A woman who opened a laundromat in Cole Valley with her husband last month says Burning Man attendees recently left the business covered in playa dust and forced several machines out of service.
Dewi Redpath, who opened Bali Laundry in Cole Valley with her husband three weeks ago — right after their baby was born — has been sharing the couple’s progress running the laundromat on social media. Last Thursday, Redpath shared that several of the laundromat’s machines had been rendered inoperable by some rather clueless Burning Man attendees.
In a detailed update Sunday, Redpath said the group came in with a large truckload of laundry on Labor Day evening, while the laundromat was unattended. They later called to report that one of the washers had gotten stuck.
When Redpath and her husband arrived the next morning, they found that fine dust and dirt had spread throughout the laundromat, covering the machines and other surfaces. They initially thought the mess might have come from construction work, until the customers returned and told them they had just gotten back from Burning Man.
At the time, Redpath said, she didn't know much about playa dust, and because the washers appeared to be functioning normally, she let the customers finish their laundry. It was the dryers that turned out to be the bigger problem.
The dust had become caked onto the inside of some of the dryer drums, while one particularly thick rug still contained a substantial amount of dust. The customers had also left belongings sitting in about six dryers while they were away, so Redpath and her husband eventually bagged up the items so they could inspect and clean the machines.
Redpath said they contacted the customers about the cleanup and inspection, and the group told them where to send the resulting invoice.
A technician later inspected the machines and determined the dryers were safe to operate, but a couple of them still had dirt trapped inside their outer drums. Redpath said they’ve kept those dryers out of service until they can be professionally deep-cleaned.
Redpath also said commenters helped them figure out how to tackle the cleanup, including using vinegar and Calgon to remove some of the residue. Other Burning Man attendees offered their own methods for dealing with playa dust, including thoroughly shaking or rinsing dusty clothing outside before bringing it to a laundromat and using Calgon or similar mineral-release products to help break down the mineral deposits.
Others recommended vacuuming and power-washing rugs and other heavily contaminated items before putting them into a machine.
Redpath said the experience prompted the couple to create a policy for extremely dusty items and large rugs, and they plan to have the laundromat fully staffed next year during the week following Burning Man.
Some commenters warned that playa dust can also be particularly hard on electronics and vehicles because of its alkaline, silica-heavy composition, which is why rental car companies charge very high fees for taking vehicles on the playa.
Additionally, before it closed, the Touchless Car Wash at Divisadero and Oak streets used to charge at least double their normal rate to wash vehicles that had been to Burning Man.
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