Just like with lawn mowers, cars, and other machinery, the best way prolong the life of your commercial laundry equipment and prevent major issues is consistent preventative maintenance. The following are a few pro-tips that can help you get the most out of your investment and avoid costly repairs and replacements down the line.

• Read the manual. While this may seem basic, this is a crucial first step that many laundromat owners skip over. Your owner’s manual will have important information about utility requirements, specific cleaning products you should be using, and how often maintenance tasks need to be done. Taking the time to read through the guide and really understand your laundry equipment will be worth it in the long run.
• Keep exterior of laundry equipment clean. No matter what type of commercial laundry equipment you use, keeping the outside of it clean is always an easy first step. Not only will the clean equipment improve the overall look of your laundry facility, regular cleanings can help prevent lint and other debris from getting inside the machines and causing damage. Regular cleaning can also prevent leftover soaps and detergents from corroding and damaging the machines.
• Clean soap dispensers. Soaps, powdered detergent, and boosters can quickly gum up dispensers. Regularly cleaning out these dispensers or soaking them in water can help prevent major clogs or corrosive damage that might require you to completely replace them.
• Clean or replace the water filter inlet screens regularly. These screen can become blocked by small particles over time, which may prevent proper water flow into the machine.
• Check inlet and outlet hoses regularly. These hoses can get sediment buildup and tiny leaks. Inspecting and changing these as needed can help prevent loss of water and a high water bills.
• Check the belts from the motor to the drum on machines. Look for things like fraying or splitting and replace these belts as needed. Generally, these have to be replaced about twice each year.
• Check seals around washer doors. Regularly checking for and removing buildup around the seals on your washers can help make sure your equipment always has a water-tight seal to prevent leaking.
• Leave washer doors open when possible. Leaving the washer doors open when they are not in use, can help ensure air circulates to the interior and the machines dry properly.
• Check lint filters after each load. Customers may forget to clean out the lint filter on dryers between loads. You should consistently be monitoring this in your laundromat equipment to help prevent potential fires and overheating.

Keeping these few basic tasks in mind can help keep your machines in working order for as long as possible. You can also read more about preventative maintenance for bill changers, a common piece of equipment found in most laundromats. When to Call a Professional While you may be able to do many routine maintenance tasks yourself, some equipment requires more specialized training and expertise. We’d recommend calling in a professional if there seems to be an electrical problem, issue with the control panel, or a major piece or part that needs to be replaced. Of course, all maintenance and repairs should be based on your comfort level with the equipment and tools.