Why I Hunted Down Used Dry Cleaning Gear

My old dry cleaning machine finally gave up after 11 years – started making noises like a dying dinosaur. Brand-new ones cost more than my truck, so I dove into used equipment hunting. Here’s exactly how it went down.

First Moves: Research Chaos

Googled "used dry cleaning machines near me" – big mistake. Got flooded with shady dealers charging almost new prices. Wasted three nights scrolling until I changed tactics: searched "laundromat closing sale" instead. Boom. Found a mom-and-pop shop shutting doors 50 miles away with a 2018 model press machine. Called ’em immediately.

The Inspection Shuffle

Drove there next morning with my mechanic buddy Joe. Checklist in hand:

• Peeled open panels to check for rust or gnawed wires
• Ran empty cycles listening for piston hiccups
• Demanded maintenance logs (they’d kept every receipt since day one)

Machine had 32,000 cycles logged – like a car with 100k miles. Not perfect, but fixable. Spotter nozzle was clogged though. Used that to haggle down from $6,500 to $4,200 cash. Sealed deal with a handshake.

Transport Nightmare

Rented a hydraulic lift trailer from that hardware store with the orange signs. Took six hours to disassemble the damn thing because two bolts seized solid. Joe brought his blowtorch – nearly set fire to a rag bin. Ended up slicing bolts with an angle grinder. Got home at 2 AM covered in grease.

Setup & Test Runs

Reassembled parts in my garage over two weekends:

• Replaced $18 worth of cheap rubber washers
• Flushed solvent lines with vinegar (DIY hack from YouTube)
• Rewired a shaky control panel connection

First test run smoked like a barbecue – panicked and killed the power. Turned out residual cleaner in the drum needed burn-off cycles. Ran three empty loads. Purrs now.

Money Saved? Big Time

That same presser retails new for $18k. With hauling costs ($350), parts ($110), and Joe’s payment in beer? Total spent: $4,660. Still runs like a champ nine months later. Would I do it again? Hell yes – but only if:

• You physically test every switch and dial
• Bring someone who knows motors
• Assume hidden costs will add 10%

Don’t trust dealership “refurbished” stickers. Find closing businesses. That’s where real deals hide.