How to Use Commercial Laundry Machines

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

1. 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.
2. Place detergent, fabric softener or bleach in the correct tray.
3. 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.
4. After the wash remove clothes and place in the dryer.
5. Clean the lint drawer.
6. 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

1. Once you’ve sorted clothes toss the load into the washer until the drum is roughly 75 or 80 percent full.
2. Fill the detergent, fabric softener or bleach trays with your preferred cleaning solution.
3. Insert coins into the machine, choose the cycle and start the wash.
4. Remove clothes and place loosely in the dryer.
5. Remove all lint from the lint drawer.
6. Insert coins, select dry time and start the dryer.

Card Operated Top-Load Washers

1. 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.
2. Insert BDS Laundry card or credit card.
3. Select preferred wash cycle and press start.

Card Operated Dryers

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Select the dryer cycle and press the start button.

Coin Operated Top-Load Washers

1. Open the washer lid and pour in detergent.
2. 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.
3. Insert coins, select your cycle and start the machine.

Coin Operated Dryer

1. 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.
2. Insert coins into the machine.
3. Select your preferred drying cycle and start the machine.