How to Increase the Efficiency of Onsite Laundry
There are a lot of factors that combine to make up a well-functioning, efficient laundry system. Businesses or institutions such as hospitals and prisons do not just install an on premise laundry system for convenience. For such businesses and institutions where laundry is produced in large amounts daily, where there are dire consequences to laundry not being done on time, an on-premise laundry system is necessary.
After installing an on premise laundry system, businesses need to make sure the system runs smoothly. The efficiency of time, cost, and energy are of the utmost importance to take an OPL operation to a whole new level of convenience.
Ways to Increase Efficiency of Onsite Laundry System
There are several ways to fine-tune the laundry process on site.
1. Research the best equipment for your needs, keep equipment up to date
When choosing the equipment, deciding the OPL laundry equipment that is best suited to your needs is essential. This means considering factors such as the volume of laundry produced every day. Energy-efficient equipment will go a long way in reducing energy costs.
2. Proper staff training
In addition to energy costs, labor also costs businesses a huge chunk of money. Proper staff training is necessary to ensure every person handling any of the equipment knows the processes and procedures in and out and is aware of safety regulations. Continued training can help avoid loss of linen and other mess-ups while making the onboarding process easier and reducing overall costs.
3. Maximize space
Efficient OPL equipment also includes making sure it’s arranged to use space efficiently. Rearranging the machines to give a more compact arrangement, folding tables, and laundry accessories such as laundry carts can help improve the flow of the process and increase the productivity of the entire system.
4. Track how much detergent is used
People tend to start eyeballing the amount of detergent they are using, and for the purpose of washing, this works out fine. If the amount of detergent used is not strictly monitored, it can lead to more money being spent on linen, detergents, and other chemicals.
Along with these, regularly scheduled maintenance is also very important to reduce the costs of repair. Repair costs are inevitable if the machines are not being looked after well, and these costs grow the longer OPL laundry is left untreated.
Things to Look Out For
One of the most common issues a lot of businesses run into with most OPL laundry equipment is that plastic sticks to the basket after a few uses. In mid-process, the plastic gets mixed up with the wet laundry and falls out when the dryer is run. The hot air from the dryer melts the plastic, and it fuses with the metal basket, causing the air holes to be blocked.
As increasingly more air holes are sealed, efficiency is proportionally decreased. This leads to reduced airflow and increased drying time, and energy use. Removing the plastic and other debris molded onto the air holes is not easy in terms of energy or cost.
Removable ceramic-coated basket panels prevent the plastic from sticking to the basket. They are resistant to high temperatures and quite tough, leading to longer service life. They have the added benefit of being resistant to abrasions. As opposed to the standard Teflon coatings, they last longer due to their resistive nature. Being removable, the panels are also easier to clean.
To read more about the best on premise laundry for you, visit Consolidated Laundry Machine to learn how we can help you!