Second Life for Appliances: The Art and Science of Remanufacturing Washers and Dryers

Grandma had the right idea. Many of us can recall opening the lid on a margarine tub at an older relative’s house, only to find leftover potato salad or the remnants of last night’s dinner. Empty cans and jars became receptacles for loose change, screws, and a host of knick-knacks. For generations, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” was a way of life well before that phrase ever saw the light of day.

Then the tides changed, and we started purchasing containers made specifically to store food and other items of our daily lives. All those empty tubs and cans and jars—along with millions of tons of other types of consumer goods—went straight into the trash, creating a waste storage nightmare. Disposal instead of reuse became a way of life.

Fortunately, recent years have seen a rise in the movement to protect our environment and become more responsible stewards of our planet’s natural resources by rethinking how we approach the lifecycle of the things we use in our daily lives. WASH is right in the middle of that movement with several sustainability initiatives aimed at that ideal. And it’s a worthwhile endeavor: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 2.1 million tons of major appliances, known as “white goods,” were being offloaded into landfills nationwide by 2018.

Made Like New Again
Remanufacturing is one of WASH’s key initiatives to extend the lives of laundry machines and reduce the unacceptable number of white goods going into our nation’s landfills annually. Each year, we recover thousands of washers and dryers that would otherwise be destined for the garbage dump and put them through our rigorous refurbishment process. In four of our facilities, located in the U.S. and Canada, our remanufacturing experts work their magic on machines to ensure they meet the highest quality standards.

The process starts with a thorough inspection by the trained eyes of our remanufacturing team. They examine dozens of parts that make up the water, mechanical and electrical systems of the machines, identify what needs to be fixed or replaced and make the necessary repairs. Then they add the finishing touches by cleaning the machines’ exteriors, removing scratches and blemishes, replace the appropriate parts of the machines and performing other cosmetic enhancements.

The process ends with a final, rigorous round of inspection and testing to make sure the machines look their best and run in tip-top condition. When the final box is checked off, we once again have machines that meet or exceed our WASH standards of performance—thanks to the masterful touch and technical expertise of our remanufacturing team. And just like every machine we offer, our certified remanufactured washers and dryers are backed by our WASH service guarantee.

Safeguarding Earth’s Resources
Remanufacturing doesn’t just help the environment by alleviating stress on our landfills, however. It also reduces our planet’s carbon load. Simply put, it takes less energy and other resources to remanufacture an existing machine than to build a new one.

Ready to learn more about what WASH is doing to make our planet a safer and healthier place to live? Read more about our sustainability efforts that go well beyond our commitment to remanufacturing. If you’re interested in how WASH can help you bring the latest in laundry technology to your residents, feel free to reach out to us!