How Much Time Is Your Clinic Wasting on Laundry (and What to Do Instead)

By Brook Phillips | February 24, 2026

The Hidden Operational Drain in Your Clinic

Most physical therapy clinics closely monitor scheduling efficiency, patient flow, and reimbursement rates. But there is one operational expense that often flies under the radar:

Laundry.

Specifically, the time, water, and energy required to wash pillowcases every single day.

On the surface, laundering pillowcases may seem like a routine, unavoidable task. In reality, it represents a significant and ongoing drain on staff time, utilities, and operational costs.

The good news? This is one of the easiest areas to optimize.

The True Cost of Pillowcase Laundry

When clinics evaluate laundry, they often look only at detergent or linen replacement costs. What is frequently overlooked is the full operational impact.

For just one physical therapist, traditional pillowcase laundering can consume:

  • Over 5,200 gallons of water annually

  • Up to 100 hours of staff time per year

  • More than 700 kWh of electricity annually

Now multiply those numbers across your entire clinical staff.

What appears to be a small daily task quickly becomes a measurable operational burden.

Where the Time Really Goes

Laundry is not just the wash cycle. It is a multi-step workflow that pulls staff away from higher-value responsibilities.

Typical clinic laundry workflow includes:

  • Collecting soiled pillowcases

  • Transporting linens

  • Running wash and dry cycles

  • Folding and restocking

  • Managing inventory shortages

  • Troubleshooting machine issues

For a single PT, this can add up to nearly 100 hours per year dedicated solely to pillowcase laundering.

That is time your team could be spending on:

  • Patient care

  • Documentation

  • Clinic flow improvements

  • Front-desk support

In today’s tight labor market, every recovered hour matters.

The Environmental Impact Adds Up Quickly

Beyond labor, traditional pillowcase laundering carries a significant environmental footprint.

Water Usage

Washing pillowcases consumes an enormous amount of water. One physical therapist’s pillowcase laundry alone can waste more than 5,200 gallons annually.

Across a multi-provider clinic, this number scales rapidly into tens of thousands of gallons each year.

For clinics working toward sustainability goals, this is a meaningful opportunity for reduction.

Electricity Consumption

Energy use is another often overlooked cost center.

A single PT’s pillowcase laundry can use more than 700 kWh of electricity annually, contributing to:

  • Higher utility bills

  • Increased operational overhead

  • Larger environmental footprint

With rising energy costs, this is not a trivial expense.

The Compounding Effect Across Your Clinic

Let’s put this into perspective.

If your clinic has:

  • 5 providers → up to 500 staff hours/year on pillowcase laundry

  • 10 providers → up to 1,000 staff hours/year

  • 20 providers → up to 2,000 staff hours/year

That is the equivalent of weeks of staff productivity spent managing linens.

Most clinics would never intentionally allocate this much labor to a non-clinical task, yet it happens quietly in the background every day.

What to Do Instead: A Smarter Workflow

Forward-thinking clinics are beginning to rethink whether traditional pillowcase laundering still makes operational sense.

This is where solutions like EcoPro Pillow Covers come in.

EcoPro Pillow Covers are designed to replace wasteful cloth pillowcases with a soft, antimicrobial vinyl surface that can be quickly disinfected between patients using your existing cleaning protocols.

Instead of:

  • Wash

  • Dry

  • Fold

  • Restock

Your team can simply:

  • Wipe

  • Disinfect

  • Reset the table

The workflow becomes dramatically simpler.

How Clinics Benefit from Switching

Clinics that transition away from traditional pillowcase laundering often see improvements in three key areas:

1. Recovered Staff Time

By eliminating laundry steps, clinics can reclaim up to 100 hours per PT per year, allowing teams to focus on patient care and clinic efficiency.

2. Reduced Utility Costs

With no laundering required, clinics can significantly reduce:

  • Water consumption

  • Electricity usage

  • Laundry supply costs

These savings add up month after month.

3. More Consistent Infection Control

Because EcoPro Pillow Covers are designed to be disinfected between each patient, clinics can maintain a consistent, repeatable cleaning protocol without relying on linen turnover cycles.

The Bottom Line

Laundry has long been accepted as “just part of running a clinic.” But when you examine the true cost in time, water, and electricity, it becomes clear that this is a major opportunity for operational improvement.

If your team is feeling stretched, your utility bills are climbing, or your sustainability goals are a priority, it may be time to take a closer look at your pillowcase workflow.

Small operational changes can create meaningful gains.

Ready to Reduce Laundry in Your Clinic?

If you are evaluating ways to streamline operations, reduce overhead, and support your sustainability goals, EcoPro Pillow Covers offer a simple place to start.

Explore how your clinic could save time, water, and energy by rethinking the way you manage treatment table hygiene.

Posted in Green Clinic Tips