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Content about Clothing

May 21, 2013

Clean Show Expands Educational Programming to Include Afternoons

NEW ORLEANS — Access to seminars included in show registration fee and open to all attendees

NEW ORLEANS — Every morning during Clean ’13, plus for a couple of hours each afternoon, attendees will have the opportunity to sit in on educational sessions aimed at saving them money, boosting their productivity or generally improving their operations or businesses.

Access to all seminars at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the June 20-22 event is included in the show registration fee and isn’t dependent on association membership.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

8-8:30 a.m. — Meritorious Service Awards, sponsored by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute.
8-9 a.m. — Coin Laundry Trends for 2013, sponsored by the Coin Laundry Association (CLA).

Learn where the coin laundry industry is going and how that may affect your business so that you can plan for profits.

8-9 a.m. — Regulatory and Legislative Update, sponsored by the Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA).

Expect continued emphasis on rule making, regulatory initiatives and enforcement over compliance assistance from the EPA, OSHA, the Department of Labor and other regulators. Gain a competitive insight into regulatory initiatives directly impacting your business and TRSA’s efforts to expand and protect the market by advocating for fair, balanced regulation and pro-business policies.

8-9:30 a.m. — Reducing the Loss of Patient Linen and Scrubs, sponsored by the Association for Linen Management (ALM).

Linen inventories are constantly shrinking and not just because of ragout. This loss drives up expenses and puts a strain on maintaining par levels. Get a handle on preventable linen loss and put strategies in place to keep the losses at bay.

8-10 a.m. — Efficient Laundry Processing Techniques in the European Market, sponsored by the European Textile Service Association (ETSA).

Speakers from European supplier firms Lapauw, Ecolab, Christeyns, Kannegiesser and the Jensen-Group will discuss efficiency and sustainability in the laundry process, the next generation of ironers, the concept and results of the steamless laundry, efficient garment processing, and the benefits of low-temperature washing.

8:45-10 a.m. — How to Build a Great Yelp Presence, sponsored by DLI.

How do you ensure your online reputation is strong? No business is perfect—how will you respond when you receive your first negative review? You will hear everything you need to know, from unlocking your Yelp business tools to managing your online reputation.

9-10 a.m. — Internet Marketing Success Stories of Coin Laundries, sponsored by CLA.

What works in the coin laundry industry when it comes to Internet marketing and social media? Examine some case studies and see examples with results, return on investment, and what it took to carry it all out.

9-10 a.m. — Textile Services Contracts and Negotiations, sponsored by TRSA.

Review key contracting components that protect your business, including the latest contracting language, “boilerplate” provisions and cases critical to your business objectives and allocation of risk. Examine important aspects of the contracting process from negotiation through execution and receive practical tips on specific clauses, best practices and practical preparation to develop sound contracts.

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Implementing Best Practices, sponsored by ALM.

Providing quality services and quality processed textiles is the key reason to employ best practices at your facility. But many laundry managers overlook the intangible value, the marketing mileage that it brings. If your facility implements recommendations that are beyond requirements, this session will illustrate how to use this to remind current clients why you’re great and to aid in attracting new business.

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Social Media: Which Tools Laundries Should Embrace, sponsored by CLA.

Where should laundry owners focus their time and energy when it comes to social media? Learn the must-dos and best practices of social media for laundries.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

8-9 a.m. — Best Practices for Wash, Dry, Fold and Commercial Accounts, sponsored by CLA.

Learn the best practices of marketing, sales, operations and production to follow when processing commercial accounts or wash, dry, fold orders.

8-9 a.m. — International Textile Services Market Panel (ETSA, TSA-UK and Intex), sponsored by TRSA.

Gain insight from organizations representing the largest global textile services operators and associates regarding market sector growth and emerging regulatory and legal issues. Also, learn about new concepts, best practices and innovative management strategies from global colleagues to increase productivity, streamline operations and maximize profitability.

8-10 a.m. — Alternative Solvents: Which is Best for You?, sponsored by DLI.

Panelists will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the various solvent choices available to the dry cleaning industry, and attendees will have ample time to get the answers they need to make an informed buying decision.

8-10 a.m. — Demystifying Healthcare Terminology, sponsored by the Canadian Cleaners and Launderers Allied Trade Association (CLATA).

Ecolab’s Textile Care and Healthcare divisions will review current industry trends, emerging topics, and terminology as it relates to textiles. The material will cover such topics as bacteriostats, mildewstats, and sanitizing and disinfection claims as they relate to textiles. Further review of linen handling procedures and the impact on patient exposure to pathogens will be covered.

8-10 a.m. — Standards and Regulations Affecting the Healthcare Laundry and Linen Industry, sponsored by ALM.

Many different bodies are involved in establishing standards and guidelines that affect the linen and laundry industry. This session will help attendees understand the various roles of four important entities—CMS, Joint Commission, CDC and OSHA—and how their direction and guidance is interpreted and applied to the industry, and how healthcare facilities determine which recommendations they will adopt.

9-9:30 a.m. — Today’s and Tomorrow’s Consumer Needs in Emerging International Markets (CINET), sponsored by TRSA.

Receive valuable information pertaining to textile services opportunities in emerging markets based on the results of extensive global research, including expanding economics, purchasing power and demographics. While opportunities exist, there are real challenges, and business leaders must understand market and customer demands, as well as the work force, financing, distribution and more.

9-10 a.m. — Advanced Laundry Lease Analysis, sponsored by CLA.

Examine the fine print of a lease and learn how to secure one that works in the best interests of your laundry.

9-10 a.m. — Winning Strategies to Control Linen Loss and Abuse, sponsored by the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA).

A panel of experts will present their proven strategies for reducing and controlling linen losses and abuse. This is especially important as many organizations and/or their laundry providers can attribute as much as 30% of linen costs to losses. There will be specific focus on how to prevent healthcare linen from going into “red bag” waste containers.

9:30-10 a.m. — Future International Textile Services Market Demand: Business Opportunities, sponsored by TRSA.

Establish a plan of action that addresses key issues and identify growth opportunities based on the results of global market studies and service profiles that provide insight into developing partners, supply chains and customers to establish long-term business growth. Discuss trends and market development, competition, logistics, financial investment, efficiency, and scalability.

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Quick Fixes to Common Problems, sponsored by DLI.

DLI’s Brian Johnson and Jim Kirby will give practical, easy to implement solutions to problems that plague all dry cleaners, from front counter to back of the machine and everything in between.

3:30-4:30 p.m. — TRSA Clean Green and Hygienically Clean Certification Programs: Quantifying Your Commitment to Cleanliness and Sustainability, sponsored by TRSA.

Independent, quantitative, third-party certifications build customer confidence and offer a competitive advantage. More than 50 companies have earned TRSA’s Clean Green and Hygienically Clean designations, making them the fastest growing, most recognized international certification programs for textile services operators. Learn how your company can meet these rigorous standards and quantifiable measurements including inspections and testing.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

8-9 a.m. — Disposables vs. Reusables: Research that Quantifies the Sustainability Advantage of Napkins, Shop Towels and Barrier Gowns, sponsored by TRSA.

Obtain life-cycle assessment (LCA) figures, including a free report, that quantify that reusable textiles are more sustainable than alternatives. Participate in an interactive discussion with researchers and industry leaders regarding the results of the LCA and impact on marketing of environmental and cost advantages of reusable textiles over disposable products.

8-9 a.m. — Goin’ Green, sponsored by DLI.

Find out what goin’ green means and how some cleaners using “green” to bring in more customers and save money with energy-saving technologies.

8-9:30 a.m. — ALM Fireside Chat, sponsored by ALM.

Join in this industry discussion among allied trade partners. You’ll be enlightened to hear this group of professionals discuss current issues and exciting innovations that may be on deck for our industry. Each panelist will offer a diverse look at how all of this will impact you and your operations. Audience involvement will be encouraged. Attendees are sure to leave energized and enthused about the multitude of opportunities that await them.

8-10 a.m. — The ABC’s for Potential Laundry Owners, sponsored by CLA.

What does it mean to invest in the laundry industry? Attendees will be treated to an in-depth look at the industry, including key numbers, reports, lease information and the due diligence that a prospective owner would use when determining if getting into the industry is right for them.

8-10 a.m. — The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades!, sponsored by CLATA.

This session includes analysis of the state of the laundry and dry cleaning industry.

8-10 a.m. — Keys to Successful Multiple Store Management, sponsored by CLA.

Every laundry owner wants to grow his or her business and increase profits. Many in the industry take it to the next level by expanding into a multi-store operation. Learn what it takes to grow a chain of laundries by taking a look at some of the most successful laundry owners in the country.

9-10 a.m. — Developing a Culture of Safety, sponsored by TRSA.

SafeTRSA has companies reducing their recordable workplace injuries and illnesses by 50%, improving worker safety, increasing productivity and reducing liability. Receive an update on the TRSA 2012 Industry Safety Report, VPP and SHARP recognition, and industry-specific safety-related resources for hazard communications, OSHA recordkeeping, training materials and standard operating procedures.

9:15-10 a.m. — Investing in Your Business, sponsored by DLI.

Technology offers many options that can allow a dry cleaner to work smarter, more efficiently, and turn out a better product for their customers. Hear how one cleaner is using these advances to great advantage.

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Staying Abreast of Change, sponsored by ALM.

What’s happening around the world can be at one’s front door tomorrow. Here’s a look at what’s old, what’s here to stay, and what’s new in the laundry and linen industry. In an hour’s time, attendees will tune into emerging research, technology and trends that are either headed our way or headed out the door. Staying in touch with the latest ideas and future trends will keep you ahead of your competition.

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Ask the Laundry Experts, sponsored by CLA.

If you don’t get all of your questions answered earlier, this session represents an opportunity to ask any non-mechanical laundry industry question. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions to the CLA ahead of time via text message, Twitter or Facebook.

May 16, 2013

Going Industrial: Quality Linen Makes the Leap from Coin (Conclusion)

SALISBURY, Md. — Multi-store owner moves commercial business into newly constructed industrial laundry facility

SALISBURY, Md. — By successfully serving small commercial accounts from one of his two coin-operated laundries, Mitch Wyatt nurtured a reputation that today has him handling the laundry needs of major hospitality, healthcare and food and beverage clients. Recently, to meet increasing production needs, Wyatt moved his commercial business into a newly constructed industrial laundry facility here.

The Quality Linen Services building turns out 1,700 laundry pounds per hour, using minimal labor, water and energy — giving Wyatt the opportunity to draw new clients and boost profits.

PROGRAMMABLE BY CUSTOMER

Each of the Girbau Industrial TBS-50 Eco-Tunnel’s seven modules is programmable for duration of the wash cycle, water temperature and levels, bath partitions, rapid draining, chemical injection, mechanical action, closing parameters and more.

“We’ve preprogrammed the computer by customer and all of the items they use,” says Wyatt. “This is vital with customer-owned goods because we can separate each customer’s linens by color code in the system and track them throughout. They don’t want to lose their linens.”

One of Wyatt’s hospital clients, for example, has 20 items, including bed pads, sheets, gowns, scrubs, blankets and towels. “Each item, one through 20, is programmed differently,” he says. Similarly, hotel items—sheets, pillowcases, towels and mats—are each programmed differently. At any time, the Quality Linen staff can see where items are in the cleaning process: the Eco-Tunnel, conveyor, press or dryer.

HOW IT WORKS

From a touch-screen station, one employee runs the Continuous Washing System. He or she selects a customer number and program on the Eco-Tunnel’s central computer screen and loads the tunnel conveyor, which automatically weighs each 110-pound load. The conveyor moves the goods up an incline, where they are automatically loaded into the first module of the tunnel washer. Every 110-pound load travels through seven modules, and each module is programmed to perform a function for four to six minutes, such as pre-wash, wash, rinse, etc. After the programmed time duration, the load is automatically transferred to the next module.

The Eco-Tunnel uses less than a gallon of water per laundry pound and completes even the dirtiest 110-pound load in 42 minutes, according to Wyatt.

“I like everything about it,” he says. “It operates off of steam, has a drain-water heat reclaim system, filters, and then reuses 60 to 70% of the water.” As the central component of the Continuous Washing System, the tunnel reuses rinse and extracted water for pre-wash. Because water is recycled, less water is used and heated, lowering associated costs.

Once a load travels through every tunnel module, it enters the press, where it’s pressed—and water is extracted—until linens resemble a condensed “cake.” Via another conveyor system, each cake is loaded into an open dryer. Sheets are quickly separated in the dryer and run through the ironing line still damp, while towels are completely dried and subsequently run through the laundry’s automated folding and sorting systems.

IRONING LINE

Once the cakes—sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths and napkins—are separated in the dryers, they are run through an ironing line while damp. Two attendants feed the ironer, processing 80 feet of linen per minute. Ninety percent efficient, the gas ironer is also programmable to meet specific needs, according to Wyatt, and automatically adapts cylinder speed according to linen type and moisture content. This eliminates the need to dry linens before running them through the ironing line, which saves natural gas and production time.

“We can finish 400 sheets per hour using this ironer,” he says. “To have a piece of equipment finish so many different item types is amazing.” Once ironed, the various napkins, tablecloths, sheets and pillowcases are automatically folded.

FOLDING DRY GOODS

Meanwhile, dry goods, such as towels, gowns, robes and bath mats, are fully dried and put through an automatic folder, which processes 1,200 items per hour. A variety of items are fed into the folder one after another, where they are automatically folded according to pre-programmed fold specifications, sorted and stacked. “The folder allows us to wash and dry different items, like hospital gowns, towels and bath mats, in one load,” says Wyatt. “It eliminates the need for up to two operators.”

PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY, SERVICE

Thus far, Quality Linen is processing 100 pounds of laundry per operator hour (PPOH), but Wyatt hopes to improve that number by 20%. “Quality and productivity are so much greater,” he says. “We were getting good quality before from our Continental washer, but from the Eco-Tunnel, we are getting superior quality.”

The facility is capable of processing 95,000 pounds of laundry per week using one shift, or, using two, processing 190,000 pounds. Simultaneously, Wyatt maintains he’s able to properly serve a variety of customers.

“We have clients with customer-owned goods who rely on us to provide superior service,” he says. “Because of our advanced technologies and equipment, we can clean, finish, and track virtually any item, according to our clients’ specific needs.” And that, Wyatt says, is what sets Quality Linen apart.

May 14, 2013

Going Industrial: Quality Linen Makes the Leap from Coin (Part 1)

SALISBURY, Md. — Multi-store owner moves commercial business into newly constructed industrial laundry facility

SALISBURY, Md. — By successfully serving small commercial accounts from one of his two coin-operated laundries, Mitch Wyatt nurtured a reputation that today has him handling the laundry needs of major hospitality, healthcare and food and beverage clients. Recently, to meet increasing production needs, Wyatt moved his commercial business into a newly constructed industrial laundry facility here.

The Quality Linen Services building turns out 1,700 laundry pounds per hour, using minimal labor, water and energy — giving Wyatt the opportunity to draw new clients and boost profits.

DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS FROM COIN LAUNDRY

“I serviced five hotels, two assisted-living facilities, one university, and two restaurants out of one washer at my coin laundry,” says Wyatt. “We used a 55-pound-capacity Continental E-Series Washer that would maintain a temperature of 140 degrees and stay at that temp. I was getting stuff so clean, my clients were amazed.”

Once cleaned, tablecloths, linens and napkins were pressed and finished using a Continental Flatwork Ironer. Wyatt’s staff then folded, stacked and delivered the items to clients.

PRODUCTION NEEDS SURGE

All went smoothly until Wyatt secured a five-year contract with a local hospital. “I knew I needed significant industrial equipment to fulfill growing production requirements,” he says.

So, he sought help from Operations Manager Doug Colonna, who holds 15 years of industrial laundry experience; Deke Sheller of Fowler Equipment, a laundry equipment distributor in Baltimore; and Joel Jorgensen, vice president of laundry equipment manufacturer Continental Girbau.

The 10,000-square-foot industrial facility required careful planning, a partnership of experts, and a mix of highly efficient industrial laundry equipment engineered for bolstered productivity, according to Wyatt.

DEVELOPING AN INDUSTRIAL LAUNDRY FROM SCRATCH

“We worked with the engineer constructing Quality Linen’s building and all elements of laundry design, construction and utilities,” says Jorgensen of the project. “We went on to define specific laundry production needs, the equipment mix, and solidified financing over an eight-month period.”

In the end, the new building featured a Girbau Industrial Continuous Batch Washing system capable of processing 13,600 pounds in an eight-hour shift.

The facility’s powerhouse is its seven-module Girbau Industrial TBS-50 Eco-Tunnel with four-stage water reclamation, water filtration and drain-water heat recovery. Complementing equipment includes a Girbau Industrial ICP3 Incline Loading Conveyor, SPR-50 Press, Dual-cake Delivery Shuttle, three ST-100 Dryers, a PSN 80 single-roll gas thermal ironer, FT-LITE Folder, AP LITE Stacker and an FT-MAXI triple-sort dry goods folder.

Two Continental Girbau CG-120 Dryers, and two Continental E-Series washer-extractors (55 pounds and 90 pounds, respectively) round out the lineup.

CONTINUOUS BATCH WASHING

The system not only boosts laundry productivity to 95,200 pounds per week using a single shift, according to Wyatt, it takes just one employee to operate and manage, is stingy on water, and produces high-quality results.

Key to Wyatt’s equipment decision was his need to properly manage and process laundry for a variety of accounts. “Unlike most of our competitors, we provide rental service, as well as service for clients with customer-owned goods,” he says. “We required equipment programmable by customer, so items would be properly cleaned according to each client’s unique needs.”

Check back Thursday for the conclusion!

January 9, 2013

Holiday Stain-Removal Tips

WASHINGTON — The longer stains sit on a fabric, the more difficult they may be to remove: American Cleaning Institute

WASHINGTON — With your coin laundry customers no doubt bringing in clothes containing holiday stains, Nancy Bock, senior vice president of education for the American Cleaning Institute, offers these stain-removal tips that you may want to post in your store:

Turkey, Gravy, Butter, and Salad Dressing (oil-based stains)

Pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Launder in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric.

Cranberry Sauce, Apple Cider, and Pumpkin Pie (fruit-based stains)

Treat these stains promptly. Remove excess fruit and run the fabric under cold water. Wash the item as soon as possible using the warmest water and bleach that are safe for the fabric.

Coffee, Tea, Wine, and Soft Drinks (beverage stains)

Soak or sponge stain in cool water. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover or liquid laundry detergent. Launder using oxygen bleach or chlorine bleach, if safe for fabric.

Colorful Cakes and Desserts (food-coloring stains)

Sponge stain promptly with cool water. If this doesn’t remove stain, soak stain in cool water for at least 30 minutes. After soaking, pretreat with a prewash stain remover or liquid laundry detergent, then launder.

Wax Stains

Use a dull knife to scrape off surface wax. Place stain between paper towels and press with a warm iron, transferring the wax to the towels. Continue, using clean towels, until the wax no longer transfers. Then, place stain facedown on another clean paper towel and sponge with a prewash stain remover; blot with paper towels. Let dry, then launder.

Soot Stains

Shake out garment. Don’t rub, as this may make the stain worse. Launder washable garments using laundry detergent and the hottest water suitable for the garments. Continue laundering garments until soot and/or smoke odor are removed. Garment may have to be laundered as many as five times.

July 3, 2012

Laugh, and the World Will Launder at Your Store

PEMBROKE, Mass. — We always need more humor, even at our local Laundromat

PEMBROKE, Mass. — Humor and a coin laundry doesn’t exactly sound like a natural combination. In fact, nobody connects humor with his or her local Laundromat. I’ve never heard a comedian make a joke that has anything to do with commercial cleaning establishments. That’s why you should strive for a touch of humor.

Why? It’s because humor is a positive force of nature. It helps dispel frustration and annoyance, puts good vibes in the air, and makes a person think less about his problems and more about the ironies in life. It erases fear. We always need more humor.

Let’s start with the name of your business. Two fun names I’ve come across are 1) Captain Bubble and 2) The Bubblette.

Captain Bubble conveys a larger-than-life character that will do your wash perfectly. The bald-headed character Mr. Clean on the label of the same-named cleaning solution comes to mind. In fact, the Mr. Clean character pictured on the bottles and featured in TV commercials has helped make the product one of the biggest sellers in its market. He makes you think strong, muscular, capable.

Bubblette has a different connotation—French, delicate, sudsy. But you also think of clean, well-scrubbed clothes, and the pleasant-smelling fleur-de-lis lavender flowers from the south of France.

These two Laundromats are real places, and I’m sure many customers get a chuckle every time they wash their clothes at one of them.

Come up with an identity that incorporates the virtues of a good Laundromat—spaciousness, new machinery, efficient operation, and fast wash/dry/fold service.

How about a “super-clean” hero who wears a blue cape and churns out clean clothes faster than a speeding bullet? Or a washer lady who takes care to make sure everything is extra-clean and stain-free? You could feature a delivery demon that delivers your clothes with minimum fuss and maximum speed every time.

How about a bandana-wearing, sailor’s-cap-doffing fish that weaves through the water to make sure every bit of dirt and grime is removed? Consider a patch-eyed pirate with a hook who carries a flag emblazoned with “The Cleanest Clothes in Town.” Every one of these characters has marketing potential.

Invent a character you favor and fashion him/her around your operation. Use this “spokesman” on all paperwork, vehicles, signs, front, etc. Place him/her front and center in any newspaper ads or marketing programs. All vehicles should emphasize the character’s identity. Put an identifying logo on each machine. Have staffers wear logo shirts.

When prospects see the image of your deep-sea character, they will know it’s a mailing from your company and be more apt to open it up. When passing your store, prospects will notice the larger-than-life hero soaring above the store sign and a smile will form on their lips. When their washers are broken at home, they will envision your pirate; that’s the place where they can clean their clothes. When someone asks about an area Laundromat, the image of your washer lady will pop into the listener’s mind and he will direct the person to your business.

Hang a humorous sign or two in your store. How about “We buff cannons,” for the pirate motif? Or “We make your blankets sleep-able,” alongside a kitten sleeping on a blanket? Or “We’ve cleaned over 6,000,000 garments,” to mimic McDonald’s iconic signs about numbers of hamburgers sold?

I’m partial to clever quotations, such as:

Even a fish wouldn’t get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut. — Anonymous
When everything seems to be going against you, remember that an airplane takes off against the wind. — Henry Ford
You should always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t come to yours. — Yogi Berra
An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. — Mahatma Gandhi

Any of these pieces on a wall provides entertainment to your waiting customer. They might even think, “I’m learning something here.” Rotate these quotations periodically, and you will have customers wanting to come back to see what your walls are “saying” this month.

Create a sandwich sign for the front of the store that reads, “Through these portals go the cleanest people in the world.” Or, in the back of the shop, seat a life-size mannequin clown in a chair and hang a sign around its neck reading, “Cleanliness is not only next to godliness; it’s inside each machine.” Above the washbasin, hang this sign: “Wash your hands before cleaning your clothes. We want you to be cleaner than clean.” In the bathroom, post a sign that reads, “Don’t even thinkof not washing your hands.”

Who would not smile at seeing any of these bits of business? The fact that they all emphasize cleanliness can’t help but be a plus. Any mental stroke that introduces clean into the customer consciousness can only prove beneficial. Subconsciously, your patrons will feel they are really cleaning their clothing.

Know an artist? Commission him or her to create a life-sized sculpture of a woman sitting in a chair and washing clothes using an old-fashioned wooden washboard. My vision is of an all-white plaster sculpture similar to the works of George Segal, with a sign affixed: “It’s easier nowadays, isn’t it?” Commission an artist to paint a mural on the outside of the building that features cultural icons—for example, Groucho Marx, Brigitte Bardot, Babe Ruth, Abraham Lincoln and Barbara Streisand in various stages of washing clothes, with the caption—“Our customer list has no shortage of famous people.” Think that would make passers-by smile?

All these suggestions display a sense of humor to customers, which shows the owner/manager is not above being playful. Any owner who doesn’t take himself/herself too seriously can’t be a monster. In this day and age of deadpan seriousness and fast-paced materialism, such levity would be refreshing. Or as they say, “Laugh, and the world will laugh with you.”

Try it in a small way at first and expand from there. It might even make you smile each time you enter your store.

March 20, 2012

Doing Laundry Isn’t Easy for Oil Field Workers

BISMARCK, N.D. — Laundry owners differ about willingness to

BISMARCK, N.D. — Oil field clothes can tear up a washing machine. Several laundry businesses have had to close their doors to workers but others are building their businesses around the boom.

A sign on the door of King Koin Laundrette Car and Dog Wash at 2125 E. Thayer Ave. reads “Because of odor and residue problems, we no longer allow oil field clothes in this establishment.” Owner Mike Walsh hung it there about two years ago when damage to his washing machines and dryers became too much.

“We tried for about three years,” Walsh said. “Now we refer them to somebody else when they call ... It was just getting out of hand.”

A similar sign hangs at Interstate Laundry and Carwash at 1438 Interstate Loop. Customers can be charged for washing oily clothes at Boulevard Laundromat at 1310 E. Boulevard Ave. A new machine can cost as much as $10,000 and the upkeep became too high as more oil field workers made their way to Bismarck.

Walsh said the gloves the workers wear are saturated in oil and it was getting left behind in the washers.

“It wasn’t a good fit for us,” Walsh said. “We had to protect our other customers so when they bring their stuff in, they don’t get their stuff ruined.”

Walsh also is short on dryers. It can take as long as an hour and a lot of cleaning supplies to get one back in working order after oil field clothes have been in it.

“The dryers are the worst because it just bakes in there,” he said.

Soap and Suds Laundry Mat at 122 W. Bowen Ave. has opened its doors to the rig workers, though. Owner Louis Baltrusch thinks he is the only self-service Laundromat to allow oil field clothes in Bismarck.

“Why shouldn’t I work with them?” Baltrusch said.

It just takes a lot of soap to make it work.

“Before, guys would come in and use the top loaders and leave a mess behind,” he said.

Baltrusch now has three washing machines at the front of the Laundromat that he asks rig workers to use. He sees at least 30 to 40 workers each week.

“It’s really picked up the last couple years,” he said. “I’m going to have to get some more of them because they’re used so much.”

Interstate Laundry and Carwash used to have machines set aside for oily clothes too, but had to stop when the number of oil field customers increased.

Baltrusch watches for any workers as they come in the door to tell them which machines to use and what to do.

“If I see somebody coming in with a pretty dirty tote, it’s a pretty safe bet he’s a rig worker,” he said.

Baltrusch has oil field customers put two scoops soap to the washing machine in each of the first two rinse cycles. Then he has them take a towel and wipe it down when they’re finished.

“You could put in a white comforter right after and not have a problem,” he said.

Baltrusch said the water in the washer looks like mud during the first rinse cycle, but by the final cycle the water is clear. The oily clothes are then clean and don’t mess up his dryers.

Rig workers can drop off their oily clothes at Arrowhead Cleaners and Laundry Inc. at 1140 N. Third St. The company has two older machines that it uses. Turrito’s Dry Cleaners at 1041 E. Interstate Ave. and 1131 E. Main Ave. and Dakota Dry Cleaners at 820 E. Broadway Ave. do not take oil field clothes.

With very few places in Bismarck taking oil field laundry, many workers are dropping their clothes off in other towns on their way home and picking them up on their way back to work.

“I have a lot of guys call me and ask if I take oil field clothes,” said Melvin Pirkl, owner of Superior Laundry Cleaners in Dickinson, N.D. “They say we just came from Bismarck and they won’t let us.”

Pirkl said his business has more than doubled because of the oil boom. It really picked up for him about a year ago.

“I’m so busy, I don’t know which way to turn,” he said. “I have laundry bags sitting in front of me and I don’t know what to do first.”

Pirkl said he even comes in to work at night to try to get caught up. The biggest problem he faces is equipment damage due to overload.

(This article originally appeared in the Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune and is posted here by permission. You can find the original article here.)

September 8, 2010

Online Laundry Service Hopes to Clean Up

March 20, 2009

Working on the Outside

December 10, 2008

Impress Your Customers to Boost Drop-Off Revenue

October 31, 2008

Help Your Customers: A Little Cleaning Knowledge Goes a Long Way

July 23, 2008

Put the Spotlight on Your Laundry: Using Promotions to Draw a Crowd

January 15, 2007

Why not Wetcleaning?

December 4, 2006

Taking Drop-Off Service a Bit Further