Did you know that there is a set of customary codes of polite behavior that you need to follow when washing clothes at a laundromat? Although these are just unwritten rules, people follow them to protect their laundry at a self-serve laundromat.
Following the customary codes will not only keep your laundry safe but will also prevent you from upsetting other customers in the area.
Laundromat owners may establish their own set of general guidelines in their establishment to help maintain peace and order in their facilities.
Self-Serve Laundromat Etiquettes You Need to Know
Here are some unwritten rules that you may want to follow to keep the peace and protect your laundry:
Do not leave your clothes sitting in the machine.
Regardless if it is the washer or the dryer, you should not leave your clothes sitting inside the machine. If you are done, take your clothes off the washer or dryer immediately.
If you really must leave your clothes unattended, make sure that you won’t take too long. Keep in mind that other people would like to use the washer or dryer as well.
If you need to move someone else’s laundry from a machine, handle them with care.
Okay, maybe you did not leave your clothes sitting in the washer– but someone else did and now you need to use the machine– what do you do?
If someone left their laundry sitting in the machine, wait for five minutes (or more if you are feeling generous) before removing the items. If they don’t show up within the grace period that you have provided, then make sure that you handle each item with care. You may place them on a clean surface above or near the machine. Do NOT place the clothes in a dryer. You may think that it is a good deed, but a lot of things could go wrong in this scenario.
Clean the lint screen after using the dryer.
If it is your first time washing clothes at a laundromat, you may not know that you’re supposed to clean out the lint screen after using the dryer. Some people have the misconception that just because they are renting the machine– they no longer need to do these little things.
However, anyone in a self-serve laundromat will agree that they would not want to clean out someone else’s lint. You won’t appreciate that either! So clean your lint screen.
Use the right amount of laundry products.
Do not put too much detergent, bleach, or fabric softener in the machine. Doing so can either damage the machine or affect the next person’s laundry. What if the next person is allergic to your detergent? It can quickly pose a health and safety hazard.
Do NOT even attempt to reserve a machine.
It is common laundromat etiquette for you to wait until your clothes are washed and ready before you secure a dryer for yourself. It means that you should not reserve a dryer if your clothes are still in the washer.
You may be concerned whether you’d have a dryer by the time your clothes finish washing. However, it is rude to stake one out before you even have any clothes to add to it. Imagine if someone reserves a machine and you really need to use one because your clothes are done– you would not be so pleased either.
Respect space.
This unwritten self-serve laundromat code is important right now more than ever. You need to respect other people’s space. Make sure that you practice social distancing and make sure that none of your things are hindering other people to do the same.
.
All Things Considered
The bottom line here is that you need to respect the establishment and respect other people. Everyone is there to wash clothes at the laundromat, but you can help ensure that everyone has a nice experience by following the laundromat etiquette.
