New found love of laundrettes

I remember my mum using the launderette in winter. With four children and my granddad living with us, and no tumble driers, it was almost impossible to get the bedding dry in winter. In the cold winter of 62/3 I think the launderette was the warmest place in town!

We had no WM when we first married so used a launderette, or rather my Dh did. He had Friday afternoons off work so did the washing at the launderette and then met me off the 6:30pm London train with a Chinese takeaway. Happy days!

If it helps you out. Biscuitmuncher I can’t see the problem.

I don’t use the launderette but if it helps you biscuitmuncher, then I can’t see why not. It’s nobody’s business but yours anyway.

I wouldn’t go near one but that’s just me. They don’t have many here at all, all different.

I take a huge bag of bath sheets and bedding and it cost me £13. The towels were much fluffier than I get them, bigger machines I suppose

I rather fancy the idea of communal wash houses as in the past. My mother in law had one in Scotland and you had your alotted day. That is where she heard all the gossip! Any one remember the play called ‘The Steamie’?

I hate the noise of machines, the space they take up and getting clothes dry in winter. If I could find or afford a laundry service I would us it. My granny did and she was not at all well off but cramped accommodation, four large sons and no machines made it a necessity not a luxury.

Forgot to add, we couldn’t afford to use a laundrette and also have a social life. Priorities !

Hetty58

My first MIL had her 'household' wash collected - all the sheets, towels etc. went off in the little laundry van and returned washed, ironed and folded to perfection. Shirts came back on hangers. The family's clothes and school uniforms were dry cleaned, too, so they needed at least two of everything. Still, she complained about 'doing the washing' in her twin tub. It was just underwear and socks - that's all!

My MIL used this service as well. She had heavy cotton sheets and in the days before tumble driers she would have had trouble drying them. No launderettes in her village.

I associate launderettes with a time when I left home and lived in a rented flat, they didn't come with washing machines back then! So it was a weekly trip to the launderette, I think I must have washed by hand as well, I seem to remember things dripping over the bath, but I didn't have a family to cater for just me and my ex.

Since those times I've always had a washing machine,. When on the very occasional time one has broken down, once I've recovered from my meltdown and hand wringing of how will we cope until the engineer gets here! I have trundled off to the launderette, but very expensive from what I remember.

How much do they charge for a service wash and fold, or iron?

Most launderettes do not have such services, just DIY.

I do use the launderette for bedspreads and duvets, as they have 18kg machines.

As a flat sharing student nurse, we didn’t have a washing machine, we couldn’t afford one but our solution was to fill the bath with hot soapy water, toss the clothes in and stomp up and down the bath. The worst part was the rinse in the freezing cold water!🥶. Fortunately our uniforms were taken care of by the hospital laundry.

My nan always sent her bed linen...pure cotton sheets etc in those days.....her towels, teatowels and linen tablecloths to laundry. As a child it fascinated me when it came back in a brown paper parcel tied up with string. All the items had a small label sewn in the corner with blue writing I suppose identifying who it belonged to. It was always snowy white and smelt wonderful.

Visgir1

Brilliant idea!

As for others using washing machine? my Late Mother's flat was in a Mccarthy Stone complex, they had a well equipped laundry room. No one had their own washing machines, dryers or iron/ironing boards, part of the package.

Swedish friend’s flat in Stockholm has a similar arrangement - big laundry/drying room, but you’re supposed to book (it’s a big block of flats) so now and then she gets very irritated with people who use the machines without booking.
Personally I wouldn’t like that - I’d want to do my laundry when I feel like it.

glammanana

Is it just me or am I the only one who doesn't like the idea of my bedding being washed in a machine used by someone else's laundry ?

just you!

Brilliant idea!

As for others using washing machine? my Late Mother's flat was in a Mccarthy Stone complex, they had a well equipped laundry room. No one had their own washing machines, dryers or iron/ironing boards, part of the package.

Laundrettes are a godsend when your own machine breaks down.
when I was first married many years ago and working full time, every Saturday morning my sister and I would walk to the laundrette and do our weekly wash.
there are several in my town which are well used and big business. You can either do it yourself and sit and wait or you can pay for a service wash where it is done for you and you come back and collect.

Immediately after my first knee replacement I suggested that DH just take the double duvet cover and sheet to a laundrette. He was amazed it was so expensive. Indeed it was but he'd put them in for dry cleaning!

glammanana

Is it just me or am I the only one who doesn't like the idea of my bedding being washed in a machine used by someone else's laundry ?

You may not be alone-it’s like sleeping in a hotel room recently vacated by . . . who knows and cleaned by the same equipment that has just cleaned a multitude of other rooms.
But if needs must, then I do it.

glammanana

Is it just me or am I the only one who doesn't like the idea of my bedding being washed in a machine used by someone else's laundry ?

Why ? It’s “washed”! What about in a hotel ? I don’t think they use a private machine for each new guest 😂🤷‍♀️

glamanana Heaven help you if you ever have to go into hospital...

Is it just me or am I the only one who doesn't like the idea of my bedding being washed in a machine used by someone else's laundry ?

Biscuitmuncher

Some weeks however hard I try I cant keep up with the laundry. I've a largish family, two with dirty physical jobs and I'm swamped. So I've started taking my towels and sheets to the laundrette and the next day collect them. I love it

I agree, if we have a lot of guests I have been known to take all the bedding to be done.
It’s so lovely collecting it all pressed.

Currently I am using the laundrette ironing service as I have been ill and have occasionally used the whole laundry service for the bedding - it could get to be habit.

When I was a child, in a very far from wealthy (i.e. poor) household my mother always used the local laundry for washing the bed linen. It was nothing out of the ordinary, lots of people did it.

Now it seems to look as though there's something wrong with the woman who can't do it all themselves. 🤔

My first MIL had her 'household' wash collected - all the sheets, towels etc. went off in the little laundry van and returned washed, ironed and folded to perfection. Shirts came back on hangers. The family's clothes and school uniforms were dry cleaned, too, so they needed at least two of everything. Still, she complained about 'doing the washing' in her twin tub. It was just underwear and socks - that's all!

Biscuitmuncher It’s a bit like having a cleaner or getting a take-away. If it helps you, or makes you feel better, then that covers the cost.
I find laundry from dirty jobs or physical jobs like dance practice and rehearsals builds up laundry really quickly too.
Your towels and sheets need drying space as well and in winter that’s sometimes a challenge.