Longtime Laundromat Owner on 23 Years of Service, Challenges, Community Impact

For more than two decades, Lee Ann Geurts has been a steady force in her Brooklyn Park community in Minnesota, running three laundromats that have become known not just for clean clothes, but for connection, comfort, and care. What began as a business venture for her...

Green is Good Business 

Green Operations Increasingly Important to Feed Consumer Demand  When Green Laundry Lounge co-owners Pulin and Krishna Dasai got into the vended laundry industry, they wanted to change a narrative: laundromats are water and energy-intensive businesses.   “The...

Leveling the Playing Field

John Um wanted to make sure small business owners could get fair pricing and access to reliable suppliers without needing to have significant buying power. As a leader whose career spanned several major retail and e-commerce companies, he had seen firsthand how hard...

Staying Fierce: Haley Gould Finds Perfect Fit in Vended Laundry

Haley Gould is the Director of Partner Success for HappyNest. She manages an internal team while leading more than 100 partners across the United States building a successful pickup and delivery operation in addition to running their laundromat business. A consummate...

PlanetLaundry Podcast

America’s #1 Resource for Vended Laundry News & Info

PlanetLaundry is the official publication of CLA and is trusted by thousands of laundry professionals to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics.

When Colleges Offer Free Laundry

A laundry owner located near a state university recently posed an interesting legal question. It seems that the school has begun offering "free laundry" to students residing in its dormitories. And, in fact, this appears to be somewhat of a trend, as an increasing...

Can a Shareholder be Liable for Corporate Debt?

Although the personal liability of shareholders is generally limited to their investment in a corporation, there are circumstances under which corporate protection from personal liability can be set aside by the courts. The basis for setting aside such protection is...

Can a Shareholder be Liable for Corporate Debt?

Although the personal liability of shareholders is generally limited to their investment in a corporation, there are circumstances under which corporate protection from personal liability can be set aside by the courts. The basis for setting aside such protection is...

Headlines

Lesson Learned

Originally posted - Aug 26, 2013 Before her retirement this past January, Colleen Unema had spent decades as a nationally certified high school science teacher in Bellingham, Wash. However, it was a self-imposed break from teaching that actually prepared Unema for her...

Small Package… Big Concept

Originally posted - Dec 18, 2012 Scott Moses had a leg up on his competition long before he entered the coin laundry business almost three years ago. As an economics major at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania, Moses landed a position in the banking industry after...

I Educated Mysel

Originally posted - May 24, 2013 When it comes to a new business venture, Danny Delmarco is a big believer in doing one's homework. So, when he and his business partner, Lloyd Webb, decided to open a self-service laundry - in a building co-owned by Webb and Delmarco's...

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: Cleaning Yoga Blankets

Originally posted - May 03, 2012 I have been approached by a potential commercial client about cleaning yoga blankets. If you're not familiar with them, they are heavy wool blankets about the size of a twin bed sheet. This client doesn't want to dryclean the blankets...

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: Powdered Detergent vs. Pods

Originally posted - Sep 23, 2014 We have a fairly large drop-off service at our laundry. Our customers have been happy with our consistency. For detergent, we use powdered Gain. Recently, Gain has come out with a pod-type product. We have contemplated switching to the...

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: Choosing the Perfect Location

Originally posted - Jun 07, 2013 I want to build another laundry, and I'm currently looking at a site that's located between two large apartment complexes, which hold approximately 1,000 people. This site is on a main street with a good traffic pattern. What do you...

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: Cleaning Mop Heads

Originally posted - Oct 08, 2012 I recently landed a commercial laundry account, which involves cleaning closed-loop mop heads for a large nursing home in my area. Can you suggest the most efficient way to wash and dry these mop heads? The good news is that you don't...

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...

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September Magazine Issue

This Month's Issue

 

  • House of Laundromats: Real Estate Trends and What to Watch
  • Member Spotlight: Bringing a Century of Expertise to the Evolving Laundromat Industry
  • PlanetLaundry Podcast: Reimagining Community: How the Hub Laundromat Cafe is a Change Catalyst in Detroit
  • Women In Vended Laundry: How Adrienne Hurrington Keeps the Wheels Turning as SAMCO
  • And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

CG West Adds Commercial Laundry Sales Specialist

Continental Girbau West - headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. - has named Jason McAninch its new commercial laundry sales specialist. In this position, McAninch will manage commercial vended and on-premises laundry sales and marketing efforts for the company....

Survey: Small Business Faces Major Workforce Issues

The National Small Business Association, in partnership with Cynthia Kay and Company Media Production, has released the 2017 Small Business Workforce and Labor Survey, which quantifies how workforce issues ranging from immigration to education to background checks...

Primus Adds Belenky to Distribution Network

Primus has announced that Belenky, Inc. is the newest addition to the manufacturer's distribution network. "Belenky has a 100-year history of providing excellent service to laundry equipment customers," said Mark Schram, North American sales manager for Primus. "We...

Kentucky Eyes Tax Expansion, CLA Hires Lobbyist

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin's tax reform plans include several critical components, not the least of which is planned sales tax expansion, which would require laundromat owners, among others, to collect sales tax. All signs indicate that the governor's tax reform...

Martin-Ray Named Speed Queen Distributor of the Year

Speed Queen recently awarded its highest distributor honor – the 2016 Distributor of the Year – to Martin-Ray Laundry Systems in a ceremony held June 5 at Top Golf in Las Vegas during Clean 2017.Since 2011, the Denver-based distributor has produced "significant and...

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Strategic Corporate Allies Program

Our Strategic Corporate Allies support CLA’s mission through advocacy, education, and innovation to strengthen the industry, advance our members’ businesses, and prepare the next generation of laundry professionals for the future.

Interested in becoming a Strategic Corporate Ally of CLA? Contact President & CEO, Brian Wallace via email at [email protected] or call (630) 491-0499.