Resources

How to make your commercial laundry greener

Protecting the environment is now a high priority for many customers and the businesses they buy from. By 2022, more than two-thirds of companies had taken some action to reduce their carbon emissions. With the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets in sight, finding ways to reduce emissions, minimise impact and make operations greener has become a priority, even for SMEs. 

Globally, 840 million washing machines use 19 billion cubic metres of water and produce around 62 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually. So it’s no surprise that environmentally-conscious companies are looking to reduce the impact of their laundry processes. Plus, those that do, are enjoying lots of benefits beyond increased sustainability. 

What are sustainable laundry processes? 

Laundry is a very intensive process. Washing, drying and ironing items uses large amounts of water and energy, particularly when they’re done on a commercial scale. Although there is a move towards renewable sources, much of the electricity used to power washing machines, tumble dryers and irons is still produced using fossil fuels. This produces high volumes of carbon emissions. 

Similarly, laundry consumes large volumes of water. This will be a problem as climate change progresses and resources become increasingly scarce. The chemicals used in detergents and softeners can also become hazardous when they drain out as wastewater. Released into waterways and natural environments, they can disrupt habitats and wildlife. 

Sustainable laundry processes try to reduce the environmental impact of washing, drying and ironing without sacrificing efficiency or overall quality. Figuring out how to balance business and environmental needs is a good starting point for any company looking to make their laundry greener.

The business benefits of sustainable laundry processes

The environmental advantages of making laundry processes more sustainable are clear. They include using less of the planet’s resources and minimising damage to nature, which both help slow down climate change. However, businesses that reduce the impact of washing, drying and ironing items have discovered even more benefits. 

Helps reach environmental targets

Depending on your business’s type and size, you may be legally required to publicly report your environmental impact, including any emissions you produce. Even if you don’t fit in this category, you might choose to track or publish your green credentials. Many businesses have ambitious climate targets, with 73% reporting that Net Zero is a priority for them.

If your company is one of the above, reviewing your laundry processes is a great starting point for reaching your environmental goals. In businesses like care homes, schools or hotels, washing machines, tumble dryers and irons are some of the most energy-intensive appliances. So, working out ways to run them more efficiently is a quick win for the climate. 

Saves costs and time

It’s not just the planet that wins from making laundry processes greener. By reducing the amount of water and energy you use, you’ll immediately cut down your business’s energy bills. Similarly, you speed up your laundry system by working out a more efficient approach (and introducing better equipment). This frees up your team to get other tasks done and improves your bottom line. 

Happier customers and employees

More than half of UK customers say that they want to make more sustainable choices. By making real changes to how you operate your business, you’re showing genuine care for the environment, making them more likely to choose you over a competitor. 

Plus, with more efficient processes and machines in place, your employees will spend less time working on basic laundry tasks or waiting on maintenance and repairs. Instead, they can focus on work that’s more meaningful and valuable to them and your business. 

How to make your laundry more eco-friendly

Balancing environmental impact with your own business needs is the key to making your laundry processes more sustainable. For example, hospitals and care homes have high hygiene standards, which may mean they can’t use eco-friendly detergents. However, they may be able to adjust the cycle types they use to be more energy efficient. 

By starting with your laundry requirements and considering the steps below, you can improve your sustainability without compromising. 

Replace old equipment

Even if you’ve invested in a commercial washing machine, tumble dryer and iron with a good guarantee, after a certain number of cycles, this equipment will start to wear. As they drop in efficiency, they use more energy and water to function. This doesn’t just have an impact on the environment but on your business’s bills too. 

By upgrading your machines, you’re likely to reduce energy and water waste. Many models also have new technologies that optimise washing and drying cycles, meaning less power, water and detergent is used. Often easier to use and consistently producing a high quality finish, new equipment helps your teams complete their tasks better. 

Choose the most efficient cycle

For ease, team members may choose the same washing and drying cycle every time, particularly in businesses with specific hygiene standards. However, this might be overkill for the items you’re cleaning. 

For example, by changing the type of detergents you’re using, you may be able to switch to a cooler or shorter wash cycle with the same results. Reducing wash temperatures and the number of rinses and spins where possible will also help cut down on energy and water use. 

Train your team

Your colleagues are the ones who run your laundry process day-to-day. So it’s important they understand what impact their actions have on your overall sustainability. Explain to them the factors that can affect laundry’s environmental impact. Give them easy-to-follow tips on how to keep water and energy consumption low. Having a fault report system and scheduling in maintenance will also stop your team’s tasks being interrupted by downtime. 

Empower them to make processes more efficient, such as choosing different cycles they think are more appropriate. Label each machine with its capacity to make sure inefficiencies aren’t increased by washing multiple, smaller loads. Some machines may help you with automatic weighting and dosing functions. 

If you have the ability to pull regular reports on your laundry’s water and energy consumption, then make sure you share these numbers with the team. By giving them the full picture and talking through potential improvements, they can make informed decisions and actively reduce your environmental impact. 

Select chemicals carefully

Particularly in health or social care businesses, using strong detergents is a key part of maintaining hygiene standards. In professional and hospitality laundry processes, softeners and cleaners are essential to getting a quality final result. However, the overuse or incorrect usage of these products can have huge environmental impacts. 

To reduce washing chemicals, measuring them accurately or using machines with an auto-dosing function means you can use the right amount of detergent for the load. Choosing the right type of chemicals for your washing needs also means you won’t have to do unnecessary extra washes to remove stains or get the results you want. 

Rethink your systems

Improving efficiency is central to making laundry processes greener. This doesn’t just mean upgrading machines but choosing models that suit your business’s specific needs. For example, if you’re processing significant load volumes every day, you’ll need washing machines and dryers with high capacity so you can keep up with demand in as few cycles as possible.  

These may seem like small changes, but they can make a huge difference in terms of energy and water consumption. Plus, planning out your laundry layout can help you choose models that maximise your footprint, as well as business and environmental resources. 

Businesses looking to take their sustainability a step further might want to consider investing in equipment like microplastic filters and water recycling technologies. With the majority of commercial loads containing man-made fibres, filters stop any microscopic polymers from entering and damaging natural environments. While water recycling systems help make the most of this vital resource. 

Keep your machines serviced

Having a regular maintenance and repair schedule keeps equipment running as efficiently as possible, minimising water and energy waste. It also helps your machines run for as long as possible, even under high demand. This means you’re not having to upgrade them too often, costing your business money and contributing to landfill waste. 

Keeping up with servicing also reduces the chances of a costly and time-consuming breakdown. By identifying and fixing potential faults ahead of time, you can keep your laundry processes running efficiently and sustainably. 

WASHCO can help with all your laundry room needs

Whether you’re looking to upgrade to more efficient machines or need advice on making your processes more sustainable, we can help. Having achieved ISO 14001 accreditation, we’re laundry equipment suppliers that are genuinely dedicated to making commercial systems environmentally friendly. So you can trust that our advice will get you running better and greener. Get in touch to find out more about how we can support you.