Commercial Laundry Maintenance

Wrap up the Season with Commercial Laundry Maintenance

During the busy season, your commercial laundry can experience a lot of wear and tear. It may be difficult to properly clean and maintain your laundry equipment, especially if your facility is open around the clock. If you take advantage of a slower period to get your machines and structure in the best condition, hopefully you can be prepared for the next big rush. Follow these tips for commercial laundry maintenance to help protect your equipment from costly repairs or replacement at the end of the season.

Deep Cleaning

You clean your facility regularly, but when the season is over, you now have time to carefully clean and sanitize all the equipment and space in your facility. Cleaning your machines can reduce rust, lint, and other grime that may affect the function. If you have laundry carts, they need to be cleaned thoroughly in addition to the interior and exterior of your washers and dryers. Your drain system also needs special attention to remove lint that may be clogging the pipes.

Machine Upkeep

When you are closing up for the season, you have a great opportunity to complete your commercial laundry maintenance. Inspect the hoses and belts on the washers and dryers for wear and replace as needed. Lubricate bearings and grease any needed parts. This is also a good time to check the exhaust system for your dryers to remove lint buildup, which affects the function as well as the safety of running the machines. If your machines are electric, tighten any connections that may seem loose. Gas-powered dryers need to have the burner tubes cleaned so that they heat up properly.

Replace as Needed

If you plan on closing for the season, you may want to consider the age of your equipment as well to replace any machines or other equipment before the crowds return. Inspect all of the connections for your machinery, including ironing or steam units if you have them at your facility. If your washers and dryers are over five years old, you may want to go ahead and replace belts, hoses, and other connections before they malfunction. You may want to replace older machines with more efficient models that conserve both water and power if they most likely will not make it through another season.

Commercial laundry maintenance is worth the time and effort to make reopening a breeze when the next year’s busy time rolls around. You may not be able to take care of all the details when the crowds returned, so make the most of this slow down for the health of your commercial laundry business.

Is your commercial laundry equipment in need of service or replacement? Request a free quote from the experts at FMB Laundry by filling out the form on this page, sending us an email, or calling us at 800-832-6193.

Upgrading Your Laundry Equipment

Implementing a Commercial Laundry Upgrade

Your laundry facility may be due for a major overhaul. If your equipment needs to be replaced or you need to add machines to meet the need of your business, you may be wondering where to start. Before you purchase anything, you should create a commercial laundry plan to address the needs of your enterprise. These ideas may help you get your improvements off the ground.

Size Matters

Whether you are adding on to accommodate a larger capacity or working within your current structure, you should consider the amount of space you have. Your square footage will dictate the quantity of machines you can fit as well as the number of workers to run them. Consider other factors that may affect your space. Do you intend to use your facility for clean linen storage? Will you need dedicated areas for folding and ironing? These may take away from the room you have for other equipment.

Show Me the Money

Any commercial laundry plan should also address budgetary constraints. Your ability to upgrade your facility will depend on that bottom line, and it can limit your project implementation. The options for new high tech washers and dryers are amazing, but so are their price tags.

The Nuts and Bolts

Another major consideration is the logistical issues of running a commercial laundry. What are your utility needs? Some questions that can affect your upgrade include:

  • Is your water supply adequate for your needs?
  • Do you tax your existing drain system?
  • Can your current water heater keep pace with the laundry cycles?
  • How efficient are your dryer exhaust ducts and make up air?
  • Must each machine have a separate breaker and is there room to add more equipment?
  • What if you use gas? Is your system appropriate for the usage?

Addressing these and other issues can have a big impact on your commercial laundry plan. Bear in mind that certain industries may have additional regulations to take into account.

Your Dream Team

Employees and equipment work together to get the work completed. After you have made decisions concerning your space, potential expansion opportunities, and logistics, you may want to consider your work force needs. Count management and other operational positions in your total number in order to be able to allow workable space for everyone.

With your upgrade comes the opportunity to see how new technology can make your facility more efficient. Washers with soft mounts and dryers that sense humidity can reduce the length of time for laundry completion and even potentially lower your overall utility expenses.

As you can see, your upgrade deserves a comprehensive commercial laundry plan. Pay attention to the details now and you may be able to streamline your operation when the work is completed.

Ready to upgrade your laundry room equipment? Request a free quote from the experts at FMB Laundry by filling out the form on this page, sending us an email, or calling us at 800-832-6193.