I recently hired a new attendant and have discovered that he possesses great mechanical skills. So, I was thinking of cross-training him to handle some of the more simple equipment issues that arise at my store, in addition of course to his attendant duties. Is there anything I should do or be aware of before I do this?
I think this is a great idea. However, there are a few issues to consider. First of all, be sure that the job description for this employee clearly states that some mechanical work is required. Secondly, pay this attendant more than your other attendants who aren’t responsible for handling equipment maintenance. And, lastly, inform your insurance company that this new attendant also will be overseeing some of y our business’ machine repair; this will ensure that you and your laundry business are covered in case this employee is injured while working on your laundromat’s equipment.
The drop-off wash-dry-fold business at my laundromat is doing very well. However, on occasion, I will receive an order that contain oily or greasy items. Since this doesn’t occur very often, is there an oil or grease remover I can use to help me tackle those occasional stains without having to buy a huge amount of this stain-fighting product?
Yes, there’s a product called Disol-Vol that will help in removing those types of tough stains. It’s available in vend-size boxes, so you don’t have to purchase a large, bulky, and expensive container of this product.
When using Disol-Vol use an equal amount of detergent in conjunction with an oxygen-type bleach. If the fabric you’re washing is white, use a chlorine bleach. And, if possible, wash the stained item in hot water for best results – the hotter the better.
I’m in the process of purchasing an existing laundromat in which the majority of the machines are old toploaders that look very “beat up.” Can these washers be repainted? Also, the frontloading washers have a lot of soap buildup in the dispenser trays. How can I clean that up?
To answer your first question, I wouldn’t bother painting the toploaders. I’ve never heard of anyone painting washers to where the paint job lasted more than a year or two. Also, many toploaders have porcelain tops, and you can’t paint porcelain – the paint would eventually scratch right off. The best advice I can offer is to simply buy new machines.
As for your second question, the soap buildup on your larger machines consists mostly of lime. I would go your local hardware store or an industrial supply company and purchase a product called a delimer. There are various types of high quality delimers on the market, any of which will be able to easily remove that lime buildup in your soap dispenser trays.
A word of caution: if you chose to use a delimer, always be sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection when applying this product.
Once you have removed all of the lime buildup, I would suggest implementing a regular cleaning schedule for your machines, using one of two products – either Cameo or Bar Keepers Friend. Using either one of these products on a regular basis while cleaning your washers will help to keep the lime from building up in the first place.
