Even before the pandemic, clean and sanitary laundromats were a haven for germaphobic customers. And now, with COVID-19 still raging and the peak of cold and flu season just around the corner, customers are more concerned about sanitation than ever before. Scroll down to find out how to sanitize your laundromat to keep your customers safe and worry-free this winter and for years to come.
How to Sanitize Your Laundromat
Keeping your laundromat clean has always been an important part of running your business. In fact, according to the American Coin Laundry Association more than 80 percent of customers say that cleanliness is a major factor when they’re choosing a laundromat. After all, a laundromat is a destination for customers looking to clean their clothes and belongings – and a grubby exterior or interior hardly inspires confidence in the average consumer. Creating a clean, fresh space is a crucial way to attract and retain customers.
Sanitizing Your Space
First things first: Let’s focus on how to sanitize your laundromat, starting with the spaces customers frequent. Start by disinfecting the common areas as much as possible, paying extra attention to frequently-touched surfaces like door handles, machine doors and control panels, money changers, vending machines, and folding stations. From there, be sure to sanitize your washers and dryers regularly. Use whichever disinfectant spray you like – fancy cleaning products aren’t necessary.
Sanitizing Your Washers and Dryers
Once you’ve sanitized the common areas in your laundromat, turn your attention to the washers and dryers in your facility. Sure, you might think that your washing machines are already clean due to the hot water and soap they circulate. But in reality, plenty of nasty contaminants and residual detergent can build up in your machines, trapping bacteria and creating functional issues for customers. Some pathogens can also survive standard washings, making it especially important to regularly sanitize your machines. This year, take special care to regularly sanitize your washers and dryers with effective chemicals like chlorine bleach. You’ll also want to immediately sanitize machines if you notice customers washing clothes contaminated with poison oak or poison ivy, pesticides, or bodily fluids like blood.
Communicating with Customers
Outside of sanitizing your common areas and machines, there are several ways you can encourage customers to use sanitary practices. First, post signage encouraging residents to use hot water and drying cycles whenever possible to help eliminate germs and bacteria. You should also provide antibacterial hand soap in all restrooms and encourage patrons to use proper hand-washing techniques. Finally, you can add hand sanitizing stations in common areas. Consider adding signage near these stations encouraging customers to quickly use a bit of hand sanitizer before coming into contact with touch points.
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Still worried about how to sanitize your laundromat during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the years to come? Remember that the condition of your equipment also has a significant impact on the cleanliness of your space. Keep up with routine checks, lint removal, and cleanings. Finally, consider upgrading your equipment to advanced machines like Speed Queen washers and dryers. Machines like these have state-of-the-art design features to get clothes cleaner with minimal waste.
Finally, if you own or manage a laundromat, be sure to check out Laundry Solutions Company, a full-service provider of premium vended, on-premises, and multi-housing commercial laundry equipment. Our leasing program provides no mileage fees, no service fees, and no parts fees. You will be able to use high-quality Speed Queen equipment while enjoying a flexible lease and predictable payments. To learn more about our products and services, please give us a call at 800-383-9274 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!