Know your laundromat terms

New to the laundromat business? Does it seem like folks are speaking a new language? Well, it’s not that complicated. Familiarizing yourself with a few key terms will make it easy to understand the industry and have you communicating like a laundromat veteran in no time. 

Turns (or turns per day). A turn, quite simply is a machine use. A customer paying for a cycle of your washer or dryer is considered a turn. Turns per day is a key metric in the health of a laundromat. 

Hardmount washer-extractor. These washer-extractors are bolted into bases set in concrete to dissipate the G-Forces created by high spin speeds. They are the workhorses of most laundromats. 

Softmount washer-extractors. Softmounts are special application machines utilized where concrete bases aren’t an option – wood floors or stores with basements. They use springs and shock absorbers to dissipate the G-Forces. They are typically more expensive than hardmounts and have more internal components. 

Tumble dryers. Large capacity dryers. Stores often feature stack tumble dryers, which maximizes space by putting two drying pockets in the space of one. Always opt for high efficiency units to get customers out the door fast. 

G-Force. Measure of the final spin speed (water extracting step) of a washer-extractor. This is a key element to getting customers out the door, because removing water in the final spin is the most efficient way to accomplish the task. Look for 200 G-Force washer-extractors paired with highly efficient tumble dryers to get customers in and out faster than your competition. 

Cycle modifiers. These are premium wash or dry options, such as an extra wash or rinse, hot water wash, anti-wrinkle tumble, etc. that you can charge a premium for. Installing machines that have this pricing flexibility enable your laundromat to be more profitable.