Quick answer: A working glossary of commercial laundry terms — the machine types, part names, industry terminology, and brand-specific language a maintenance team encounters every week.
Machine types
Washer-extractor
Commercial washing machine that combines wash and high-G-force water extraction in a single drum. See Milnor and Unimac.
Tumble dryer
Commercial gas, steam, or electric dryer that tumbles wet linen in a heated drum.
Flatwork ironer
Heated machine that presses and finishes flat linen between a chest and a rotating roll. See Chicago Dryer and Jensen.
Folder / feeder
Automated equipment that feeds and folds finished linen.
Tunnel washer
Continuous-batch washer that processes linen through a series of compartments.
Part categories
Outer working surface of the rotating roll on a flatwork ironer.
Chest pad
Contact layer on the heated stationary chest of a flatwork ironer.
Heat-conductive cushion wrapped around the roll, under the cover.
Wide cotton belt that allows additional passes through the ironer to increase drying time and create a nicer finish.
Ribbons
Belts that hold linen flat as it travels through the finishing process.
Probe that proves flame to a gas-dryer ignition controller via flame rectification.
Mesh screen that captures lint in a tumble dryer's airflow path.
Larger lint-capture container, typically downstream of the screen.
Continuous belt used in tunnel washers to extract moisture from the linen in combination with a press membrane.
Roll-end and shaft supports.
Door lock assembly
Safety interlock that holds and confirms door closure on a washer-extractor or dryer.
Industry terms
OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer. Parts made or authorized by the machine's manufacturer.
Aftermarket / Compatible
Parts manufactured by a third party as an alternative to OEM.
G-force
Centrifugal force applied during extraction. Commercial washer-extractors commonly extract at 250–600 G.
Softmount
Washer-extractor with a suspended chassis on dampers/springs; tolerates imbalance and extracts at high G without floor reinforcement.
Hardmount
Washer-extractor bolted rigidly to a reinforced floor; lower extract G, mechanically simpler.
Barrier washer
Washer with separate doors on the dirty and clean sides for contamination-controlled environments (healthcare).
OPL
On-premises laundry — a laundry operated within a hotel, hospital, or other facility, not a separate plant.
PM
Preventive maintenance.
Brand names
Tingue is a fourth-generation North American distributor of OEM and aftermarket commercial laundry parts, supplying flatwork ironers, washer-extractors, tumble dryers, and folding/feeding equipment for healthcare, hospitality, industrial, and on-premises laundries. We stock 23,000+ SKUs across every major brand — including Chicago Dryer, Jensen, Milnor, Unimac, Speed Queen, Dexter, and G.A. Braun — and ship same-day from multiple U.S. distribution centers.
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