What is the average percent of rewash in a commercial laundry?
By Rich Fitzmorris
A commercial laundry in defined as a business that washes textiles for a profit. That being said; the mix of textile categories can make a difference in the overall stain rewash percentage of the laundry. If you were to break down certain classifications/industries you should be able to determine what the average should be for a commercial laundry. In general the following are good average numbers:
| Hospital Healthcare |
2-4% |
| Nursing Homecare |
3-4% |
| Hotel/Motel |
1-3% |
| Food & Beverage |
4-7% |
| Industrial Garments |
3-5% |
| Matting |
0% |
| Personal Clothing |
>1% |
I have a problem with towels – they smell of mildew no matter how many times I wash them. Bleaching the white towels has worked, but since I can't bleach the colored towels how do I disinfect them?
By Rich Fitzmorris
I have a problem with towels – they smell of mildew no matter how many times I wash them. Bleaching the white towels has worked, but since I can't bleach the colored towels how do I disinfect them?
For the colored bath towels, there are a couple of things you can do. First; buy a detergent that has a sanitizer claim on the label. Follow the direction as to the amount of product required and then soak the towels overnight in water temperatures of 110-120 degrees. The following day drain the wash and rewash normally, which should kill the mildew.
Second method; Use your normal detergent in water temperatures of 110-120 degrees and let the machine wash for approximately 5 minutes. After that time turn back your timer to the start position and add 3-4 cups of 1% hydrogen peroxide to the machine. Washing the load normally from there should kill any mildew in the towels.
We are one of the traders in the U.A.E supplying laundry chemicals to the commercial laundries. One of our customers is washing for a few hotels and has been having a problem, with the hotels complaining that the towels are getting torn during the washing process. They are using low foam detergent, chlorine powder bleach (10%) and softener. On occasion they use alkaline detergent also.
By Rich Fitzmorris
This question is difficult to answer without additional information, so I will respond on the chemistry that you mention. It sounds like there could be a problem with the wash formula used to clean the towels. Not knowing the detergent being used I can only speculated that the product has a neutral pH in the washer process. This could be a problem if the amount of chlorine is too high in parts per million (ppm), and you are washing with hot water. When temperatures are higher than 120 degrees, there has to be a proper level of pH to control the release of chlorine in the bath. If there is inadequate pH control it is possible to damage the tensile strength of cotton after a few washings. Also when using chlorine bleach it is always advisable to dispense a concentrated product into the washers after the machine has reached the proper water level. Dropping chlorine bleach on top of the linen before level is reach will damage the cotton fibers to the point where they can be torn easily by hand.
There is no mention of the use of an anti-chlor product which neutralized any residual chlorine left in the last bath before extraction. If there is high residual chlorine in the towels, they will degrade form the drying process that heats up the chlorine and blows it off, damaging the cotton fibers.
When added alkali is used; there is no mention of using a sour/neutralizer to adjust the pH of the final product to a range that is safe and beneficial to the product and customer use.
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By Rich Fitzmorris , Vice President, Laundry Division,
Sunburst Chemicals
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How do I get the iron out my water? It is turning my towels yellow.
By Rich Fitzmorris
Generally .5 ppm of iron will stain and discolor white textiles. Chlorine is not a good choice for washing textiles when there is any significant amount of iron present in the water. The best way to wash under the conditions where iron is present is to use oxygen bleaches. When using commercial laundry equipment, an iron removing sour can strip iron or control the presence depending upon the concentration of the bath, and lower pH value of the water in the bath.
When iron is causing significant textile cleaning and whiteness problems in a laundry operation, I recommend installing a water softening system that utilizes de-iron salt pellets. A water softener can remove up to .2-.3 ppm of iron. This approach has great benefits for cleaning, whiting, and maintaining tensile strength of the textile fabric over more costly chemical alternatives.
We are a chain of laundry stores in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia, and an Alliance Laundry Systems distributor selling industrial laundry equipment. We keep getting this question: what is the standard for laundries according to the hotel rating system? For example what are the laundry room requirements for 3 stars, 4 stars or 5 stars Hotel?
By Rich Fitzmorris
Although somewhat mysterious when one compares different properties with the same rating, hotel star ratings are generally quality indicators. The rating systems have to do primarily with amenities, customer satisfaction and general quality offered by the hotel. Very briefly;
Five Star: Exceptional
Five-star hotels are characterized by the best in luxury, service, location, fine dining and often-famous chefs, and exceptional convenience and comfort. They achieve excellence in every area of hospitality and include the highest quality linens, bedding.
Four Star: Superior
Four-star hotels are very upscale, offering fine dining, and complete room services. High-quality construction, with rooms that are spacious and linens that are noticeably of very good quality.
Three Star: First Class
Three-star hotels are markedly upgraded to include more spacious guest rooms with quality amenities, good dining service on-site, and variable room service. These first-class mid-scale properties offer good quality rooms and linens.
Two Star: Value
Two-star hotels also are identified by basic and clean accommodations. Rooms are generally comfortable with basic good quality linens.
One Star: Economy
One-star hotels are basic, clean, and simple accommodations. They are generally a budget-traveler’s basic needs. Rooms are generally small and linens are less expensive.
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