Similar to operating a hotel shower, working some commercial laundry machines can be intimidating. Before diving into how each type of laundry machine works here’s a helpful checklist to consider before using any type of common commercial laundry machine.
- Check for left behind clothes or coins and return to a lost and found
- Wipe down the inside of the machine with a disinfectant wipe to kill any germs left behind
- Smell inside the drum for bleach – some people overuse bleach and you don’t want to find that out after your wash cycle
Before selecting a unique cycle option, Speed Queen, Electrolux, UniMac, Wascomat, UniMac, Maytag and Whirlpool machines operate using a standard set of payment controls:
- Card operated front-load washers and dryers
- Coin operated front-load washers and dryers
- Card operated top-load washers
- Card operated dryers
- Coin operated top-load washers
- Coin operated dryers
Operating these machines are simple. Follow the instructions for each machine type and you’ll have clean clothes in no time.
Card Operated Front-Load Washers and Dryers
- Toss clothes in the washer – make sure to not over pack the washer, instead loosely place clothes until the washer drum is between 75 and 80 percent full.
- Place detergent, fabric softener or bleach in the correct tray.
- Insert your credit or laundry card into the slot. You can fill your laundry card online or at a pay station in the laundry room. Select preferred wash cycle.
- After the wash remove clothes and place in the dryer.
- Clean the lint drawer.
- Insert your credit or laundry card into the slot. You can fill your laundry card online or at a pay station in the laundry room. Select preferred dryer time.
Coin Operated Front-Load Washers and Dryers
- Once you’ve sorted clothes toss the load into the washer until the drum is roughly 75 or 80 percent full.
- Fill the detergent, fabric softener or bleach trays with your preferred cleaning solution.
- Insert coins into the machine, choose the cycle and start the wash.
- Remove clothes and place loosely in the dryer.
- Remove all lint from the lint drawer.
- Insert coins, select dry time and start the dryer.
Card Operated Top-Load Washers
- Open the top of the washer and drop in detergent and fill washer drum about 75 to 80 percent with clothes – you can let the detergent and water mix while placing clothes in the machine.
- Insert BDS Laundry card or credit card.
- Select preferred wash cycle and press start.
- Always remember to clean the lint filter – not only is a dirty lint filter a fire hazard but it also clogs the airway to the dryer resulting in poor performance.
- Insert your credit card or laundry card – you can fill your LaundryEye card with money online or at a pay station in your laundry room.
- Select the dryer cycle and press the start button.
Coin Operated Top-Load Washers
- Open the washer lid and pour in detergent.
- Load the washing machine with clothes – roughly 75 to 80 percent full leaving enough room for the detergent to reach all of the clothes and space for the clothes to properly soak and spin.
- Insert coins, select your cycle and start the machine.
- The most important thing about operating a dryer is cleaning the lint filter before use. This is extremely important because a clogged lint filter is a fire hazard and negatively affects the performance of the machine.
- Insert coins into the machine.
- Select your preferred drying cycle and start the machine.
