OPL Laundry Equipment: The Best Practices to Improve Your Facility

OPL Laundry Equipment: The Best Practices to Improve Your Facility

Jan 19, 2022

Best practices to optimize your on-premise laundry | Upgrade OPL Laundry Equipment

A well-run, on-premise laundry room is an affordable way to provide outstanding service to customers by delivering laundered items on time. H-M Company has been servicing customers in these segments since 1957, by using our experience to upgrade laundry operations.

In order to keep an on-site laundry room running efficiently, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

1. Invest in quality equipment: Purchase laundry equipment that will deliver optimal results and minimize operating costs. Look out for machines that are energy and water efficient, that also minimize the amount of personnel needed to operate the laundry facility. For example, a Milnor washer-extractor helps reduce utility bills with a simple single-motor inverter drive that reaches maximum extraction speed more gradually and efficiently, reducing peak electricity amperage draw when compared to multi-speed motor machines. Also, Milnor’s bigger cylinder perforations provide better wash quality and promote excellent interchange of the goods with water and chemistry. This machine allows for better cleansing, as the water can freely interact with the goods, and it creates better extraction by allowing water to escape from goods easily. All components work together to ensure fewer costly re washes and less drying time.
2. Reduce water consumption: Reducing water consumption drastically lowers operating costs. In fact, Milnor’s RinSave water saver feature can save up to .4 gallons per pound of laundry. The RinSave software allows the basket to reach a precise G-force to sling the “wash liquor” out of the goods between the last wash and the rinse cycle, reducing water consumption and laundering time without sacrificing quality.
3. Think quality, not price: Save yourself stress in the future by focusing on the lifetime operating cost of equipment, rather than focusing on the initial purchase price. Consider factors like routine utility and labor costs that are associated with operating the machines. Additionally, determine the equipment’s expected operating life, and what repairs will be needed to keep it running. For example, replacing bearings on an extractor is a common expense, so determine what the cost of replacing the bearings is before buying an extractor.
4. Prioritize Outstanding Service: Choose a laundry equipment distributor who will provide a high level of service and will make repairs when needed. Unless you have in-house technicians, you need to outsource the work to trained technicians who will provide fast, unparalleled service when machines break down. Without a reliable equipment distributor, you’ll be stuck with broken equipment that undermines the customer experience.
5. Get the right capacity: Make sure you have the right number of washers and dryers for your facility. For example, an athletic facility that is only washing towels needs smaller capacity equipment to turnover smaller loads faster. A hospitality operation, however, handles comforters and sheets, and will likely require larger capacity equipment. We can help you determine the best selection of equipment by understanding the peak mix of laundry you process daily. It’s also important to have a drying capacity of at least 25% or more than washing capacity to avoid a bottleneck at drying. Note that when planning to construct a laundry facility, the capacity for washers is based on the dry weight of laundry. The laundry that goes into a dryer will have water from the washing process, thus the need for greater drying capacity.
6. Use space wisely: Make optimal use of space to increase the efficiency of the laundry operation. H-M Company can act as your engineer to help plan your workflow and minimize handling time involved with laundry loads. Also, it’s important to have a workflow that takes safety into account. As an example, soiled items should be segregated from clean laundry. This normally involves having washers located at the entrance to the laundry room, and the dryers located at the other end of the room with a separate exit.
7. Select laundry equipment with longevity: Prioritize finding laundry equipment and chemicals that will extend the life of the items you launder. As an example, our most popular Milnor washers can extend the life of linens with a safe chemical injection system. Chemicals are injected in the rear of the machine, and are diluted and flushed into the sump of the washer-extractor so that raw chemical does not come in direct contact with the linen or the stainless steel.
8. Select laundry equipment that is efficient: Purchase laundry equipment that will minimize the time it takes to complete the laundry process. The Milnor washer extractors offered by H-M Company are a great example of this. The extractor is equipped with a proper basket design to increase the Mechanical Action Factor and clean towels and linen the first wash. Plus, there is a large open area for maximum water extraction, which means your front desk staff will not spend time on costly rewashes. Milnor’s line of T-Series washer-extractors offer a larger cylinder volume than most competitive sized washer-extractors which maximizes productivity. The result is more linen washed per day, or fewer hours required to process the linen. H-M Company offers Huebsch and ADC high performance dryers with outstanding airflow to ensure laundry is dried quickly, eliminating backup.
9. Maintain your equipment: Keep your equipment in top shape based on the manufacturer’s guidelines. Properly maintaining commercial laundry equipment will extend the life of the machines, so create a maintenance calendar and stick to it. Additionally, a daily inspection and addressing any issues (e.g., a loose hose, leaking chemicals, lint buildup, etc.) can prevent maintenance issues and costly downtime. Contact H-M Company if you can’t find the maintenance manuals.
10. Train employees properly: Prioritize training your staff to properly use the equipment. Besides basic operating procedures, it’s important they understand that overloading or underloading the washers and dryers can adversely impact the machines, quality of the laundering, and efficiency. One easy to remember practice for operating your washers is to leave the door open when not in use. This allows air to circulate and moisture to evaporate. With dryers, always clean the lint filter prior to each use.

This represents a broad summary of tips for operating an on-premise laundry facility. H-M Company welcomes the opportunity to work with you to create a plan for the specific needs of your organization. We service laundry operations in many niches, including:

• • Animal Shelters
  • Apartment Buildings
  • Arenas and Stadiums
  • Athletic Facilities
  • Campgrounds
  • Car Washes
  • Coin Laundries
  • Commercial Laundries
  • Country Clubs
  • Correctional Facilities
  • Fire Departments
  • Golf & Tennis Clubs
  • Hair Salons
  • Health Clubs
  • Hospitals
  • Hotels & Motels
  • Pet Resorts
  • Professional Sports Teams
  • Retirement Communities
  • Schools & Universities
  • Skilled Nursing Facilities
  • Spas
  • Veterinary Clinics

Interested in learning more? Contact H-M Company at 800-365-1900 or email sales@hmlaundryequipment.com.