How do I use a Laundrette?

In the seventies my mum and I were staying with my brother in London. We took our washing to the launderette. We didn't know what to do but we loaded the machine then mum added detergent which was sitting on top. A very irate woman snatched it off mum, saying it was hers! So embarrassing, we didn't realise you brought your own.

Our local dry cleaners/laundry do ours.
Cost dependent on size, but a super king was about £20 last time.

And as a pp said, duvets should never be dry cleaned. The residual fumes from the solvents are dangerous.

Why so sur[rise I'd never used one? We saved up and got a twin-tub before we married, it lasted through two babies, and then we got what was called an automatic one, like we have now. We lived miles from a town.
However, if its going to cost £20 upwards I might as well buy a new duvet and put this in the bin

I got a quote for washing a king sized douvet , it was cheaper to buy a new one !

Ours washes them for you and charges between 10 and 20 depending on size.

We have washing machines and driers in supermarket car parks now. There are larger sized machines to accommodate duvets etc. Detergent is included and it costs me about 15 euros to launder a double duvet. I usually hang them on the line afterwards so they are really dry and aired.

We have a nearby petrol station with a some huge machines, it’s great you pull up park and bang your quilt in the machine and go back an hour or so later.
The powder is automatically dispensed but I throw a liquitab in the drum.
There are dryers too.

Our nearest launderette didn't like customers to wash their own duvets, but did a service wash, whereby you left the duvet with them, they would wash and dry it, and then collect later.

Since they closed I take duvets to a branch of Timpson in our local Sainsburys and they wash and dry it for you; costs around £25.

ExDancer, I have never used a launderette either. In fact I haven't seen one in years. I would be concerned if they are indeed unmanned as to what you would for if something went wrong. I tend to have a summer and a winter Duvet, buy them every two years from Sainsbury. They are very warm but also light and hypoallergenic.

Please people - do not dry clean duvets.

well before you take the duvet, call in and 'suss' it out. how much change for machines, how long it takes ect. that's what i would do.

Our launderette is a self service one, no staff.

Several machines, I use one of the big ones for duvet washing,

I go first thing in the morning (8am) so usually empty.

Take my own wash powder and conditioner, plenty of £1 coins. It’s a few pounds for a big wash.

Instructions all on view.

Then a session in the tumble drier, keep opening it up to move the duvet about. Take it home to air well on the line.

Always try and do it on a sunny day.

you've never used a launderette !?? really ??

I've never used a launderette either.
When we were first married (45 years ago) my husband used to take our washing to the launderette at the top of our road.
After three weeks we realised we could buy a washing machine on interest-free credit for the same amount of money he'd been spending at the launderette.
So that was the end of that ?

I take moment I the dry cleaner s and they wash it.

you've never used a launderette !?? really ??
is this a stealth boast, as they'd say over on MN ?
how do you usually wash it ?
and i wouldn't use conditioner on a duvet.

Some have machines that are operated by coins and some need you to buy tokens to put in the machines.
I suggest just going to the counter and saying that you haven't done this before and what's the procedure.
(Unless it's one with no staff around)

It's pretty self explainatry when you enter the laundrette...

Most launderettes have two options:

- do it yourself, and yes, the instructions are clear, and if they are not, someone (either staff or another customer) will help you. Take your own soap powder, it's usually very expensive to use theirs. There will be washing machines and tumble driers. You may have to wait to use them, as others have said.

- get a service wash, which is when your drop off your laundry, a member of staff does the whole thing for you, and you pick up your items, washed and dried, sometime later

Not all launderettes do service washes, and sometimes they are only available at set times, eg the staff are there between 8am and 4pm or whatever. It is worth finding out if your preferred site does service washes, if you want one, before you lug your duvet all the way there.

Oh, I thought that's what you did, put it in the machine paid for the use and soap and conditioner, then switched it on.
I thought it would be automatic.

I'm not wanting it dry cleaned, its washable.
I wasn't expecting anyone to do it for me.

My winter, king sized, feather and down one cost £25 - washed, dried and bagged.

There are machines for doing it yourself at our laundrette but they always seem to be busy.

Yes, just bundle it up and hand it over. They usually charge according to the size; single, double etc. Mine was with them for just a day or so and I was told to leave it spread out over the bannister for 24 hours before putting it back on the bed.

sheltered LIFE