How to choose the most efficient on-premise laundry equipment for car washes

by Steve Hietpas

In the quest for the best car washing equipment, many car wash owners pay less attention to the equally important selection of machinery for their on-premise laundry (OPL) areas, where hundreds of towels are washed on a daily basis. The selection of laundry equipment for these areas can have a significant impact on several key business operational factors.

By selecting today’s energy- and water-efficient laundry equipment, car wash owners can conserve water and energy, reduce utility expenses, save labor, raise productivity and increase customer satisfaction. But, how does the average car wash owner find the right laundry equipment for the job? The first step is to seek out a reputable commercial laundry distributor.

Let the Laundry Distributor Be Your Guide

Whether shopping for laundry equipment for a new car wash or an existing car wash, it is important to connect with a reliable, established distributor for product guidance and future maintenance. The best laundry distributors are those that have a long history in the business and have received positive reviews for the customer service they provide—both before and after the sale. It also is wise to look for a distributor with solid warranty and service agreements, factory-trained service technicians and a full parts inventory, so replacement parts can be obtained with minimal downtime. For example, if laundry equipment stops working on a busy Saturday, having a distributor who will send a service technician out promptly with the replacement parts needed for repairs is crucial to keep up with the flow of customers.

A good distributor will be able to guide car wash owners through the laundry equipment selection process and help them choose the equipment that best fits the facility and its budget. Distributors also can help car wash owners calculate how many towels employees will require per hour to accommodate the average flow of car wash customers.

Though laundry distributors can be extremely helpful to car wash owners, it’s wise to do some independent research on the OPL equipment options on the market today. Since high-speed washer-extractors are the most common choice for car washes today, let’s start there.

Top-Load Washer-Extractors vs. Front-Load Washer-Extractors

For some 50 years, the standard in most car wash OPL areas was the top-load, multi-compartment washer-extractor. With these machines, car wash employees clean dirty towels by loading them into a top-load open-drum washer compartment, where the drum sits vertically and has an agitator in the middle that churns the water and towels together, forcing water through the towels. Once the wash cycle is complete, the employee must return to drain the machine and transfer the towels to the adjacent extractor compartment, which removes excess water from the towels by spinning at high speed. Towels are never completely dried, as damp towels produce fewer streaks than dry towels.

In recent years, however, many car wash owners have upgraded to soft-mount high-speed front-loading washer-extractors for their OPL areas, as these machines streamline the task of washing towels. Today’s front-load washer-extractors are like having two machines into one—the towels go through the wash and extract cycle in the same compartment, saving a step for workers. These machines also operate more efficiently, benefiting both the environment and the finances of the car wash owner.

Why Front-Load?

When compared with top-loading washer-extractors, front-loading washer-extractors are generally recognized as being the more energy-and water-efficient. The drums of top-loading machines need to be filled nearly to the top to cover all of the fabrics. Front-loading machines, however, only require one-third the water, as its drum is horizontally set—when the drum turns, it uses gravity to drop the fabrics back into the water.  Front-loading washer-extractors are able to save several gallons of water, when compared to the water use of top-loading washer-extractors.

Another front-load washer advantage is these machines are able to hold more towels, as they have no agitator in the middle of the drum. When loads are larger, there are fewer loads to wash in the end. The agitators in top-loading washer-extractors also cause wear and tear on laundry over time, so towels washed in a front-load machine also should last longer.

High-Speed Extraction

Upgrading to larger multi-load washer-extractors, with high G-force (G), or spin speed, is one of the most beneficial things car wash owners can do to increase efficiency in their laundry areas. High-speed extraction processes towels faster, as more water is removed during the final spin, keeping the supply of clean towels moving. This benefit is maximized when you choose a soft-mount machine over a bolt-down machine.

Soft-mount washer-extractors are able to spin at much higher speeds and therefore extract more water than rigid-mount machines because their internal mechanism is freestanding. All the force of the spinning is channeled into shock-absorbing units, which permits 300 Gs or more of centrifugal force. Most rigid-mount washer-extractors have a G-force of only 80. Soft-mount high-speed washer-extractors do not need to be bolted down to the floor, so a car wash wanting to upgrade to higher-speed equipment will not need to replace the existing floor before installing one. Another factor to consider is how easy a particular machine will be to operate.

Easy Operation

It can be difficult to train employees to use new equipment, especially when you are new to the equipment yourself. To minimize training time and errors, it is best to choose a high-speed washer-extractor that has a simple design and is easy to operate and repair. Fortunately, many multi-load washer-extractors have simple two-button controls and can be easily repaired by technicians. But, it’s still important to work with a laundry equipment distributor to ensure that they have the all of the proper replacement parts in stock to minimize downtime during repairs.

Another operational advantage of today’s front-load high-speed washer-extractors is that they are programmable and dispense detergent electronically. They can be programmed to the specific washing needs of window, car body and underbody towels. For example, window towels require less detergent because they are already used with the cleaning chemicals for windows and are generally not as dirty as the other towels. Body towels do not use cleaning chemicals, but tend to pick up more dirt. And, underbody towels tend to absorb other cleaning chemicals and become very dirty and grimy. Both, therefore, require a detergent that will remove dirt and stains. Employees can easily program high-speed front-load washer-extractors to meet the washing needs of all these, and they can be programmed for an extended wash cycle if towels are extra dirty.

Speaking of towels, selecting the proper towel materials can take laundry room efficiency a step further.

Choosing Towel Material

Many car washes are switching from traditional terry cloth towels to microfiber towels. Microfiber towels absorb more water while drying cars, but did you know their fabrication allows more water to be extracted from them in less time in the washer-extractors? When you are able to spin more water out of towels, they are laundered faster, allowing car wash employees to use fewer towels per car and increase production volume.

A Wise Investment in the Future

When selecting laundry equipment, car wash owners should, above all else, choose equipment that is long-lasting, durable, dependable and easy to operate and maintain. The high-speed multi-load washer-extractors of today meet all of these requirements. Though they may have a higher up-front cost than traditional top-load washer-extractors, car wash owners will likely recoup the difference in utility and labor savings over time. These machines help a business run more efficiently, with less time spent laundering towels and more time washing cars. They also reduce the business’ impact on the environment, a cause embraced by many car wash owners and operators these days, as well as their customers.

By selecting a good front-load high-speed washer-extractor for your laundry area, you are not only helping your bottom-line but also doing your part to preserve the environment for future generations.

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