Laundrette first-timer!!!

purpleivy

Ooh, perhaps I should start to use the laundrette if it equals time out? LOL!

Austin_Allegro

A compromise could be to buy a dehumidifier. I dry my clothes in the bathroom with a dehumidifier going and it works quite well, and eliminates any condensation etc. A good dehumidifier will cost around £100 - don't skimp on a cheap one. They do use a fair amount of electricity I think, but I doubt anywhere as much as a tumble dryer.

Primrose

If you find you have to be a regular customer there, don't leave your washing unattended while you return home to get on with other chores. There is a launderette near us and clothes are regularly stolen if the owners are not in full time attendance.

kittyscarlett

Someone would have to be pretty desperate to steal my washing, I don't think you'd get 20p for it from a rag and bone man if the latter still existed !!!

I hate using my local launderette but keep doing it because I am too stubborn to buy a washing machine. Its 3 quid a wash in the usual size machine, 5 quid in the big one and 20p for a few minutes drying, which I never do, I take it home to dry for free. The reason I loathe it - the place is untidy and filthy, I don't like putting my dirty washing in the machines let alone take out the clean stuff !

Its totally unattended despite the fact the owner lives upstairs. He apparently runs a cleaning firm, he doesn't seem to put much practise in with his launderette, and is one of the most truly unpleasant human beings I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. The machines are mostly fairly old and forever breaking down and if that happens & your washing gets trapped, you have to bang and bang on the door for the guy upstairs to come down. If he's there.

The only real plus to all this palaver is thats its open from 7am - 10pm and its near enough to home for me to be able to pop back and do some housework or what have you whilst the washing is gurgling away.

geordie_joe

kittyscarlett wrote: »

I hate using my local launderette but keep doing it because I am too stubborn to buy a washing machine.

I think you should get over your stubbornness and buy a washing machine.

kittyscarlett wrote: »

Its 3 quid a wash in the usual size machine, 5 quid in the big one and 20p for a few minutes drying, which I never do, I take it home to dry for free.

You throw away 3 or 5 quid per wash and lug wet washing home to save 20p.

kittyscarlett wrote: »

The reason I loathe it - the place is untidy and filthy, I don't like putting my dirty washing in the machines let alone take out the clean stuff !

Then stop doing it and get your own nice shiny new one.

kittyscarlett wrote: »

The only real plus to all this palaver is thats its open from 7am - 10pm and its near enough to home for me to be able to pop back and do some housework or what have you whilst the washing is gurgling away.

Your own machine would be available 24/7 365 days a year.

Seriously, I know a lot of young people, from work, and most of them started out in bedsits and had to use the launderette. As they get older and get bigger places they get washing machines and they all say it's the best thing they have done.

If you have the room and the money, get a washing machine.

spugzbunny

Hmm it's interesting to see how the prices vary so much! My local laundrette is 2.40 for a standard machine and 3.60 for the extra large ones. It's 20p for about 3 mins in the dryer but you only need about £1 in the dryer as they are inhumanly hot! The service charge (to get it done for you) is 50p!

Don't get me wrong.... I hate the place! We only used it when our rented flat didnt have a washing machine. The dryers broke down daily leaving you with only 10% working most days and I had a good deal of clothes eaten up by the machines (where does the wierd plastic stuff come from???) but.... it was a necessary evil that didnt break the bank!

kittyscarlett

geordie_joe wrote: »

Seriously, I know a lot of young people, from work, and most of them started out in bedsits and had to use the launderette. As they get older and get bigger places they get washing machines and they all say it's the best thing they have done.

If you have the room and the money, get a washing machine.

Well, I'm not a " young person ", I'm 41 years old and its been nearly 10 years since I lived in a property with a washing machine. I don't " throw away " my money on a launderette wash, I get back clean washing for that ( albeit in unpleasant surroundings ). I do one 3 pound wash a week and use the 5 pound machine twice a year when it comes to washing my big teddy bear fur throw, which won't fit in the smaller machines.

It's not just a case of saving money with the drier. I just don't see the need for me to use them, its a waste of energy. I have room enough both indoors and out to dry washing efficiently without using up energy or cash. I don't pay for my electricity or my water rates, it's factored in as part of one of my jobs, and conversely that makes me more than determined than ever to save energy and water.

I can well afford to buy a decent washing machine, I just would not get much more use out of it than I do now by going to the launderette. I'd probably do two washes a week, maybe three at the utmost and that rarely. I am very keen on cleanliness but I am not one of these people who wants to be sticking in 3 loads a day, day in day out. I have friends who will put a wash on for half a dozen tea towels :rolleyes: and don't get me started on people who wash bath towels after they've been used once.

There is another launderette which is clean, bright, tidy and with attendants but its ten minutes further walk away, which would mean me having to spend 40 minutes or so sitting there waiting for the wash to finish. That's more time than I can spare out of my day, thanks.

milkybars

Regarding variable prices: My top tip would be if you live near a university to see if they have a laundrette on campus/in halls, that is accessible to you. Ask if they mind if you used it. It’s often much, much cheaper and during the student holidays completely empty.

I worked on a campus and took bedding in to get it all done it one go. £1 per wash in a larger than domestic drum and about £1 to dry. All sorted in my lunch and breaktimes.

brightonman123

consider paying for a larger load machine, it may work out cheaper than 2 x normal ones, if they arent fully loaded..

geordie_joe

kittyscarlett wrote: »

I don't " throw away " my money on a launderette wash, I get back clean washing for that ( albeit in unpleasant surroundings ). I do one 3 pound wash a week and use the 5 pound machine twice a year when it comes to washing my big teddy bear fur throw, which won't fit in the smaller machines.

3 pound per week, so that's 3 * 52 * 10 = £1,560 over 10 years.

OK, I know it wasn't £3 per week 10 years ago, but you see my point?

£3 * 52 = £156 per year. How much does a washing machine cost? And if you only use it once or twice per week it will last for years.

kittyscarlett wrote: »

I don't pay for my electricity or my water rates, it's factored in as part of one of my jobs, and conversely that makes me more than determined than ever to save energy and water.

Am I being thick here, or are you saving the electricity and water you get free by going out and paying for some elses?

kittyscarlett wrote: »

I can well afford to buy a decent washing machine, I just would not get much more use out of it than I do now by going to the launderette.

I realise you wouldn't do any more washing if you had your own machine, but it would be a lot more convenient for you and save you time, not to mention money.

If you spent £200 on a washing machine and it lasted 10 years, your wash loads would only cost you about 39p, plus the cost of the powder per load.