Don't leave your laundry sitting.
Sometimes people will leave loads of clothes at the laundromat for days at a time, said Jan Wataha, manager at Wash Palace.
She said a customer left a load of clothes in a 40-pound-capacity washer for two days and they were forced to dry them and hope the owner returns. "They still haven't come back," she said. "If we didn't dry them, they would get mildewed."
Remove someone else's clothes only if the cycle has stopped
and there are no free machines.
"If there are people waiting and someone has gone off and left their clothes in the washer or dryer, we feel like we have the right to empty them," Wataha said. "We have the clothes separated in carts, but we do feel like it's proper to take the clothes out if the cycle has ended. The people got what they paid for."
Ask for help if you need it.
Wash Palace and other laundromats have attendants on duty who know the capacity and capability of each machine, so customers should ask for help when they're not sure how to do laundry in order to avoid damaging their clothes or the machines.
"We have people trying to stuff a queen-sized comforter in a 10-pound machine," she said. "Just ask for help."
Watch your kids.
"People don't watch their kids," Wataha said. "That would be our biggest concern. There is usually not a problem with people getting along, but if people come in with unruly kids, we kind of play police."
Keep young children at home when at all possible, but when they're along, make sure they are entertained and not bothering other customers.
Don't use too many machines, especially during peak hours.
One of the main perks of laundromats is being able to do multiple loads at one time, thereby reducing the total time it takes to do laundry.
However, when a laundromat is busy or people are waiting, it is considered rude to commandeer several machines.
5 no-fail steps to clean laundry
1. Sort clothes according to color; darks go with darks and whites go with whites. Most bright colors can be washed together.
Also, try to sort laundry based on lint production. Things that produce lint — towels, sweatshirts and chenille items — should be washed separately. "Empty your pockets before you wash or dry your clothes," said Jan Wataha, manager at Wash Palace, 3216 Kimball Ave. "As far as a laundromat is concerned, it creates problems for us."
2. Choose the water level and measure detergent with a scoop or the cap on the bottle. Most brands call for a full cap with a large load and less for a small load. "Don't put too much soap in the machine, or it won't get rinsed out of your clothing," Wataha said. "If it's left in your clothing for a time, your fabric's going to deteriorate."
Pour the detergent into the washer. Pour fabric softener into the dispenser if desired.
3. Choose the water temperature. Read the label on clothes for the correct temperature. As a general rule, cold water keeps colors from bleeding and prevents clothes from shrinking. It also uses less energy than hot water. Warm or hot water is fine for durable fabrics and can keep whites pristine.
4. Choose the wash speed. Again, choose a slower cycle for delicate materials and a faster or "heavy-duty" speed for thicker fabric. Wataha said it is important not to overstuff the washing machine, or the clothes will not get clean. It can also cause problems with the washer over time, she said. Close the washing machine and wait.
5. At the end of the cycle, take the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer. Add a static-reducing sheet, if you wish. Make sure the lint trap is clear, then turn the dryer on and wait for the clothes to dry. Fold or hang immediately.
Shortcut
If you don't have the time or the money to do multiple loads of laundry, you can try washing a mixed load in cold water with color-safe detergent on the gentle cycle. Avoid including anything white or anything very delicate if possible.
