Wash with Wally: Makeup Air

By Wally Makowsky | Aug 27, 2009

I’m having a problem drying clothes. I have 30-pound, single-load dryers. But to dry clothes in the proper amount of time, I have to leave the upper covers of the dryers open. What is the problem?

Your problem is insufficient makeup air. The dryers need a certain amount of outside air, not air from inside the store, to operate efficiently. Do not use indoor air for you dryers’ deficiency; it’s against most codes and can be dangerous because it depletes the oxygen inside the store.

Call your local distributor. He should have all of the manufacturer’s specifications on the proper amount of makeup air that you need. In most instances, those specs will tell you how many square feet of makeup air you need to the amount of dryer pockets in your laundry.

The outside air can either come in off of your roof or from off of your sidewalls – whichever is easiest and most convenient for your particular facility.

Makeup air is very important. Having the proper amount of it will enable your dryers to dry better. And it will lower your gas bill as well.

I’m laundering white towels for a new commercial account, which is a tanning salon. Unfortunately, I’m having some problems removing all of the baby oil residue from these items. Is there a solution to my problem?

Yes, there are a number of solutions, but probably the most basic and most practical solution is to wash those white towels in hot water using chlorine bleach and a standard detergent. Add to this washing process one of two products – Laundry Wetspo or Laundry TarGo. Both of these products are excellent oil removers, and they should be available from your local distributor.

They are add-on types of emulsifiers, and they are designed specifically for removing oils and grease. Of course, always read the instructions listed on the bottle before using either of them in your particular washing situation.

Another key to removing the baby oil is to use hot water during the wash cycle. You cannot remove any type of oil in cold or even warm water.

Because Wetspo and TarGo are industrial chemicals, your towels may develop a slight after-odor. If so, simply re-dry them, and the odor should go away.

Also, you might notice an after-odor in your washing machines as well. To eliminate that, run the machine through a cycle without anything in it.

I’m selling my laundry. Should I use a broker or sell it on my own?

Generally speaking, you’re always better off using a broker. Most brokers are paid on a commission basis. Thus, the higher the selling price, the more money they make.

Also, a broker is typically more up to date on the latest pricing of businesses like yours in your particular area. You might have a certain value in mind; however, in reality, there may be a completely different value placed on your business.

Another reason to use a broker is because he will be more definitive in what he’s selling. When selling your store on your own, you might make comments or statements that could be detrimental to the sale price of your laundry. You can eliminate that problem by having a broker handle it. He does all the talking. He does all the legwork. He does all the paperwork.

What’s more, there’s also less emotion involved when you use a broker, because he will treat it strictly as a business deal. By contrast, some business owners may be too emotionally involved in their stores to sell them on their own.

The bottom line is that, in most cases, a broker can bring in more money because they view it in a more professional manner.