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.

Doing ‘Good’ Close to Home
Laundry Capital’s Commitment to Bettering the Communities It Serves It takes more than money and desire to better a community. Just ask Alex Weiss. He should know. Weiss is the owner of Laundry Capital Co. LLC – whose affiliated network of stores owns 80 Clean Rite...

The Power of a Pro Forma
Don’t Neglect One of Your Laundry Business’ Most Important Planning Tools Whether you’re purchasing and renovating an existing laundromat or starting one from scratch, a pro forma income statement is one of an investor’s most important tools in not only attaining...

Join the Conversation, Part 2
How to Build Your Laundry’s Brand Through Social Media Marketing [This is the second of a two-part feature on how laundromat owners can use social media to market their businesses and build their brands. You can read Part 1 here.] Long-time laundromat owner Patti...
Headlines
Laundry Owner to Speak at Women’s Conference
Monica Wales, owner of Happy Laundry in Spokane, Wash., will be a featured speaker at the upcoming WE Ignite Conference 2023, a virtual event scheduled for February 9-11. Wales’ interactive session – “From Paycheck to Paycheck to Abundance” – will be held at 1:00 p.m....
Section 179 Deduction Limit Increased for 2023; Bonus Depreciation Amount Decreased
The Section 179 deduction for 2023 is $1,160,000, which is an increase from $1,080,000 in 2022. All U.S. companies can deduct the full purchase price of all qualified equipment purchases, up to the limit of $1,160,000. In addition, the “total equipment purchase” limit...
SDA’s Cleaners Showcase Free to CLA Members
The Southwest Drycleaners Association recently announced that conference registration and housing is now open for Cleaners Showcase 2023, which will be held April 28-30 in Irving, Texas. Registration is free for Coin Laundry Association members, while non-members are...
Managing Your Fleet, Part 3
A Look at One of the Most Critical Aspects for Successfully Scaling a Pickup-and-Delivery Service [This is the third of a three-part feature article on managing a fleet of laundry delivery vehicles. Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.] One of the main elements in the...
CLA Announces Connect LIVE Events for 2023
The Coin Laundry Association has scheduled 10 Connect LIVE events in select locations for 2023. The main purpose of the events is to provide opportunities for laundry owners to network and share ideas over dinner at a local restaurant. The events scheduled for the...
SBA Adjusts Disaster Loan Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced it will waive the interest rate for the first year on new disaster loans and extend the initial payment deferment period automatically to 12 months. “We must ensure that communities struck by disaster have the help...
Managing Your Fleet, Part 2
A Look at One of the Most Critical Aspects for Successfully Scaling a Pickup-and-Delivery Service [This is the second of a three-part feature article on managing a fleet of laundry delivery vehicles. You can read Part 1 here.] Make no mistake: your delivery vans are...
Six Regulatory Issues to Watch in 2023
Human resources and payroll solutions company Paychex recently unveiled its annual list of the most prominent regulatory issues employers will need to contend with in 2023. Here’s a look at the leading compliance-related topics laundromat owners should keep an eye on:...
Clean Rite Hosts Financial Literacy Graduation
More than 50 people representing nine nationalities recently participated in a free, eight-week virtual financial education session, which was led by Qualitas of Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving Hispanic family financial security. On December 10,...
CLA Promotes Thomas
The Coin Laundry Association has named Nika Thomas as the organization’s director of advertising and sponsorship sales. Thomas, who joined the CLA in August 2013, will lead all advertising sales for PlanetLaundry, as well as all sponsorship sales for the CLA’s...
States Upping the Minimum Wage in 2023
In 2023, 27 states will increase their minimum wages – with most of these hikes taking effect on January 1. California will have the highest minimum wage rate at $15.50, up from the $15 it set in 2022. Only Washington D.C. has a higher minimum wage of $16.10. D.C.’s...
Cleantie, Paystri Announce Payments Partnership
Cleantie – a cloud-based POS system developed for the laundromat, drycleaning, clothes alteration, and shoe repair industries – recently announced a partnership with payment processing company Paystri. The integrated payments partnership makes payment acceptance...
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This Month's Issue
- ‘I’d Like to Speak to the Manager’: On the Front Lines with Some of the Laundry Industry’s Leading Store Managers
- Business Management: Generate Additional Income Through Greater Market Penetration
- Company Close-Up: Western State Design Has Been Helping Laundry Owners Thrive for More Than 50 Years
- New Member Spotlight: How Laundry Labs Plans to Change the Industry
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Laundrylux Distribution to Host Educational Events
Laundrylux Distribution will host The Laundry Experts Forum, a series of free educational and networking events focused on laundromat owners and potential investors in the vended laundry industry. These events will take place at four separate locations and will...
New Jersey’s Minimum Wage to Exceed $15 Per Hour
New Jersey’s statewide minimum wage will increase by $1 to $15.13 per hour for most employees on January 1, 2024. This surpasses the goal set by legislation signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in February 2019 to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour by 2024. “When I...
HappyNest Expands Reach within New Jersey
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its availability into Egg Harbor, N.J., through the company’s new partner, Harbor Island Laundromat. The facility is now providing HappyNest laundry services to residents and businesses in Atlantic City,...
Milnor Salutes Top Distributors
Pellerin Milnor Corp. has recognized the leading distributorships within its dealer network, naming Western State Design – headquartered in Hayward, Calif., and founded in 1974 – as its top distributor of 2022 for machinery sales and service support to Milnor...
ACI Supports Adding New Laundry Products to EPA Programs
The American Cleaning Institute has recommended new product categories be added to the Environmental Protection Agency’s potential expansion of its Safer Choice and Design for the Environment programs. The Safer Choice and DfE programs allow companies to receive an...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Kaizen: Get Better at Getting Better
Improve Productivity by Embracing This Japanese PhilosophyYears ago, my good friend and fellow store owner Paul Pettefer and I began work on an employee manual. We wanted to create the best possible set of processes and procedures for our businesses and staff...
The Business Mind

The Psychology of Loyalty
How to Develop an Impactful Customer Loyalty Program for Your Laundry Business Consumer loyalty is mighty fickle these days. In fact, it’s been estimated that 77 percent of current brands could simply disappear and no one would really care. This likely applies to...
Wash With Wally

Wash with Wally: Dealing with a Dryer Fire
I recently had a dryer fire at my laundromat. A customer had placed a mix of synthetic, nylon and cotton garments into one of my dryers at the “hot” setting for more than 45 minutes. There was no type of electrical issue with the dryer. In fact, the dryer worked...
Viewpoint
A New Laundromat in the Neighborhood?
Not that long ago, I had a competitor build a store right across the street from me. Literally, I could stand at the front door of my laundromat and throw a rock through his window. (Just for the record, I didn’t.) Fortunately, it takes a while to build a store from...
Digital Marketing

Reaching Out to Today’s ‘Omni-Shopper’
How to Unify Your Business’ Online and Offline Experiences We’ve been living in an “omni-channel world” for a while now. What does that mean? It means your customers aren’t just looking you up online or finding your ad and making a decision. They’re looking everywhere...
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.