Originally posted – May 27, 2014
[This is the first in a two-part series on fine-tuning the wash-dry-fold process.]
Back in his 1970s heyday, actor Burt Reynolds once referred to marriage as “the most expensive way for the average man to get his laundry done.”
Although dirty laundry remains a constant, both men and women have more options today when it comes to getting those garments clean. Of course, one of the best options for eliminating the drudgery of laundry day (at least from my standpoint) is to drop off those clothes at the local laundromat and let the professionals take care of them.
These days, more and more self-service laundries are now offering wash-dry-fold services (which are also referred to as fluff-and-fold, drop-off laundry or bundled laundry) as an additional customer benefit and revenue-generator. Hopefully, this article will provide you with some guidelines to help refine and streamline your own wash-dry-fold service.
Consistency
First and foremost, it is imperative that you employ well-trained attendants who meticulously follow your procedures.
When everyone does things in the same prescribed manner, mistakes and losses will be minimized. Create an easy-to-follow, step-by-step loose-leaf notebook, laminating each page. In addition, drawings and photos are helpful for staffers whose English is limited.
When everyone faithfully follows the instructions, all orders will be properly processed in a more efficient manner and will have the same professional appearance. Consequently, it’s unlikely that a customer will be able to distinguish which attendant processed his or her particular order – and, therefore, you won’t have customers insisting that only certain staff members process their laundry each and every time.
Sorting
Assuming you don’t combine customers’ orders, sorting the laundry is a must. Unfortunately, many laundry owners frequently avoid this step in order to save time – this is a bad idea, folks! Always take the time to sort your wash-dry-fold orders.
There are many ways to sort laundry, but there are some guidelines I’ve employed to avoid laundry catastrophes, such as ruined clothes, angry customers and lost income. Before starting the sorting process, I would strongly suggest that your attendants wear rubber clothes for their own protection.
There are two qualifiers that determine how many washers to use. If the order is 25 pounds or less, I’d suggest using just two machines – one for whites (if chlorine bleach is used) and one for everything else. With larger orders, the laundry should be separated into whites, light colors and darks. Additional washers may be used as follows: towels, delicates, rugs/rags/household items, pet-related items and sports items.
As a general rule, hot water is used for whites and other heavily soiled items, while everything else should be washed in cold. (After all, back in the day when people washed their clothes down at the river, the only water temperature available was cold!)
Also, while sorting the garments, it’s crucial to spend a few extra minutes checking all pockets and removing the contents. Some of the more interesting items I’ve personally removed from wash-dry-fold garments include bullets, a driver’s license, a red marker, drug-related paraphernalia, $400 in bills and a $5,000 receipt for a painting.
Broken glass, for example, can easily damage both the garments and, more importantly, your laundry equipment itself – so be sure that your attendants go through those pockets very carefully.
In addition, shredded pieces of hidden Kleenex clinging to dark pants can result in having to re-wash the affected items. To avoid lint clinging to pants and T-shirts, turn them inside out prior to placing them in the washer.
Washing
If the garment care label is still attached, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. For instance, “Dryclean” is a recommendation; whereas “Dryclean Only” means exactly that.
One of my customers once told me that her local drycleaner quoted $65 to clean a red, silk kimono. With her permission, we carefully laundered it with perfect results and charged the happy customer just $20.
In my experienced opinion, I believe that about 75 percent of the items sent to drycleaners can be very carefully laundered with outstanding results… and at a fraction of the cost.
Always pre-spot stains prior to washing. Failure to do so will result in permanent stains after the garment has been through a drying cycle. Caution: heat sets stains!
Are you a member of the Missing Sock Club? If so, you can finally cancel your membership… permanently.
Simply attach matched socks by placing a safety pin in the toe portion. Before you put the laundry in the washer, spin the drum, making certain that nothing has been left by the prior user. When the wash cycle ends, remove everything and spin the tumbler once again, just in case things are “stuck” to the top or sides. Follow these simple steps, and no socks will ever be left behind again.
Today, the store shelves are packed with dozens of laundry products – powders, liquids, pods, sheets and so on. I prefer to use quality products and supplies, and I feel the results are worth it. Powders are cheaper than liquids, but with today’s highly concentrated products, it’s easy to use too much. Also, many younger customers prefer eco-friendly, fragrance-free products.
For orders under 15 pounds, I have had great success with both the detergent pods and the three-in-one sheets – which provide detergent, softener and stain remover. The pods or sheets are placed inside the washer, so no measuring is necessary and there is no waste. These products are a bit more expensive, so the tradeoff is convenience over price.
Although optional, liquid softener can be used to reduce static and provide a fragrance. I like to dilute softener, because over time it can cause clogging.
Regarding bleach, many customers prefer a non-chlorine product to remove stains, because it’s safer to use on most fabrics. (Unfortunately, I have a collection of colored, “polka-dot” T-shirts that have been splashed with just a few drops of bleach, which strips the color of non-white items.
Today’s newer washers offer several choices for the user. A general rule of thumb is to use “hot” for heavy items (such as jeans and comforters); “permanent press” for T-shirts, most clothing and bedding; and “delicate” for specialty items, lingerie, etc.
If there are several towels, we will wash them separately and use white vinegar rather than liquid softener, which can reduce absorbency when used over a period of time.
Re-Sorting
This step is a dirty little secret (pardon the pun), which few laundry owners know or practice. The key to successful and correct drying of wash-dry-fold laundry has nothing to do with the colors – it has everything to do with the fabric and/or the texture of the items.
Consequently, before putting items in the dryer, regroup them, regardless of their color, as follows: heavy items (jeans, blankets, socks) in a dryer on “hot,” permanent press materials (sheets, blouses, sportswear, T-shirts) on “perm press” or “medium,” and delicates on “low” or “air dry.” Once again, check each dryer before putting in any items.
Next time, we will continue this step-by-step process – discussing drying, folding and “wrapping it up.”
Beverly and the Southern California Coin Laundry Association will host a wash-dry-fold training event on June 25. For more information, contact her at [email protected].
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