Are you new to the launderette scene, and you’re not sure how long the washing machine is going to take to do your laundry? Well, you’re not alone!
Grabbing your laundry and taking it to the coin wash seems simple enough. But getting to grips with the dos and don’ts can be tricky! And one burning question on most people’s lips is ‘How long does a washing cycle at the launderettes take?’
If you use your home washer as a guide, you’d be right to assume that the cycle could take an age, and that you’re going to be hanging around the laundry shop all day.
But, believe it or not, this isn’t actually the case with launderette washing machines, because they’ve been designed to clean clothes faster than a domestic appliance.
Find out how long a wash cycle is going to take you at a launderette below.
How Long Does a Wash Cycle Take at a Launderette?
A normal washing cycle at a launderette takes between 30 to 45 minutes to complete on average. (This does not include any drying time that may be required). However, if you choose to use a bigger machine, add lots of laundry to the drum, use a specialised cycle, or a hotter temperature, the washing time can increase a little.
And, of course, wash times may vary between different launderettes. So, before you use a launderette service, it might be better to have a quick chat with the attendant to get their take on cycle times based on the machines they manage in store.
As you can see, the average wash time listed above is much shorter than what you’d get from a domesticated washer. And the reason for this is because launderette machines are used for commercial purposes and are typically much bigger in size.
The machines are designed to cater for large loads of washing, and to clean vast loads of laundry in a shorter period of time. But just because these appliances can wash laundry faster, it doesn’t mean that they don’t clean your clothes properly. In most cases, laundry is cleaned very well!
In addition to this, you’d naturally expect launderette machines to wash laundry quicker because lots of people need to use the machines on a daily basis. You, therefore, can’t have loads of people waiting around to use the appliances. You basically need a quick turn around! This also makes things more profitable for the launderette owners.
In contrast, you don’t need such a quick turn around at home because you’re not sharing the machine with other people.
How Long Do Launderette Drying Machines Take?
It’s up to you to decide how long you’d like the dryer at the launderette to run for. And you need to base the length of said cycle on what materials you want to dry, how much you’re drying, and what temperature you need to use.
Some launderette dryers can take as little as 10 minutes to complete a drying cycle, if this is what you have selected and paid for. However, there’s no guarantee that your washing will be dry after such a short session.
In general, you should expect a drying session to last at least 30 to 45 minutes on average. This would allow you to dry an ample amount of laundry.
Launderette dryers are normally much bigger than domestic dryers, so you should be able to fit and dry your regular amount of laundry with ease! Plus, after a 45-minute drying cycle, your clothes stand a better chance of leaving the dryer in a dry condition.
Of course, before you select a drying time, you should take note of what materials you’re going to be drying, and dry them according to their care labels.
You might have to choose a shorter/longer cycle for some clothes, and a cooler/hotter temperature for others.
In addition to this, you should consider how much laundry you pop inside the drum as this can impact how long your drying session will take.
As a rule, the more wet washing you add to the machine, the more time the clothes will take to dry because there’s less room in the drum for them to move about.
This is also true for heavy and bulky items. They can also take a long time to dry. So, you might have to run a longer cycle to dry these items.
It’s very likely to be a case of ‘trial and error’ as you use the dryer initially, but you’ll soon learn how to use the machine properly.
Tip: Some people argue that it’s better for you to pop your laundry in a dryer that has recently been used. This means that the dryer won’t be freezing cold when you add your clothes to it. In turn, it won’t waste too much time heating up all over again!
How to Use a Launderette
Using a launderette is a great back up option when your washer is broken and you’ve got a mountain of laundry to do. But how do you actually do your washing in a launderette?
First things first you need to make sure you’ve got the following items:
- Coins to put in the machine to start it (Some places do accept cards, but not all).
- Your dirty laundry
- Detergent
- Colour catchers (If need be)
- Fabric conditioner
- Dryer sheets/balls (If you’re going to dry your laundry later)
- A clean laundry bag to transport your washed clothes home in (You can just use a fresh bin bag, if you don’t have an actual bag).
Once you’ve got yourself sorted, you can head on over to the launderette. When you arrive at the launderette, you’ll need to find a machine that’s free and ready to use.
After you’ve chosen a suitable washing machine, you can load your laundry into it. If you don’t have a huge amount of laundry, try to pick a smaller machine. Washers at launderettes are usually a lot bigger than the ones you get for a home.
The next step is to add your cleaning agent to the machine, and then you can select the appropriate cycle, and pay. Once the cycle has started you can stick around in the shop and wait.
When the alarm goes off you can remove your clean laundry from the washer. At this point you can either proceed to drying your laundry, or bag it up and take it home to dry.
To use a tumble dryer in a launderette, you must pick a machine, make sure it’s free, load your wet laundry into it, select an appropriate cycle, and pay. When the cycle ends you can pack up your clothes and head back home.
Read our guide on how to use a launderette for more tips.
Tip: If you’ve never used a launderette before, you should pop down to the shop when it is manned by an attendant and get them to talk you through the entire process. Not all launderettes are manned all the time, so you might turn up on the day with your washing in tow and nobody will be around to answer your questions.
So, try and prepare in advance and choose a quieter time, so you know you’ll be able to get hold of a washer and dryer.
Bethan has a passion for exploring, reading, cooking and gardening! When she’s not creating culinary delights for her family, she’s concocting potions to keep her house clean!
