What You Need to Know About Laundromat Etiquette
It’s laundry day! Maybe you’re the kind of laundry-doer who waits until the line between swimmers and boxers is blurred, or perhaps you’re a triple hamper, whites, woollens, and bedding kind of washer? Either way, the laundromat awaits. Although you may have forgotten which wash cycle to put your jeans on, it’s best not to forget your manners, so good laundry etiquette is always a good idea!
To get you through in one piece, here’s what you need to know to be a star in the self-service laundromat game!
In Laundry, a Fast Game is a Good Game
If you can master time management, you can master the laundromat. Pay attention to how long your wash cycle is, and plan around it. Try not to leave your clothes in each machine longer than necessary. Not only will this help others to claim a machine, but it’ll also save your clothes from being unceremoniously (and deservedly) dumped out.
Running errands while your clothes are in a spin cycle is totally fine; just do your best to be back when the suds settle.
Respect the Machines
Read the instructions on or near the door of the machine. We all love a fragrant laundry basket, but don’t use so much detergent or softener that it’s still there for the next person. Left-over detergents or fabric treatments can ruin the next person’s wash, especially bleaches or whiteners.
Excess detergent can also wreak havoc on a machine. If you like to keep your laundromat in working order, respect the rules of the machine.
Be Careful with Other People’s Clothes
If someone has left their clothes in a machine, then they should probably have read this guide! But in the meantime, you should still be nice and careful with their belongings.
Gently place their clothing in their laundry basket or neatly pop it on a clean surface. Imagine it was your stuff and treat it the way you would treat your own clothes. The golden rule applies to laundry as well.
Reserving a Machine Isn’t a Good Move
It can be tempting to secure a dryer when your clothes are still in the wash, but there could be someone else wishing to use the dryer and they might be done by the time your wash cycle is finished!
If you’re not using it, leave it free. In most cases, you’d only be saving a quarter of an hour at most. Relax, read a book, solve a sudoku puzzle, but be alert for the next free dryer.
Got All Your Clothes? Double-Check!
Nothing ruins your day like a pink shirt that’s supposed to be white, especially when the corrupting clothing item isn’t yours to begin with. Double-check that you’ve gotten everything out of the machine before you leave. Don’t let your overlooked red smalls become someone’s big pink problem.
Make sure to check in all those pesky grooves. Socks and smalls can often be tucked away in the darndest of places!
A tip is to rotate the washer or dryer by hand to see if any laundry is left behind.
Tidy Up After Your Load is Done
Although the laundromat might not be your home, it’s still a place that needs to be treated with respect. All sorts of people come in to do a chore that might not be their favourite, so keeping a clean and tidy place can make a laundry day just a little bit nicer for everyone.
Make sure to put your empty detergent packing in the bin or take it home to be recycled. Empty the lint from the dryer so the next person doesn’t get a basket full of fuzzies. Plus, to save everyone’s time, energy, and sanity, sort your washing before you arrive. No one wants to see you wrestle your smalls from your gym shorts or take over half the laundromat shaking your sheets for that perpetually hidden sock.
Put Your New Laundry Etiquette into Practice at Liquid Laundromats
Liquid Laundromats are your local laundromat, from Invercargill to Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland to Kaitaia. Now’s your chance to put your new knowledge of navigating self-service laundromats to the test and get some laundry in while you’re there!
So next time you find yourself with a pile of dirty washing, find your nearest Liquid Laundromat, sort your whites from your darks, and make laundry day better for everyone!
