Doing laundry for your family is daunting enough. Imagine how much of a chore it can be for college athletic departments. Uniforms have to look and smell clean every time a team steps on the field. There are also the towels and linens used in training and games that need to be cleaned too. So how can an athletic operation make sure that every load is done correctly?
One of the best ways to keep the tasks afloat is by using high-quality machinery. And also by following these five tips.
1) Pre-Wash Care For Uniforms
When it comes to washing sports clothes, there are plenty of factors that can dirty the uniforms. For this reason, it's important to immediately disinfect the clothes rather than keep them in piles for long periods of time. Also, sports uniforms are constructed of special materials that might not be able to be overdried or bleached. Making sure uniforms are handled correctly before being washed can help ensure that they come out as clean as possible.
2) Strive For Immediate Wash
To help control dirt settling into the fibers, uniforms and towels should be washed as soon as possible after being pre-treated. Read the labels to wash at the appropriate temperatures and be sure to separate clothes so colors don't run onto other pieces of the uniform that are lighter. Getting the uniforms in the laundry quickly can help keep stains from setting and get bacteria out, which can cause odors.
3) Use Programmable Machines
One way to make cleaning college uniforms easier is to use programmable commercial washers and dryers. Programming things such as water temperature, water levels, chemical injection, and drying times will allow the athletics operation team to put uniforms in and work on other tasks while the machines do all the work.
4) Keep Machine Maintained
For the colleges looking forward to streamlining their laundry operations, keeping the machine maintained and in working condition must be a priority. This will help you keep things moving without piling uniforms up and leaving things untidy. Having washers and dryers that are down can lead to a loss of capacity, strain on the system, and uniforms that aren't getting cleaned correctly. To avoid this, keep up the maintenance on the machines and get repair services completed from a reputable source as soon as you see an issue.
5) Wash & Dry At the Right Temperature
Cleaning uniforms at the wrong temperature can ruin the clothing and damage the cloth. While you want the water in the washer to be hot enough to kill bacteria, some materials can't be washed in hot water. Using products such as the WashOzone™ Laundry Washing System can help reduce water heating temperatures, use fewer amounts of water, and improve cleanliness. All of which help the uniforms and the college athletic operation.
Get a free laundry assessment from Garment Machinery, and we'll help you put an action plan together to optimize your college athletic laundry program.
