Choosing the right commercial laundry equipment for your business

 

If you’re doing lots of laundry in your business, then you need washing and drying equipment that can meet the demands of your loads. More than this, the appliances need to fit your available space, be suitable for the laundry type you most frequently clean and dry and meet any specialist needs.

To keep your commercial laundry running profitably and efficiently, it’s also important to consider equipment energy efficiency, upfront cost and any service or maintenance support available. This article outlines all the factors you need to consider when choosing your business’s laundry equipment.

Considerations for Your Laundry Equipment

Of course, each business will have its own needs when it comes to commercial laundry. However, there are a few general factors to consider. 

Available Laundry Space and Layout

The available footprint and preferred configuration of your business’s laundry facilities will impact the type of equipment you can buy. For example, if floor space is restricted, then you might need to opt for stacked washer-dryers or small footprint machines such as Miele Little Giants. 

Even if you’ve got plenty of room to fit in your machines, planning out where each appliance will go will help you fit everything in. Plus, it’ll make sure you’ve got sufficient and correct power outlets, gas connections and internal or external pipes for installation. These may need to be fitted around storage areas, sinks, exits or bins. 

The way you set out your laundry equipment will also impact the efficiency of the process. For example, it wouldn’t be practical for your dirty linen storage area to be at the opposite end of a room to the washer. So thinking carefully about the positioning of your appliances and which location will be most appropriate is essential to prevent cross-contamination and maintain infection prevention standards. 

Load Volume and Frequency 

To ensure your laundry process is running efficiently, the capacity of your washers and dryers needs to meet the volume of loads you need to clean. Calculating the weight of your average load and adding this up to a daily volume will help you work out what machine capacity (ranging from 6kgs to 90kgs) would be most efficient. 

The frequency of loads is also important to consider. Commercial appliances are designed to run efficiently and reliably multiple times a day. However, if you’re constantly running load after load, then you need to choose high-performance appliances. You may want to consider repair and maintenance support packages that can help maintain machine efficiency and longevity, too. 

Laundry Type

The type of items your business is cleaning will impact the features you need from your washing machines and dryers. If the majority of your loads are made up of bedding and towels, then a high-spin washing machine and dryer is recommended to remove moisture from these heavy items effectively. 

Alternatively, if you’re dealing with delicate clothing, then appliances with lower spin speeds and temperatures will ensure they can be cleaned with minimal damage. Other features like residual moisture monitors and honeycomb drums help care gently for fabrics such as wool. 

Speed of Turnaround 

Checking the cycle times of your appliances will ensure you can turn around your laundry as quickly as you need to. Commercial laundry equipment is designed for maximum efficiency. However, the machines you choose should have the right programmes and settings to clean your specific items effectively without needing to run multiple cycles. 

Specialised Equipment

Your business might have particular laundry needs that require specialist equipment. For example, you might need WRAS-5-approved machines to meet the required laundry hygiene standards. Others may need commercial ironers that can produce quality results on several kilos of loads per hour. 

Whichever business you run and whatever equipment you choose, you need to make sure you have the right chemicals and detergents. These will remove stains, soften fabrics and restore brightness in your laundry, giving quality results from every wash.  

How to Choose the Right Commercial Laundry Equipment

To choose the right laundry equipment for your business, you don’t just need to consider the factors above, but consider the requirements specific to your sector. 

Care and Nursing Homes

To comply with hygiene standards set out by the Care Quality Commission, organisations in this sector need to have tight control over their laundry processes. This doesn’t just mean having strict sorting and disinfection protocols but ensuring you have WRAS 5-approved equipment as well. Choosing energy-efficient appliances with load-appropriate programmes will also help keep running costs low and minimise environmental impact.

Hotels and Spas

To get through high volumes of loads quickly without sacrificing the quality of results, hotels and spas need appliances with the right capacity. Easy-to-use controls and high spin performance also help teams make the laundry process more efficient. Add in features like moisture control and hospitality businesses can ensure their laundry’s always fresh and perfectly dry. 

Educational Facilities 

The key to a successful, effective boarding school laundry process is having appliances that can deal with a variety of requirements. With a huge range of different load types, having washing machines and dryers with a wide selection of settings and programs is key. Honeycomb drum designs, auto-dosing and moisture control features also make adapting to different loads easier for teams. 

Equine and Veterinary

Dealing with tough stains and heavy loads means you need laundry equipment which can deal with high capacity loads without risking cross-infection. High-performing washers and dryers with automatic functions will help equine and veterinary businesses stay on top of their laundry and get top-quality results. 

Caravan and Holiday Parks

With a huge number of tasks to get done, the laundry process in caravan and holiday parks needs to be made as simple as possible. Straightforward controls, a variety of programmes, auto-dosing and moisture detection will all help your teams achieve quality results efficiently. Plus, there is a huge variety of machine capacities to choose from, so you’ll always find one to suit your laundry volume.

Contact WASHCO for commercial laundry advice

Whether you need advice on the most efficient layout for your laundry room or are looking for new, efficient appliances, our experts can help you find the best solution for your business. Contact WASHCO’s specialists on 08000 546 546 or email info@washco.co.uk to find out more.