Easy steps to keep your laundromat clean & welcoming

Laundromats tend to get a bad rap. And sometimes, this reputation is warranted. All too often, a place that’s supposed to help you get clean looks like it needs to be cleaned. 

How can you help your laundromat stand out from the crowd? You need to make customers feel confident that your laundromat is a place where they can rely on cleanliness and consistency. 

Attracting happy customers and repeat business depends on keeping your laundromat spotless and your machines in excellent condition. When getting rid of dirt is your business, maintaining a clean facility is a relentless job, but it’s easy to do with these simple tips.

Nothing’s worse than a customer taking clothes out of the dryer to find them still wet, or removing them from the washing machine covered in suds from a weak washer cycle. Whether your washers and dryers are brand new or have been around for 30 years, maintenance is the key to success. 

Properly functioning machines will assure your customers of consistently good results, so get trained to maintain your own equipment or book regular service visits by a provider who can keep them in tip-top shape.

Laundromats are high-traffic areas. Not only are there lots of people walking through them, but with lint, debris, and water, it’s easy for them to get very dirty, very fast. Sweep and mop regularly throughout the day so that the environment reflects the high quality cleaning service you’re providing for laundry.

It’s also essential to tackle floor grime at the root of the cause. Regularly cleaning dryer lint will save your dryers from excess wear and tear, and keep dust from spreading around your facility. Leaking washers can also wreak havoc on floors. To avoid gross puddles and permanent damage, fix your washers as soon as you notice signs of leaks and regularly check for water buildup around machines.

Opening a washer or dryer to find it full of lint, discarded items, and dryer sheets will make your customers feel anything but clean. Unkempt machines can even make clothes dirtier than before they were washed. When a washing machine isn’t being used, debris and forgotten clothing should be cleared immediately. 

Wipe spilled detergent from the sides, and clean up the coin slots and control panels. This will do more than keep your washers looking good. Spilled chemicals can be corrosive, and excess material gets caught in filters, reducing the length of your washer’s life. 

Clean the lint traps on dryers after each use. Excess lint makes your whole laundry facility dusty and dirty, and reduces dryer efficiency while increasing energy consumption. It’s also a significant fire hazard that puts you and your customers in danger. 

When working with water, it’s hard to avoid unpleasant smells. This is particularly true of laundromats where dark machines and discarded clothes can exasperate dank, mildewy scents. So where do you start to tackle foul odours?

First, you should never let wet clothes sit in washers for too long. Not only will this result in an unwelcome surprise for the next customer, but it could cause moisture build-up that can make machines stink or even permanently damage them. Offer free wifi, coffee or other incentives that will entice customers to stay on site so they’re ready to swap loads as soon as they’re done.

It’s not just washing machines that can lead to unpleasant smells. If you’re not adequately caring for your dryers, they can give off burning or chemical aromas. Cleaning lint traps and vents will help prevent this. Chemical smells are often the result of plastic stuck in drums that have melted. 

If you still notice smells in your laundromat, you should have machines checked for loose hoses and other leaks. There could be unseen water pooling behind or under machines causing odours and damage.

Whether you are a laundromat veteran or rookie, investing in high quality washers and dryers will save you time, money, and lots of stress. Regular preventive maintenance can also mitigate many of the issues on this list. Investing in equipment that’s built to last means fewer repairs and replacements. It also means fewer washing machine leaks, dryers that have more efficient vents, and settings and vending slots that are built to last thousands of uses.  

Operating a laundromat is a great way to earn an income and add a valuable asset to your community. Keeping your laundromat clean and welcoming will encourage repeat business and make customers happy to be there. 

If you’re searching for a reliable equipment and service provider, choose Coronet Equipment to provide you with everything from installation to maintenance and repair of your vended laundry equipment in laundromats, residential buildings, dorms, and more.