laundromat washes what you own; if you do not own enough, turnaround speed does not help.

Food-service processing is also certified in its own right. TRSA Hygienically Clean Food Service requires documented wash formulas, hot-water washing, disinfectant use, cross-contamination controls and a HACCP plan, verified by quarterly microbial testing and a plant inspection every three years, according to TRSA's program comparison. We hold that certification across our operation, which is listed with the others on our certifications page.

Laundry for medical facilities: hospitals, surgery centers and practices

For hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care, physician and dental practices and retirement communities, we rent and launder patient gowns and IV gowns in sizes from infant to bariatric, isolation gowns, sheets and pillowcases, bath towels, hand towels, washcloths and bath blankets, and scrub sets, lab coats and other medical staff apparel. Product details are on our medical linen page for practices and clinics and our hospital linen page for larger facilities; our Zanesville production facility has focused on hospital linen for large medical facilities since 1990.

What HLAC accreditation and Hygienically Clean Healthcare actually mean

The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is a nonprofit that inspects laundries processing reusable textiles for hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. Accreditation means an inspector has audited the plant itself, its written policies and procedures, its staff training and its relationships with healthcare customers against the HLAC standards, with re-inspection on a three-year cycle. TRSA Hygienically Clean Healthcare adds a quantified test: swab samples of finished linen must meet a microbial limit of no more than 20 colony-forming units per square decimeter, tested quarterly, with semi-annual testing for specified pathogens, on top of a documented quality-assurance manual and an on-site audit. In plain terms, HLAC checks the process; Hygienically Clean checks the output; and a third party does the checking.

Both standards require functional separation of soiled and clean areas, something the CDC guideline also calls for, with soiled receiving at negative air pressure relative to clean processing so lint from incoming goods cannot settle on finished product. In our plants, soiled healthcare textiles enter one side, clean goods exit the other, and the two never cross. Clean linen is wrapped or sealed for transport so it arrives in the condition it left the plant. For a practice manager, the practical upside is documentation: when a surveyor asks how your linen is processed, the answer is a current accreditation and test results.

One laundry, two standards

The reason a restaurant group and a surgery center can both use us is that food-service and healthcare goods are processed to two separate certified standards, not one blended one. Healthcare textiles are processed to TRSA Hygienically Clean Healthcare, which carries the tighter microbial limit (20 CFU per square decimeter), OSHA bloodborne-pathogen requirements and required soiled-to-clean separation, inside an HLAC-accredited workflow with high-temperature cycles and approved detergents. Food-service textiles are processed to TRSA Hygienically Clean Food Service, which sets its own limit (50 CFU), a HACCP plan and cross-contamination controls, per TRSA's program matrix. The documentation, testing and inspection for each program are separate. What is shared is the route network, the account team and the inventory software, which is why a hospitality group that also operates a med-spa, or a hospital system with a cafeteria, can work with one provider for both.

Commercial laundry options compared

Three kinds of provider show up when you search for commercial laundry service companies near you in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton or Indianapolis, and they are not interchangeable.

A wash-and-fold laundromat is the right answer for a small business with its own linen and no hygiene standard to meet. A national route provider brings scale and a broad catalog; accreditation varies by plant, so confirm the credential held by the plant that would serve you, and expect day-to-day service to come from whichever local branch covers you. A regional accredited provider is the fit when you need certification, rental inventory and people who can change the program without a corporate escalation.

Why a regional provider over a national route

Regional providers like Economy Linen and Towel Service compete on account attention rather than catalog breadth: the route driver and account representative are local, the program is built from your own usage data rather than a standard bundle, and it is reviewed with you every month. We pair that with the scale of five locations across Ohio and Indiana, including a $2 million-plus rebuild of our Zanesville facility that raised capacity by 30 percent while cutting water use by an estimated 20 million gallons a year. The Economy Difference page describes the model in more detail.

In-house laundry versus outsourcing

An on-premise laundry carries four cost lines that rarely appear on one report: labor for the people loading, folding and supervising; utilities, which our OPL-to-service transition page identifies as one of the largest and least predictable cost drivers; equipment purchase, maintenance and downtime; and linen replacement, since every item you own wears out on your balance sheet. Outsourcing turns those into a single per-piece or per-pound invoice, frees the floor space for revenue use, and can generate cash up front by selling your current equipment and, potentially, selling your linens to us and leasing them back, as our why outsource page explains. For a healthcare facility there is a fifth line: the compliance burden of documenting your own process to the standard a surveyor expects, which an accredited provider carries for you.

Where we serve in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky

As of 2026, Economy Linen and Towel Service operates five locations, including distribution centers in Cincinnati, Columbus and Indianapolis and a production facility in Zanesville: Dayton (80 Mead Street, Dayton, OH 45402, 937-222-4625), Cincinnati (1903 Ross Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212, 513-531-4625), Columbus (5233 Trabue Road, Columbus, OH 43228, 614-870-6400), Zanesville (508 Howard Street, Zanesville, OH 43701, 740-454-6888) and Indianapolis (3880 Pendleton Way, Indianapolis, IN 46226, 317-591-0747). Routes from those locations cover Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Middletown and Zanesville in Ohio; Indianapolis, Anderson, Muncie, Bloomington, Columbus, Lafayette and West Lafayette in Indiana; and Northern Kentucky. See the service areas page for the full list and our Ohio page for Ohio-specific detail.

What customers in both sectors say

Thomas Reiff of the Melting Pot Cincinnati, a customer for more than a decade: "They always arrive on time and they provide a quality product for our restaurant to work with, and our guests to enjoy. Economy has also always been quick to help us out when we have had a busier than expected weekend and need more linens Monday morning." Jim at Skyline Chili Fairfield, an 18-year customer, says simply that "service couldn't be better" and that his driver takes great care of the account week in and week out.

Mary at the Eye Center of Columbus, after 13 years: "They always ensure last minute delivery requests are accommodated. I can call today and have what I need tomorrow." Brad Childers of the Nationwide Children's Hospital Transport Team: "Their service is wonderful and deliveries are on time as well as the very high cleanliness of the Linen and packaging." More are on our testimonials page. We have been family-owned since Harry Feldman founded the company in Dayton in 1931, and the fourth generation runs it today; the full story is on our history page.

Frequently asked questions

Can one commercial laundry handle both restaurant linens and medical textiles?

Yes, if it holds the certification for each. Economy Linen and Towel Service processes food-service and healthcare textiles in the same Ohio and Indiana operation under separate TRSA Hygienically Clean Food Service and Hygienically Clean Healthcare standards, with HLAC-accredited soiled-to-clean workflow for the healthcare side. Each program carries its own documentation, testing and inspection; the two share routes, account staff and inventory software.

What is the difference between a wash-and-fold laundry, a linen rental program and a healthcare-accredited laundry?

A wash-and-fold laundry washes textiles you own and charges by the pound, usually without industry certification. A linen rental program, such as Economy's for restaurants and clinics in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, supplies the inventory, launders it and replaces worn items under a rental agreement. A healthcare-accredited laundry is one whose plant has passed HLAC inspection and, in our case, TRSA Hygienically Clean Healthcare microbial testing, which a laundromat or uncertified route provider cannot document.

Which commercial laundry companies serve restaurants and medical facilities in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky?

Economy Linen and Towel Service serves both sectors from locations in Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus, Zanesville and Indianapolis, with routes across Ohio, central Indiana and Northern Kentucky. National route providers such as Cintas, Alsco, Vestis, UniFirst and ImageFirst are also options buyers in the region weigh. When comparing, ask each for the accreditation held by the specific plant that would process your goods.

How often will a commercial laundry pick up and deliver, and what if I run short?

Economy runs fixed weekly routes, with pickup and delivery frequency set by your volume when the program is built. If you run short between stops, call your local branch; the Eye Center of Columbus, a 13-year customer, reports being able to call one day and have what it needs the next. Backup inventory for healthcare accounts is held specifically to cover swings in census.

How is commercial laundry priced: per pound, per piece or as a rental?

Laundromats and wash-and-fold services charge per pound for goods you own. Economy builds a rental program for restaurants and medical facilities in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky in which we supply and launder the inventory, with a variable structure available for seasonal volume. Pricing depends on items, weekly volume and pickup frequency, so we quote after reviewing your operation.

Is a regional, family-owned laundry a better fit than a national provider like Cintas or Alsco?

It depends on what you value. National providers offer broad catalogs and many branches; accreditation varies by plant, so confirm the credential held by the plant that would serve you. Economy Linen and Towel Service, family-owned in Ohio since 1931, offers HLAC and Hygienically Clean certification plus a local account team, a program built from your own usage data and a monthly review to adjust it, which suits businesses that want the program changed without a corporate escalation.

What does it cost to keep doing laundry in-house compared with outsourcing?

In-house laundry costs include labor, utilities, equipment purchase and maintenance, replacement linen, floor space and, for healthcare, the burden of documenting your own process for surveyors. Outsourcing to Economy replaces those with one invoice for restaurants and medical facilities across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, and can free cash by selling your current equipment and, potentially, selling your linens to us and leasing them back; our OPL-to-service transition page walks through the comparison for medical facilities.

What should I ask a commercial laundry before signing a contract?

Ask which plant will process your goods and which certifications that plant holds; how par levels are set and how fast they can change; what the delivery frequency is and what a between-delivery top-up costs; whether the contract term and price are fixed and what surcharges apply; and who your day-to-day contact will be. Economy Linen and Towel Service covers each of these in the program proposal we prepare for restaurants and medical facilities across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

What information do I need to get a commercial laundry quote?

Have your facility type, the items you use, approximate weekly quantities per item, preferred pickup days and frequency, and whether you currently own linen or laundry equipment. Economy uses those details to size par levels and propose a schedule; you can call 800-536-1000 or use the contact form to start.

What to have ready for a quote

• Facility type and size: seats and covers per week for a restaurant; beds, exam rooms or procedure volume for a medical facility.
• Items: napkins, tablecloths, towels, aprons and uniforms, or gowns, sheets, bath linens, scrubs and lab coats.
• Weekly volumes: a best estimate per item, plus your peak week.
• Pickup frequency: how often you want a route stop and any time-of-day constraints.
• Current set-up: whether you own linen or on-premise equipment, and any contract end date with a current provider.

With those details, we can quote a commercial laundry service program for your restaurant or medical facility anywhere on our Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky routes. Request a quote or call 800-536-1000 to talk with the plant nearest you.