Machine and plant maintenance tips might not be a hot topic, but both are an essential part of running your dry cleaning business. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Proper maintenance can save you money and downtime so let’s get to those maintenance tips!
I’ve tapped into the brainpower of our very own Kreussler Technical Sales Representatives (TSRs) for some best practices for machine and plant maintenance.
Please click on their name to connect with the TSRs on LinkedIn.
Check your pails for chemical amounts. Do this weekly.
Boiler maintenance is essential; if you have boiler issues, that means your entire plant is down. There should be a good boiler treatment process in place to de-scale and protect the life of your boiler. They should be opened at least once a year and inspected according to local, state, or county laws.
Follow the dry cleaning machine maintenance schedule like your business depends on it.
Add Peramon to still after you clean it every time.
Check the oil in your DC machine air filter/oiler on a consistent basis, at least once a month.
Richard Fitzpatrick, Vice President, Kreussler Inc.
Replace brushes and spatulas on the spotting board when they start to show signs of wear. There is no such thing as a lucky spatula; when it chips or breaks, throw it away and get a new one.
Clean the goop under the nose of the spotting board yearly. It’s messy under there.
There are so many maintenance concerns to think of, dry cleaning machine maintenance, cleaning of spin filters yearly, cleaning base tanks on multi solvent machines yearly, and preventing odor issues. The other thing that comes to mind is checking your plant for steam and air leaks throughout the plant. This could be a very expensive waste of money. The last thing that comes to mind is to make sure your plant is clean and has a fresh coat of paint on the walls in your call office.
Be sure to check your steam pressure; most dry cleaning machines require one pressure for drying and a different one for distillation. It is important that the pressure, gages, and reducing valves are working and set correctly for your machine and the solvent you are using.
Wash your foam lint filters once a week to keep good airflow and help prevent lint from reaching your heating coils. To expand on Dean’s suggestion, yes, the airline oiler is important, and also most have a water collector attached that should be drained daily to prevent moisture. The machine maintenance guide issued by the machine company should be followed.
Questions about machine maintenance tips, your dry cleaning plant, or current processes, please let us know, and one of our experienced Kreussler TSRs will be happy to provide you with more information.
