Metrics That Matter

Profit, Performance, and Planning in Vended Laundry The laundromat business is like most businesses in that you need to do a lot of things right to be successful. But how do you know if it’s working? According to successful owners, you just need to look at the...

Startup to Scale

How Western State Design Has Been Helping Laundry Businesses Thrive for More Than 50 Years For more than five decades, Western State Design has been a leading provider of turnkey laundry solutions across the vended, on-premises, and commercial/industrial markets....

Member Spotlight: Lab-Tested, Laundry-Approved

How Laundry Labs Plans to Change the Industry In today’s business world, efficiency and quality are paramount – and the commercial laundry industry is no exception. Recognizing the need for superior cleaning solutions specifically tailored to laundromat operators,...

Wash-Dry-Fold POS Launches New Feature

Wash-Dry-Fold POS® has announced its new Attendant Checklist Feature. According to Managing Partner Ian Gollahon, it is a simple but integrated tool that is so powerful, it’ll make you wonder how you ever ran your business without it. "You can monitor the checklist...

PlanetLaundry Podcast

Subscribe to Our 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.

At Your Service

Jan 20, 2015

Originally posted - Jun 03, 2014 Last time, I discussed some of the questions you should ask your wash-dry-fold customers in order to best process their laundry. In this article, I'd like to take that customer service topic a bit further and talk about training your...

Grease is the Word

Jan 20, 2015

Originally posted - Mar 07, 2014 During a recent webinar I conducted for the Coin Laundry Association, one of the questions that came up from several of the attendees was how to handle tough kitchen grease stains – either in a residential wash-dry-fold load or a...

The 4 Most Common (and Costly) Mistakes Laundromat Newbies Make

Jan 14, 2015

"Some of us learn from other people's mistakes; the rest of us have to be the other people." – Zig Ziglar Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or someone looking to be their own boss for the very first time, the self-service laundry business has many fundamental...

Headlines

Wash with Wally: Dealing with Dog Hair

Originally posted - Jul 01, 2014 What is the best way to remove dog hair from blankets and dog beds? The best way to handle such a situation is to put these items in the dryer before running them through the wash cycle. Let them run through a drying cycle or two, and...

Wash with Wally: Tracking Loads for Pickup and Delivery

Originally posted - Mar 07, 2013 I'm trying to establish a pickup and delivery business, in addition to my drop-off laundry service. I recently picked up the business of a retirement home, which has about 60 residents. How do I segregate the laundry loads? In other...

Wash with Wally: Stocking Your Wash-Dry Fold Business

Originally posted - Jun 01, 2012 What types of cleaning products and other items are required for me to have what you would consider a fully stocked wash-dry-fold arsenal for my attendants? Basically, to start a wash-dry-fold service, you need bagging supplies -...

Wash with Wally: Cleaning Non-Stainless Dryers

Originally posted - Feb 15, 2013 My dryer fronts are not stainless steel. They have a painted white finish that is slightly grainy, and I've been having some difficulty keeping them clean. How would you recommend I clean these dryers? I would recommend you buy any...

Wash with Wally: Washer Efficiency, Grease Stains and More…

I had one of my stack dryers burn on the inside. I don't know what caused it. Help! There are a number of factors that could be responsible for this occurrence - chemicals still in the clothing after the wash cycle, a lighter in one of the pockets, malfunctioning...

Wash with Wally: Stains on Suede

Originally posted - May 02, 2014 A customer of mine recently brought in a chocolate-colored suede coat, on which she had spilled cola. Do you have any tips that would help me remove this dark stain for her? Suede can be very fragile to dye release. You can try using...

Wash with Wally: Is It Time to Buy New Equipment?

Originally posted - Apr 05, 2012 I really need to purchase some new washers and dryers for my store. I'm constantly repairing the machines I have. In addition, the parts bills are killing me. However, because of the uncertain economy, I'm not sure what I should do....

Wash with Wally: Comforter Questions

Originally posted - Feb 03, 2012 I just washed a white, queen-sized down comforter. I read the attached washing instruction label, which warned against using bleach. Are these labels always accurate? First of all, it doesn't sound like that particular care label was...

Wash with Wally: Saving with Solar

Originally posted - May 10, 2013 In addition to purchasing newer, more energy-efficient equipment, I'm considering using solar power to heat my water and help me conserve energy. What are your thoughts on this technology? I would definitely look into solar technology...

Wash with Wally: Cleaning Cloth Napkins

Originally posted - Apr 09, 2014 I have a commercial client who wants my store to take over the cloth napkin laundry service for his Italian restaurant. I'm not sure what is required to perform a quality service for this specific account. The napkins are red and often...

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: Should Tipping Be Allowed?

Originally posted - Jun 27, 2012 I'm considering starting a drop-off laundry service. Should I allow my customers to tip my attendants, or is this a bad idea? It's not a bad idea at all. If your customers want to tip your attendants, that's fine. In my opinion, that...

This Month's Issue

Metrics That Matter: Profit, Performance, and Planning in Vended Laundry
Women In Laundry: Haley Gould Finds Perfect Fit
Company Close-Up: Company Founded to Help Small Businesses Shines
New Member Spotlight: How Robotics Could Change Laundromat Industry
And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

EnviroStar Acquires Martin-Ray Laundry Systems

EnviroStar Inc., a distributor of commercial laundry and drycleaning equipment based in Miami, has announced its acquisition of Martin-Ray Laundry Systems Inc., a distributor of vended, commercial and industrial laundry equipment, as well as a provider of laundry...

Clean 2017 Boasts Impressive Attendance, Exhibitor Numbers

The Clean Show, which was held June 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, celebrated its 40th anniversary this year – and 12,563 attendees joined the party. In addition, the show's exhibit floor was sold out at 227,006 net square feet, representing the largest...

Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Named Huebsch Distributor of the Year

Huebsch presented Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Sales, Inc. with the manufacturer's highest honor - the 2016 Distributor of the Year - at a ceremony held June 5 at the Foundation Room inside the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. This is the 13th time...

CLA’ss Dinner Party Packed; Honors Industry Leaders

The Coin Laundry Association held a festive dinner party at The Clean Show on June 6, 2017. In attendance were CLA members including laundry owners, prospective laundry investors, distributors, CLA staff and manufacturers, as well as partners of the organization and...

Clean 2017 Attendance Numbers Top 2015 Event

At a press conference held by the Clean Executive Committee at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the third day of Clean 2017, CEC Chair Mary Scalco released some impressive numbers regarding the first two days of this year's show. Scalco said she was "very pleased...