5 Ways to Encourage Laundry Customers to be More Sustainable
Sustainable laundry practices can help everyone, but if you run a commercial laundry business, a laundromat, or a multi-family property with laundry facilities, it is a good idea to find ways to anchorage your customers to be more environmentally conscious. We’ve compiled a list of ways to get your customers thinking about sustainable laundry.
Why sustainable laundry matters
The most obvious benefit of sustainable laundry practices is that they help the environment in both the short and long-term. The commercial laundry business is well documented as having a sizable impact on the environment, from water and energy usage to the potential for detergents to harm waterways and wildlife. As the National Parks Service explains, “when you consider that the average American family washes about 300 loads of laundry per year, the environmental impacts from water use, energy use, and hazardous chemicals really add up.” Multiply that by the number of families that use your laundry room, and it’s pretty clear that sustainable laundry practices are a good idea!
Below are a few tips you can use today to help your customers make more sustainable laundry choices!
Encourage the use of eco-friendly laundry detergent
For more sustainable laundry, your customers should use environmentally friendly laundry detergent. SFGate says:
Chemicals used in commercial laundries pose significant environmental hazards. According to the EPA, laundries use billions of pounds of chemical products each year. Laundry facilities release these chemicals into the environment through wastewater, which can dramatically affect ecosystems.
The good news is that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented the Safer Choice program, which can help consumers and businesses to choose more eco-friendly laundry detergents. Safer products are now more clearly labeled.
To help your customers select a more sustainable laundry detergent, you may wish to stock some at your facility or provide fliers that describe the Safer Choice program and labels.
Remind customers to wash full loads
Sustainable laundry also means reducing energy and water consumption. A great way to do both is to wash only full loads of laundry. As the US Department of Energy puts it, “Your washer will use about the same amount of energy no matter the size of the load, so fill it up.” A full washer means fewer loads, less detergent, and a more sustainable laundry room operation.
Consider a poster campaign or other methods to encourage customers to fill their washer!
Educate about timed drying settings
If your customers use the timed drying settings on your dryers, it can reduce energy consumption. Have your clients match their dryer settings to the loads they are drying (nylon dried faster than denim, for example). Not only does this make for more sustainable laundry, but it will also reduce waiting time for the customer and maximize the usage of your machines. It’s a win-win!
Start a Wash Cold campaign
One of the least sustainable laundry activities is heating water for a wash load. The US Department of Energy explains, “Using warm water instead of hot can cut a load's energy use in half, and using cold water will save even more. Cold water detergents can be helpful to ensure items get clean.” And no less than Harvard University has produced a study that proves that washing in cold water instead of hot is a great idea because:
It's just as effective as washing in hot for everyday loads
It helps your clothes last longer (hot wears them out)
It uses 1/10th of the energy needed to run a hot wash!
Not only does helping your customers use cold water help make their laundry more sustainable, but it will save you money on your utility bills! Harvard’s website even has a poster you could hang up to help your campaign!
Upgrade your equipment
Ok, we cheated, upgrading your equipment to more eco-friendly washing machines and dryers isn’t a way to encourage action from your customers–it’s a way you can make your laundry business more sustainable and eco-friendly on your own. As we’ve discussed in our blog before, upgrading equipment to newer models is one of the best ways to reduce your utility usage. “There are many options that are more energy-efficient than your current machines, saving you money every month. Many new commercial laundry machines are built to reduce water usage, and newer washers often extract more water than older ones, saving energy by reducing dry times.” Sustainable laundry doesn’t get any easier than that!
When you are ready for an upgrade, SelfOp Laundry is ready to help, check out our spec sheet here! We carry a full line of heavy-duty, but energy-efficient, commercial laundry equipment. Whether you run a commercial laundry business, a laundromat, or a multi-family property with laundry facilities, we have the equipment you need to give your upgrade the biggest impact. Contact us today to learn more about how you can make your laundry business more sustainable today!