My New Laundry Plant

[pulsator]

I think it may also have something to do with the fact that our clothes are dropped what like 8-10 inches in a home machine versus 3 or 4 feet in a commercial washer of such large size? The wash action seems much more aggressive in those large machines I bet the load just doesn't need as much time being picked up and dropped because they are being dropped such a large distance?

 

[sudsman]

surburbanmd

Read some of the prev post on this subjuct there a number of test that have been done here and by the lab in the past. The bear this out.

 

[norfolksouthern]

That's gotta hurt

"I think it may also have something to do with the fact that our clothes are dropped what like 8-10 inches in a home machine versus 3 or 4 feet in a commercial washer of such large size? The wash action seems much more aggressive in those large machines I bet the load just doesn't need as much time being picked up and dropped because they are being dropped such a large distance?"

-------------------------------------------------

Imagine, being hoisted and dropped 4 feet, each and every second, into boiling hot water and detergent. Then face a 1600 RPM extraction speed at the end (if you even survive the first cycles). Oh man, I would hate to be the one working on a repair inside that drum, only to have someone accidently slam the door with the power on!

NorfolkSouthern

 

[launderess]

No, Not Four Feet

Look at how the machines are loaded in photos above.

If loaded at or even barely below rated capacity, there won't be much lifting and falling the full drum, but rather more against other laundry. Or, perhaps against the side of the tub.

Could be wrong, but that is what one sees when the large SQ front loaders at local laundromat are fully loaded.

L.

 

[laundrynut]

Can I answer the question?

>>>Could it be another difference between regular home-style detergents (Sears Ultra Plus powder in my case) and commercial systems? Like, home-style detergents contain anti-redeposition agents that commercial systems don't have or need?>>>

See, I’ve been here for only a week or so, yet learned so much from Professor Sudsman. Let me take a stab at answering this question:

Here is an excerpt from a commercial detergent label: “Contains anti-redepositing agents, optical brighteners, builders, emulsifiers and wetting agents. Blended to provide optimum balance of alkalinity and detergency.”

Most detergents (store-bought and commercial) contain some common ingredients, including anti-redepositing agents. The commercial detergents (depending on the application for which they’re formulated) can also contain high amounts of alkaline builders, which expand the textile fibers, allowing soil to be more easily removed in the wash process. Commercial dry bleach can have between 9% and 18% available bleach content, while regular Clorox is around 5%. These, along with other factors, make the time necessary to “clean” the load much less than what you would need using supermarket brands. Overexposure to bleach can cause damage and greying. Thus, short wash/bleach bath cycles. Multiple rinses with commercial additives like anti-chlor and sour are necessary to neutralize the alkalinity and chlorine presence and bring the final pH back to normal, prolonging the life of the textile, not to mention, making it easier to handle during the finishing process.

But, being the student in training, I yield to the sudsman for correction and/or clarification.

 

[laundrynut]

woops!

I meant to say "9% to 18% available CHLORINE content," not bleach.

 

[sudsman]

Dry Bleach is avail. up to 20 %

All detergents have Anti-redeposition chemicals in them. Some have more than others. H E detergents have the most as they have to keep the soil in supension longer beaucse of the screwy wash times they have to deal with now. Commerical do have less in them as almost no Laundry Manager runs any bath longer than 15 mins at the most anymore.. It just causes too much wasted time. and does not cause better work. The longer a load sloshes around in dirty water the more soil that will be redeposited on the load even with a lot of agents some will still go back into the load. The A/R chemicals will not stop it all 100 % Wascomat was one of the first to realize this many many years ago. When they set up the 1st automatic formual on their washers. Some of the very 1st ones went into the early submarines . Their fomulas was almost same as standard ones still in use today.. Prewash wash and 3 rinse.About BLEACH A old laundry managers rule.... Wash the load clean and bleach it white. Bleach is NOT a good substitue for good laundry practices. but too many people use it to hide bad laundry proceedures. Dont get be wrong use of it is needed but too many times it is used for the wrong reason, and in quanites far too high. The dry chlorine bleach is not as hard on colors and fabric as liquid, but will produce the same work as liquid bleach.

 

[laundrynut]

You're the early bird

Wow, sudsman, your post is time stamped 4:06 AM. You're an early riser. Is that a requirement of the job or insomnia?

 

[sudsman]

Early???

I start the plant and boiler each day by 2 or 2 :30 am. Most hospital laundry plants start at 4 or 6 am. Some at 3 but more at 4 & 6 the most at 6 esp.on a Monday Sometimes a hour later on Saturday I am up working when others are just getting home to bed..

 

[suburbanmd]

Phosphates

Thanks, sudsman (and LaundryNut!). Another question...for what kinds of loads do you use phosphates, and when do you avoid them? What do you think of the practice of adding a couple of tablespoons of STPP as a booster in domestic laundry?

 

[sudsman]

Phosphates

& STPP check the searchlator We have beat that to death. If you dont come up with anything let me know I LL explain again.

 

[laundrynut]

Are there any tips for loading FL's?

With all those huge machines in the laundry plants, are there any rules on how to load articles into the machines? For example: Do you just grab a pile of towels or sheets and throw them into the machine in one big clump? Or do you have a more orderly procedure, say, towels laid out flat and layered? I understand the concept of washing similar articles at a time, like just towels or just sheets, etc. I'm trying to overcome an out-of-balance problem during extractions. My machine isn't sophisticated enough to stop and redistribute prior to high spins.
Or is how it is loaded irrelevant to being unbalanced due to the tumbling rearranging everything anyway.

 

[alr2903]

Sudsman thanks for the pic's and taking so much time to answer all our questions. alr2903

 

[sudsman]

Loading

Loading is done by weight. Each cart is weighed and then loaded into washer. That way the capacity is used but not overloaded. Most of the time towels are damp or wet so a we add 15 lbs/to 100 wt. for wetness it avgs. out just about the right amount of weight. Linen in then loaded by arm loads into the machines. counting would take too long. Turn around time in VERY important to keeping workflow in progress. I have 2 unload, with 2 it takes about 3 min. Loading takes about 3 min. I want the machines stopped for no more than 10 mins at a time. Any downtime is a killer in any laundry.All machines must be kept running as much of the time as possible. On avg. the weight of a sheet (hospital sheet)is 1 lb. so we know if there is 285 lbs going in to washer there is about 285 sheeets in the load Gloves (very thick ones.and rubber aprons are a must for a loader as you dont want to have the linen next to your clean clothes or bare hands. We never know just what we are going to find. Even unloaders must be very careful and watch where they put ones hand as sharps and other items do make it thru the processing. the only good note is that at least one does not have to be concerned about infection control if stuck or cut by a sharp. This is not just a problem on hospital work but on kitchen linens also. Forks knifes and glasswear can cause serious hurts. .On the Flatwork ironer sheets are to be lapped over at least 3" this helps the sheet feed in better as in rides in on the tail of the last sheet . The lap is broken about 1/2 thru the ironer as each roll pulls a little faster and up on exit on the way to folder there is usualy about 1 ft between each sheet.. Folder is actually working on 3 sheets at a time. Measuring the first sheet out of the ironer and primary folding it and making the crossfolds and counting the other 2.

 

[laundrynut]

Would love to see...

those ironers and folders in action.

So I guess the actual loading, after sorting and weighing, is just a matter of (carefully) tossing a pile into the machine? No particular way of arranging the articles in the wheel?

 

[sudsman]

Laundry nut

just happen to have a video of it. Here at the old plant the machines are just about the same.

 

[laundrynut]

Thanks for the ironer video.

Hard to believe that a machine can do all that. Must be a b##ch if it ever jams. I can see where static could cause problems.

Is there a machine that can do the same thing with fitted sheets?

 

[sudsman]

Laundry Nut

We process fitted sheets just as well as Duvets and hard finish blankets(Old time hospital bedspreads) herringbone type.With the same machines. Static is A MAJOR problem if formulas are not run correctly and a good softener is used.Also load must have just the right moisture content (25%) to finish well and keep static down.. In colder months when static is bad we keep 2 steam vaporizers under the folder. Jamming is rare if feeders do the job correctly. Pull the items tight and keeping them straight is the key to good quality work. Other wise jams cause too much downtime. A good flatwork crew works well with each other and the machines.In the video there are 4 on flatwork, 1 shake out 2 feeders and 1 inspector. Machine folders work only as good as the feeders do.. IF work is crooked or not even it cannot measure to make the folds at the proper times and work WILL look awful.Most all folding problems are caused by the feeders. 75% of Ironer problems are also feeder caused.

 

[laundrynut]

Wow.

Would love to see a fitted sheet run through that machine. I've been hand folding mine for years.

 

[sudsman]

Laundry Nut

will make some still shots of it I m not so good at the video as you can see.