Shining Clean Washers and Dryers

In the laundry industry, there are right ways and other ways to maintain equipment and keep it shining and new looking. The right way is not always the way it gets done. That is too bad, because the wrong way eventually is more difficult and takes us far more time in the long run. There is a right way to wipe down washers and dryers that takes but a few seconds longer than the wrong way, but in the long run saves lots of time and energy. More important, the machines will look better and last longer. Customers are happier as well. Top loading washers need to be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis. Otherwise there will be a build up of soap grunge and scum making the machine look old before its time. Laundry users want clean machines. They may ignore streaky windows and walk over a cluttered floor, but they do not want and will not use dirty washers. All of the nooks ''n crannies, angles and slots found on a typical top loading washer can, and will, attract dust from soap and detergent poured into the machine ahead of its wash cycle. Even when poured directly into the wash water, detergent boxes spew detergent dust. Most is almost invisible to the human eye, but it''s there all the time. Then, the moisture laden air found in a laundry, locks that dust onto the machine like glue. As the process is repeated, the dust becomes scum and the shining, new look of the washer deteriorates. You can go into laundries that are one or two years old and see top loading washers that look like they came over on the Mayflower. All because they have not received the regular cleaning and attention they are entitled to. Regular cleaning requires few tools and takes little time. The tools are old towels or rags, an old toothbrush and a small pail of hot water. Some folks also use a flat putty knife or small trowel for corner tight spots. Here is a simple set of instructions for their use. Wash down the washer with warm water from the small pail. The detergent dust will provide the suds. When the top is wiped with a damp rag, the moisture that is left will dry to give the washer a streaky or cloudy look. Wipe it dry with a cloth to make that washer actually shine. Go on to the next machine. The toothbrush can be used to clean some of the small slots and spots. Your putty knife can be used to force the cleaning rags into tight corners and tight spaces around and between the machines. We suggest that you don''t do all of your washers at one time. Instead do them a row at a time. That way you can concentrate better and won''t get sloppy toward the end. It is also less of a commitment of time to finish a row or two each day. Once you have thoroughly cleaned and shined them all. You''ll find it''s a breeze to do them next time. It''s easier, and faster to clean washers that are already clean. The neat thing about doing your dryers is that the tool kit remains pretty much the same. Here you could add a decent larger brush or two to clean the insides, but the outside cleaning can be done with exactly the same tools, and done exactly the same way. Wash it down with warm water from the pail with a damp rag. Then wipe again with a dry towel so that there is no blurring of the shine. For the front loading washers, a bit of a different set up is required. Daily cleaning still takes warm water and a damp cloth followed by being wiped down quickly by a dry cloth. The stainless steel fronts, tops and other parts appear cloudy when there is any moisture left to dry on them. Soap doors, usually found on a machine''s top, can become a big problem. The customer''s aim isn''t always careful when pouring their detergents and supplies in. Left alone, a crusty, ugly residue accumulates in and around the compartments and flapper. Left alone too long and it hardens and becomes a really time consuming and tough cleaning job. A tough elbow grease answer to the problem is to use hot water to soften the detergent scum, then wipe or scrape away the residue. The job is important enough to be done at least every other day to avoid it becoming a major, labor intensive job. To keep a typical front loader''s stainless steel parts from looking old, they should be wiped down with a rag or towel that has been wetted with a light machine oil. The oil tends to remove stains from the steel. Immediately follow that by wiping them dry with a softer cloth to return the stainless shine. Do this at least every two weeks and your machines will continue to glisten like new. It''s not easy to keep your machines looking bright, clean and shining, but it is so important for the overall -success of your coin or card-op laundry business. And it''s not just the machines that have to be regularly ready for a customers inspection, particularly new customers. The floors and the folding tables, the windows and the lavatories all have to be kept just as clean and inviting. People go to a laundry to get their personal items clean and they have a right to expect to be able to get the garments laundered clean in a clean place. A laundry that is momentarily a little messy is acceptable as long as the customer can see the place is basically clean. Good customers will blame others using the laundry, not the laundry itself. They will wipe down a folding table or pick up a tide box from the floor to help keep your laundry just as clean as normal. Nobody actually wants to use a laundry that is dirty and messy all the time. They may have to because it''s the only laundry in the area, and they don''t have transportation. Given a choice, they will choose a clean and modern laundry where the machines are bright, shiny and clean. Customers will also help a laundry owner keep his place of business messy and dirty if that is the way he keeps it. Rather than walk over to a waste receptacle to drop in a detergent or bleach box, they''ll drop it on the floor or leave it on the folding table or machine top. Most people, including laundry users, are nice folks who will help you maintain the kind of laundry you want to run. Given a choice they will walk the extra step to drop trash in the waste can rather than leave it. They will honor the rules of your laundry as long as they feel you are honoring them by giving them the kind of laundry they want, and feel that they deserve. Keeping everything clean and shinning can really pay off for laundry owners.