As I drove to my destination, I started to wonder how much it would cost. A blogger I follow credits herself $3.50 for each load of laundry, so I used that as my starting point. I figured I would spend about $10 across 3 loads and hoped that's what I had in cash in my purse.
My destination was 3.5 miles away, and when I arrived I was happy to learn it was not busy. I left the laundry in the backseat and headed in to poke around and get the lay of the land. The first washer read $11.25. What! That can't possibly be true? So I looked around some more jotting down the prices. Prices ranged from $3 to $11.25 to wash and $0.75 for 17 minutes in the dryer with signs recommending 34 minutes to dry ($1.50).
Conceivably, the wash was more than I was expecting. Since I was halfway thinking I'd do 3 loads, I realized I wouldn't have enough cash to do that. The wash bin for the $3 wash load looked so tiny but I don't know if that was because of the space or what. I took note of how to load the card and was pleased to learn there wasn't a "card fee." When I've used reloadable cards before, I've had to pay some sort of fee for the service. That's a Free Money Win in my book!
I must have looked extremely confused because an employee approached me and offered to help. I said I was just confused because I didn't expect it to be $11.25 to wash one load of laundry. He said, the machines have numbers on them that tell you how many loads each machine can wash.
Oh!
So for example the $3 machine are supposed to do a double load and the $11.25 is supposed to do 8 loads. I don't know if you ever had those small round plastic laundry bins in college or as a child, but that's about how much I would say 1 load would be.
Once he pointed out the numbers (with images), it all started to make sense. I took notes of the prices and corresponding load size and went back to my car to figure out what I could consolidate.
My main priority was washing the bedding and towels because being WFH I had an unending supply of clothes. So I grouped those together and pictured them fitting in the $7.25 (6 loads) machine. From there I just kept adding to the pile from the rest of the laundry until I made a pile big enough to feel as though I was getting my money's worth without the risk of bleeding colors.
I know these commercial dryers get really hot and dry clothes quickly, so I planned on $1.50 to dry with a $1.50 buffer because of a 100% cotton blanket that absorbs water as cotton is made to do.
I get in to Laundromat #1; load my clothes; go to the card machine to buy a wash card and remember seeing a video on their Facebook page about doubling your money. Since I didn't see any signs advertising this, I checked the Facebook page again. It was for a different location! Grrr.. I was already in motion! Should I stay or should I go? I started to sweat a little and realized I had nothing else to do and why should I care that I look a little crazy walking back out with my dirty clothes.
So back I went to my car with my dirty clothes. By now, it's after 11a. The friendly employee asked me what was wrong, and I explained that the other location was offering double your money. He confirmed that was true and that Laundromat #1 offered the same promotion in April. Well darn!
Now that I knew what to do, my escapade at Laundromat #2 was very simple. I loaded the card with $5 which presto! turned into $10. Loaded the 6-load washer, and again a friendly bystander offered to help because I was reading all the directions.
My clothes fit; I started the machine and was mesmerized for the 24-minute wash cycle.
I soon realized either I didn't use enough detergent or my detergent is low suds. I think I was a little flustered with the soap dispenser. In general, I'm always a bit dubious with liquid soap dispensers. Because as soon as I poured my detergent into the dispenser, it disappeared. I didn't see it go into the wash bin. When the wash cycle started, I still didn't notice any suds, so I added more detergent, and then a little bit more.
It made me think back to the last 5 years of laundry. I noticed over the years that my clothes had more and more stains that weren't removed in the wash. I'd always thought this was due to the HE washer that came with my studio, but now I'm starting to wonder if it wasn't because of the liquid detergent mysteriously disappearing in the front load washer.
After another uneventful 34 minutes, my clothes were done drying as well.
I forgot how efficient a laundromat could be.
In a house, this would've been an all day affair.
For time-savings alone, I'd come back to the laundromat.
Given COVID (which affects Lowe's coming into the house to install a washer/dryer); my possible move in the near future; and the 2 for 1 deal at the laundromat, I went ahead and put $5 more dollars on the card = $10 credit.
I don't see myself moving any earlier than July 4, so I'll be in the house at least 1 more month. So I know I'll make use of at least 1 more trip to the Laundromat. The promotion ends at the end of May, so I'll think more on if I might need to make any additional trips to the Laundromat.
Lessons learned - $5 is a great deal to get 4-6 loads of laundry done, but cause for pause for the actual price of $10. The 1 hour time frame to finish 4-6 loads of laundry definitely outweighs the inconvenience of traveling to the laundromat. If I do end up with a front load washing machine in the Townhouse, I may need to switch to powder detergent.
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