... to tell you about service washes...

[laundryschmaundry]

At your local laundrette.

Family of 4. Back from a half term break yesterday. Tons of washing. Dropped four black sacks to laundrette yesterday afternoon sorted into darks (2), lights (1) and mixed colours (1).

Picked it up today- washed,dried and folded (not ironed but I don't iron anyway ). A grand total of £43.

I don't have a cleaner, I don't smoke and I'm seriously considering giving up wine to never have to do the laundry ever again.

Was a revelation to me too.
best to take lots of small items as it’s charged by kilo. Mine was so neatly folded that no ironing was necessary. Only
down side for me was the use of a powder/conditioner that was not mine.

We have just got back from a week’s activity holiday. I’ve done 3 loads as that’s all that will dry at one time. Probably 3 to go. I am 100% doing a laundrette visit next time as I hate the feeling of a post holiday multiple wash come-down. So thank you OP, great idea for just this sort of thing!

There's a dry cleaners near me which also does laundry -- I take our bed linen there to be washed, dried and ironed.
(I have a washer/dryer that does everything else but because we have one superking bed and one kingsize it takes forever - duvet covers have to be washed and dried singly.)
The cleaning service is around £20 per set - bottom sheet, duvet cover and four pillowcases. The kingsize bed is in the spare room so only gets changed for visitors, our superking is changed fortnightly. So it's about £40 a month most months and it's well worth it to have beautifully crisp clean bedding. (Loathe ironing.)

I tried to get a service wash last year when our washing machine broke down. I went to 2 launderettes and a dry cleaner. Nobody could take it for 10 days - 2 weeks!

I actually think it’s be more hassle to load all the washing into bags and drive to a laundrette than it would be to just do four loads of washing.

^This. I mean... how much time does it actually take to put a wash on?

I would be happy to earn that money washing someone's washing. I signed up to an app that was supposed to put me in contact with people who wanted washing done, but I couldn't get it to work. Cashare/washare. Load of rubbish.

That's what I've done.
At the end of a family holiday just take everything for a service wash. It kind of extends the holiday, I don't have that big holiday wash to do, and it's worth it!

I live in an area where they come and collect it and bring it back the next day. Been sending all my tumble-dryable stuff there each week. It's great.

I used to do this when the DCs were small and other family with small DCs came to stay meaning there were 3 extra lots of bedding plus bath towels to wash. Just got it all over and done with in one go.

Presume they don’t sort though? Because a giant mixed pile, even folded, that I still have to go through and work out which person’s navy socks those are, allocate out all the t shirts etc is just not worth it to me. Plus I am very fussy about scents and I would hate random washing powder smell. I don’t find doing my own laundry any big deal, I’d only go to a laundrette for eg the super king size duvet!

But if it works for you then crack on.

You’ve inspired me Op, I’m doing this when we get back from our Easter holiday.

I used service washes when our machine was broken. During lockdown so I couldn't go to the laundrette as it was closed.

They collected (socially distanced), washed, dried and folded. Then delivered.

It was expensive but worth it and I had no option really.

What about the stuff that can’t be tumble dried? Do you not send it to the launderette, or send it to the launderette but ask that certain items aren’t dried?

You could always take your own washing powder and fabric conditioner.

I've never had a service wash done but I do take bedding and shirts to be ironed every other week! Usually take it on a Tuesday and collect on a Thursday when I'm passing and everyone thinks I've done it. 😁

DH is disabled, a while ago we looked to see what we could outsource to cover 'his share' of chords.

We now have a regular collection by a local service of a large laundry bag full: washed, ironed and returned in around six hours.

Such a luxury. I can only image they have a fleet of 'house elves'.

I sometimes take all mine to the launderette because it’s so quick. I can do four loads at once in half the time my own washing machine and dryer take. Under £20 if I’m prepared to load the machines myself and it’s quite soothing sitting there with a book.

We didn't have a washing machine when we married there wasn't room in the flat. OH was in the habit of doing the washing first thing Saturday so continued. Left me to have a lie in, he did some shopping while the washing ran and when he got back we had fresh rolls with bacon and egg. He was well trained.

Last day of a holiday, I always cough up for the local laundrette. In the far east, it comes back ironed to within an inch of its life!

I am not interested in returning from a lovely break to a suitcase of smelly socks and dirty clothes.

I did this on the last day of a holiday once. Packed clean and ironed clothes into suitcase and arrived home to NO LAUNDRY!

I actually wanted Customs to pull me over

I do serviced laundry instead of a cleaner and love it. They collect and drop back to my house and it's really good value. I wouldn't bother if I had to take it there and pick it up again though.

Genius!

We send our bedding to a laundrette but not clothes as so many can’t be tumble dried

Also you still have to sort the fucking stuff and put it in their drawers
That's what I would pay the money for.
I fucking hate the putting away

I hear you. It's worth it to get rid of whatever chore it is you hate the most. I ripped up my lawn and put down a plastic one because I HATE mowing the lawn. I do feel guilty about this but now that robot lawn mowers are a thing I am seriously thinking about replanting the grass and buying a Husqvarna.