MANILA, Philippines - Many first-time entrepreneurs get into the laundry business thinking that its operations are relatively simple and easy to master.
Few realize how much chemistry and technology are needed to get clothes consistently smelling - and just as important—consistently looking good. “The operative word is consistent,” says Caloy Ang, proprietor of Suds Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services, which now has 37 stores in Luzon and Cebu City. “Consistent over time and across all our locations.”
To ensure quality, upon opening new stores, Suds partner chemists always test the water for its iron and magnesium content. A high level of minerals or “hard” water results in dingy looking clothes, explains the former quality engineer of Intel who quit corporate life to set up his own business over 10 years ago.
To offset hard water, which also leaves spots on dishes and soap scum on bath fixtures, Suds Laundry adjusts the amount of detergent and washing time used in a particular location to come up with an established formula only for that store. “Detergents have a tougher time doing their job in hard water locations. You make up for this by adjusting the other factors that contribute to fresh, clean laundry,” says Ang.
Referring to a well-known principle of laundry science, Ang explains to remove stains and dirt from clothes and to restore them to their original condition require a balance between chemicals, temperature, time and agitation. “Picture a pie chart made up of these factors. If you want to use less chemicals or detergent and less time to process clothes, you make up by using higher water temperature and more agitation,” he explains. Conversely, lower water temperature and less agitation means you need to use more detergent and a longer amount of time to process clothes efficiently.
Ang discloses further the detergent one uses makes all the difference. Except for heavily soiled items, Suds stores use liquid detergent and not powders, which tend to have fillers like calcium carbonate “that behave like sand paper on the fibers of your clothes,” Ang said. But even when one uses liquid soap, it is important to carefully measure out only the recommended dose. Consequently, Suds uses automatic dosing devices supplied by Diversey-Sealed Air, a global leader in cleaning products, to better manage the risks for error.
Another common laundry mistake, says Ang, is to overload a washing machine which will affect its ability to agitate the clothes and remove the dirt and other residue from them. Ang shares that especially when washing delicate pieces, Suds operators may opt to underload washing machines to ensure a clean fresh-smelling wash. Moreover, overloading may lead to frayed fabrics or himulmol. He adds that the newer generation of front-loading washing machines compared to top-loading ones are better at agitating and cleaning clothes.
“Chemistry is everything if you want clothes to come back from the laundry looking and smelling good,” he says. Ang’s confidence in the science applied to his business is reflected in Suds pricing. “We don’t offer the lowest rates. Nevertheless, clients realize that they save in the long run with Suds because their clothes keep their color and shape for a longer time even if they may have to pay a little more at the start.” Moreover, Suds regular clients are entitled to lower rates once they have brought in a total of 50 or so kilos for washing.
Ang says Suds’ older stores like the first one he and wife Charmaine set up in Dasmarinas, Cavite, have evolved with clients through the years. “Our customers there first started coming to us as undergrad students. We’ve seen some of them go through med school, become doctors and start their own families.” He is reasonably optimistic that Suds’ newer stores will likewise be rewarded with satisfied repeat customers.
Chemistry is everything if you want clothes to come back from the laundry looking and smelling good, according to Ang.