By Tania Phillips
When Monique McLellan and her family opened the brand new Sudzone Laundrette in December last year she didn’t expect to be faced with a pandemic within the first few months of opening.
But as a trained nurse, she was nothing if not adaptable.
“We put have put our Covid Plan in place – which is something that we didn’t have before,” she said.
“But because I have that health background as well, from the very start we’ve prided ourselves on a level of cleanliness. We clean a couple of times a day. These sorts of things are things that we have to make sure we are really strict about.
“We have also put our Covid plan place even though we don’t really need to due to the size: whilst it’s just myself, my husband and the children that are really cleaning and running the launderette – we have done it. We’ve worked out how many people could come in, we’ve made sure there are hand sanitisers available. We’ve put up signs just reminding people of the need to wear masks and social distancing.”
She said the operating hours have changed with the business opening at 6am and closing at 8pm though the automatic doors still operate through to the usual 11pm for emergency workers needing the service after the lockdown time.
“I don’t think we’ve changed a lot because hygiene has always been an important factor for us,” Monique explained.
“We were identified as an essential service because a lot of people don’t have washing machines, dryers – all of those sorts of things. We have identified the best methods to wash during the pandemic – wash at higher temperatures and dry thoroughly.”
She said there was plenty of information on the website to help people out during this time.
The McLellan’s had been looking to start a business for the past five years that the family could run together but not have to be there all the time and as they lived in Berwick they recognized a need for a new launderette.
Sudzone have the latest Quantum technology by Speed Queen – first laundrette in Australia to receive and install these machines, which take large loads and have specialty cycles suitable for doonas to delicates.
No cash? Their kiosk payment system accepts credit card and mobile payments such as Apple, Google Pay and PayPal. Machines also take $1 and $2 coins (though there is no coin changer onsite).
Find Sudzone Laundrette at 16 Adams Lane, Berwick or visit www.sudzone.com.au
