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 controls on the dryer, an excessive amount of lint around the burner box, etc.
With regard to chemicals in the clothes, be aware that hair salons, auto repair shops and medical/health professionals regularly use alcohol- and oil-based products in their businesses – and these chemicals sometimes don’t completely rinse out of the clothes during the wash cycle. As a result, when the garments are heated in the dryer, they may release a flammable gas that can ignite.
As far as disposable lighters, they can accidentally end up in the washing and drying process. When this occurs, they can become overheated in the dryer, eventually exploding and releasing gas that will burn the fabrics that are drying inside the machine.
Faulty dryer controls are another potential cause of problems. For example, a high-limit switch that’s covered with lint or otherwise malfunctioning can overheat the dryers, causing the garments inside the tumbler to burn.
Above all, always read the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintaining your dryers. Of course, if there are any procedures you don’t fully understand, be sure to ask your distributor for clarification.
I do a great amount of commercial and residential drop-off laundry at my store. However, I always seem to have problems removing grease and oil stains. Can you give me some direction?
There are differences in oils and greases, and that’s why sometimes they can be difficult to remove. After all, there are body oils, vegetable oils and petroleum-based oils and greases – and each might requires a slightly different procedure to remove their stains.
The biggest obstacle facing most self-service laundry operators is not being able to achieve the proper water temperature to remove certain stains. Large commercial laundries will wash oil- and grease-stained items in water temperatures of about 150 degrees to 160 degrees. You need hot water to do a great job of cleaning.
You also require the right chemicals. You need a built detergent that contains alkali. In addition, if you cannot achieve the high water temperatures of a commercial laundry, another option would be to use a detergent that contains dilimonene – which is a citrus-based solvent that can be used and is quite effective in water temperatures between 95 degrees and 120 degrees.
I would suggest contacting your local chemical distributor for further help with selecting the right detergents and other cleaning products.
All in all, remember that there are four key factors required for a good wash: (1) time, (2) water temperature, (3) chemical action, and (4) mechanical action.
I’m currently in the process of replacing some of my washers. And, in talking with my distributor, he told me that larger washers were more energy efficient. Is this true?
Yes, that is true. However, let me clarify that statement: a pound of laundry in a large washer will cost you less to wash.
Why? The motor on a 50-pound washer, for example, isn’t necessarily two times larger than the motor on a 25-pound washer. In addition, a 50-pound machine doesn’t use twice as much water. Therefore, a pound of laundry actually costs less to wash in a larger machine.
