If a customer comes in with a drop-off laundry order and there are clearly some garments in the bundle that should be drycleaned, how should I handle it? What if the customer insists that I should just wash them?
It’s up to your customers if they want to ruin their own clothes. Unfortunately, you can run into a customer who insists on having dryclean-only garments laundered in an effort to save money. In that case, the best you can do is protect yourself from any liability.
Most coin laundry suppliers can provide you with what are called “release forms.” These are standard legal forms that tell the customer you are not liable for the damage done to the garments during normal laundering procedures.
The same safeguard should be followed if you will be laundering anything with sequins, lace or any other unusual features. In fact, some store owners have every drop-off laundry customer sign a release form, regardless of what’s in their bundle.
I don’t recommend trying to write your own release forms. There is no way you could cover all of the necessary legalities. Release forms are inexpensive, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a few on hand at all times.
I’ve read your column for years and have found it to be one of the most useful sections of the magazine. My questions are regarding Wetspo. I just purchased a gallon of this product, and I need some pointers. First of all, it gives the clothes a very strong chemical odor. I added four ounces to some of our double loads, which included coffee stains, as well as greasy shop towels and mops from a local factory. The odor is the worst part. However, secondly, I didn’t notice a huge difference – if any – in the coffee stains. Any suggestions?
Wetspo is primarily used to remove oils and greases. Coffee stains fall into the tannin category, so this product won’t do much to remove those coffee stains. For those, your best bet is a quality tannin remover.
With regard to the issue you’re having with Wetspo’s odor, understand that this is common. I would simply run those loads through a second and perhaps even a third dry cycle to eliminate those odors.
I do a lot of wash-dry-fold laundry at my store. And, in the past, you’ve suggested using a built detergent for heavily stained and/or oily items. I took your advice, and these drop-off garments are coming out clean; however, some of them are coming out stiff and wrinkly. What can I do?
Unless it’s neutralized, a built detergent will tighten up the fibers of your garments – so they might come out a little coarse and stiff. That’s because a built detergent is highly alkalized, so it doesn’t rinse out as thoroughly as neutral pH detergents. Therefore, call your local distributor and ask for a product called a laundry sour; this will neutralize the pH and also relax the fibers of the garments. It will help soften the items being washed.
A laundry sour is a must-use product for anything being washed with alkali. The recommended dose is about two ounces per 50 pounds, and it should be applied during the last rinse. You can use it with or without a fabric softener.
