Laundry and Facility Care Services

Different fabrics need different care. Care labels show the safe temperature and cycle. Reading them avoids damage and unhappy customers.

• Learn the common fibres such as cotton, wool and synthetics, and how each reacts to heat and water.
• Read the care label on every item and group items by the temperature and cycle they allow.
• Separate dark and light colours to avoid dye running onto other items.
• Record any item with a missing or unreadable label and ask the owner before washing it.
• A common mistake is to wash a mixed load at the hottest setting to save time.

Activity. Sort 20 items by fibre, temperature and colour, and record the cycle you would choose for each group and why.

Standard to meet. Group items to match the care labels for at least 19 of the 20 items, and give a reason for each cycle.

Cleaning products are chemicals and can harm skin, eyes and lungs. You store them properly, wear protection and never mix them. A written plan keeps everyone safe.

• Keep every product in its original container with its label, stored away from food and out of reach of children.
• Wear gloves and eye protection and keep the room ventilated when you handle strong products.
• Never mix cleaning products, because some combinations give off toxic gas.
• Measure concentrates with a marked cup and write the dilution on the container.
• Check with your local authority about the rules for storing and disposing of cleaning chemicals.

Activity. Write a one-page chemical safety plan covering storage, protection, dilution, spills and disposal, and have your supervisor review it.

Standard to meet. Write a plan that covers all five areas, lists each product used and is signed by the supervisor.

A good process makes sure every item comes back to its owner clean and undamaged. You follow the same steps every time. Tags and checks stop items getting lost.

• Follow the sequence of receive, tag, check pockets, wash, dry, press and pack for every order.
• Tag each order with a number that links to the customer record and not to the customer name.
• Check pockets and note any damage or stains with the customer when you receive the item.
• Inspect each item at the end against the checklist before it is packed.
• A common mistake is to skip the pocket check, which can ruin a load.

Activity. Run at least 10 orders through your process and keep a record for each with the tag number, the items in and the items out.

Standard to meet. Track the 10 orders so that no items are lost or mixed up, and check that your records match the items received and returned.

Treating a stain without knowing what it is can set it forever. You identify the stain, test the method on a hidden spot and record the result. Patience beats rushing.

• Ask the owner or inspect the stain to identify it, such as oil, ink, food or blood.
• Choose a method that suits both the stain and the fabric, and check the care label first.
• Test the method on a hidden area, for example an inside seam, before treating the visible stain.
• Record the stain, the method, the result and the time taken for every treatment.
• A common mistake is to use hot water on a protein stain, which can set it.

Activity. Apply at least three stains on practice cloth or approved items and keep a record with method and result for each.

Standard to meet. Record the stain and method for each item, do the hidden-area test first, and describe the result honestly.

Quality means the item comes back clean, dry and neatly folded. A checklist and photos give evidence. The redo rate shows how well your process works.

• Check each item against a list that includes clean, dry, no stains, no damage and neatly folded.
• Take a photo of any problem so you can show the cause and the fix.
• Record each redo, which is an item that needs washing again, with the reason.
• Calculate the redo rate as the redos divided by the items checked.
• A common mistake is to pass items quickly without checking, which moves the problem to the customer.

Activity. Check at least 30 finished items against your checklist and report the redo rate with causes.

Standard to meet. Use your checklist on each item, calculate your redo rate correctly, and record a cause for every redo.

Knowing your cost helps you set a price that works. You include water, energy, chemicals and your time. Cost per kilogram and cost per item are the key numbers.

• Record the water, energy and chemicals used for a sample of loads and put a money value on each.
• Add the cost of your time and any machine wear.
• Calculate cost per kg as the total cost of a load divided by its weight in kg.
• Convert to cost per item using the average item weight and compare with your price.
• A common mistake is to leave out your own time, which makes the service look cheaper than it is.

Activity. Complete a cost sheet using at least three real loads, with cost per kg and cost per item.

Standard to meet. Calculate your cost per kg correct to the nearest cent, and give each cost line a source or measurement.

You now run the service for 30 days. Keep records for each order. The turnaround and complaint numbers tell you how well it works.

• Log the date and time each order arrives and the date and time it is ready.
• Calculate turnaround as the ready time minus the arrival time for each order.
• Report the median turnaround, which is the middle value when the times are put in order.
• Record every complaint with the cause and what you did about it.
• A common mistake is to report only the best turnaround times.

Activity. Run the service for 30 days and submit the log of items in and out, turnaround times, the median, and the complaint list.

Standard to meet. Log all orders, calculate the median correctly, and give every complaint a cause.

The review uses your records to choose one or two improvements. You check results again after making them. Share what you learn.

• Find the most common cause of redos or complaints from your logs.
• Choose a fix that deals with that cause, such as sorting items before washing.
• Set a target such as halving the redo rate and a date to check.
• Share your findings with your mentor and peer circle so they can learn too.
• A common mistake is to stop after a plan without repeating the measurement.

Activity. Present a short review with the top cause, your fix, your target and a date to re-measure.

Standard to meet. Write a review that names one top cause with data, a specific fix, a numeric target and a date.