Laundromat adventures

[cam2s]

I recently had to move apartments recently on short notice and while I do like my new place I did have to give up having washer and dryer hookups. Therefore the Maximas are in storage for now and it’s off to the laundromat. My first foray was with an older Dexter triple load. It used a nice high water level, about a third of the way up the door and also had three rinses. It only spun between the 2nd and 3rd but I guess you can’t have everything. The no nonsense no messing around approach in a commercial machine is refreshing, it just powers though. I also love the sound it made going into the spin, no ramp up or balancing it just launched right into a full spin.

 

[cam2s]

There’s all kind of treasures here will have to come back!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Interesting.

Please post more!

 

[frigilux]

Cameron, you are certainly tackling not having your own washer and dryer with a great attitude! I had to use the local laundromat for about six months back in 1988 and my attitude was positively toxic, lol.

Be sure to post snaps of any other machines you find interesting on your new adventure. It's fun to see what commercial machines are out there, both new and old. That Maytag top-loader has certainly lasted a long time.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Cameron, I am sorry you had to go from having your own machines to having to use coin-ops, but I wish you a continued positive attitude and many wonderful adventures in laundry land. Thank you for including us in your report.

 

[cam2s]

Round two

Thank you all for the kind words. It’s been fun for now but I’m sure I’ll want my maxima back soon. I always used the sanitary high temperature cycle for my linens and I just won’t be able to replicate that in a coin op machine.
I did another load tonight, I went to a different laundromat, this one looks like it has been recently renovated. They mostly had dexter front loads and a few whirlpool belt drive top loads. I wound up using a triple load machine again. The newer ones have one less rinse, the cycle is wash rinse spin rinse spin. Also they are VFD motors, there is a ramp up to spin. I broke the one I used tonight though! I thought I could hear the full valve running through the wash and the water level was awfully high for a newer machine, and sure enough got an F2 error, which indicates stuck open valve. The 1st rinse I don’t think the drain valve shut, water ran into the machine but the level never came up. 2nd rinse was the same as the wash, level came up high and the valve stayed open. Who knew overflow rinsing was coming back! Will have to come back here and try a different machine to see what the levels are suppose to be.

 

[electronicontrl]

A few Whirlpool belt-drive top loaders?!

Those date way back. Would love to see a pic of a Whirlpool belt-drive commercial machine.
(Sounds like you're a fan of the Maytag Maxima).

 

[maytag85]

It would be interesting if my local Laundromat had a few of the older Whirlpool belt drive washers with the coin op but there’s only dexter machines along with Maytag coin up machines with the standard short tub capacity. Laundromats that have the older Whirlpool belt drive commercial washers will sure have happy customers since the belt drive washers do work very well especially with the Surgilator agitator.

 

[combo52]

WP Belt Drive Commercial Washers

All WP & MT TL Commercial  Washers have been BD for the last 10 years, I think these are likely what Cameron is talking about. 

 

You are not missing much with these machines, they do a miserable job and don't hold up well.

 

John L.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I had one of those coin op Maytag.
Even though orbital tranny and short fast strokes it did a pretty good job but nothing like the tranny action of old especially with that kind of agitator.
Mine was slightly different and had the knob more central on the panel.
I was thinking to convert it to coinless.
Inability to have many water levels and single rinses to repeat or prewash made it a PITA to use as a domestic washer.
But I needed too many parts and a new pressure switch and was not acknowledged technically speaking as I am now back then when I had it.
Ended up selling it for a symbolic price to a lady that ran a volunteering dog pound.

I do miss though that blue tub and the smell the Maytag gave to laundry.
Yeah...each machine type gives laundry a different smell!
Maybe someone will think I'm crazy or maybe someone will agree with me but e
I found that each machine kind gives laundry a particular smell.
It doesn't matter if you use same detergent and softener two different machines kinds will give you a different typical smell to that machine.
Same with filter flos.
I happened to use a similar maytag but digital in laundromat and they gave me the same "Maytag smell" I got with my old one.
The same happens with European front loaders, for example candy machines of old it doesn't matter if it is a Candy136 or Candy SA68 gives me the "old candy washer laundry smell".
Am I crazy??

 

[electronicontrl]

Nope I have the same experience

Laundry from my 2nd hand Kenmore and KitchenAid washers have a different scent than those from my Maytags. The KA had liquid detergent flung all over the inside of the cabinet when I bought it and the outer tub was caked as well. Even after scrubbing it off and removing hard water deposits there is still some of a slight smell when removing just-washed clothes from the basket.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Haha good to hear I'm not the only one!
Anyway I'm not just talking about the reminiscence of whatever build up is or was in the machine but a particular smell related to the machine type.
Guess it does have something to do with how they machine does, the methods and or some reactions with the alloys of components or rubbers used.

 

[kb0nes]

I've used a few Dexter and Maytag front load machines in a local laundromat recently. I was quite impressed with the Maytag hard mount machines, I'm tempted to drill holes in my basement floor now.

As for top loaders in a laundromat... Just can't think of a more foolish thing today

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Well if I had to use a laundromat and I had to choose between a top loader of old and a front loader I would definitely choose the top loader so not foolish for customer's sake
But certainly less greedy and profitable from the owner's side.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Modern top loader's? Forget about it.

 

[maytag85]

Kind of foolish to say having top loaders are a foolish in a Laundromat these days. Top loaders in a Laundromat are usually for smaller to medium sized loads of laundry or if you don’t have much laundry to wash at all, and front loaders are for large loads of laundry such as comforters and bulky bedding in a Laundromat. Got to give customers flexibility on what kind of washer they are going to use and what washer they’ll need for the load of laundry they are going wash.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes but I believe the "foolish" comment was about top loader's using slightly more water hence resulting in slightly higher running costs, so, from a laundromat owner's perspective in terms of profit is usually advised to only go front loader in various sizes.
Foolish I would not say though.
Myself I am more pleased with Toploader agitator washer results rather than front loaders and I would choose a top loader agitator washer anyday granted it is one of the good old ones and water comes hot enough
There is also to say that unless a small front loader have an heater in case of hot fill only sure there is much more heat dissipation and water cools faster in a front loading small unit than a typical agitator top loader that accommodates a same size load. Another reason why I would definitely pick a top loader.
Forget that many laundromats purposely keep hot water pretty low already for my standards and that is to increase profits and I happen to see many attendants that do rather rely on Chlorine because relying on water hotness provided by the place they better not.
That is something I see everywhere.
I just happened to find a few laundromats here in Europe with front loaders having a built in heater and were Electrolux machines, the other one had Miele's and they also provided a 95° proper boilwash.

 

[cam2s]

Perhaps I should have been more clear, I did unfortunately mean the newer style Whirlpool belt drive machines. I’ve tried to find older machines since they tend to use more water and have more fills, for front loaders anyways. The mat I’ve been going to seems to have fairly hot water, the glass on the door seems to be quite hot during the wash anyways. I have to say I prefer a good front loads, if nothing else so I can see what’s going on.

This is the selection of TLs they have:
2 Ipso branded alliance machines,
2 Whirlpool direct drive machines
2 Whirlpool belt drive, one agi peller and one traditional agitator.
1 long stroke Maytag
The rest short stroke Maytags.

 

[launderess]

Least in our neck of the woods top loading washers have long vanished from coin laundromats for most part. OPL in multi-family housing might be another matter.

Most places now have front loaders in several sizes to accommodate various loads based upon pounds. Dexter, Speed Queen, IPSO, Wascomat and others all offer vend and on premises washer/extractors starting at smallest (18-20 pounds) up to 50 pounds and higher.

H-Axis washers are far more energy and water efficient than top loaders, something owners of laundromats appreciate since they pay for water twice. What machines use, then what is drained away (sewer charges). Cycle times can be fast as 30 mins (more or less) depending upon programming and options chosen by customer.

Don't doubt some laundromats somewhere in USA still have top loaders, but overall those machines are going way of the Dodo.