Clothes lines

[Ms_Cellany]

When I dry things inside, I put them on a rack, or hang them on hangers from the shower rod, and put on a ceiling fan.

[katycoo]

Dawbs, I can imagine.

I live in a 1BR walkup, so I'm stuck with an outside laundromat and dryers.

I always find this transatlantic difference interesting for some reason.  In the US, as per this thread, a lot of people find the idea of using a clothes line weird/an indication of poverty but, on the other hand, Americans who live in flats/apartments tend not to even have a washing machine.  On the other hand, in the UK, even really tiny places - studios with only one room - tend to have washing machines.  It's really uncommon to share washing machines or use laundrettes.

I'm in the UK and IME, if you dont have your own washing machine, you'd use the launderette near your house. It's uncommon to have a shared laundertte in an apartment building (unless any Brits can correct me?)

The last time I had on-site shared laundry facilties was when I was a student

ev

Australian here:  I've never actually seen a public laundrette.  I'm sure they're around, but they're certainly not plentiful.  I've personally never known anyone to not have their own washing machine.  Even laundry rooms in an apartment block are uncommon.

[JoW]

I'm in the US and I've never seen the term "laundrette".  Here its called a "laundromat" or a "coin laundry".  They are quite common. 

The laundromat 5 miles from my home has about 20 normal-size washing machines and a few larger ones.  They also have 3 super-huge washers, big enough to wash a 56 inch (1.4 meter) dog bed or 2 pillows.  Which is why I go there occasionally - to wash stuff that won't fit in my home washing machine.  The dryers are also over-size and hold a whole load from the over-size washer or 2 loads from the normal-size washers.       

[Bluenomi]

Aussie here.

I have the traditional Hills Hoist at home. We do have a dryer but only use it is its raining or in winter when things aren't quite dry after being outside in the cold all day. Most stuff I put on clothes horses in the house though instead of the dryer since it shrinks stuff.

I've always wondered if dryers in the US are different to ours. So many clothes can't go in the dryer or they shrink, does that happen in the US and people just expect it or are their dryers different?

I know the dryer we had in the UK was the same, everyone came out a size smaller after the first use 

[Ereine]

I'm not sure if laundrettes/laundronats really exist in Finland. I live in one of the biggest towns and have never seen one, though it's possible that there are some in Helsinki (and I know one restaurant with a washer and dryer for customers). Most people have their own washing machines and I believe that most apartment buildings have laundry rooms, even though people in apartments are likely to own their own (a washing machine usually never belongs to the apartment, people bring their own). I use the laundry room as there's only room for a tiny washing machine in my bathroom (which is where washing machines live here, unless you have a utility room) and they cost much more and are less useful. Our laundry room's washing machine is quite large and only takes half an hour for a load.

[BC12]

I've always wondered if dryers in the US are different to ours. So many clothes can't go in the dryer or they shrink, does that happen in the US and people just expect it or are their dryers different?

I don't know if this is different to yours, but most US dryers have multiple heat settings and I do most loads on very low heat. Some items must be hung to dry, and in that case, I just throw them over the back of a chair or hang them in the bathroom for a while. But I don't own very many items that cannot go into the dryer. Also, yes, some items of clothing are expected to shrink, like t-shirts, so I'll sometimes buy a size larger if I'm worried about it shrinking.


P.S. Thanks to everyone who answered my questions! Think I'll start trying to use the dryer less from now on.

[Judah]

I'm not sure if laundrettes/laundronats really exist in Finland. I live in one of the biggest towns and have never seen one, though it's possible that there are some in Helsinki (and I know one restaurant with a washer and dryer for customers). Most people have their own washing machines and I believe that most apartment buildings have laundry rooms, even though people in apartments are likely to own their own (a washing machine usually never belongs to the apartment, people bring their own). I use the laundry room as there's only room for a tiny washing machine in my bathroom (which is where washing machines live here, unless you have a utility room) and they cost much more and are less useful. Our laundry room's washing machine is quite large and only takes half an hour for a load.

Keep in mind that even in the U.S. laundromats don't exist everywhere.  In my experience, when they exist at all, they're located in low income neighborhoods. I haven't seen one in years.  Most people who live in single family homes own their own, and people who live in apartments have access to on site laundry rooms.

[jmarvellous]

I'm not sure if laundrettes/laundronats really exist in Finland. I live in one of the biggest towns and have never seen one, though it's possible that there are some in Helsinki (and I know one restaurant with a washer and dryer for customers). Most people have their own washing machines and I believe that most apartment buildings have laundry rooms, even though people in apartments are likely to own their own (a washing machine usually never belongs to the apartment, people bring their own). I use the laundry room as there's only room for a tiny washing machine in my bathroom (which is where washing machines live here, unless you have a utility room) and they cost much more and are less useful. Our laundry room's washing machine is quite large and only takes half an hour for a load.

Keep in mind that even in the U.S. laundromats don't exist everywhere.  In my experience, when they exist at all, they're located in low income neighborhoods. I haven't seen one in years.  Most people who live in single family homes own their own, and people who live in apartments have access to on site laundry rooms.

They are in every neighborhood but the ritziest of the ritzy in my town. And those neighborhoods aren't far from the less chic ones, anyway. There are several on any main street.

[Sophia]

I've never been without a washer and dryer, and I've lived in some cheap apartments.  I am too forgetful and impatient to use a laudromat.  I would wander off and forget for a couple of days, by which time my clothes would be stolen.  It is like finding an apartment that allows a cat.  If you are willing to limit the selection, you can find it.

My husband said he made money in college in the dorms washing people's clothes.  They paid him $5 a load.  He did it for athletes, so they had a load of workout clothes everyday to wash.  He'd sit there in the late mornings and study while many loads were washing at the same time. 

[Judah]

Keep in mind that even in the U.S. laundromats don't exist everywhere.  In my experience, when they exist at all, they're located in low income neighborhoods. I haven't seen one in years.  Most people who live in single family homes own their own, and people who live in apartments have access to on site laundry rooms.

They are in every neighborhood but the ritziest of the ritzy in my town. And those neighborhoods aren't far from the less chic ones, anyway. There are several on any main street.

Isn't it funny how things are different everywhere.  I just did a map search and the closest one to me is 15 miles away.  There's a cluster of six laundromats in that town, all within a couple miles of each other, then not another one for about 8 miles. The town with the cluster of laundromats is an economically depressed one.

[camlan]

I'm not sure if laundrettes/laundronats really exist in Finland. I live in one of the biggest towns and have never seen one, though it's possible that there are some in Helsinki (and I know one restaurant with a washer and dryer for customers). Most people have their own washing machines and I believe that most apartment buildings have laundry rooms, even though people in apartments are likely to own their own (a washing machine usually never belongs to the apartment, people bring their own). I use the laundry room as there's only room for a tiny washing machine in my bathroom (which is where washing machines live here, unless you have a utility room) and they cost much more and are less useful. Our laundry room's washing machine is quite large and only takes half an hour for a load.

Keep in mind that even in the U.S. laundromats don't exist everywhere.  In my experience, when they exist at all, they're located in low income neighborhoods. I haven't seen one in years.  Most people who live in single family homes own their own, and people who live in apartments have access to on site laundry rooms.

They are in every neighborhood but the ritziest of the ritzy in my town. And those neighborhoods aren't far from the less chic ones, anyway. There are several on any main street.

It really depends on where you live. In Boston, and I suspect New York City, you can find laundromats everywhere, even in some of the more expensive parts of the city. There are a lot of apartments in older cities that were built before washers and dryers were invented, and there just isn't room for the machines unless you do substantial remodeling, and perhaps some re-plumbing and re-wiring. There are small laundromats on Beacon Hill and all around the Back Bay in Boston, and those are not low-income neighborhoods.

A lot of those laundramats do a big business in doing laundry--people drop their stuff off and pick it up, clean, dry and folded.

Currently, I live in a old city in New Hampshire and there are several laundromats dotted around town, in walking distance to the best neighborhoods. But that might be due to a large university one town over--a lot of the students rent apartments in this city. The laundromats are frequently connected with a dry cleaner.

Even if you have your own machines, it's worth having a laundromat somewhere nearby. For those times when your machines are broken, or you have to wash something large, like a comforter.

[Ereine]

I googled and apparently there has once been at least two laundromats in my town (population 170 000). One was in the town center, the other in an "economically depressed area". Both appear to be closed now. There are several in the capital where it makes sense, there are a lot of people living in very small spaces and some older buildings may not have laundry rooms. I suspect that's the main reason people would use them, washing machines aren't that expensive and at least in my town it's easy to buy them used. I live in a lower-income area and though our laundry room is quite heavily used it's the same people every week (we reserve time slots on a list) so I suspect that even in this place where low rent is the main attraction, most people have washing machines.

I found some posts by people asking if there were any laundromats around and every time there was someone saying that washing your laundry outside your home is elitist and snobby and the people asking should just buy cheap washing machines.

[dawbs]

you also may find more of those in the city do the pick-up/drop off thing.

Heck, at one of my jobs, if I had a bag o' dirty laundry ready by noon on Tues, I could hand it over to the pick-up-guy who stopped by my workplace and he'd bring it to me by noon on Thursday. 
(I didn't use the service but my roomie did)

[Judah]

I found some posts by people asking if there were any laundromats around and every time there was someone saying that washing your laundry outside your home is elitist and snobby and the people asking should just buy cheap washing machines.

I find that absolutely fascinating!

[Jones]

I found some posts by people asking if there were any laundromats around and every time there was someone saying that washing your laundry outside your home is elitist and snobby and the people asking should just buy cheap washing machines.

I find that absolutely fascinating!

Same! I have heard many things about laundry in my life, but never that someone who hauls their laundry to another building and sits there for hours with a magazine while the cycles are completed is elitist. Maybe I need to sell my own machines and start doing laundry at the 'mat? For appearances?

(Googled it and was surprised at how many laundromats are in my town. I knew of two, but found five, although one is a hotel that apparently doesn't mind if none-guests come and use the machines. Money is money, I guess...)