A common complaint among frequent dry cleaning customers is that their white and light colored garments look dingy – sometimes referred to as ‘graying’. This issue comes from redeposition – a situation where the dirt, dye, spotting agents, and body oils from dirty clothes get suspended in the dry cleaning solvent. Those soils are then redeposited back on to garments in future loads. Along with the garment’s dingy look, there sometimes can be an odd odor as well.
What causes redeposition? Actually a number of things, so we’ve come up with a list of the most common causes:
• Using dirty solvent. Most dry cleaners distill their solvent constantly so that each load is cleaned in clean solvent, but there are some discount cleaners that try to save money by running this process only periodically. The result is clothes being cleaned in solvent that is at best, murky and at worst, brown. Your solvent should always be clear.
• There is a lack of solvent exchange between the drum and filters. There could be a number of issues causing this including dirty or clogged filters that don’t allow the solvent to pass through; a clogged pump strainer; a malfunctioning tank inlet/outlet, filter inlet/outlet, or wheel inlet/outlet valves; the pump not pumping because of either a clogged button trap or a malfunctioning valve at the button trap causing the pump not to have suction.
• Clogged bleeder lines for the filter housings, an issue that is often overlooked. Each filter has a bleeder line to bleed off air and ensure that the filter is completely full of solvent. These lines can clog with lint, causing the filter to not completely fill. That means you could be operating with only half the filter area of your filter system.
• Dirty carbon filters. Carbon filters are used to remove dye and should be changed every 1200-1500 pounds of cleaning each.
• Improper sorting. Not only should you sort your loads based on color, you should also sort for weight. Be sure to run lighter weight garments separately from heavier weight items.
• Overloading the machine. If the machine is too full, it won’t allow the solvent to move around the wheel properly, causing removed soil to remain in contact with garments longer.
The good news is that the graying color can many times be removed by simply cleaning the garments again in fresh solvent. If you’ve had customers comment on their whites, do some investigating. If the list above doesn’t solve your problem, then contact us at tristatelaundryequipment.com or 866-885-5218.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Professional Wet Cleaning
When did people start cleaning their clothes? I suspect it’s when they started wearing them. Though I suppose that they didn’t clean them quite as often as they should have.
Web sources site the first form of dry cleaning being used by the ancient Romans. According to ecocleanaustin.com, they used ammonia and fuller’s earth to launder their woolen togas. Fast forward to the 19th century where Jean Baptiste Jolly, a French dye-works owner, noticed that his tablecloth became cleaner after his maid spilled lamp oil on it. He then developed a clothes cleaning service using this process which ultimately became known as dry cleaning. According to drycleancoalition.org, perc became the solvent of choice for dry cleaners in 1962. In recent years, however, the use of perc has declined as more environmentally friendly options arose.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with David Knight of Kreussler, Inc. about an ever growing in popularity alternative to dry cleaning – professional wet cleaning. David explained that Kreussler, Inc. developed this process in 1985 as a healthier alternative to solvent-based cleaning processes. Professional wet cleaning is the practice of cleaning dry clean only goods in water. But please take note - professional wet cleaning is not like doing laundry. Professional wet cleaners use specialized equipment and processes to safely care for garments. It takes more than just having the special equipment to professionally wet clean a garment. It also takes considerable knowledge and skill as most items being cleaned are not durable goods but rather more fragile pieces. The specialized detergent must do the cleaning so as to eliminate the mechanical action that could lead to shrinkage and dye bleeding. In addition to the specialized detergent, a conditioner must be used so that the fabrics won’t get hard and rough to the hand. Finally, garments must be properly finished.
Why might you want to add a professional wet cleaning system to your dry cleaning plant? First, there are lots of garments that cannot be dry cleaned. For instance, items like beaded dresses, wedding gowns, and silk items are sometimes better suited for professional wet cleaning. Second, water soluble stains tend to come out easier in professional wet cleaning; it’s not that dry cleaning cannot remove them, it’s just that there will be a lot of spotting to get the same result. Third, more of the garments manufactured these days are washable as opposed to 30 years ago when everything had to be dry cleaned. Finally, professional wet cleaning doesn’t produce any hazardous waste.
There are lots of great companies out there that are heavily invested in wet cleaning soaps, conditioners, and processes. Besides Kreussler, companies such as Electrolux, Fabritec, Faultless, and UNX are leading the way in this exciting industry. If you are interested in learning more about professional wet cleaning, feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.
Web sources site the first form of dry cleaning being used by the ancient Romans. According to ecocleanaustin.com, they used ammonia and fuller’s earth to launder their woolen togas. Fast forward to the 19th century where Jean Baptiste Jolly, a French dye-works owner, noticed that his tablecloth became cleaner after his maid spilled lamp oil on it. He then developed a clothes cleaning service using this process which ultimately became known as dry cleaning. According to drycleancoalition.org, perc became the solvent of choice for dry cleaners in 1962. In recent years, however, the use of perc has declined as more environmentally friendly options arose.
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with David Knight of Kreussler, Inc. about an ever growing in popularity alternative to dry cleaning – professional wet cleaning. David explained that Kreussler, Inc. developed this process in 1985 as a healthier alternative to solvent-based cleaning processes. Professional wet cleaning is the practice of cleaning dry clean only goods in water. But please take note - professional wet cleaning is not like doing laundry. Professional wet cleaners use specialized equipment and processes to safely care for garments. It takes more than just having the special equipment to professionally wet clean a garment. It also takes considerable knowledge and skill as most items being cleaned are not durable goods but rather more fragile pieces. The specialized detergent must do the cleaning so as to eliminate the mechanical action that could lead to shrinkage and dye bleeding. In addition to the specialized detergent, a conditioner must be used so that the fabrics won’t get hard and rough to the hand. Finally, garments must be properly finished.
Why might you want to add a professional wet cleaning system to your dry cleaning plant? First, there are lots of garments that cannot be dry cleaned. For instance, items like beaded dresses, wedding gowns, and silk items are sometimes better suited for professional wet cleaning. Second, water soluble stains tend to come out easier in professional wet cleaning; it’s not that dry cleaning cannot remove them, it’s just that there will be a lot of spotting to get the same result. Third, more of the garments manufactured these days are washable as opposed to 30 years ago when everything had to be dry cleaned. Finally, professional wet cleaning doesn’t produce any hazardous waste.
There are lots of great companies out there that are heavily invested in wet cleaning soaps, conditioners, and processes. Besides Kreussler, companies such as Electrolux, Fabritec, Faultless, and UNX are leading the way in this exciting industry. If you are interested in learning more about professional wet cleaning, feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
An Alternative to Perc
According to Wikipedia, the Kauri-butanol value ("Kb value") is an international, standardized measure of solvent power for a hydrocarbon solvent, and is governed by an ASTM standardized test, ASTM D1133. And why is this number important? Because solvents are typically used to dissolve materials, and the higher the Kb value, the better the solution dissolves and ultimately cleans. Unfortunately if the number is too high, the solvent can pull color from and possibly damage garments.
According to a Dow MSDS sheet, the Kb value of perchloroethylene (typically called perc) is 90. In the past, the benefit of using perc as your solvent was that it was a better cleaner. Perc easily dissolves most oils, greases, and fats in the cleaning process. But over the years the use of perc has declined as more environmentally friendly options have been developed.
At Tri-State, we are all for being more environmentally friendly whether it is ensuring best practices are followed or if a client wants to seek an alternative cleaning method besides perc. Over the years, dry cleaners have been trying more eco-friendly cleaning products, but few have performed at an adequate level. Customers ultimately were disappointed with the results.
Recently a long-time customer of ours, Bowen Cleaners in Greenville, North Carolina, switched from a couple of perc machines to a Realstar 80lb Dry Cleaning machine using DF2000, a synthetic hydrocarbon fluid which has a Kb value of 27. We were happy to be a part of that process and consider Rich Volk, the owner, an extremely knowledgeable resource as to the changeover of performance and results. So far, Rich has been pleased with the results. “I grew up using perc, and it is still the best cleaner by far,” said Rich. “But using the hydrocarbon solvent and upgrading to the optional Realstar solvent heater, I’m getting better results on water-soluble stains and my spotting has gone down 50-60%.” I learned a number of things during my conversation with Rich, and here is my takeaway:
• Perc is still the best cleaner, especially at getting out oil-based stains.
• Hydrocarbon, even with the lower Kb value -- as long as you are using the right soap, is a great alternative, and it is great at getting out water-soluble stains.
• Hydrocarbon produces significantly less waste than perc. Rich was disposing 4-6 drums every 5 weeks and is now disposing 1 drum roughly every 10 weeks.
• On a down side, his cycle times have increased significantly but he has combated that by using a machine with a larger capacity.
• He is getting better mileage out of hydrocarbon solvent, so he is recognizing a cost saving there as well.
• Hydrocarbon isn’t limited to just Realstar machines; he is also using the same process in a Union machine.
• There isn’t as much federal or state red tape involved with using DF2000.
If you are in the market for a new dry cleaning machine and are debating on which solvent to go with, weigh the pros and cons of all the options out there. As you weigh your options, be sure to speak with a machine manufacturer, such as Realstar USA, who can suggest an experienced distributor to help bring the project to fruition. You may just decide that hydrocarbon could prove to be a great choice for your business just as it has been for Bowen Cleaners.
According to a Dow MSDS sheet, the Kb value of perchloroethylene (typically called perc) is 90. In the past, the benefit of using perc as your solvent was that it was a better cleaner. Perc easily dissolves most oils, greases, and fats in the cleaning process. But over the years the use of perc has declined as more environmentally friendly options have been developed.
At Tri-State, we are all for being more environmentally friendly whether it is ensuring best practices are followed or if a client wants to seek an alternative cleaning method besides perc. Over the years, dry cleaners have been trying more eco-friendly cleaning products, but few have performed at an adequate level. Customers ultimately were disappointed with the results.
Recently a long-time customer of ours, Bowen Cleaners in Greenville, North Carolina, switched from a couple of perc machines to a Realstar 80lb Dry Cleaning machine using DF2000, a synthetic hydrocarbon fluid which has a Kb value of 27. We were happy to be a part of that process and consider Rich Volk, the owner, an extremely knowledgeable resource as to the changeover of performance and results. So far, Rich has been pleased with the results. “I grew up using perc, and it is still the best cleaner by far,” said Rich. “But using the hydrocarbon solvent and upgrading to the optional Realstar solvent heater, I’m getting better results on water-soluble stains and my spotting has gone down 50-60%.” I learned a number of things during my conversation with Rich, and here is my takeaway:
• Perc is still the best cleaner, especially at getting out oil-based stains.
• Hydrocarbon, even with the lower Kb value -- as long as you are using the right soap, is a great alternative, and it is great at getting out water-soluble stains.
• Hydrocarbon produces significantly less waste than perc. Rich was disposing 4-6 drums every 5 weeks and is now disposing 1 drum roughly every 10 weeks.
• On a down side, his cycle times have increased significantly but he has combated that by using a machine with a larger capacity.
• He is getting better mileage out of hydrocarbon solvent, so he is recognizing a cost saving there as well.
• Hydrocarbon isn’t limited to just Realstar machines; he is also using the same process in a Union machine.
• There isn’t as much federal or state red tape involved with using DF2000.
If you are in the market for a new dry cleaning machine and are debating on which solvent to go with, weigh the pros and cons of all the options out there. As you weigh your options, be sure to speak with a machine manufacturer, such as Realstar USA, who can suggest an experienced distributor to help bring the project to fruition. You may just decide that hydrocarbon could prove to be a great choice for your business just as it has been for Bowen Cleaners.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Why We Seek Out Used Unipress Equipment
I love purchasing good quality used equipment. In particular, I like to purchase later model Unipress Dry Cleaning and Shirt Laundry Equipment. Let me just tell you why I seek out to purchase and refurbish this particular line of used equipment:
• Unipress is based in Florida, and all their equipment is Made in the USA.
• Replacement parts are readily available and reasonably priced.
• Repairs made to used pieces of equipment stick a good 5-7 years.
• Unipress carries the highest resell value.
• Most American dry cleaners are loyal to Unipress, and when they are looking to upgrade equipment they too seek out Unipress.
• Unipress spends a significant amount of money on research and development.
Speaking of research and development, Unipress is constantly tweaking and making advances in their technologies. In the last 5 years, their advances have been noticeable changes but have not been so catastrophic as to change the way a plant operates. Therefore, companies that are constantly going with the latest and greatest will benefit from these upgrades without impacting the setup of their operations. Companies that are looking to replace equipment from the mid-1990’s are recognizing significant increases in efficiencies when they upgrade to a good quality used piece of Unipress finishing equipment dated around 2005-10.
In September, I shared with you the reasons why you should consider purchasing used laundry equipment. I touched on the fact that we clean and replace any broken or worn out parts on each piece of used equipment before placing them back on the market. That’s just it – I touched on it. I am certain that I didn’t stress how seriously we take this task, and I didn’t share with you the step by step process we’ve created for each category of used equipment – used laundry equipment, used coin operated equipment, used boilers, and used dry cleaning equipment. We want every piece of equipment that comes from Tri-State to be in peak condition before it is installed in your place of business.
For information on how we go about refurbishing used Unipress Dry Cleaning and Shirt Laundry Equipment, and all other pieces for that matter, check out our Process for Cleaning Used Equipment found in the resources section of our web site.
• Unipress is based in Florida, and all their equipment is Made in the USA.
• Replacement parts are readily available and reasonably priced.
• Repairs made to used pieces of equipment stick a good 5-7 years.
• Unipress carries the highest resell value.
• Most American dry cleaners are loyal to Unipress, and when they are looking to upgrade equipment they too seek out Unipress.
• Unipress spends a significant amount of money on research and development.
Speaking of research and development, Unipress is constantly tweaking and making advances in their technologies. In the last 5 years, their advances have been noticeable changes but have not been so catastrophic as to change the way a plant operates. Therefore, companies that are constantly going with the latest and greatest will benefit from these upgrades without impacting the setup of their operations. Companies that are looking to replace equipment from the mid-1990’s are recognizing significant increases in efficiencies when they upgrade to a good quality used piece of Unipress finishing equipment dated around 2005-10.
In September, I shared with you the reasons why you should consider purchasing used laundry equipment. I touched on the fact that we clean and replace any broken or worn out parts on each piece of used equipment before placing them back on the market. That’s just it – I touched on it. I am certain that I didn’t stress how seriously we take this task, and I didn’t share with you the step by step process we’ve created for each category of used equipment – used laundry equipment, used coin operated equipment, used boilers, and used dry cleaning equipment. We want every piece of equipment that comes from Tri-State to be in peak condition before it is installed in your place of business.
For information on how we go about refurbishing used Unipress Dry Cleaning and Shirt Laundry Equipment, and all other pieces for that matter, check out our Process for Cleaning Used Equipment found in the resources section of our web site.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Keeping a Tidy Evaporator Coil
I regularly go into lots of dry cleaning plants. One thing I consistently notice is that owners and managers don’t take the time to properly maintain their equipment. If you want to keep your equipment in top-notch shape and produce a quality product quickly and efficiently, you need to take care of your equipment. One thing you can easily do to keep your equipment in top form is to prevent an excess build-up of lint at the evaporator coil. Before we get into how to do that, let’s talk about what the coil does and why keeping it clean is important.
Solvent is turned to vapor due to the heat from the condenser/steam coil. The vapor along with lint from the garments being cleaned, travels to the evaporator coil through the filter. There the vapor is condensed to a liquid, consisting of both solvent and water, due to contact with the cold surface of the coil. This liquid drains to the separator, where the solvent returns to the based tank and the water is expelled. The air flow then goes back to the condenser/steam coil and the process starts all over again.
The filter is the only thing that provides protection to the evaporator coil. If lint builds up and embeds in the coils, then the entire process is slowed and can become so bad that the evaporator coil will freeze as the lint insulates it from the heat.
Cleaning or changing the filters at the end of each load will help prevent equipment failure and will help keep cycle times fast. If your coil is already embedded with lint, remove it (most are installed with quick fittings) and clean it with a HVAC coil cleaner. Do not brush the coil because you could damage it. After you clean and rinse the coil, put all water in your waste drum for proper disposal because of the lint’s contact with solvent.
I hope this information helps you understand the importance of keeping a tidy evaporator coil. If you have questions about your evaporator coil, leave a message below or contact us at our office. Be sure to check out our helpful hints section for additional information on evaporator coils.
Solvent is turned to vapor due to the heat from the condenser/steam coil. The vapor along with lint from the garments being cleaned, travels to the evaporator coil through the filter. There the vapor is condensed to a liquid, consisting of both solvent and water, due to contact with the cold surface of the coil. This liquid drains to the separator, where the solvent returns to the based tank and the water is expelled. The air flow then goes back to the condenser/steam coil and the process starts all over again.
The filter is the only thing that provides protection to the evaporator coil. If lint builds up and embeds in the coils, then the entire process is slowed and can become so bad that the evaporator coil will freeze as the lint insulates it from the heat.
Cleaning or changing the filters at the end of each load will help prevent equipment failure and will help keep cycle times fast. If your coil is already embedded with lint, remove it (most are installed with quick fittings) and clean it with a HVAC coil cleaner. Do not brush the coil because you could damage it. After you clean and rinse the coil, put all water in your waste drum for proper disposal because of the lint’s contact with solvent.
I hope this information helps you understand the importance of keeping a tidy evaporator coil. If you have questions about your evaporator coil, leave a message below or contact us at our office. Be sure to check out our helpful hints section for additional information on evaporator coils.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Coin Laundry Payment Options
In July, we shared with you the proprietary method of accepting payment at self-service Laundromats offered by a company we like doing business with, ESD. While there are advantages to going this route, there are also a few draw backs. For owners, the equipment is quite expensive. For customers, they don’t like that the cards are only good at that one particular location, which many times leads to leaving cash on the card. They also don’t like that the cards themselves are expensive.
But think about our society. Very few folks carry cash now, especially those under 30 – and many times those are the folks that utilize self-service Laundromats. These days, Laundromats don’t have to choose which payment system they want to install. Tri-State Laundry Equipment can now install coin-operated equipment and add on a system that allows customers to pay with coins, a credit card, a debit card, or a proprietary card. Plus, Card Concepts Inc., another company we often partner with, offers a smart phone app that gives customers the ability to create an account, add value, and even check machine availability.
Today there are so many options. And just like with the proprietary method, these systems allow owners to track sales and customize reporting. Plus the equipment itself isn’t nearly as costly, so the upfront investment won’t be so steep. There will, however, be card processing fees to consider. Those fees vary depending on the system manufacturer as many times they partner with specific processing companies.
Lots of options to consider – options that will set your business apart from the competition. If you are thinking of updating your current setup or if you are in the market to open a new facility, please contact us. We will be glad to help you sift through all the information and figure out what’s best for your facility and community.
But think about our society. Very few folks carry cash now, especially those under 30 – and many times those are the folks that utilize self-service Laundromats. These days, Laundromats don’t have to choose which payment system they want to install. Tri-State Laundry Equipment can now install coin-operated equipment and add on a system that allows customers to pay with coins, a credit card, a debit card, or a proprietary card. Plus, Card Concepts Inc., another company we often partner with, offers a smart phone app that gives customers the ability to create an account, add value, and even check machine availability.
Today there are so many options. And just like with the proprietary method, these systems allow owners to track sales and customize reporting. Plus the equipment itself isn’t nearly as costly, so the upfront investment won’t be so steep. There will, however, be card processing fees to consider. Those fees vary depending on the system manufacturer as many times they partner with specific processing companies.
Lots of options to consider – options that will set your business apart from the competition. If you are thinking of updating your current setup or if you are in the market to open a new facility, please contact us. We will be glad to help you sift through all the information and figure out what’s best for your facility and community.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Why Choose Used Laundry Equipment Over New Laundry Equipment
I had a brand new car – once. Now we always purchase vehicles that are approximately one-year old. We have a commercial grade zero-turn lawn mower. We bought that used too. I could continue on, but I think you get the idea. Let’s go back to the car. We have now purchased our third vehicle from a local business that has proven itself to be trustworthy. On each vehicle we did our due diligence, researching both the make and model of the car as well as that particular car’s history. For the mower, we did our due diligence there as well. If you are like me, no matter what you are purchasing, you want to get a great deal without sacrificing quality or service.
You know, the same thought process and method can be applied to a piece of dry cleaning or coin laundry equipment. You could purchase new. Keep in mind that sometimes a new piece of equipment has a manufacturing lead time of 3-6 months. You could wait and still purchase new, but don’t forget the freight costs that the manufacturer will pass on. You could wait and pay the freight costs, but think about the long-term implications. You’re paying a premium for that new piece of equipment that may or may not last just as long or perform just as well as a good-quality used piece of equipment.
What if you did your due diligence and got a top-notch piece of used equipment at a great price? Both used laundry equipment and used coin operated equipment can save you hundreds of dollars over the price of purchasing new which translates to more money that can either be saved or put toward another project. Plus used equipment, when properly maintained, can last for years before needing to be replaced. That’s where Tri-State Laundry Equipment comes in. We reveal the type of work that’s been done to restore every piece of used equipment to peak physical and functional condition. We like for our used equipment to look new again, too, so that you or your customers can tell the difference.
Not only can we help you with both used laundry and used coin operated equipment, we can help you with replacing your worn-out boiler with a refurbished used boiler so that your business can continue on with all the hot water you need to keep your laundry operating in the black. What about dry cleaning equipment? We can help there too. We refurbish used dry cleaning equipment by cleaning the piece and replacing all the worn-out parts to keep it running in tip-top shape. And we offer a 90-day parts-only guarantee on every piece of used laundry equipment that we sell.
For more information, please check out the resources section of our web site. Contact us today if you would like to begin your search by browsing our used dry cleaning equipment products.
You know, the same thought process and method can be applied to a piece of dry cleaning or coin laundry equipment. You could purchase new. Keep in mind that sometimes a new piece of equipment has a manufacturing lead time of 3-6 months. You could wait and still purchase new, but don’t forget the freight costs that the manufacturer will pass on. You could wait and pay the freight costs, but think about the long-term implications. You’re paying a premium for that new piece of equipment that may or may not last just as long or perform just as well as a good-quality used piece of equipment.
What if you did your due diligence and got a top-notch piece of used equipment at a great price? Both used laundry equipment and used coin operated equipment can save you hundreds of dollars over the price of purchasing new which translates to more money that can either be saved or put toward another project. Plus used equipment, when properly maintained, can last for years before needing to be replaced. That’s where Tri-State Laundry Equipment comes in. We reveal the type of work that’s been done to restore every piece of used equipment to peak physical and functional condition. We like for our used equipment to look new again, too, so that you or your customers can tell the difference.
Not only can we help you with both used laundry and used coin operated equipment, we can help you with replacing your worn-out boiler with a refurbished used boiler so that your business can continue on with all the hot water you need to keep your laundry operating in the black. What about dry cleaning equipment? We can help there too. We refurbish used dry cleaning equipment by cleaning the piece and replacing all the worn-out parts to keep it running in tip-top shape. And we offer a 90-day parts-only guarantee on every piece of used laundry equipment that we sell.
For more information, please check out the resources section of our web site. Contact us today if you would like to begin your search by browsing our used dry cleaning equipment products.
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