By: M. Michelle Spencer
Stinky, sweaty, dirty, and tired. You might think this is how the men and women who ensure the local oilfield stays operating but it is actually the words used to describe the job of Judy Herbert of Zipp's Laundry in Roosevelt.
"It is not easy work. People think I just get to sit around and just wash clothes but these are not your ordinary clothes," explains Herbert.
The majority of the clothes that she cares for at Zipp's Laundry are what are referred to as "greasers". Greasers are the day to day work clothing and gloves that the men and women who service our oilfield wear when they go to work. And grease is a mild word to describe what these pants and shirts are covered in. The Uinta Basin has a special type of crude that has a high wax content in the petroleum. This high wax content translates into stinky, sticky, very dirty clothes.
"The guys that wear these clothes don't want to wash them at home because the junk on them can clog their drains and ruin their washing machines. That is why I have my special and top secret formula that I use to wash their laundry from them."
And average bag of laundry can weigh anywhere from 50-60 lbs depending on how dirty they are. Even with the industrial size washing machines this means she is only able to wash one bag of laundry per machine. Thank goodness Herbert has three machines ready to work hard to get these clothes clean so that they can be dried and pack back into their respective bags to await pick-up.
Herbert said that her goal is to try and get the bags of laundry cleaned and ready for pick up within a few days of drop off. Some workers bring in a week's worth of laundry while others will bring just a few days but she does everything she can to make sure that when the workers come into get their clothes, they are sitting in her pick up pile ready for another day of work in the oilfield.
We want to take the time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication it takes for the greaser washers of the Uinta Basin, like Judy Herbert, otherwise our plumbers might be a lot busier digging up sewer lines that are clogged with the nastienss from the clothes that are worn to work in the oilfield. Thanks!
A Little Bit About Us
- The Edge Magazine
- Neola, Utah, United States
- The Edge Magazine is a lifestyles and culture magazine about the Uintah Basin. We are located in the North-East corner of Utah and we have a TON of fun doing what we do. We feature the positive aspects of the area in which we live with monthly articles, contests, and best of all...PHOTOGRAPHY! We pride ourselves on being able to provide most everyone in your family something that will interest them in the pages of our magazine. We are in our 3rd year of publication and each month keeps getting better and better! We live here, we work here, we love being here and we look forward to seeing you on THE EDGE!
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