tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80560767648055416352024-03-05T02:30:59.606-08:00The Latina Laundromat Advisor Offers Advice, Information and Operating InformationThe Latina Laundromat Advisor™ discusses buying, selling, owning and operating a successful Card or Coin Laundry.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-11403180151579172502011-09-07T05:13:00.000-07:002011-09-07T05:13:56.650-07:00Roof Repairs Can Be A Surprise Expense To a Laundromat Owner<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0r7uB_ccNvceHBqSLmwxbXsL8uj7yiknYBEXeVAZZmkdjE_wpwDNJSkw6lp2x5eYkYviUfmmArTMljJR5ay3ghle0hmjwn3htqcUnUGkK8eU4U15_D3eH9Ff-fXvmv5hLpjfJ3iIBuaY/s1600/Left_Girl_444.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0r7uB_ccNvceHBqSLmwxbXsL8uj7yiknYBEXeVAZZmkdjE_wpwDNJSkw6lp2x5eYkYviUfmmArTMljJR5ay3ghle0hmjwn3htqcUnUGkK8eU4U15_D3eH9Ff-fXvmv5hLpjfJ3iIBuaY/s1600/Left_Girl_444.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jena Jo needs to pay better attention</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">My friend Jena Jo loves to travel. During a recent meeting in a Starbucks, she told me about her trip to Africa. She brought along a truly scary picture and an equally scary story. She was on tourist tour in a river boat and was not paying particular attention to the guide.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">She missed the part about how soon they were going to dangle a chicken on a string and a crocodile would come out of the water and snatch the chicken carcass off the pole. She should have paid attention to the length of the pole and how close to the edge of the boat the chicken was going to lure the creature in.</span></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Having seen a number of the alligator shows in Florida, Jena Jo was unprepared for the sudden appearance of a super huge crocodile just inches from her face. She thought she was an experienced outdoors woman, skilled world traveler and had been on many adventures. This experience scared her to her bones. She had even thought of leaning down a few moments earlier to dangle her hand in the cool river water.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It made me think of how many buyers of Laundromats think they know about how to buy a business and then all of a sudden out of the depths of realty comes a really scary moment. The one that comes to my mind at this moment for me is the failure of most buyers to inspect the roofs of their Laundromats before a purchase.</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_bRT583pZ1fTxFB6DgQBQzaEfEgONcb27G1bodwQbgddbCa_m5HVXKxiL99n5xaRgT4DON2uuIESWH-E1u_HkwBkCkCKsuiSe8CFAyQfCpV3SEJVMAfNv9DYyusK5Er31kxF7awP9T7-/s1600/Crocodile-Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_bRT583pZ1fTxFB6DgQBQzaEfEgONcb27G1bodwQbgddbCa_m5HVXKxiL99n5xaRgT4DON2uuIESWH-E1u_HkwBkCkCKsuiSe8CFAyQfCpV3SEJVMAfNv9DYyusK5Er31kxF7awP9T7-/s320/Crocodile-Large.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The roof inspection should be done as a part of your due diligence.<span> </span>A visual inspection by a walk on the roof by the buyer is the norm.<span> </span>Detailed inspections are done after an offer is made and your approval of the roof condition is included as a contingency of your purchase.<span> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Staining of ceiling tiles is not uncommon.<span> </span>There are usually no AC units on Laundromts.<span> </span>Swamp coolers are used in Laundromats in southern California.<span> </span>The water used in the swamp cooler process can drip over time onto the tiles surrounding the interior vents. Look for interior stains and shrinkage of the sealant around the swamp coolers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span>Interior roof stains can be removed by using a 50%-50% mixture of liquid bleach and water. Spray lightly on these stains and they disappear.<span> Sometimes a second or third treatment is needed. Wear old clothes, and a mask so you don't breathe in the bleach. </span>If the stain is too deep, the ceiling tiles will have to replaced.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span></span>The swamp cooler unit should be inspected every year to insure that it is functioning properly and is clean.<span> </span>The water portion of the cooler is similar to a toilet, with a float.<span> </span>The remaining portion of the cooler is composed of a box, screens and a motor driven fan.<span> </span>If the units are made out of metal they can eventually rust out (the water is held in a pan and pumped to the screens) but it is unlikely that they are rusted and as I remember we used fiberglass units.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">All Laundromats have roof leaks because of the high number of roof penetrations and the high summer temperature in southern California.<span> </span>The sealing around the vents (caused in part by the motion caused by the force of dryer air) can shrink and cause cracks that allow in water.<span> </span>During your yearly roof, swamp cooler and vent inspection, I suggest you take a putty knife and some Henry's sealant with you to smear around any cracks that are developing.<span> </span>This should be done prior to the rainy season.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Avoid the surprise of a huge repair bill by inspecting your roof prior to purchase and keep up the inspections on a yearly basis. This is one monster you can avoid if you are paying attention. Are you paying attention? </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-34654597683776904552011-08-08T15:19:00.000-07:002011-08-09T05:53:23.506-07:00Teach Your Customers To Do Their Laundry - Create A Positive Store Personality<span style="font-family: Arial;">My friend Jena just turned twenty-three and I took her and another friend Emily to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world considers Jena to be an adult, but in many ways she still has the mind of a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I snapped this picture of her “taking a bite” out of a paper hamburger.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnkT2fuHM4LK7IBDaMWCSJCul7mShyF_NQi03P2gwKw0IAM6dI4AZooq7ydJ2MIxYdIv43FzSK6MSrBwh71057dvJ2K0QG0VXRehD-axauDgcSvUACeC6IMQhZSUPcnYj5pB2AGX9hxyU/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnkT2fuHM4LK7IBDaMWCSJCul7mShyF_NQi03P2gwKw0IAM6dI4AZooq7ydJ2MIxYdIv43FzSK6MSrBwh71057dvJ2K0QG0VXRehD-axauDgcSvUACeC6IMQhZSUPcnYj5pB2AGX9hxyU/s400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23 years old and all grown up - really? - she still has things to learn.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although Jena is smart, talented, and even employed in the midst of this depression, I realize from my mature position as a true adult – since I am five years older – that Jena doesn’t know everything there is to know.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our friend Emily was with us at the lunch with her beautiful baby Yvette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Emily is</span> twenty-four years old, and has the responsibility of raising a husband – opps, I mean – baby, and still is learning a lot of “grown up” things, including doing your laundry properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The phrase "b</span>abies raising babies" jumps into my mind.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During our lunch discussion, Emily asked me a question about washing her new blue jeans. She was worried they would bleed and ruin her other clothes. Everyone thinks I know everything about laundry, because I work for a Laundromat distributor and am therefore "in the business."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Vays_b6xLj0F3lWOq3MAv2WWL_05jp4Npz9Pyty5D6YWx-FcQHPG7ub0H3SFwBT3UHffO8kKfG5THEZqbe9FB2tCSi8DguJRI8A5WU52vWxvBWMXtMV6zhKdREUgz9iF6_rwvw11PlB/s1600/Picture5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4Vays_b6xLj0F3lWOq3MAv2WWL_05jp4Npz9Pyty5D6YWx-FcQHPG7ub0H3SFwBT3UHffO8kKfG5THEZqbe9FB2tCSi8DguJRI8A5WU52vWxvBWMXtMV6zhKdREUgz9iF6_rwvw11PlB/s1600/Picture5.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yvette may think mommy knows everything, but . . . </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After helping her with her question, I realized that many young women really don’t know very much about doing their laundry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laundry is something everyone has to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We may have paper hamburgers, but w</span>e live in a world that doesn't use throwaway paper clothing, so it’s a job every woman will have to learn to do well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also thought, I bet most Laundromat owners could benefit from knowing that all of their customers don't know as much about washing clothers as one might think. Putting in place a program of teaching customers how to do laundry would be a great benefit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laundromat owners could use cute signs, a brochure, or use your attendants to share a little knowledge with your customers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the items I think you should concentrate on teaching customers about washing their clothes in your Laundromat:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Teach customers that washing is a family affair</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use your husband or boyfriend to pre-sort the clothes at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children can also help and put the items into pillow cases or laundry bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how young, the children of the family can help with the laundry and it can become a time to bond and share work together. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLG8IIFm8fcd6b_dZaY6Sw27OQVYXOg6tIuiPIqA4d8vXFmIYxruD1pP7pOlpysJFpxxGrp-IjlxqWNuol6zdiqEOartkBplYUyGoVkPjeM1PtTALUZDgkcNe5WsyxuTiYvglRrpFo45z/s1600/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLG8IIFm8fcd6b_dZaY6Sw27OQVYXOg6tIuiPIqA4d8vXFmIYxruD1pP7pOlpysJFpxxGrp-IjlxqWNuol6zdiqEOartkBplYUyGoVkPjeM1PtTALUZDgkcNe5WsyxuTiYvglRrpFo45z/s1600/Picture4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> My favorite</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Teach customer about the washing chemicals</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every customer uses a variety of laundry aids to get their clothes clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Review and explain soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets – and especially bleaches, dry and liquid – so your customers know what the chemicals are supposed to do and how much should be used in each washer load. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explain the newer lower suds soaps for use in front load washers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Teach customers to pre-treat their clothes</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your customers will return more often if their clothes come out cleaner in your Laundromat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep some pre-wash stain treatment in the backroom and offer it for use for free to your customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It comes in stick, spray, or liquid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your attendants should also have the treatment available, and the knowledge to be able to offer advice on how to use the product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell your customers that pre-treatment works best if it is put on the clothes immediately after the clothes are taken off and the stain is discovered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you teach your customers to form this as a habit, you’ll have a bunch of customers with stain-free clothes and a great reputation in the neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My favorite - and the one I use - is Soilove. It's available at most 99 cent stores. Inexpensive and it works great.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Teach customers to separate their colors</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorting clothes is something a lot of young people don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whites should go into one pile that can be treated with liquid (chlorine) bleach and washed in hot water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Colors into another pile and a washed with regular detergents and powdered bleaches (or color enhancers) and washed in warm water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reds should probably be washed in their own load in cold water to keep the colors bright and reduce the loss of dye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Same thing with jeans, which can bleed the first few times they are washed, and will stain other clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Treating the first time you wash with vinegar with se the dye into the fabric and it won’t bleed.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OcNxvQ39HocWzTslfsLqU4Uk1Cx2ei0dOzOqqNu-obvzXWa8WEDH728WUsvvfGmIFwL5cl0ceQl3YssIYe2vg4C4TUbaZV_JWOTaM4Idwi2eFw0tixQ40My6kvofSKhwAsNkLxKMbCQS/s1600/picture6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OcNxvQ39HocWzTslfsLqU4Uk1Cx2ei0dOzOqqNu-obvzXWa8WEDH728WUsvvfGmIFwL5cl0ceQl3YssIYe2vg4C4TUbaZV_JWOTaM4Idwi2eFw0tixQ40My6kvofSKhwAsNkLxKMbCQS/s1600/picture6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> I can see the wrinkles setting in</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Teach customer to fold their clothes correctly</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds simple, but most people do not fold their clothes correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should be folded as soon as it comes out of the dryer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrinkles can set in quickly – especially the permapress and synthetic fibers – so you need to fold them before they cool and set in the wrinkles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people don’t have a routine for folding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certain items can be folded cold, such as towels, underwear, shirts, and socks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirts and dresses should be put on hangers first.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These five tips should help your customers get a better experience in your Laundromat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people will be offended is your suggest helping them – but that’s OK – others will be very grateful and appreciate the advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are creating the personality of your Laundromat, and a good personality results in more and happier customers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvuVj7c_-p-TMC-_brkC7GZslgxLhbpRLM1iRF4P1ITrGYXvoJfDOz0BH4oPz47zUpQBeZudMM2pgLl8vZWJuOm0DKWkoUNH8FPnqEVAG5BFPtX7piwQMTc2GGbu3FYPhOFGOtB62gl1v/s1600/Picture3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvuVj7c_-p-TMC-_brkC7GZslgxLhbpRLM1iRF4P1ITrGYXvoJfDOz0BH4oPz47zUpQBeZudMM2pgLl8vZWJuOm0DKWkoUNH8FPnqEVAG5BFPtX7piwQMTc2GGbu3FYPhOFGOtB62gl1v/s1600/Picture3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going back to my birthday lunch meal with Jena, Emily and little Yvette, I just want you to see the shoes that Emily was wearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She may not know that much about doing her laundry, but she is an expert in picking out beautiful shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>:)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-87054434832902265142011-08-02T18:10:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:45:04.486-07:00How To Make Laundromats And Coin Laundries More Appealing To Women<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu2-654vbyLoRuGaiZlfYnux7aj_sZik9ZrgX543oFRJBL-lpKOwKU8kt6Kcqjan27A0e86gq49YbNClNdib98vCZ7hJtybIqtdhd4PFVHvDiRkOS_xE1FpU_nmizPRHslyK0djrYCntP/s1600/Latina+Girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu2-654vbyLoRuGaiZlfYnux7aj_sZik9ZrgX543oFRJBL-lpKOwKU8kt6Kcqjan27A0e86gq49YbNClNdib98vCZ7hJtybIqtdhd4PFVHvDiRkOS_xE1FpU_nmizPRHslyK0djrYCntP/s400/Latina+Girls.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundromat users - each with two children - have suggestions for you</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I took a trip recently with my girlfriends Marla and Lena. We went to Las Vegas for a few days of "fun in the sun" and spent some time by the hotel pool. We only went to see a few of the fabulous shows and entertainers on the Strip. We didn't do any gambling or dancing. : )</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course the subject of Laundromats always comes up on those long trips across the desert from LA to Las Vegas. Both my friends use Laundromats in their neighborhoods and were complaining to me that Laundromats don't consider the needs of their female customers.</span></span> <br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marla believes that Laundromats are generally used by women - and owned by men - and feels that men can sometimes overlook the needs of their customers. She would like to see a play area for her two children. It would be an attraction to her to use a Laundromat that had one; she could concentrate on sorting and washing her clothes if an enclosed play area was provided.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t4IytEZyHpKWPiwAs4kvd5myWJSUrD2zoBu40AFWE9LWn_Iz-i6u-wLk_xbmRptNkD6NvNJfYj6iOVmSAffXTXXjfBtL_4bvxB8RbAi_tIGECK24sQaybnOOsKneu0DlUw9hyAAMDEFG/s1600/%257EAriana.jpg" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t4IytEZyHpKWPiwAs4kvd5myWJSUrD2zoBu40AFWE9LWn_Iz-i6u-wLk_xbmRptNkD6NvNJfYj6iOVmSAffXTXXjfBtL_4bvxB8RbAi_tIGECK24sQaybnOOsKneu0DlUw9hyAAMDEFG/s320/%257EAriana.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ariana, a future Laundromat user has needs too</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lena responded that she wished Laundromats would provide a baby changing table in their restrooms. Many shops, stores and restaurants have them, and she wonders why such a women oriented business as Laundromats don't have them. She hates having to change her babie's diapers in front of other customers and thinks it's just "stinky and icky."</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marla chimed in that her life would have been easier during her pregnancies if her local Laundromat owner would have provided a few chairs and a lower folding table or two so she could have sat down and folded her clothes, instead of standing on her swelling feet the entire time.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lena said said that when she was on a visit to Canada a few years ago she had the opportunity to use a Laundromat that included free soap (injected liquid soap) in all their washers.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She went on to say, that it is really is difficult to drag two children, five loads of clothes, a large bag of Ariel, fabric softener, stain remover, and a bottle of bleach into the Laundromat. It would be very nice if her Laundromat offered her free soap and bleach so she didn't have to carry those items around. She would use the Laundromat more frequently, instead of using the washers in her apartment building when she didn't feel up to lugging all the items to the Laundromat.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She added "why not buy some small lockers (like at the health club) so the regular customers who wanted the service could store their favorite soaps and bleaches in lockers." It would be beneficial and lock the customers into returning to the Laundromat.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marla said she had an idea that would be great if Laundromat owners would only listen. The owners could buy a few of the baby chairs (like the ones used in restaurants), so she could strap her children into these chairs instead of putting them in laundry baskets on the folding table. She sees other women put their children into laundry carts - exposing them to potential laundry cart tip over injuries. If a better option was available, fewer children would be in the carts.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TJoeePqT_O0VYeDTypxGEAK8tvzxM49YBmS_pdfAJZM7F1b9LEp0_5bHsPBCj3lL0TaJY7-_Jli5Kif2RdkT_3rJwEpVl0XpBXFpDofmjOQJxEHSAkfc0hhXZdk753-Vp_cC7XdQjciH/s1600/%257Ebaby+in+a+basket.jpg" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TJoeePqT_O0VYeDTypxGEAK8tvzxM49YBmS_pdfAJZM7F1b9LEp0_5bHsPBCj3lL0TaJY7-_Jli5Kif2RdkT_3rJwEpVl0XpBXFpDofmjOQJxEHSAkfc0hhXZdk753-Vp_cC7XdQjciH/s1600/%257Ebaby+in+a+basket.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Mommy, don't they have a booster chair for me? </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I returned home I thought, I wonder how many owners really sit down and think of ways to make their Laundromats more appealing to women. Marla and Lena considered the issue from the viewpoint of young mothers, but I bet a lot of smart owners have suggestions others could use for the various ages of the women who use they Laundromats.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do your female customers want? What would make them return again? Every owner would be wise to consider what it would take to make their Laundromat more female friendly. Good ideas means good business, and good business makes money.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for our trip, we got wet, relaxed, and returned with most of our money. The economy, recession, lack of flowers in our lives, and the rising costs of perfume all seem to disappear as we consumed our favorite icy drink at the hotel pool. ;)</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></span> </div></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-62110062476272928492011-07-18T03:37:00.000-07:002011-08-02T04:42:09.069-07:00Why Laundromat Income Can Decline In The Summer: Buyers And Investors Need To Know<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Potential investors and Laundromat purchasers are usually unaware of the up-and-down nature of Laundromat income. Income goes up and down like waves in the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you buy your store in December - despite all the analysis and due diligence you do - it’s possible you may miss the fact that when the summer months come around, your newly purchased Laundromat will produce lower income levels.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcRI_oHaMxJszmafnDNj3-HK6lHLerJsAdf0mVSvEYNGvG_721xe57CxG25ZLVp4REQmmrucy14VrH0E86iYDvxWD4O0iFrZACnSmfNAgBhnWpYDDu-OXQhFIczBDg_mT5Ye5lnL9s6K1/s1600/Right+Girl+10+Bathing+Suit+on+stairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcRI_oHaMxJszmafnDNj3-HK6lHLerJsAdf0mVSvEYNGvG_721xe57CxG25ZLVp4REQmmrucy14VrH0E86iYDvxWD4O0iFrZACnSmfNAgBhnWpYDDu-OXQhFIczBDg_mT5Ye5lnL9s6K1/s400/Right+Girl+10+Bathing+Suit+on+stairs.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marta wears fewer clothes in July</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If the best months of income production for your Laundromat are November, December, and January, the worst months will normally be June, July, and August. Laundromats in the summertime can have a decline in income of ten to twenty-five percent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My friend Marta comes from a family of twelve that regularly uses a Laundromat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom, Dad, five brothers, and four sisters are in her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mom needs about eight to ten 20-LB washers to clean one week’s worth of her families clothes in December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Ortez family uses the Laundromat every week and produces a very good income for the owner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Why does income decline in so many Laundromats in the summer? I knew the answer was easy, and I've heard it said a dozen times, but it just wasn't sinking in clearly in my brain.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The light bulb of understanding came on one day when I was visiting Marta and saw her coming down the steps from her upstairs bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hit me right between the eyes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Short shorts, halter tops, and bathing suits can fit into fewer Laundromat washers than long sleeve shirts, long pants, and hoodies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the summer, Marta’s family can fit their dirty laundry into six to eight 20-LB washers </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">because her family wears fewer clothes in the summer months: that's the simple answer. Laundromats don't lose customers, they lose pounds of clothes to process.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marta’s mom also doesn’t care if her boys wear their jeans for a few extra days - or it their T-shirts are worn an extra day or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the school year, Marta’s mom ensures her boys go to school with clean clothes everyday – in the summer, not so much.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSFUpTiaFLTUONdEf4RdmCmdkpeaKeLMI0p-zugiKYpdBpN1dh8mVhp9F6-XwR58rpAQUi23rMdZC0moq68fe8xwvNZuqXYrvG69-xIXF8CFVxVjQAj0mhoqw_lgDAcisZlUJw_iSofMv/s1600/girl+with+braids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSFUpTiaFLTUONdEf4RdmCmdkpeaKeLMI0p-zugiKYpdBpN1dh8mVhp9F6-XwR58rpAQUi23rMdZC0moq68fe8xwvNZuqXYrvG69-xIXF8CFVxVjQAj0mhoqw_lgDAcisZlUJw_iSofMv/s320/girl+with+braids.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marta's sister Maria in summer attire</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If Marta’s family is typical – and I believe it is - the Laundromat owner receives about twenty percent less income from the same customer base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So now you know why I believe Laundromats make less income in the summertime.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s why I always explain the income cycle to anyone wanting to invest in the Laundromat business. I want them all to view the income for an entire year. If you believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, you know that Marta's picture clearly explains this phenomenon of Laundromat ownership.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is, of course, always the exception to the rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less income in the summertime may not happen to Laundromats that are located in resort areas or near the Beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the summertime can often be the best income months for a Laundromat owner. Tourists can bring dollars to resort and beach businesses, including Laundromats.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-16708400051961158612011-07-16T05:04:00.000-07:002011-07-16T05:22:56.375-07:00How To Prevent Dryer Fires In Your Laundromat: Check For Lint<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the biggest dangers to a total loss fire in a Laundromat is a fire that starts in a water heater, dryer vent, or dryer and rises up into the ceiling beams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the fire gets to the roof, the years of heat – heat rises remember – may have dried the ceiling joists enough that they burn rapidly.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the ceiling - or roof really - is burning, there is almost no way for a fire department to prevent the burning away of the entire building roof and the eventual collapse of the burnt timber onto the Laundromat equipment. Quite a mess in the ones I've seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Laundromats, you normally see little fires – confined to a back room or a single dryer – or you get really big fires that result in the burning away of the roof structure and a total loss.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoRP0ac8QNnbbECUIgy3mEleTHZOEBL7DqqHXvqyTwc37nr14Wg7OONj9PIaKiCA1j8tWZCvvtb17Q5qidNTKLXbAUTMP5U-PU01eiCCA7SC5NYXtvmBUtbEhn4QXuaN4ve3UTLMV96jH/s1600/Mia+with+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoRP0ac8QNnbbECUIgy3mEleTHZOEBL7DqqHXvqyTwc37nr14Wg7OONj9PIaKiCA1j8tWZCvvtb17Q5qidNTKLXbAUTMP5U-PU01eiCCA7SC5NYXtvmBUtbEhn4QXuaN4ve3UTLMV96jH/s1600/Mia+with+glasses.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shandra reads all the books and manuals </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friend Tomas has a very smart girlfriend named Shandra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She keeps their apartment spotless – believe me I’ve tried to find some dirt in her apartment – and Shandra tells Tomas to keep his Laundromat just as clean as she keeps the apartment.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shandra loves to point out that the most common cause of major damage to Laundromat equipment is a fire that starts in a dryer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She found a picture of lint burning in a dryer vent and showed it to Tomas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomas brought it to me and thought it would be a good idea to put it on my blog and write about causes of dryer fires.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every Laundromat owner needs to think clean, and should therefore check the inside of every dryer at least once a month to be sure there is no lint building up inside – usually just behind the drum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least once a year, an owner should also climb up on their roof and check to make sure the dryer vents are in place – wind can tip them over – and that no debris is clogging them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>creens of any type, should never be put on your dryer vents.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0suZjHQEeaGP9FMCh19YYMjBFgQlQsI6MFhoJVoHexxUZJ9aJ_NOstUlCE6XvkKTBWcMsb1DjWObPwdH_dQe3dCAsVEFP8I82zvetnrPJLqoaK8xgq1pRXQS2haInR_y8_VPpDKyQtW4M/s1600/fire+in+dryer+vent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0suZjHQEeaGP9FMCh19YYMjBFgQlQsI6MFhoJVoHexxUZJ9aJ_NOstUlCE6XvkKTBWcMsb1DjWObPwdH_dQe3dCAsVEFP8I82zvetnrPJLqoaK8xgq1pRXQS2haInR_y8_VPpDKyQtW4M/s1600/fire+in+dryer+vent.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During this annual inspection it’s a good idea to also pull a few vent pipes to see if any lint is building up in the exhaust vents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The higher the ceiling – the longer the vent run – the more likely that lint will build up inside the vents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long screws holding the venting together can also catch lint, so the dryer manufacturers recommend using pop rivets when putting venting together.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess I should feel happy for Tomas to have such a smart girl like Shandra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reads all the service and installation manuals on the Laundromat equipment installed in Tomas’ store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smart, kind and intelligent and with any luck she’ll be married to a wonderful Laundromat owner one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What could be better?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-77252962733782394752011-07-10T11:53:00.000-07:002011-07-11T16:23:10.177-07:00Uniforms And Aprons For Laundromat Attendants<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguU5q9cAagPssSjPVI2zslrfU8CDDo-6LdQN11CByWZFKIsgJlmQ6DbMnJg1exmG39W02E_4klbYid-S6Lkewi0v8fEpgtmC-nKjYwHNTkrcaXYIHzHzpo51ME1EMIiPEtGfI4UVPB0Gm-/s1600/4250_black_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguU5q9cAagPssSjPVI2zslrfU8CDDo-6LdQN11CByWZFKIsgJlmQ6DbMnJg1exmG39W02E_4klbYid-S6Lkewi0v8fEpgtmC-nKjYwHNTkrcaXYIHzHzpo51ME1EMIiPEtGfI4UVPB0Gm-/s320/4250_black_med.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Available in many different colors</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people tell me that a professional looking attendant adds to a feeling of style and security in a Laundromat. I believe they look good and help your customers find the attendant quickly if they need any help in using the machines, getting change or a refund.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have found that the best – and most inexpensive - way to provide your attendants with a professional look is to buy some matching aprons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They retail for around $8.50 each, and the source I’ve used is Happy Chef Uniforms (</span><a href="http://www.happychefuniforms.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.happychefuniforms.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">). A badge – or name tag – with the attendants name on it helps personalize the contact between customer and attendant.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some Laundromat owners insist on having the name of their Laundromat printed on their attendant’s aprons. It adds to the cost and may not provide additional benefit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My girlfriend Melina is one of those people who believe she must personalize every aspect of her life. She makes her own clothes, and when her uncle – who owns a Laundromat with three attendants – decided to explore buying aprons for the staff. Melina insisted she be given the chance to design them herself.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HV19CXqtYkRTCopCYLAT5OWtSQJ4RjIUSNC_2Cz2e7gvvmh4DucA5D8CEGJVtyX6GGUzEE8f_OjCe2BjWD030bvffLF2SQH5p3_68GM8HbsTYLWu-eWDIto_9VIa6hhpiVyBxptXLfv9/s1600/Girl+cleaning+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HV19CXqtYkRTCopCYLAT5OWtSQJ4RjIUSNC_2Cz2e7gvvmh4DucA5D8CEGJVtyX6GGUzEE8f_OjCe2BjWD030bvffLF2SQH5p3_68GM8HbsTYLWu-eWDIto_9VIa6hhpiVyBxptXLfv9/s320/Girl+cleaning+outfit.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a number of design prototypes here’s the one she showed to her Uncle Marvin. She eliminated the pockets and created a design that could fit into a Disney production of Snow White.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Attractive, but at $35.00 a copy, they are unnecessarily expensive. Melina also ignored the fact that every attendant might not have her hour glass figure – or perhaps more of the sand may be in the bottom of the glass of some attendants – so uniforms - or special designs - should first be practical for a variety of body shapes and sizes</span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recommend you buy aprons, not T-shirts – another popular option – or uniforms, because the majority of attendants appreciate the look and fit of an apron. They are long-lasting – buy two for each attendant – and only a little more expensive than T-shirts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aprons are also unisex, so both your male and female attendants can wear them. If you buy the ones with pockets in the front your staff will have a convenient place to keep their attendant keys and refund money.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aprons can improve the look of your Laundromat for a very reasonable price. On the other hand, you could hire Melina to design an outfit for your Laundromat, or just have her wear one of her outfits in your Laundromat. ;)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-57061001136889837162011-07-07T21:06:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:29:36.208-07:00Why Giving Refunds Is Important For Laundromat Owners<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Luz lives next door to my parents house. I was talking to her over the fence in the back yard the other day, and - believe it or not - she started to discuss Laundromats. Since I work for a Laundromat distributor, I guess that people figure I am fair game to talk with them about their Laundromat problems.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlgsZrzJ1eN-9W_6-_VIqwB7Gnz0cotEEaj62C9py3EOY6CbcRjQsfSBz6jhrx0uCM6INO7f6FR8OGH_3UPpiE7-9dl8t4zvTT_2vd9yZ8jK1wvspOGPRTKy6JDr9ySubAe32HVGhdm_Q/s1600/Luz+with+Refund+Request.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlgsZrzJ1eN-9W_6-_VIqwB7Gnz0cotEEaj62C9py3EOY6CbcRjQsfSBz6jhrx0uCM6INO7f6FR8OGH_3UPpiE7-9dl8t4zvTT_2vd9yZ8jK1wvspOGPRTKy6JDr9ySubAe32HVGhdm_Q/s1600/Luz+with+Refund+Request.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Luz has a cellphone and knows how to use it</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It seems that Luz was using a local Laundromat and lost money in a washing machine. She says she wasn’t paying attention and pumped four dollars worth of quarters into a front load washer that was supposed to start after inserting twelve quarters. (That’s three dollars for those of you who don’t have a calculator on their cell phone.)</span> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She told the owner about her loss, and the owner berated her in front of a bunch of other customers. He told her that she was lying: the washers only took three dollars to start, so how could she have lost four dollars? He told her to fill out a card and he would consider refunding her three dollars if he could figure out if the machine was really broken.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I happen to know for a fact that Luz is an honest person. There was the night at a family party where I dropped my purse. My wallet fell out of it after a long night of partying at my parent’s house. It must have fallen out as I crawled into the passenger of my designated driver's car. The next day, Luz went over to my parent's and returned the found wallet she had found in the driveway to my mother. All $46.00 was still in my wallet. That’s an honest person.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, honest Luz was now on a rampage. She was making it her personal goal in life to tell as many people as possible not to use the Laundromat that had stolen her money. She had been on the phone all morning calling her friends and telling them to never use that Laundromat again.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All Laundromat owners should know the best form of advertising is word of mouth. What many of us forget is the opposite is also true: when you offend someone, you have just bought yourself negative advertising. Let’s look at what this $4.00 in a failed refund bought this Laundromat owner in negative advertising and loss of business.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The average customer uses six washers and dryers per visit. The income of $2.50 average (per load) is $15.00 per week or $60.00 per month - multiplied by the eight people Luz convinced to never return to the Laundromat. That's $480.00 per month or $5,760.00 of lost yearly income.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The success rate of postcards is about 1-2%, and the sucesss rate of hand-delivered flyers is about 2-4%. In order for the Laundromat owner to recover his lost income, he must send over 2,800 flyers twice in one year to make up for his one moment of discontent over the request for a refund. His $4.00 decision just cost him $5,760 over the next year.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, not every customer is going to react as strongly as Luz to bad manners. Some are going to take it worse! Women, particularly Hispanics, love to talk - perhaps even gossip a little - and have large families. We love to talk about anyone who offends us, and thereby </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">offends our entire 130 member extended family. :)</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The moral of the story is “give the refund.” The consequences are too great, if you are wrong, and - more importantly - even if the customer is lying, the cost to confront them is not worth it to the owner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> –The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">P.S. Luz later did get $4.00 sent to her in the mail by the Laundromat owner when he discovered his coin mechanism was jammed, but I doubt Luz is going to spend as much time repairing this owner’s reputation as she did in tearing it down. Take this advice to heart.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-324408420420603272011-07-07T02:26:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:28:46.204-07:00Why Do Customers Overload Washers And Dryers?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTClxb1x3HdtFb4KYxklv3xu_Iy4nG78NO2uTUas4xBEkQy0XK8iFNh6GjkPSzrn7VQQTRymrDmBtiQcwk8Pmit61E3Li5FOGRpwbREgKGkBwAkjLxa5vx6Sk6JER2r9S0GDG52ebfciG/s1600/Continental_girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTClxb1x3HdtFb4KYxklv3xu_Iy4nG78NO2uTUas4xBEkQy0XK8iFNh6GjkPSzrn7VQQTRymrDmBtiQcwk8Pmit61E3Li5FOGRpwbREgKGkBwAkjLxa5vx6Sk6JER2r9S0GDG52ebfciG/s400/Continental_girl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belinda flutters her eyes and things happen. . .</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My friend Belinda knows a lot about washing clothes. However, she just flutters her eyelids and her boyfriend takes all her dirty laundry to the Laundromat and brings it back perfectly folded. My boyfriend Chris takes my laundry to the Laundromat too. I just give him a little flutter and poof; he's off to the Laundromat. I watch novellas with Belinda while he's gone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm thankful Belinda and I were taught by our mothers to know enough about washing clothes that we could properly train our men. We hear the stories about the customers who stuff too many clothes in a washer and are then surprised that they didn't get their clothes clean. I once saw a women start a top load washer, get the clothes a little wet, open the lid, and use a broom handle to push the clothes down so she could stuff more clothes in the washer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, she really did expect those clothes to come out clean! I doubt if all the clothes even got wet. I'd bet Belinda's smile that this person was never taught anything about washing clothes from anyone who knew anything. Belinda and I, however, have taken the time to train </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">our men how to separate colors and limit the number of clothes to put in each washer. :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The rule is the same with dryers. Some Laundromat owners receive complaints that their dryers aren't heating up enough, yet when they look at the dryer in question, the owners realize that there are so many clothes in the dryer, the heated air can't circulate in and around the clothes. There's just one big ball of fabric going round and round. In order to dry, there needs to be enough room so that the clothes can open up and the stream of heat can pass through and around the clothes, drying them.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqzEl4Vm3bZpXBYGx9mRNd_a3SjpXp1l0mbVaF7moJb8meWMx6DI1a9ssCfwknrVNZRA40aQ7INTbvbwwhjpSBZYAKHjNDsJcts51cwN-jjThvA-gyKYnMymGx2rLaZvT5G_lvAmn6yR/s1600/laundry-33-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqzEl4Vm3bZpXBYGx9mRNd_a3SjpXp1l0mbVaF7moJb8meWMx6DI1a9ssCfwknrVNZRA40aQ7INTbvbwwhjpSBZYAKHjNDsJcts51cwN-jjThvA-gyKYnMymGx2rLaZvT5G_lvAmn6yR/s400/laundry-33-sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I think explaning proper washing and drying to customers is helpful, but I think the lady with the broom is just waiting for you to leave or turn your back because she is going to load in two more towels and a blouse once you're gone. In fairness, I guess some people are truly lacking in knowledge about washing and drying their clothes. You, as a Laundromat owner, are offering a self-service facility, so you're going to end up with </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a fair share of poorly educated washer and dryer users.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Learning is an ongoing process; this includes learning about washing and drying. Some of your customers are the same people that dropped out of high school before graduation, didn't learn much when they were in our educational system, and didn't have two parents at home to teach them much of anything. They may not have enough money or even a job in this current, deep recession. You might try a little sympathy and understanding; try actually teaching your customers the proper way to use your equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The positive thing for you is these people are in <u>your</u> Laundromat spending their money, so reduce your overload problems with a little education, compassion, and understanding. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-89424852885821890592011-07-04T20:48:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:28:04.202-07:00Successful Laundromats Know How To Promote Their Business<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7kIIILTh8Y1ln1D0Qacw9XS8C6_U0NE15VGI0Q1C6o9yJcmMJH_VowTpB6bD6lEZ2IbcKTT6zQpaxUhOvbphAol06C8z9K3sAL4E6zEBbuE2SqkHaugBRWelTepIPH-ncFS-yxVyHoUl/s1600/Ines+with+Lollipop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7kIIILTh8Y1ln1D0Qacw9XS8C6_U0NE15VGI0Q1C6o9yJcmMJH_VowTpB6bD6lEZ2IbcKTT6zQpaxUhOvbphAol06C8z9K3sAL4E6zEBbuE2SqkHaugBRWelTepIPH-ncFS-yxVyHoUl/s1600/Ines+with+Lollipop.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Gabriella know how to promote a Laundromat</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gabriella is another girlfriend of mine who is a genius when it comes to inexpensive ways to promote her papa's Laundromat. Now, if you own a Laundromat within a mile of Gabriella's father's store, you have to promise you won't use this idea in your own. Raise your hand and promise. Ok. Then here's a promotion used by Gabriella:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Her favorite promotion is to get a big whicker basket and fill it with all the flavors of Tootsie roll pops. She keeps the basket in the back room. Whenever a child comes into the Laundromat, she (or one of the cleaning staff) grab the basket and take it out the children.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First, Gabriella asks the child's </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">parent if it's okay with them if she gives their child a lollipop. Gabriella is worried that one of the little kids will be diabetic, or - being raised by one of the new wave of parents who never allow their children to have candy - will sue. Not many of these kids exist in the Latino culture, but there probably are a few.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gabriella lets the child pick the color of lollipop they want. This can take a long time, but all of the parents are watching and she wants to present a warm and understanding personality to her customer base. This is surprising to hear from Gabriella because she once dropped a boyfriend because he wore the same shirt two dates in a row.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gabriella </span>once tried the same promotion using chocolate bars, but in the summer they melted, and in the winter they were much harder to clean up after the little angels dropped them on the floor. Remember: </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">if a child drops their lollipop, you whisper "three second rule" and convince them to pick up their own mess. :)</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The final step Gabriella goes through is to go back to all the mothers (and sometimes there are fathers, too) and offer them a lollipop. This builds goodwill and makes all the children demand that their mother take them back to the lady with the candy. It's the same concept employed by Micky D's with their Happy Meal toys: keep the kids happy and the parents keep coming back.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This promotion is inexpensive, has few downsides and builds goodwill and store recognition. It's really worth the effort. Try it and let me know how it works for you. Gabriella says she has two more great promotions, but will share them with us later. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-90339166931182427052011-07-04T14:04:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:27:16.073-07:00Getting Rid Of Ants In Your Laundromat<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Summertime and the living is easy, the fish are jumping and the cotton is high. . . “ You have to pretend you can hear me singing this classic ballad. I have to admit, the only cotton I’ve ever seen is in my boyfriend’s Fruit of the Loom jockey shorts. But summer does bring something else besides jumping fish and tall cotton. Ants, yes ants, are living right here in River City, and ants can be irritating. </span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqkOjKHpnRPhYQk1MxyszB9raHiQRn0eb2v2Dgi8P6nk_OUo7FzgKYuEzQeZBTQNcIdJmgThroqBMXNxCyRxNYsgtroEoUj3McTt4X8D0igSh2e9X9M5lZpFLINgAkUEhEo8YePREi8IO/s1600/Estefana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqkOjKHpnRPhYQk1MxyszB9raHiQRn0eb2v2Dgi8P6nk_OUo7FzgKYuEzQeZBTQNcIdJmgThroqBMXNxCyRxNYsgtroEoUj3McTt4X8D0igSh2e9X9M5lZpFLINgAkUEhEo8YePREi8IO/s1600/Estefana.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tia Estefana, the natural blonde and ant expert</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now let me digress, which I hardly ever do, but in English the word <i>aunt</i> refers to the sister of your mother. The word <i>ant</i> refers to unwelcome little bugs that march around in your Laundromat in long lines. Both words are pronounced, by most, in exactly the same way. In Spanish, we’ve fixed the confusion, because sisters of your mother are “Tia” and the little bugs are referred to as “get the broom, oh my God, we’ve got ants again…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have a (sort of) relative who is older than I am, but is really a friend of my mother’s, and when we were growing up, we called her Aunt Estefana (Tia Estefana). Now, Tia taught me how to bleach my hair until it turned pure white, put on a comical amount of makeup, and get men to give me extremely expensive sunglasses with the little crystal diamonds that always fall out . . . well you get the point.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Recently, Tia decided to tell me how she gets rid of ants. She had read an article by Brie Dyas somewhere and I guess she’s combined Brie’s wisdom with her own and thought it would be useful on my Laundromat blog.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tia Estefana is allergic to bug spray (but apparently not hairspray) and believes you can use household items to rid yourself of household pests.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE2v9AniiFtFThUb4Yg2K70b4hgtyKjAZ5zBEFpG91-E-6bq9_4pXTCO16y0ahCkTIWTIdevCvZVxdeBfI-vQ9WKlJ4w_qgosDwRgDZ_cYrHiGuy-Wu5hvcRzdbm3mpFjIrZqp2GFJfNN/s1600/ants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAE2v9AniiFtFThUb4Yg2K70b4hgtyKjAZ5zBEFpG91-E-6bq9_4pXTCO16y0ahCkTIWTIdevCvZVxdeBfI-vQ9WKlJ4w_qgosDwRgDZ_cYrHiGuy-Wu5hvcRzdbm3mpFjIrZqp2GFJfNN/s1600/ants.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Cayenne pepper. The capsaicin in cayenne pepper is an irritant to ants, making them stay away. So sprinkle cayenne pepper where the ants are marching and this helps chase them away. Also the red liquid in the small bottle from Louisiana also works the same way. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Baby powder. The cornstarch in baby powder (the kind without talc) is another irritant to ants. Like the cayenne pepper, sprinkle it around where the ants are and wait. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Vodka. A 3-to-1 ratio of vodka to water, poured into a spray bottle. Spray it all over the Laundromat and behind the bulkheads. While it will kill ants, your Laundromat will also smell of vodka and it’s easy to “test” the mixture on yourself and eventually you won’t care if you have ants in your Laundromat. I think Tia Estefana tested out her mixture and ended up naming the ants and talking to them like you would to a new born baby.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - Dish liquid and water mix. This is the most effective way to get rid of ants. Use about two tablespoons' worth and mix into a pint of water. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and start spraying near windows, doors and cracks, behind the bulkheads and don't wipe it away. This destroys the scent trail that brings more ants. You can also spray any roaming ants with this solution and it will kill them surprisingly fast. Please don't spray it where people walk, because then you'll have a slip and fall accident caused by the soapy water on your floor. :) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hope this helps. Thanks to Brie and Tia for these tips. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> - The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-70128319385004568752011-07-04T05:53:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:24:15.331-07:00Laundromats Increase Their Profits With Commercial Accounts<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Annie is known as "the Mouse"; she’s only 5 feet tall and as cute as a bug, but we call her mouse because it sounds better in English and better than bug. Annie believes that every Laundromat could improve their business if they sought out commercial accounts.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Here’s what Annie says, almost word for word:</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeowGLz8_jnswn0vVu7gvWkFOTrd8XBiwHaEqSeI73tFY54iFDxxZKnOldxrL_66Fiv98KDXAWvalKESdZU0uGzp1Xn-dAK1n5GMhoQKMPQ5yC4sAL0n7btRWDyXHqor1vvVl8Ob1SIwl/s1600/Annie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeowGLz8_jnswn0vVu7gvWkFOTrd8XBiwHaEqSeI73tFY54iFDxxZKnOldxrL_66Fiv98KDXAWvalKESdZU0uGzp1Xn-dAK1n5GMhoQKMPQ5yC4sAL0n7btRWDyXHqor1vvVl8Ob1SIwl/s1600/Annie.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Annie is tiny and often right</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take a drive around the market area of any local Laundromat. Most are well lit, clean, and visible from a major road. The same equipment is used practically everywhere. Still, one or two Laundromats in any given area are always bustling with activity unlike their competitors.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time and again the owners of really busy coin-ops have discovered that their secret to success lies in commercial accounts.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Commercial accounts are any local business that may need their towels, linens, rags, uniforms, etc. cleaned in a Laundromat. If you really brainstorm a list you’ll soon recognize that the possibilities are almost endless: small hotels or motels, barber shops, beauty salons, restaurants, nursing homes, day care centers, health spas, auto mechanic shops, cleaning companies and car washes, to name just a few.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many more target businesses exist. Try driving down any major street or along the beach with a note pad to jot down ideas. Also make use of the local yellow pages for even more potential accounts.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Commercial accounts are an excellent way for an owner to turn a modest Laundromat into a very successful one, or to put a good Laundromat over the top. The real secret behind this added business is that your Laundromat’s two largest expenses, typically the rent and mortgage payments, remain constant even though you’ve increased the sales and maximized use of the existing equipment and staff. Higher utility bills will be offset by the commercial revenue, leaving most of the profit as net to you.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Commercial accounts require front load washers the larger the better. You’ll also need someone to wash and package the loads, probably one or more attendants. If you choose to offer pick-up and delivery as an additional service you’ll need a reliable vehicle.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The best way to contact potential accounts in order to pitch your coin-op’s services depends on the range of businesses you’ve targeted. Some owners simply call or stop into a certain number of businesses each week; others mail a flyer or a business card, then follow up with a call or visit.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Persistence is a must during this process: 10 or 15 owners or managers may say no until one finally says yes. Remember too that some small business owners need to hear an idea a few times before they’re comfortable enough with it (and with you) to change the way they presently operate. Sometimes the owner of a seasonal business won’t feel they need your service if you pitch the idea during their slow times, but approach them again during their busier months and they may feel differently.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">You may decide to market your commercial Laundromat service to a particular target group or niche. One owner targeted dentists and now has over 30 accounts, many referred by other dentists. Another has a goal of adding one new restaurant account each week. He now has 50 restaurants and is constantly adding more.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other owners have one or two very large accounts, a large nursing home or sports complex, for example that give them all the business they can handle. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some smart owners actually have a separate staff that processes their commercial accounts during off hours, when the Laundromat itself is closed to the public. This leaves the self-service customers all day to use the machines without interruption, and maximizes their coin-op’s efficiency.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Still think there aren’t many commercial accounts out there, or they are too hard to get? Take another drive by that busy competitor’s Laundromat. He knows the secret that a few phone calls and some legwork bring in big rewards. Now you do, too.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">That’s the message from Annie the Mouse.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Big ideas can sometime come from small sources. :) Now it’s up to you to decide if you want to expand your profit margins by grabbing a portion of the commercial accounts business for youself.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-5257470941335238592011-07-04T05:33:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:23:08.428-07:00Fluff and Fold Service: How To Do It Step-by-Step<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiITFk4rrVKdgvIVVwZe1Okk71dSWkUYxua6CPySQ5xYo-qRs7o86vxkX083LgTHh9qH70a1Sszexr2m23Z4EjlxCGQGzeEZSaBA9s3lN2lwDcM4fkyxegPxzuENTt8aotanXDDPTOCTkI/s1600/Juanita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiITFk4rrVKdgvIVVwZe1Okk71dSWkUYxua6CPySQ5xYo-qRs7o86vxkX083LgTHh9qH70a1Sszexr2m23Z4EjlxCGQGzeEZSaBA9s3lN2lwDcM4fkyxegPxzuENTt8aotanXDDPTOCTkI/s320/Juanita.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Juanita says to try a Fluff and Fold service</span>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I am very surprised by how many beautiful women are associated with the Laundromat industry. Juanita is my girlfriend, and h</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">er boyfriend - Billy Joe - (who names their son Billy Joe unless you live by a creek?) owns a medium-sized Laundromat and is always looking for ways to improve income. This is a system Juanita found and is using in Billy Joe’s Laundromat.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Billy Joe is not a Latino, by the way, (a Latino would be named Jesus Juan) but he works hard and Juanita says she loves him. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My friend Juanita always thought that “Fluff and Fold” service did not work very well in southern California Laundromats, but she came across a system she thinks will make her money.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span>Juanita is one of those Latinas with blue eyes. Her boyfriend calls her "Nita," but I still know that her Hispanic roots and her hair roots are not as blonde as her picture shows. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is her Step-by-Step system for achieving professional looking Fluff and Fold results. You start out promoting your business by giving new customers a “first time free try” to build your drop off business reputation.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Start with a supply of wash dry fold tickets. Use the type that are numbered at the top and that come with three-part or <stockticker w:st="on">NCR</stockticker> (no carbon required) paper. Weigh the incoming order while the customer watches, and note the number of pounds and the cost on the ticket, along with the customer’s name and telephone number. Then give one of the ticket copies to the customer. With a three-part ticket, you should keep the top original copy, the customer gets the second copy and the third stays in the ticket book.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Sort the clothes according to light, dark, towels etc. As you sort the order check all of the pockets and use a pre-spotting spray as needed. Wash your orders in front loaders whenever possible. They give an excellent wash with three rinses, are reasonable on water consumption and dispense the fabric softener automatically. Use a cold-water wash and cold-water rinse to minimize utility costs, and to avoid unnecessary shrinking and colors running.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Use tabs marked with the ticket number and tape one to each machine used for the order. Also tab any hamper or basket belonging to the customer. These numbered tabs are important in helping to remember which machines correspond to each order. This system also helps keep attendants honest by making it difficult to take in orders without writing out a ticket. Tabs follow the order from the washers, to the dryers, then to the rolling carts, then the folding tables.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Require petty cash slips for each wash dry fold order. The attendant notes the customer’s name and ticket number on each slip and tracks how many quarters she used to process the entire order. (This forces the attendant to account for the exact amount of your money she uses for each order. It is also useful on the day you take money from the washers and dryers: prior to notating how much that week’s coin totaled, subtract the money used to process the drop off so you are only counting customer money, not your own, in your books.)</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZxqyT6xVeAIKFdLKqXKzjsVKFp1UCUSMw8Uu6FwOZIOGWmWl70HPkFqUEA9SVZNfNOtvIWR157rEb-0NsW52191ijsq3RzKqAewCX2EKVgvZu7H4fCZHeUCurbcz9VUvkVLZz0sYfDkG/s1600/Fluff+and+Fold+just+like+Mom%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Remove dry clothes immediately after the dryer stops and drape each garment neatly over the edge of the cart. Hang trousers and button-down shirts, and fold the rest uniformly. Fold each item into a square to make it easy to stack into bundles later for a nice presentation. Stack the folded items into neat bundles, with like items together and larger items on the bottom.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">6)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Wrap each bundle with clear plastic or brown wrapping paper, both available in rolls, and tape shut securely. Arrange hanging with like items together and face each item the same way. Use a twist tie to secure the hangers, tied loosely enough to prevent clothes from wrinkling. Cover hangers with a plastic “dry cleaning” type of bag. Mark all items with the customer’s name and ticket number. Put folded bundles back in customer’s hamper.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">7)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Keep entire order together until it is picked up.</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">8)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Keep a notebook in numerical ticket order and note the ticket number, customer name, date dropped off, dollar amount of the order, and date picked up. This book helps you track your weekly drop off sales easily. If a customer arrives without a ticket and wants to pick up their order, have them sign this book. Then if someone else, a spouse etc., brings in their ticket later, you can show that the clothes were picked up, by whom, and on what date.</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Save your ticket books and original tickets, banded together by week. Also save each notebook as it is finished. They will be valuable in the future when you sell your Laundromat and the buyer asks for proof of your drop off sales.</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZxqyT6xVeAIKFdLKqXKzjsVKFp1UCUSMw8Uu6FwOZIOGWmWl70HPkFqUEA9SVZNfNOtvIWR157rEb-0NsW52191ijsq3RzKqAewCX2EKVgvZu7H4fCZHeUCurbcz9VUvkVLZz0sYfDkG/s1600/Fluff+and+Fold+just+like+Mom%2527s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZxqyT6xVeAIKFdLKqXKzjsVKFp1UCUSMw8Uu6FwOZIOGWmWl70HPkFqUEA9SVZNfNOtvIWR157rEb-0NsW52191ijsq3RzKqAewCX2EKVgvZu7H4fCZHeUCurbcz9VUvkVLZz0sYfDkG/s1600/Fluff+and+Fold+just+like+Mom%2527s.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That’s the Juanita system, now see if it works for you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I’ll check with Juanita now and then to see how her business grows. I hope it goes well for her because she has nothing else in her life going for her, no looks, no sex appeal. . ;) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> –The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-73907017860403031132011-07-03T22:27:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:21:17.072-07:00Water Backing Up In Your Drains - Maybe You Need A Professional Drain Cleaning<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sofia is another friend of mine whose boyfriend works for a drain cleaning company. She tells me that her boyfriend works on drain problems in Laundromats all the time. The major problem is that people don't realize that soap and lint form a very good material for clogging your drains.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpDa-wdp4GQVlz8UPkV9KXwlgmPGKKwLAbEH5BgnUIYGVMHv3DXRYndFBKoTyrujkhYVQ5Ov47V8-5o_k-wwCMlE2xHnPY1NEZGzDJQo-Qq-Dqka0rcInJe9csBTm1lU5N09AH2gLXvRm/s1600/Sofia+crazy+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpDa-wdp4GQVlz8UPkV9KXwlgmPGKKwLAbEH5BgnUIYGVMHv3DXRYndFBKoTyrujkhYVQ5Ov47V8-5o_k-wwCMlE2xHnPY1NEZGzDJQo-Qq-Dqka0rcInJe9csBTm1lU5N09AH2gLXvRm/s1600/Sofia+crazy+face.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Does Sophia think lint is cotton candy?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some Laundromats need to have their pipes cleaned every six months, though some pipes last ten years or more without being serviced. The better the construction when the pipes were put in, the longer the times between your need to hire Sofia's boyfriend. If the pipes have a bigger drop (slope of the drain) and tie directly into the main sewer lines, they have fewer problems. Plastic pipes also tends to clog less than cast iron pipes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you have a Chinese restaurant in your shopping center and your drain connects to the restaurant before the line gets to the main sewer, you likely have a lot of problems. The grease, the soap, and the lint can cause lots of problems.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another thing that can cause problems in Laundromats that have been around for a while (especially those with trees in the shopping center) is that roots can that grow into the drain lines. The roots combine with the soap, lint, and oil from clothes and cause dams or blockages to be created in the lines. On slow days, the water flows over the dams and you don't have a problem, but on busy days, the flow of water is so great that the water backs up into your store and sometimes your toilet.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oNoSLgk4IKF8Ov0mcZwgLeus2sZPB5OWNk7vG3Tmb30c2END3ma5MU6TTGvslwctKxd7FuRTqg1Kl54d20LvSkbibGUh7APl94wXzDCc52d-p9Y_52JiDN0ulsx-BkVHM8GVLwMzZG68/s1600/%257Edrain+cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oNoSLgk4IKF8Ov0mcZwgLeus2sZPB5OWNk7vG3Tmb30c2END3ma5MU6TTGvslwctKxd7FuRTqg1Kl54d20LvSkbibGUh7APl94wXzDCc52d-p9Y_52JiDN0ulsx-BkVHM8GVLwMzZG68/s1600/%257Edrain+cleaning.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, how often should you have the drains in your Laundromats cleaned? </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sophia suggests every year for every Laundromat, but I think she just wants to get her boyfriend more work. I think a reasonable time would be every three years, unless you have a problem sooner. Be sure and have the standpipes cleaned as well as the main line. Also tell the technician you want the lines cleaned all the way to the main sewer line. Some drain technicians will stop right after they hit the first snag. You want them to clean all the way to the main sewer. After they clean the lines, they can give you a report and you can decide if you can lengthen or shorten the times between drain cleaning.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the drain technician leaves, turn on a bunch of washers to ensure that any debris left behind in the cleaning process is flushed into the main sewer and doesn't remain to harden in your sewer line. That's what I know about sewer lines, and just to let you know, Sophia sneezed for twenty minutes after getting some of the lint in her nose while taking the above picture. :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-27579063793111698922011-07-03T20:18:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:19:48.138-07:00Is Your Tankless Heater Banging, Clogging & Giving You Grief?<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy9VZraDvbCypsQxx03tlXbkS4g_gWv5tK76aE-kCIkONYFRskZ_su7sxUUw7PshAeoA-TSwXElLGmttW0EzZKdEvPFDclZwWMptdI2rMhhsu970p_J_zGuB54DWkwH7zudRaLjkceDI5/s1600/Alejandra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy9VZraDvbCypsQxx03tlXbkS4g_gWv5tK76aE-kCIkONYFRskZ_su7sxUUw7PshAeoA-TSwXElLGmttW0EzZKdEvPFDclZwWMptdI2rMhhsu970p_J_zGuB54DWkwH7zudRaLjkceDI5/s1600/Alejandra.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Alejandra can get you hot (water, that is)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">If there’s one thing I see a lot of in my job working with a well-known Laundromat distributor, it's people who have a tankless water heater installed by someone who doesn’t know what they're doing and end up with troubles, troubles, troubles. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">My girl friend Alejandra is married to a man who owns three Laundromats. Wait... I guess he owns 1 ½ and she owns 1 ½ of the Laundromats, but that’s another issue for another day. See, we always think of Laundromat ownership as an issue of "it's a man's world." A tip of the hat to James Brown here is appropriate.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, he (or they) installed tankless heaters in one store, but the heaters were quickly clogged up by lime buildup. Within three months of installation, the heaters started to bang and failed to deliver enough hot water for the washers. Of course no one could figure out the problem, but I asked my senior associate (AKA "the Boss") and he told me about pre-filters to catch the lime before it gets into your system. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The screens behind Alejandra's washers were also clogged with what looked like dirt or grains of sand. The screens would clog up so quickly that poor Alejandra’s husband was cleaning the screens every two to three weeks. Being a smart Hispanic woman, my friend found the solution was in a pre-filter. I hate that she thinks she looks like Julia Roberts. I hope she gets a pimple on her nose just before the next big family gathering.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, Alejandra was good enough to bring me a picture to show you what the pre-filters look like installed in her heating system. Now she doesn’t have the problem, but she is considering installing one of the new Ozone injection systems in her other two Laundromats. The Ozone heaters will not only save a bundle of money in operating expenses, but give a large advantage over competitors both in other Laundromats and apartment washers by Sanitizing the water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, if your current tankless water heater is banging and just not putting out, check out a pre-filter for your system. The Latina Laundromat Advisor loves to help you solve your problems!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's what a pre-filter system looks like:</span> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0YHp4pS648LtXguFM_F4b_TE5bMGBdq-RHx6VSoWVy4K_fstyIT6i5GTyqBHyihDaScVAOKU3JJlZT3kPUJHwC__bQe2e7ZE1LRImucOidpy-m2lUErTnSiIO0f66drDCHL6wFftNnA4/s1600/%257EWaterHeaterFilter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0YHp4pS648LtXguFM_F4b_TE5bMGBdq-RHx6VSoWVy4K_fstyIT6i5GTyqBHyihDaScVAOKU3JJlZT3kPUJHwC__bQe2e7ZE1LRImucOidpy-m2lUErTnSiIO0f66drDCHL6wFftNnA4/s400/%257EWaterHeaterFilter.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><br />
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</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-63852116117891902862011-07-03T08:47:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:18:12.810-07:00Laundromat Grand Opening Parties and Promotions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The best way to promote your Laundromat is through “word of mouth” advertising. This means you do something special - or unique enough - that your customers tell their friends and neighbors. One of the things Hispanics love, and I’m sure everyone else does, is a party. I’ve arranged and promoted a lot of Laundromat grand opening parties and have gotten pretty darn good at it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBbDvkBijrJMOb6SRM_NcBbb2FDKt5KsBUBkcSrCFpLms9A7S9AJm4Zmaw8-YVyRA5Z4NxYAadZm_rMPF7NDDsnTiU1OOLy8zgD-oah9u8ZuTjMZMbMz3tFgpV_SgwD5afMSXs_DunIaN/s1600/Girl+with+ribbon+gift+sign.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBbDvkBijrJMOb6SRM_NcBbb2FDKt5KsBUBkcSrCFpLms9A7S9AJm4Zmaw8-YVyRA5Z4NxYAadZm_rMPF7NDDsnTiU1OOLy8zgD-oah9u8ZuTjMZMbMz3tFgpV_SgwD5afMSXs_DunIaN/s320/Girl+with+ribbon+gift+sign.bmp" width="154" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marcie or a bicycle? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was telling my friend Marcie about one aspect of my grand opening Laundromat promotion that includes the giving away of gifts through a drawing held throughout the day. I have balloons, candy, tacos, soda (regular Coke only for Hispanics, no Diet Coke please) and a variety of small gifts and toys. I also usually provide one special Grand Prize, something like a child’s bicycle as the prize of the day.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Everyone who registers gets a number and the numbers are called out during the day. The numbers are put up on a chalk board and people have three hours to come in and claim their prize. Marcie asked me how many gifts I was giving away at one grand opening I was running and I said there were 120 gifts. Marcie loves to be the center of attention so on the day of the grand opening she shows up at the party wearing a bow in her hair and claiming she would be one of the gifts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She introduced herself to the two girls I had at the reception sign in desk, the clown, the face painting ladies, the balloon man, the taco cook and every customer that showed up that she was going to be the grand prize. Imagine her surprise when the man who won the prize looked at her and the new bicycle for his child and choose the bicycle. Marcie just doesn’t understand Hispanics. J</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-66384498910846311882011-06-30T16:05:00.000-07:002013-07-10T19:44:58.501-07:00Card or Coin Laundromat Introduction and Advice From The Laundromat Advisor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y9cweHjiwRbcUUxJ4zpfLH_rjh8naXvfBV3g2CaF2vLvgmmbIFot-rJcViCW6Y6_cXiQsP5qe6CwzgbAi3zrGPiHGCMS0miIP45Yrtd5y3rl0dJ93j0b5-8wRzAXEDzBhtAlqR4nXkiX/s1600/laundromat+blog+heading77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y9cweHjiwRbcUUxJ4zpfLH_rjh8naXvfBV3g2CaF2vLvgmmbIFot-rJcViCW6Y6_cXiQsP5qe6CwzgbAi3zrGPiHGCMS0miIP45Yrtd5y3rl0dJ93j0b5-8wRzAXEDzBhtAlqR4nXkiX/s640/laundromat+blog+heading77.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Laundromat owner who regularly visits this blog will experience a professional view of Laundromat issues provided from the Latina perspective. I not only have used Laundromats, I am a single mother from a mixed relationship who works for a highly successful Laundromat builder and owner recognized as an expert in the industry. I have a great number of friends who will share with me their experience and insight and if you’re interested in expanding your profits you should regularly look at this blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I expect that every owner of a Laundromat who has a customer base that counts on attracting a percentage of their business from the minority community should benefit from my viewpoints. This blog will offer hard, intelligent comments on business developments with a little "salsa" flavor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Even thought the Laundromat or Coin Laundry business has been around since the end of World War II (with the current number of stores estimated from several sources as between 40,000 to 50,000 locations) it has only been in recent years that the Latina influence has really been felt. Until now the attitude has been that concessions to the Latina mindset was not necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Laundromat industry is primarily used by lower income and minority females and owned by upper income white or Asian males. Because the cost of ownership and construction of new Laundromats has increased, there exists a gap that is both economic and ethnic in nature and one reason for the creation of this Blog is to provide an opportunity for creating a space where understanding can bridge this gap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I look forward to sharing with you in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-4368499858650231682011-06-30T15:42:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:16:39.045-07:00Laundromat Decorations That Appeal To Your Women Customers Is Smart Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WngWPyAfuMK3Jibaq5Eo8CnYU5aQAItfGzk_ZKTS6rqjSTkJ6TbK-VOyPhRw6zRPSaLQe33RpWxQzKFze-9v7UwF7-Nv2tYF2XKogAPRkP0ZV6eYk8DVPbmyR1Zq3PD58BaOFFGTiBWU/s1600/Girl+and+floral.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WngWPyAfuMK3Jibaq5Eo8CnYU5aQAItfGzk_ZKTS6rqjSTkJ6TbK-VOyPhRw6zRPSaLQe33RpWxQzKFze-9v7UwF7-Nv2tYF2XKogAPRkP0ZV6eYk8DVPbmyR1Zq3PD58BaOFFGTiBWU/s400/Girl+and+floral.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Maria is an interior designer and my friend. She was telling me about a Laundromat she had been in a while back went visiting northern California. She said the owner had put a wallpaper (not really a wallpaper, but a wallpaper scene, but I can't remember what she called it) on the walls that made the whole Laundromat feel warm and friendly.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She showed me a picture of her taken in the Laundromat and I understand what she is saying. Most Laundromat could use a good dose of feminine charm! Maybe owners should take along their wives or girlfriends (only if they don't have a wife, I mean) to their Laundromats to see how they could make their facility more appealing to women. Women are the majority users of Laundromats while Men are the vast majority of operators.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-48253058508897490492011-06-30T15:21:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:15:46.059-07:00Water Heater Sizing Considerations - Bigger Is Not Always Better When You Replace<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict55B5FinsdTemJFsXgVmkJESG7fvWug3ETqRuTRfLI2x_pIX0CH3A_uH4CfmxxKYqoVraz-3YIXPyCO5xIIMgoFCDdH8XjAaF2rkMr0CvQJZTJmJ8x-dnL9v1XeyBdQ3Vwyh5mB2Gx8S/s1600/DARK+HAIRED+GIRL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict55B5FinsdTemJFsXgVmkJESG7fvWug3ETqRuTRfLI2x_pIX0CH3A_uH4CfmxxKYqoVraz-3YIXPyCO5xIIMgoFCDdH8XjAaF2rkMr0CvQJZTJmJ8x-dnL9v1XeyBdQ3Vwyh5mB2Gx8S/s200/DARK+HAIRED+GIRL.jpg" width="164" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lizbette the know-it-al</span>l</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My friend Lizbette works as an inspector in Los Angeles and is always trying to prove that she knows more about anything and everything than I do.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She knows I work in the Laundromat business so one day she said "I bet you don't know that most Laundromats I've seen violate the Uniform Building Code." Nonsense was my first thought, but I said politely "OK, prove it Miss KnowItAll!"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She got out her Code books and after very little searching she did prove it and I realized that those people who replace their water heaters should be aware of the building code before making a mistake.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sometimes I would just like to see her break a fingernail, bend an earring or answer the doorbell before she's put on her makeup.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt 0in; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Special Hazards<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sec. 708. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Chimneys and heating apparatus shall conform to the requirements of Chapter- 37 of this code and the Mechanical Code. Storage of Class I liquids shall not be allowed in Group B, Divisions 1, 2 and 3 Occupancies and the handling and use of gasoline, fuel oil and other Glass I, II, or III-A liquids shall not be permitted in any Group B Occupancy unless such use and handling comply with the Fire Code. Devices generating a glow or flame capable of igniting gasoline vapor shall not be installed or used within 18 inches of the floor in any room in which Class I flammable liquids or gas are used or stored. Every room containing a boiler, central heating plant or hot-water supply boiler shall be separated from the rest of the building by not less than a one-hour fire resistive occupancy separation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">EXCEPTlON:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Boilers, central heating plants or hot-water supply boilers where the largest piece of fuel equipment does not exceed 400,000 Btu per hour input. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 1pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Buildings erected or converted to house high-piled combustible stock shall comply with the Fire Code. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-62228324429166148152011-06-27T23:48:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:14:51.538-07:00Making Your Laundromat More Comfortable With Stools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWJ7anNN7u1Lk_S88eeb9xrmsp3opd6oROTn5kozHh1MJG0EisryL_HNTd9XsR5LGngrwb4uxHfaPOnA4Zo691-xculYFQh_gktDh5OLgygwcO08x4MBcBctalheR0-jNl-9l2qhr7Uc_/s1600/girl+and+a+stool.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWJ7anNN7u1Lk_S88eeb9xrmsp3opd6oROTn5kozHh1MJG0EisryL_HNTd9XsR5LGngrwb4uxHfaPOnA4Zo691-xculYFQh_gktDh5OLgygwcO08x4MBcBctalheR0-jNl-9l2qhr7Uc_/s1600/girl+and+a+stool.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWJ7anNN7u1Lk_S88eeb9xrmsp3opd6oROTn5kozHh1MJG0EisryL_HNTd9XsR5LGngrwb4uxHfaPOnA4Zo691-xculYFQh_gktDh5OLgygwcO08x4MBcBctalheR0-jNl-9l2qhr7Uc_/s320/girl+and+a+stool.bmp" width="203" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was visiting my friend Jenny the other day and she was showing me her latest purchase of black leather bar stools for the bar area of her home. I hopped up on one and quickly realized how comfortable if was and how nice it would be to have a comfortable stool to sit on while folding my clothes in a Laundromat. I think of crAZy things like this all the time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I asked my boss if anyone sold stools for Laundromats and he told me they were sold by a few companies, but not many had been installed in southern California. Sol-O-Matic (or Caco) makes stools, and some people also buy regular commercial stools from a bar or nightclub supply vendor.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You want to make sure that the stools are rated for use in a commerical location and that they're either mounted to the floor or not so attractive that someone will want to steal them. Being fully attended does discourage theft, of course, but not many Laundromat owners in my neighborhood fully attend their Laundromats.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Getting back to stools. I guess the squishy seat was nice, but I'd be worried it could be vandalized or cut, so I'd go with a fiberglass seat like Sol-O-Matic sells or something that was very, very, very durable. Put in some of these stools and you might see Jenny folding her clothes very soon. :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-9260482841683124632011-05-28T16:56:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:14:00.884-07:00Make Money Owning A Laundromat Or Coin Laundry<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">My girlfriend Clarisa (who I think has the best smile in the world!) were talking business things while we were having our nails done. (She had her toenails done too. . . ) Of course, we had finished talking about our families and the men in our lives, so we decided to prove that being a girl and a latina didn't mean we we couldn't discuss serious things. I work for a Laundromat distributor, so I picked them to talk about and this is what we came up with. Laundromats, quite simply, offer a place for patrons to do their wash. A few washers, a few driers, a folding table or two and you're set, right? Not really. To run a profitable laundromat, there are several factors to consider, such as location, energy efficiency, the quality of equipment used, vending, services offered and more. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the plus side of the business, coin laundries are fairly recession-proof enterprises. No matter what the stock market does, how high unemployment rises or how rocky the economy gets, people will still need to wash and dry their clothes.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngH9EO73Q5oZMVHaCKy8wsgeuC1irhpOPNMZwgFMsJ3C5GRCl4A7RJr4R5pmFXBda6sVC1jYvGDzSELi6ce5McFovnQYS-Dn5gXqdMhN4FS5MqzicfXp2E0dFF71XYRCBXTiS4nupJOWU/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngH9EO73Q5oZMVHaCKy8wsgeuC1irhpOPNMZwgFMsJ3C5GRCl4A7RJr4R5pmFXBda6sVC1jYvGDzSELi6ce5McFovnQYS-Dn5gXqdMhN4FS5MqzicfXp2E0dFF71XYRCBXTiS4nupJOWU/s200/8.jpg" width="164" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Clarisa wants a Laundromat</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's also a business which requires very few employees to run, which cuts down on expenses. On the flip side, however, according to the Coin Laundry Association, the cost of running a laundromat ranges from 65% to 115% of the money coming in. So choosing your location, equipment and services offered carefully is important for turning a good profit.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the most important aspects of the laundromat business is location. Patrons who use them tend to be young and single or young families often apartment dwellers or college students without decent laundry facilities at home.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since most people look for a spot close to home to do their weekly or bi-weekly wash, choosing a location near several apartment complexes or a university is a good idea. The location should also offer ample parking for the convenience of the patrons.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The quality and energy efficiency of the laundry equipment you choose is also an important part of the business. People soon learn which facilities keep their equipment in good working order and which ones don't.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many newer commercial washing machines and driers offer heightened energy efficiency over older models as well, keeping your patrons happy and your energy costs low. These machines also offer various payment options, such as coin or reusable payment card operation.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you want to take on extra staff, full-service laundry and folding services are also a great way to attract extra business. For an extra fee, busy patrons can just drop off their laundry and pick it up later. One important thing to remember, no matter what your business plan, is that the laundromat business is much like the restaurant business. People are not merely washing their clothes; they're spending a lot of time there on a regular basis. If you make the experience pleasant, they'll return. If not, they'll go elsewhere, just like with a bar, restaurant or cafe.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">A well run laundromat can be a great business venture to get into. It offers steady income, loyal clientele and very little staff to run. In the spirit of honesty, Clarisa and I only spent about ten minutes on the subject (maybe a little less) but we talk fast and had lots of other important things to talk about, especially the sales on clothes at. . . :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-54786177375308775272011-05-28T16:49:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:12:48.896-07:00Laundromat Soap Products Loved By Your Hispanic Customers<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you own a Laundromat with a large customer base of Hispanic customers you will see the plastic bags of soap powder coming into your store. The brand is ARIEL and is a high sudsing product of Proctor and Gamble. I'm told it is actually an old formula of Tide with an extra dose of fragrance.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh1N6MW-tPfaOK8UqRteYJGC4Yh0B1vL-gj_0bQIn3PZ8lTi1xBILwoDLjRiyTcDTNIfyMN-zdjVomp8pLdtu1DDG3MeEZ4MNYRXXihSQTBT3S1ERPFDV5Q8KcGztJJv_ZMa2puDewlC0/s1600/girl+%2526+clothers+B%2526W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfh1N6MW-tPfaOK8UqRteYJGC4Yh0B1vL-gj_0bQIn3PZ8lTi1xBILwoDLjRiyTcDTNIfyMN-zdjVomp8pLdtu1DDG3MeEZ4MNYRXXihSQTBT3S1ERPFDV5Q8KcGztJJv_ZMa2puDewlC0/s320/girl+%2526+clothers+B%2526W.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ariela - seen with her laundry - loves Ariel for the smell</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ariel creates a lot of suds and was designed to overcome Mexican hard water and the joy we Latinas receive from looking at the bubbly white foam. It just smells and looks clean! My girlfriend Ariela absolutely loves the smell, and with three children and a husband in construction, her household produces a lot of dirty laundry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Attempting to convert your customers to a low suds detergent, designed in response to front load washers whipping soaps in to clogging gobs of foam, is going to be difficult. Remember, I was raised to believe that a little extra soap helped make the clothes a little cleaner.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I know better by education, but I still find it hard to stop putting in an little extra soap whenever I have a badly soiled load of clothes. As a Laundromat owner, I suggest you keep a gallon of Downey (50% water and 50% Downey) in a convenient location. Pouring this into the soap dispenser will knock down the suds quickly before they back up and go all over your floors.<br />
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If you really wanted to get my Hispanic family to try a low suds variety of detergent, you'd have to give it away. Well, now there's an idea, isn't it? If you have a problem with "over soaping and sudsing" in your Laundromat, buy a five gallon tub of inexpensive lower suds soap powder from Costco, or Smart and Final, and give it away for free.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Speaking of free, how about the Laundromat owner who wrote signs in Spanish offering "free dry" and provided a box of clothes pins and coils of rope available for those wanted their "free dry." Part of me says funny, most of me says not so funny. The store owner and Ariela thought it was funny.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-77818550542291594402011-05-28T16:30:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:11:43.500-07:00Mold Problems In Some Front Load Washers<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A popular washer brand used in Laundromats is Maytag. Another big name is Whirlpool. Not long ago Maytag and Whirlpool (Maytag is now owned by Whirlpool) started making a new model front load washer based on the Whirlpool Duet, Duet Sport or Duet HT for use in Laundromats and Coin Laundries.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My girlfriend Marisol<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>says a class action lawsuit was filed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In April 2009 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">against Whirpool for their Duet based washers. It is named the "In re: Whirlpool Corp. Front-Loading Washer Products Liability Litigation." She works as an attorney in a large Los Angeles law firm and is always telling me things that she reads that relate to Laundromat issues.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUxJklVd4g2_vbG7c0SKl9EsxVku9gtrWeCwEKFAz3gIPcVIDc16P0FGf6WTKu_DSPYyM5E87yjnDYrgViHMecQGdAp5j1Vi5gwfTS6n0uHqm-zOr6HoSlLrgSkfGYCVBti_GlmoL8BZE/s1600/Small_GirlForWebsite.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUxJklVd4g2_vbG7c0SKl9EsxVku9gtrWeCwEKFAz3gIPcVIDc16P0FGf6WTKu_DSPYyM5E87yjnDYrgViHMecQGdAp5j1Vi5gwfTS6n0uHqm-zOr6HoSlLrgSkfGYCVBti_GlmoL8BZE/s1600/Small_GirlForWebsite.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Marisol the lawyer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The lawsuit charges that their Duet based front loading washers are defectively designed, and that "the design defects create foul moldy and mildew odors that permeate the washing machines and are unusable in the manner, to the extent to, and for the purpose for which the Whirlpool washing machines were advertised, marketed, and sold." In California the lawsuit cites California Civil Code § 1791(a).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm not sure the problem is a continuing design problem (remember the lawsuits about the Maytag Neptune line of washers) or an unavoidable aspect of front load washers. This will be left up to the attorneys and the judge and jury to decide. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Maytag makes such great washers I just can't believe there is anything that Maytag or Whirlpool would build and sell that would not be a great product. I'm sure that they'll discover a solution even if it's found they did have an initial problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm sure Maytag/Whirpool will stand behind their wahsers. Marisol told me to add the below disclaimer and never to never blog about anything that isn't true or just my opinion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In the meantime, you should always leave the lids up on your top load washers and the doors of all your front load washers open when not in use - especially at night. This allows the inside of the washer to dry and provides a secondary benefit of allowing the rubber gasket (prevents water from leaking) to "rest" and expand during the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">You may have to work with your cleaning staff to have them leave the washer doors open because most attendants (and owners) think the Laundromat looks better when the washer doors are closed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> -The Latina Laudromat Advisor</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Whirlpool Duet," "Whirlpool Duet Sport," and "Whirlpool Duet HT" are registered trademarks of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Whirlpool</city>, <country-region w:st="on">USA</country-region></place>. Any use of trademarks are for informational and product identification purposes only.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-55332263447339945522011-05-28T15:54:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:10:57.356-07:00Laundromat Owners Need Certain Insurance Coverages To Satisfy Lease Provisions<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8gtR4nxfva1lhKas195jC3d30PHa_4fAhrMevwvmOzkf99SYGmDEExz_IRlNwsgdeAofVTx15-RA3zEjicGE_lP9lhF4OLju2KLxT2L4VponodtoUHLO7OExqyLvlibewyynUd5H6se-/s1600/Allyce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8gtR4nxfva1lhKas195jC3d30PHa_4fAhrMevwvmOzkf99SYGmDEExz_IRlNwsgdeAofVTx15-RA3zEjicGE_lP9lhF4OLju2KLxT2L4VponodtoUHLO7OExqyLvlibewyynUd5H6se-/s1600/Allyce.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Florita knows lease provisions</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Two often overlooked items are detailed below. Begin a review of your insurance by reading your lease and the lease requirements for insurance coverage. My friend Florita knows a lot about insurance and lease provisions. I got this picture of her during one of her "I know more than you do" sessions at a family party, but let's review what she told me about Laundromat insurance items that are often overlooked.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">First, the lease can require a minimum rating for the insurance company or a minimum financial strength. There are lots of items you can reduce but Landlord required insurance coverage is not one of them.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">Second, insure you have parking lot insurance. Although you may not own the parking lot, you will still be named in any lawsuit where someone gets hurt on broken pavement or trips on a laundry cart and tumbles to the ground. You should protect your customers and this includes the pavement, lighting and monitoring of other dangers in your parking areas. <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">Remember to protect yourself by sending a certified letter to your Landlord asking they fix the problems including pavement repairs or exterior lights. Use common sense and ask for police help when you see any type of danger inside your Laundromat or parking area and follow up with a written notification to your Landlord.<br />
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Florita is not only intelligent and pretty, she has a great sense of humor. Except for biting her nails when she's stressed out, I don't see why she still hasn't found the right man. I personally believe it's because she is holding out to meet a man who owns a Laundromat. :)<br />
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-The Latina Laundromat Advisor</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-84099644918103787832011-05-14T00:53:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:08:55.367-07:00Free Dry In Your Laundromat: Does It Really Work?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm often asked if offering free dry is a good idea in a Laundromat; does it really draw in customers. As a woman I can tell you that "FREE" carries a lot of weight. The short and simple answer is that Free Dry Laundromats do increase volume and attract attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My buddy Mercedes is a perfect example of someone who loves Free Dry. In fact, she loves anything that she can get for free. She'll ask me to ride with her to Newport Beach to a free sandwich with the purchase of one of equal value. Free has a huge impact on women (maybe men as well, but I can only verify it impacts women plenty) Discount, Free, Special are three of my favorite words. Free is best!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">One study conducted some years ago involved three similar Laundromat locations. One was priced 50 cent wash and 50 cent dry. A second was 75 cent wash and 25 cent dry. The third was $1.00 and free dry. The volume in the free dry store increased tremendously. Free dry in Laundromats works.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Additional benefits include: a much quicker collection process, since the dryers to not have to be collected. An ability for your Laundromat customer to determine their final cost in using your Laundromat to wash their clothes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The downside problems of free dry in a typical Laundromat increase utility expenses, people who only dry and do not wash in your Laundromat and finally people seldom report when the dryers fail to heat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The new line of very high speed washers sold by Wascomat, Electrolux and Continental Girbau allow the reintroduction of the free dry concept to Laundromats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Hispanic belief is that a germicidal benefit is achieved when clothes are put out in the sun to dry. In fact, this is actually scientifically true. Any remaining bacteria is killed by the rays of the sun. This is the ultimate "free dry" but a clothes lines and clothes pins are unlikely to attract much happiness if you promote "free dry" in your Laundromat by offering a clothes line out the back door. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hope this attracts some comments from others who have benefited or fail to benefit from the "free dry" Laundromat concept.</span></span></div><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">-The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RkKXKx-XsYAK1tzy8WwcbEX2Z295r8zd8vjDXabwiriUiUw-c6KZjktsY1stcVHRkLqdgPQ5WazHpUqRitMhi-ZceE1Ud4ihgExxjkSiJn7Wyg0NfVm_tekmMC1H6TaOoRsqkAMMw3N5/s1600/Latina+hanging+laundry.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RkKXKx-XsYAK1tzy8WwcbEX2Z295r8zd8vjDXabwiriUiUw-c6KZjktsY1stcVHRkLqdgPQ5WazHpUqRitMhi-ZceE1Ud4ihgExxjkSiJn7Wyg0NfVm_tekmMC1H6TaOoRsqkAMMw3N5/s320/Latina+hanging+laundry.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mercedes loves FREE anthing including sunshine :)</span></td></tr>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056076764805541635.post-26941872729525262322011-05-04T00:31:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:07:20.708-07:00Relief Available From Contaminated Laundromat Washer Water: Ozone Sanitizing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I discovered a solution for contaminated water at the 2011 Clean Show in Las Vegas. My fellow worker Liz and I searched the convention center for new ideas. The one idea that made the biggest impression on me was the exhibition of a water heater company named Hamilton Engineering. It was marketing an Ozone injected system that sanitizes the water used in a Laundromat. This means no more dirty water, and you no longer have to wash your baby's blanket in someone else's dirty water. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZZ1938tKRderrghyphenhyphenKk8Ddo7AoE3o8FK6TcLubcxL1A_qz7sEfOozF14L24ESnfnmgAqXaWsQWjZJPmxIbg43EhjgzyNTm4XL5at4CqBUiT9c2QDxPOQCK1_VGTN1c5KUa02rKo8_gtdw/s1600/Girl+in+Nighty_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZZ1938tKRderrghyphenhyphenKk8Ddo7AoE3o8FK6TcLubcxL1A_qz7sEfOozF14L24ESnfnmgAqXaWsQWjZJPmxIbg43EhjgzyNTm4XL5at4CqBUiT9c2QDxPOQCK1_VGTN1c5KUa02rKo8_gtdw/s200/Girl+in+Nighty_small.jpg" width="98" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Xandy wants Ozone washing. . .</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">My girlfriend in the picture is Xandy, and she loves to wear frilly nighties. She swears she wears these items because they're comfortable, but I don't believe her. I have a few private items and I know why I wear them and it's not to be comfortable. Here's a picture I snapped at our last pajama party, now tell me if you think it looks comfortable. It just made me want to go to the gym the next day. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anyway, I was telling her about the article I read - that 50% of home washers are contaiminated with fecal matter. Disgusting! And that percentage must be much higher in Laundromats.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The dirty secret of the Laundromat industry is that the leftover water in washers means that the next user is really washing their clothes in someone else's dirty water. Iccchhhh!!!!! (Did I spell that correctly?) Little germs, infections, dirty underwear residue, dirty diapers, bacteria and who knows what else are pooling around your clothes when you use a washer after a stranger has washed their own "dirty laundry."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This product has been around for years, and is currently used by nursing homes, hospitals, and even prison systems. Infections, colds, and bacterial infections are common in these places and the expensive systems used were not affordable to an individual Laundromat owner. Now they are; even Xandy is looking for a store that has installed the new system. What a competitive advanatage over the other Laundromats in your area. See... and you thought I might not have anything good to share with you? ;)</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> -The Latina Laundromat Advisor</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0