Let’s be real— until now, nobody looked forward to laundry day. However, with the right tips (and the right laundromat), washing your clothes can be painless, if not downright pleasant. Planning ahead, packing the necessities, and knowing all the insider tips can turn you into a laundromat pro.
Planning for The Laundromat
When you’re heading out, you might want to take a few moments to make sure you’re fully prepared. There’s nothing more frustrating than unloading all of your dirty clothes into a washer only to find you’ve forgotten your detergent. Here’s a useful checklist:
- Laundry Detergent
- Fabric Softener
- Bleach
- Dryer Sheets
- Clean bags or hampers for returning
- Hangers
- Small bills for exchanger machines or coins (unless you’re using the Huebsch® app to make easy digital payments)
- Entertainment (magazines, book, phone and charger, computer, etc.)
- Snacks
- Pre-sorted laundry
Sorting your laundry before heading to the laundromat has some major perks. Typically, laundromats have limited space, and if you have a lot of clothes to clean, it can make sorting difficult. Instead, prepare your clothes ahead of time by separating them at home. Ideally, you’ll want to keep colors and whites separate and will also want to wash towels, sheets, or blankets in their own load. Pay attention to tags and special cleaning instructions to make sure you’re putting things in the right pile.
Another bonus to pre-sorting is that once you get to the laundromat, you can quickly pop your clothes into available washers and start the cycle, helping you get out of there quicker. You can even take it a step further by pre-measuring detergents for each load.
Laundromat Tips and Tricks
When heading to the laundromat, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need, take the time to read machine instructions, be courteous of others, and talk to an attendant if you have any questions. In addition, you’ll want to make sure you follow these tips to avoid turning a quick chore into a laundry disaster.
- Choose a good laundromat: Not all laundromats are created equally. Choosing a place that offers new machines and modern updates not only ensures your laundry gets a proper wash but will also give you access to laundromat amenities that will make laundry day more relaxed.
- Check your pockets: There’s nothing more devastating than a pen or tube of lipstick left in your pants pocket to ruin an entire load of laundry. Check all of your pockets before placing them in the machine. It takes only a few seconds to prevent major disasters.
- Check the machine: Just as things get left behind in your pockets, other laundry-goers sometimes leave items behind. Always check each washer and dryer thoroughly before placing clothes in it.
- Smell the machine: Not all things damaging can be seen. If the person before you used too much bleach or detergent, there might be residue left behind. If you smell bleach, avoid putting on non-white clothes or let an attendant know so they can do a quick rinse.
- Customize cleaning cycles: Not everything needs a deep clean. If you’re washing lightly-soiled, everyday clothes, sometimes a shorter, simple wash is all you need. Over-washing can cause excess wear and tear on your clothes, wastewater, and waste money.
- Time your errands: If you’re doubling your laundry trip to take care of a few errands, plan carefully. Leaving your clothes in a machine too long might prompt someone to toss them aside. Choosing a laundromat with a Huebsch® Laundry App lets you control and track your cleaning cycles, so you know when it’s time to check out and head back.
The easiest way to do your laundry
If cleaning your clothes is really the bane of your existence, or you just simply don’t want to waste your time doing it anymore, you don’t have to. Wash, Dry, and Fold services, along with delivery and dry cleaning, are just some of the laundry services you can choose from at Zoom Express Laundry.