COVID-19 Leaves Laundry Owners Short on Coins

The coronavirus crisis has sparked a nationwide coin shortage that has left retailers scrambling, including some laundromat owners who have found themselves short of the quarters needed to replenish changers. The Federal Reserve recently revealed that the pandemic had...

On the Money

Securing Economic Relief During These Difficult Times According to a recent Coin Laundry Association survey, nearly 40 percent of the laundromat owners who responded indicated that they had applied for federal funding assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Store...

Planning for a New Normal

Key Considerations for Laundry Owners in the Post-COVID-19 World These days, I find myself spending a good chunk of my time thinking about my laundry business – not necessarily about what to do with my PPP stimulus money or how to run my operation in the middle of...

Make 2020 Count

“The more people, the more dirty clothes.” – Ancient laundromat wisdom Time flies, as do the decades. Despite the ongoing pandemic and economic concerns, there’s a headcount to be made in 2020. The original constitutional edict from the framers comes to life in the...

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CLA COVID-19 Update

The Coin Laundry Association closely monitors updates regarding the coronavirus pandeminc. Click here to learn more and access resources.

My Neighbors Tree Offends Me! Can I Get Out the Ax?

Jan 22, 2015

So your neighbor has trees. Large trees. Large trees with offending branches and roots. In fact, your local fire department is considering citing you because the branches of one of these offending trees are perilously close to your chimney. One day, you notice that...

Don’t Forget to Lock Up

Jan 22, 2015

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on a day in August, a few years back, a female tenant was assaulted in her Inglewood, Calif., apartment by an unknown assailant who was later caught and identified. The culprit had apparently entered through a window in the dining area of...

10 Ways to Irritate Your Customers… Guaranteed!

Jan 21, 2015

Originally posted - Jan 04, 2012 The coin laundry business is a volume-driven business. In other words, the more customers the better – and your machines don't get tired, don't take vacations, don't complain and never refuse to wash and dry a load of clothes....

Headlines

Wash with Wally: Spray Spotters

Originally posted - Aug 13, 2014 I do a lot of drop-off laundry at my store and was looking for a good spray spotter. Do you have any recommendations? Yes, I would get Liquid Wisk. This product is good on food stains, some inks and some light oils. It is probably one...

Wash with Wally: Too Much Fabric Softener?

Originally posted - Mar 10, 2014 I do a great business in drop-off laundry. The problem I'm having is that my attendants are overusing the liquid fabric softener in an effort to make the clothes smell good. I even gave them measuring cups, but that haven't seemed to...

Wash with Wally: A Sticky Situation

Originally posted - Oct 29, 2012 Can you tell me how to remove yellow wood glue from a pair of cotton pants? I haven't found anything that will work. There are a couple of ways to remove glue. In some instances, depending on the type of adhesive, you can use a paint...

Wash with Wally: Unclaimed Garments

Originally posted - Jul 29, 2013 I get a lot of lost and unclaimed articles of clothing at my store. I'm not talking about just a sock or two - I mean complete loads of laundry. I make sure it is clean and dry. Then, I fold and bag it, and store it for 60 to 90 days....

Wash with Wally: Battling Smoke Odors

Originally posted - Dec 28, 2012 I have a wash-dry-fold customer who is a very heavy smoker. In the winter, it seems that the clothes he brings in are at their worst; even the plastic hamper he brings them in reeks of smoke. I have tried an odor-reducing fabric...

Wash with Wally: Vetting a New Laundry Location

Originally posted - Jan 31, 2014 I'm looking to build a new self-service laundry. I already own two stores, and I have time for one more. I think I've found a great location for this new laundry. The area is mostly Hispanic, and there aren't any other laundries within...

Wash with Wally: Removing Ink Stains

Originally posted - Aug 30, 2012 At my small laundromat, I often have a problem with customers washing and drying their clothes with ballpoint pens in the pockets. This has created a major staining problem in my dryer drums. I have used rubbing alcohol and hair spray...

Wash with Wally: Pricing Large Drop-Off Items

Originally posted - Nov 30, 2012 We are trying to set our wash-dry-fold pricing and have noticed a big difference in how large items are priced. In our area, drycleaners and laundromats with wash-dry-fold services charge a per item fee for comforters, bedspreads,...

Wash with Wally: How to Wash Throw Rugs

Originally posted - Jun 17, 2013 What advice can you give for washing throw rugs? Most throw rugs can be washed, even with a rubber backing. However, when washing any kind of a rug, wash it in cold water, because it's hard to determine how many different materials the...

Wash with Wally: Fire-Damaged Dryers

Originally posted - Sep 16, 2013 I have a huge problem with my insurance company. I had a dryer fire, in which half of my dryers were totally destroyed. The other half had minor heat damage, but a lot of smoke and stain damage. The problem I'm having is that the...

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Webinar: Pros and Cons of Buying & Retooling a Laundromat

This program will focus on the pros and cons of buying an existing laundry and what every prospective laundromat should know. Join the CLA for this virtual panel discussion.

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PlanetLaundry is the official publication of the Coin Laundry Association and is trusted by thousands to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics for laundry owners and professionals.

This Month's Issue

On the Money: Securing Economic Relief During These Difficult Times
Digital Marketing: Customer Service in Today’s Turbulent, Information Driven World.
The Business Mind: How Your Psychological Makeup Impacts Your Financial Decisions
Up Close: An Interview with Multi-Store Owner Daniel Marrazzo
And more…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

Wealth Inequality Wider Since Great Recession

The Great Recession, fueled by the crises in the housing and financial markets, was universally hard on the net worth of American families. But even as the economic recovery has begun to mend asset prices, not all households have benefited alike, and wealth inequality...

Super Laundry Names Regional Vice President

Super Laundry has named industry veteran Bob Eisenberg as its new regional vice president. With more than 30 years of laundry business experience, Eisenberg will oversee the company's office in King Of Prussia, Pa. "Bob brings national and regional experience to Super...

Wholesale Commercial Expands into Northeast Region

Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment S.E. LLC, headquartered in Southside, Ala., has announced that it now serves self-service laundries in Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and areas of New Jersey, including the counties of Mercer, Burlington, Ocean, Camden, Salem,...

U.S. Mint: No Change to Coins

In December 2014, the U.S. Mint submitted its biennial report to Congress regarding its ongoing Alternative Metals Study. The report included a recommendation that no changes be made to the composition of circulating coins. The report goes on to summarize the Mint's...

Yankee Equipment Names COO

Yankee Equipment Systems, Inc., based in Barrington, N.H., has appointed Peter Limoncelli its chief operating officer. Limoncelli has held a variety of positions at Yankee throughout his 22-year career, ranging from field sales to sales management to executive-level...