The different types of laundry businesses

In the laundry world, there are four basic types of businesses, all of which are set up to wash, dry and finish clothes and garments in different ways. In this quick overview, we'll look at how each business works and the equipment needed to operate effectively.

Launderettes

Laundromats are shops equipped with coin-operated or contactless washing and drying equipment that anyone can use to wash and dry their clothes. Being open to the public, these laundromats expect users to clean and manage their laundry themselves, without additional help.

Laundromats are most commonly found on high streets or in shopping centres, but you can also find them in residential developments, shared accommodation (such as student halls of residence) and holiday parks.

They tend to use commercial washers and dryers because they can handle larger loads, have a longer lifespan than domestic machines, and often get the job done faster. To save space, commercial laundry machines are often stackable, creating more capacity on the same surface.

Increasingly, vendors are moving from coin-based technology to contactless systems, which improves convenience while reducing the need for owners and managers to handle cash.

Dry Cleaners

Dry cleaners are shops that have invested in special dry cleaning machines. They use liquid solvents to clean clothes and other clothing items instead of traditional washing with water and detergents. Garments will often become wet from solvents during the dry cleaning process, but they will not be as wet as after a cycle in an industrial washing machine.

All items labeled "dry clean only" (which often include suits and dresses) should be dry cleaned to extend their life and quality. After the garment is cleaned, a dry cleaner will then use specialized equipment along with a commercial iron to professionally finish it.

Fully Staffed Fluff and Fold Laundries

Fully staffed laundry services handle the washing, drying and ironing on behalf of their customers, unlike laundromats where people wash their own clothes and pay a fee to use the machines.

Full staff laundromats, sometimes called "fluff and fold" or "wash and fold", can be operated as a back-of-house service in laundromats, in large hotels, or as an independent entity open for public use.

These laundromats rely on durable commercial washers and commercial dryers that offer medium to high capacities. Personnel in these environments will also use professional performance irons designed to withstand constant use.

Commercial Laundries

A commercial laundry is a facility where commercial washers and dryers are operated by professional employees, with no public access.

These laundromats frequently clean clothing, garments, and linens from businesses that do not have the resources, capacity, or space to manage laundry in-house. Commercial laundries charge a contract fee that could cover everything from professional ironing and garment repairs to collection and delivery.

Commercial laundries use large capacity industrial washing machines, capable of running around the clock, and process significant volumes of laundry. They are often the preferred solution for hotels, restaurants and other businesses where fast response time is vital.

What Equipment Do These Businesses Use?

Whether open to the public or operated by dedicated staff, all laundromats use durable industrial laundry equipment to provide an efficient, reliable and cost-effective service.

I hope this article will give you some useful insight into the different types of laundry businesses and the equipment needed to run them effectively.