Laundromat Tips: 9 Things to Keep in Mind

A laundromat is a great place to do your laundry! You can wash and dry your clothes without having to buy expensive machines. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind before you go.

Laundromat Tips

Below are 9 tips on how to make the most of your time at the laundromat:

1. If you can, bring your own detergent. Most laundromats charge around $0.50 – $0.75 per a load of laundry to use their commercial machines and they will only provide low-quality soap that doesn’t clean very well or gets all over the clothes in your machine with its residue leaving them dirty looking even when they are clean.
2. If you must bring your laundry to a laundromat, always choose the top load machines instead of front loaders. Front-loading machines work better and will not damage your clothes as fast because they don’t use high temperatures like top-loading washers which can cause colors to fade more quickly over time leaving you with dingy-looking clothes.
3. When using a front loading machine, always check to make sure the door is shut completely and locked before pressing any buttons as some machines will automatically start washing your load of laundry if they detect that the door has been opened while others require you to press a button for it to begin filling with water.
4. Just because you can fit all of your clothes in one load doesn’t mean you should. Always select the smallest water setting that will clean your clothes sufficiently.
5. Make sure to spread out heavy items like jeans and towels evenly throughout the machine so everything gets washed effectively without getting tangled together or hogging up too much space which could cause other pieces of clothing to not get cleaned.
6. If you can, try to match your clothes when you put them in the washer and dryer so that they all come out at roughly the same level of dryness instead of having a few pieces completely dried while others are still wet which could result in needing to run another cycle just for those items or risk everything shrinking in the dryer.
7. Try to put your clothes in the washer before getting them wet so that they have time to soak up all of the water in the machine and get clean rather than just being damp when you take them out which results in not drying as well or taking multiple cycles if there are many pieces like towels.
8. Avoid having really dark clothes in the same load as lighter colors like white or light blue. Even if you wash them on their own, there is still a chance that they will bleed onto other pieces of clothing which result in staining and discoloration. That doesn’t mean you should never mix colors but it’s something to keep in mind if you have a lot of dark clothes.
9. If the washer is full but there are still things left to wash, do not leave your laundry in it overnight as some people will sneak into the laundromat and steal other people’s stuff or cause problems with how clean your clothes come out at which could result in needing to rewash them.

Advantages Of Using Laundromats

The greatest advantage of using a laundromat is you don’t have to purchase expensive machines that will take up room in your home or apartment. Washing clothes at laundromats are usually cheaper than having them dry cleaned professionally which can be costly especially if you only need one piece of clothing done for a special occasion.

Disadvantages Of Using Laundromats

Some of the disadvantages of using a laundromat are it can take up more time than washing them at home depending on how long they need to cycle in the washer and dryer, also laundry soap tends to be expensive. You may also be limited on the types of cycles and settings that are available to you which can make it difficult to get your clothes clean especially if they have stains or need special care.

Washing Clothes At Home Vs. A Laundromat

The biggest disadvantage of washing your clothes at home is that laundry soap can be expensive, even if you are buying it in bulk. You also have to purchase an expensive washer and dryer which will take up space in your home or apartment, especially if they are front-loading machines that don’t fit under most counters. There is the added benefit of being able to run multiple cycles without having someone wait for you but it can be time-consuming.

The biggest advantage of using a laundromat is that it’s much cheaper than washing your clothes at home, especially if you are doing multiple laundry loads every week. You also have the benefit of having access to different cycles and settings which can make getting stains out easier or certain types of materials like delicates cleaner with less chance for damage.

NOTE: Be considerate of other people in the laundromat by waiting at least 30 minutes for your load to finish before moving on to another one. If you are done with a machine, always wipe it down so that others don’t have stains or residue from someone else’s detergent left behind which can transfer onto their clothes if they use it next.