By Jenny Repfennig

Miele North America (USA & Canada) Regional Marketing Manager – Business Unit Professional)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Excerpts from a Miele Professional case study of Daoust EcoEfficient Cleaners in Quebec have been inserted throughout this article to provide real-world examples. Daoust operates approximately 100 retail stores, along with about 30 additional garment drop-off locations. Its plants use 45-lb.-capacity Miele washers and 50-lb.-capacity dryers. 

Sustainability is no longer optional in today’s laundry industry. The commercial laundry industry is increasingly being asked to reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining productivity and cleaning performance. Advances in equipment design are making it possible to pursue both goals simultaneously. 

Miele Professional’s current product line illustrates several of the ways manufacturers are approaching this challenge. 

Energy use

Energy use is one of the biggest operational challenges in commercial laundry. Heat pump dryers capture and reuse heat instead of allowing it to escape, reducing energy consumption compared with conventional drying systems. Miele Professional incorporates this technology into its commercial laundry solutions. 

Lower drying temperatures also help protect fabrics, extending textile life by reducing wear and tear. The potential result is lower utility costs and longer textile life. 

Daoust CEO Hugo Cerqueira says, “Unlike dry cleaning, where the solvents must be heated to 130 – 140 degrees Celsius, Miele washers operate at room temperature. From my measurements, an average perc machine uses around 15 kwh in one cycle. Miele dryers, which employ steam drying, use approximately 2.3 kwh of electricity per cycle.”
— Source: Miele case study

Water consumption

Water is another critical resource. Load sensors automatically adjust water consumption based on load size and fabric type, ensuring every cycle uses only the water required.

Optimized drum design and high spin speeds remove more moisture during washing, reducing drying time and further lowering energy consumption.

Cerqueira says, “A typical dry cleaning machine uses 250 – 300 liters of water just to cool down. Miele washers use approximately 70 liters of water per cycle. In addition, our tests have demonstrated that Miele’s honeycomb drum is not only gentle on clothing but also helps use less water in our programs.”
— Source: Miele case study

Chemical management 

Miele WetCare is a water-based professional wet cleaning system designed to clean garments that might otherwise be processed using traditional solvent-based dry cleaning. It combines specially formulated detergents with programmed machine controls. For appropriate garments, water-based professional wet cleaning can reduce reliance on traditional solvent-based processes while delivering excellent cleaning results. 

Dedicated programs for fabrics such as silk, wool, and tailored garments provide the ideal combination of movement, temperature, and water levels to clean safely while maintaining garment shape, texture, and appearance. Cleaning garments correctly the first time also reduces reprocessing, saving both time and resources.

Daoust EcoEfficient Cleaners created a team dedicated to developing programs that simplify the entire cleaning process. As Cerqueira explains, one part was a universal program for garments that would normally be dry cleaned. “The idea behind it was to do something simple,” Cerqueira explains. “You bring some wool pants, some silk ties, or a silk dress, it’s always the same program. It’s very simple. The only thing you need to do is [separate] lights and darks.” Additional programs apply to regular laundry (shirts and comforters, for example), as well as specialized services such as super white, anti-stain, and waterproofing.
— Source: Miele case study

Connectivity

Connectivity has become an increasingly important sustainability tool. By monitoring water use, energy consumption, cycle performance and maintenance needs, operators can identify inefficiencies that might otherwise go unnoticed. 

Equipment lifespan 

Sustainability also means durability. Miele Professional laundry machines are tested for a service life of up to 30,000 operating hours, delivering long-term reliability even in demanding commercial environments. This durability can help reduce waste, lower replacement costs, and minimize the environmental impact associated with manufacturing and disposal—reinforcing a basic sustainability principle: equipment that remains productive longer does not need to be replaced as frequently.

As a technician, Cerqueira fixed washers and dryers for over 15 years. “I knew machines very well and I knew the difference between a Miele machine and a machine from another manufacturer, and this is one of the reasons I chose Miele: reliability. I know these machines [are] going to be good for 10, 15 years without any problem,” he says.
— Source: Miele case study

Operational efficiency

Sustainability in commercial laundry is no longer defined by a single feature. It is the result of numerous small improvements—reducing energy use, conserving water, extending textile life, minimising rewash, and building equipment that remains productive for many years. Technologies such as heat-pump drying, intelligent controls, connectivity and professional wet cleaning illustrate how equipment manufacturers are responding to these evolving priorities. 

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