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

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Can a Shareholder be Liable for Corporate Debt?

Jan 22, 2015

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...

Before Heading to the Junkyard

Jan 22, 2015

In a recent California case, a coin laundry operator took possession of a closed location, which contained a number of washers approximately 20 years old and cannibalized for parts over time. In assuming possession of the location, the coin laundry operator installed...

Before Heading to the Junkyard

Jan 22, 2015

In a recent California case, a coin laundry operator took possession of a closed location, which contained a number of washers approximately 20 years old and cannibalized for parts over time. In assuming possession of the location, the coin laundry operator installed...

Headlines

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...

Wash with Wally: Purchasing a Vacated Laundry

Originally posted - Nov 01, 2013 I've found a coin laundry that's been closed up. All of the plumbing and electrical are still intact. I only have to reequip it, and I'm in business. What should I look for or try to find out before I sign the lease? I would proceed...

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: Wrinkle-Free Table Clothes

Originally posted - Jun 04, 2014 I service a commercial account that has just purchased some rather inexpensive, polyester table clothes that wrinkle when washed. Even the client admits that she bought an inferior product. We pretreat these items, wash them in warm...

Scaling Wash & Fold Operations

Learn how to grow your wash & fold from an offering into a money-making operation.

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This Month's Issue

Connecting, Learning, Advocating: CLA Maximizes Impact at Clean Show 2025
Member Spotlight: Finding a Niche in the Laundromat Industry
PlanetLaundry Podcast: Turning Setbacks into Success: Saichelle McNeill’s Journey
A Laundromat With Heart: Inside Cherry Drive’s Customer-First Approach
And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

Maytag Honors Leading Distributors

Maytag Commercial Laundry recently held its 58th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, welcoming 218 attendees from 22 countries to the three-day event. One of the meeting's highlights was the Fred Maytag Awards Dinner, where the company saluted its leading distributors. This...

Girbau Signs Joint-Venture Agreement with Chinese Manufacturer

Continental Girbau Inc.'s parent company - Girbau, based in Vic, Spain - has signed a joint-venture agreement with Shenguang of China. The two laundry equipment manufacturing companies signed the agreement on May 18 in Shanghai. As a result of the joint venture,...

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...