Before investing in a lasting laundry solution, Partridge Animal Hospital, in St. Petersburg, Fla., battled constant washer and dryer breakdowns. “Laundry can get really soiled by bloody surgeries and sick patients losing it on both ends of the spectrum,” said Office Manager Kim Ewell. “There were laundry piles and stacks everywhere. Or, we’d get caught up with the wash, but the dryer couldn’t keep up so we had to hang stuff to dry.”
Seeking help, Ewell contacted Troy Piper of Industrial Laundry Services, a full-service commercial laundry equipment supplier in Orlando. He recommended that the hospital replace its latest homestyle washer/dryer set with a commercial-grade, 40-pound capacity Continental E-Series Washer and 55-pound capacity ProDry2 Dryer.
Big Box Store Equipment Can’t Handle the Load
“The hospital was buying new washer/dryer units from a big box store twice a year,” said Piper. “The problem with homestyle units is they can’t handle the pet hair that goes through the drain pumps, motors and seals. They aren’t engineered or warrantied for continuous, commercial use.”
But things quickly changed after the installation of the Hospital’s new Continental commercial washer and dryer. Warrantied for commercial use, the Continental machines deliver excellent efficiency, durability and programmability, according to Piper, as well as a soft-mount design that’s easy to install — even in unconventional locations.
Continental E-Series Washer Offers Big Capacity
The new Continental Washer is twice the capacity size of the hospital’s old homestyle machine so it can take on double the laundry. That’s a good thing, according to Ewell, because the hospital provides a number of services that require clean towels, sheets and bedding, including surgeries, stem cell therapy, laser therapy, chemotherapy, dental care, endoscopy, and more. “We use big dog beds, comforters and sheets for our recovering patients so they have something comfy to lay on,” said Ewell. “It’s nice to know we can throw bulky loads in the wash and it won’t blow up our machines.”
Simple to Use and Highly Productive
The Continental E-Series Washer is highly programmable and can be used with or without automatic detergent injection. Operation couldn’t be easier, according to Ewell, which is important since everyone pitches in. The washer is programmed with a single, basic cycle for washing all hospital laundry. Meanwhile, the dryer is inverter-driven for maximum efficiency and offers flexible programmability for ease of use; automatic reversing to prevent roping and tangling; and a multi-burner heat system for reaching desired temperatures quickly. All told, it takes just an hour to wash and dry a 40-pound laundry load, which is a significant improvement over past practices.
The quick wash and dry is largely due to the washer’s high extract speeds. The Continental E-Series Washer generates up to 400 G-force extract for maximum moisture removal and shorter dry times. This improves laundry productivity for more loads per day; reduces linen loss thanks to less dryer wear and tear; and lowers natural gas usage and costs because dryers operate less frequently. Because laundry is completed in less time, hospital staff are less distracted by the laundry process.
Staff Stays on Task & Hospital Stays Clean
“Now we can do bigger loads, throw laundry in and quickly get back to work,” said Ewell. “We used to have to station someone by the laundry so as not to worry about anything. Now our staff is freed up so we can have them where we need them.”
At Partridge Animal Hospital, the new Continental equipment has sped up the laundry process so all laundry is completed in one day, according to Ewell. In turn, contaminated laundry doesn’t pile-up, making for a healthy, happy hospital environment.