How to Make the Best Use of Laundry Leftovers

In the past, it was Sunday morning that you''d find them. Today, it can be any morning of the week. Loads of clothes and linens left behind from the night before by a laundry customer. They may have left the laundry to go partying, or maybe they were just forgetful. Often, it''s good quality, expensive linens and clothing that''s left. Even the cheap stuff costs lots of money today. You''d expect the customers would call and inquire if it was found. Sometimes they do, but quite often no one calls. They are either embarrassed at having forgotten or else are sure that it''s been taken. When you or your help find leftovers in the machines, it should first be dried and packaged somehow. When customers do inquire over their lost garments, you can charge them for the cost of the dry and also for the labor required to save the clothing. It''s questionable whether or not a coin laundry owner has a responsibility for a customer''s loss of clothing, especially in an unattended laundry. However, it''s so easy to sue someone in small claims court that it pays to have a policy in place to protect yourself from such suits. Clearly posted signs saying that you are not responsible for lost or stolen items can be a big help. With such signs, they have been properly warned. Next, you should know that most state laws require that you hang on to anything you find in your laundry for at least 90 days before it becomes your property and can be disposed of in any way except to return it to its owner. The question now becomes, how can you dispose of this material doing the most good for your business? Some laundry owners accumulate things and then, every now and then, sell to used clothing stores. This doesn''t bring much, but it is cash. Others make donations of the clothing to the Salvation Army, Hospice or other charitable group. They usually receive a receipt which they can use for taking tax deductions for a charitable contribution. There is a way to get the maximum cash value while earning some local publicity benefit. Most local churches will hold a clothing drive sometime during the year. With the extra clothing you have on hand, plus an offer of the use of your facilities to do the laundering, you are in a good place to have a receipt for donations made and the chance to gain new customers too. Church bulletins can be a powerful tool for local publicity. Take advantage of that tool to promote your business. Contact one of the larger churches in your area and offer to help with their clothing drive. The publicity follows naturally. This publicity can bring in new customers who belong to that particular church. Several old time operators keep all of the terry cloth towels they find. They sell or donate everything else. Wash cloths make excellent rags for repair work on laundry machines. They are also great for cleaning almost anything and they can be laundered to be used again. Old time laundry people keep towels in ready stacks for use when there is a flood in the laundry. Instead of mopping up, they drop the towels on the floor to soak up the water then spin them out in a washer to be dropped again until the floor is dry. It takes a huge amount of labor out of the chore. When the flood is handled, dry, fold and stack the towels again for use in the next such emergency.