How to use a laundromat for the first time
To use a laundromat, sort your clothes at home, bring detergent (or buy it there), load one washer per load size, pay at the machine, then move everything to a dryer. Most visits take about an hour because you can run several machines at the same time.
What to bring
- Your laundry, sorted into lights, darks, and towels
- Detergent, or buy single packs at the counter
- A way to pay: [coins, cards, and the laundry app]
- A basket or bag to carry clean, folded clothes home
Step by step
- Pick the right washer. A 20 lb washer holds about two home loads. Use a 40 or 60 lb washer for towels, bedding, or a family's worth of clothes.
- Load loosely. Fill the drum about three quarters full so clothes can move and rinse clean.
- Add detergent. Use the dispenser on top of the machine. High-efficiency machines need less soap than you think.
- Choose a temperature. Cold for darks and colors, warm for everyday whites, hot for towels and bedding.
- Pay and start. The display shows the time left, usually about 30 minutes.
- Dry. Move clothes to a dryer, set the heat, and add time as needed. Most loads dry in 30 to 45 minutes.
- Fold right away. Use our folding tables so clothes don't wrinkle.
How long does it take?
Plan on about an hour. The big advantage over a home machine is that every load runs at once, so five loads take about as long as one.
First visit to Westerly Hills Laundromat?
Your first wash is free. Claim it here, and ask the attendant if you want help picking a machine.