A Preventative Maintenance Program Boosts Your Laundromat Business
Commercial laundry equipment requires routine preventative maintenance to avoid downtime and perform optimally. Let’s talk about what preventative maintenance is for the commercial washers and dryers in your laundromat.
Cars get oil changes, some of us take an aspirin everyday for heart health, and probably everyone who’s ever boarded a plane is grateful for the pre-flight aircraft systems check. We all know how important it is for machines to get routine attention to keep them up and running with a decreased chance of unexpected failure. The same goes for the commercial laundry equipment in your laundromat. Your washers and dryers need some daily, weekly, monthly, and annual service to prevent excessive wear, unexpected breakdowns, customer dissatisfaction with dirty machines, and dangerous mishaps like dryer fires.
Routine maintenance also protects your business investment because regular upkeep of your machines maximizes their performance. Machines that perform at their best for the long haul means more money in your pocket, highly satisfied customers, fewer chances of major technical repairs, and lower utility costs.
Create Your Laundromat Maintenance Plan
Preventative maintenance services are the key to managing your coin laundry. Many laundromat owners choose to start the day with routine maintenance on the inside of the machines and end the day on the outside, or vice versa. Either way, the concept is to keep the machines clean while you keep an eye on the condition of their parts and how well they’re running. Your maintenance plan should include any specific recommendations from your equipment manuals, as well as the following tasks:
- Washers - Daily Maintenance
- Clean tops, fronts, and side panels as well as automatic supply dispenser lids.
- Inspect valves and hoses for leaks.
- Make sure door interlocks work properly; machines should not start with the door open.
- Clean out detergent residue or objects from door gaskets.
- Leave doors open at the end of the day to evaporate moisture and prevent bacteria growth.
- Dryers - Daily Maintenance
- Clear out lint filters. If you have attendants, you will want them to check the lint filters after every load, as customers often forget to do this themselves.
- Remove any flammable materials from the floor around the dryers.
- Inspect cylinders and remove any objects.
- Clean tops, fronts, and side panels.
- Laundromat - Weekly Routine Maintenance
- Inspect seals around washer and dryer doors. Remove any buildup to keep tight seals and prevent leaking. Replace dryer door seals if you notice they’re hardened, loosened, damaged, or worn.
- Check inlet and outlet hoses for leaks.
- Check for internal dryer clogs by shining a flashlight in the lint filter duct; vacuum out any obstructions.
- Examine outdoor dryer weather hoods for obstructions to the dampers; remove if necessary.
- Laundromat - Monthly Routine Maintenance
- Use compressed air to remove dust and moisture from electrical components.
- Remove lint from dryer vents.
- Check water inlet filter screens; clean out particles and replace as needed.
- Examine belts and hardware; replace worn and cracked belts and tighten any loose nuts, screws, or bolts.
- Laundromat - Annual Routine Maintenance
- Vacuum lint from dryer ducts and from the heater box.
- Remove dirt and soap inside the washer drums. You may need to do this more than once a year if you have a lot of traffic.
Preventative Maintenance Services from Professionals
In addition to your routine maintenance, you can get a professional laundry maintenance plan. All WSD clients have access to our contracted maintenance services. We offer basic, premium, and custom plans so we can handle your preventative maintenance if you prefer. If you experience trouble with your Dexter, Milnor, or Chicago Dryer coin-op laundry equipment, we have handy troubleshooting videos for basic laundry equipment repairs as well. Should you ever need parts or professional service for your coin-op laundry equipment—whether they’re Dexter, Milnor, Chicago Dryer, or other major brands— we have the experts on staff to help you find the right parts and offer the technical support you need.
If you’d like to talk more about preventative maintenance for your laundromat, give us a call at 1-800-633-7153 or contact a WSD Laundry Equipment Expert to talk about implementing a maintenance plan or contracting us for your maintenance services.
