Laundry is part of life. We know it is not the most exciting task out there, but unfortunately, we don’t have a solution to make your laundry pile disappear.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to save a few bucks with doing the laundry and you’re wondering how much does it cost to wash clothes at a laundromat? Then we can help you there!
How Much Does It Cost to Wash Clothes at a Laundromat?
There is no fixed price point in this business, and so laundromat prices vary from one place to another.
The average cost of doing your laundry at the laundromat before was around $2. Today, the belief is that it has gone up to $3. As you can see, the cost of doing your laundry at the laundromat has grown a bit.
It is important to keep in mind that these numbers are only an average. It is still possible to find a laundromat with a higher or lower rate.
If you want to find the best deal around your area, then you might want to do some digging. Asking around and doing some internet research will help you in this quest.
Keep in mind that the place with the lowest rate is not always the best one around. You might want to visit the different places to see how business is actually at each one.
Your visits will also give you a clear picture of the travel time and the ordeal of going there.
How Much Does It Cost to Wash Clothes at Home?
Without comparing the cost of doing your laundry at the laundromat with the cost of doing it at home, you might not be able to see the number’s actual value.
Approximately, you will spend .87¢ (.76¢ for the energy cost and .11¢ for the water cost) per load you do at home. It is important to note that this is only a rough estimate. There are many factors to take into account when trying to get the exact cost. It would change from one household to another or even from one person to another.
Doing the Laundry at Laundromat VS Doing the Laundry at Home
Looking at the computations we made, doing your laundry at home would save you around one to two dollars. However, that’s not all there is to it.
Before you decide whether you want to do your laundry at the laundromat or at home, there are a few more things you have to consider.
Laundry Products
First, in the computations above, the cost of the cleaning products was excluded. If you do your laundry at home, you will undoubtedly have to add these things to the total.
On the other hand, some laundromats might provide some of the cleaning products for free. There is the possibility they won’t, and you can almost always be sure that the ones they sell would be costlier than those you can buy at the grocery.
Appliances
Second, you also have to take into account the cost of the equipment and repairs. If you want to do your laundry at home, then you would have to buy the machines. In addition, you would also have to add the cost of the repairs to the total if ever one or both machines break down in the future.
On the other hand, you won’t have to buy the equipment if you do your laundry at the laundromat. Also, you won’t have to pay for repairs if their machines break down.
Availability and Convenience
The third thing on the list is availability and convenience. If you’re doing your laundry at home, then it goes without saying that it would ultimately be more convenient. Also, the washing machine and the dryer would be available to you always.
To add, you can also multitask while you do the laundry if you have some work to finish. You would also be able to multitask at the laundromat. However, not everything you need would be readily available to you. You would have to bring them to the laundromat as well.
Space
Fourth, you would also have to consider space. Choosing to do your laundry at home would mean buying a washing machine and dryer. These appliances are big. They undoubtedly need space. If you need some extra room in your place, then you might want to do your laundry at the laundromat instead.
There are pros and cons for both options. These are only some of the main points to consider. Consider if you’re after saving a few bucks, convenience, or something else completely. After that, decide what would work best for you.
If you’re still a little hesitant, we suggest you try doing your laundry at the laundromat first. Spending a few dollars on a few loads is a smaller commitment than spending hundreds on a washing machine and dryer only to find out that it is not for you.
For the Ones Who Decided to Do the Laundry at Home
If you’ve decided to do your laundry at home, then here are a few tips you might want to keep in mind.
Maintenance
One of the biggest arguments to go to the laundromats instead is the cost of repairs.
Repairing a broken washing machine and dryer is not your only problem. You might think that if your appliances are still working, then you can put off the repair. Unfortunately, no. If you don’t fix your washing machine or dryer, it will have an effect on your bills. You might not notice it, but little by little, it will add up over time.
However, there doesn’t need to be any repairs if there won’t be any problem in the first place. Prevention is the key! Stop a problem before there is even one. Take good care of your machines.
Start by following the suggestions and recommendations in the instruction and guide. Also, make sure you don’t overload your machine, and don’t forget to clean them often!
More on washing machine maintenance here, and dryer maintenance here.
Find Budget-friendly Laundry Products
If your goal is to save, you might want to take it up a notch by finding cheap but good laundry products.
There are many laundry products at different price points that perform at the same level. Try the budget-friendly ones, and you might be surprised.
Also, once you find the best laundry products for you, then you might want to buy the largest sizes available. It will help you save in the long run.
The Laundromat
Even if you’ve decided to do your laundry at home, it would be a good idea to still go to the laundromat for your heavy loads.
The laundromat usually has big machines that can handle heavy loads. Things that your washing machine and dryer might not be able to handle.
This way, you won’t have to worry about your comforters ruining your machines. You won’t have to worry about repairs too!
Replacement
If you’ve taken good care of your machines, then they would probably still run after they’ve passed their prime.
Once you’ve started to see an unusual increase in your bills, then it might be because of your laundry machines. Maybe it’s time to replace them.
You don’t have to worry. Your washing machine and dryer should last you for a good ten years if properly used and managed.
For the Ones Who Decided to Do the Laundry at the Laundromat
If you’ve decided you want to do your laundry at the laundromat instead, then here are the things you might want to consider.
Make Each Visit Count
The laundromat you have chosen may not be near you. In that case, you might have to expend energy and fare money.
Plan your visits. It would be best if you could keep your trips to a minimum, but don’t put off your laundry too long! You might find that you have nothing good to wear for unplanned dates and parties.
Laundry Products
You might want to consider bringing your own laundry products when you go to the laundromat. It might be a hassle, but as we have said earlier, laundry products at the laundromat could be way costlier than those sold in the grocery.
Some would tell you to buy laundry products in travel sizes. If you ask us, we suggest you buy the largest sizes available. Invest in small containers you can refill instead.
Be Ready
There are days you won’t be able to go on your planned visit to the laundromat. It could be because of a storm or something totally unexpected. The thing is, it will happen at some point. Always be ready.
Summary
How much does it cost to wash clothes at a laundromat? Well, now you know and more!
Today, we talked about the cost of doing the laundry at the laundromat. We also discussed the cost of doing it at home and compared the two.
As you have seen, there are pros and cons with each option. The best choice for you would ultimately depend on your situation.
On the other hand, you might be here because you want to start a laundromat business.
Jessica Oliver is a fashion enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in the industry. She previously managed her own clothing store in New York before becoming a mother of three. With a passion for sustainability and a desire to share clothing care and recycling tips.
Considering the cost of a washer/dryer these days, adding on higher local water bills and electricity, I believe your computations are way off.
I can do 6 loads of laundry at my local clean wonderful West End Laundry for about 15-16.00 w. sometimes 2 trips a month.
I also love the fact that the laundry is done, done all at once, easier to fold and control. Often when doing laundry at home, someone would forget to transfer washed clothes to dryer which invariably caused the family to have to re-wash and often to waste or ruin clothes. If you have a local lovely laundromat…enjoy it.
Oh yes…there was a man whom did a mathematical comparison back around 2016 about the time I was forced into buying my daugher a washer/dryer. He worked it out that for him at that time buying a similar w/d set would take him 23 years to pay for them. He didn’t use as much laundry detergent as I do; however, I get a knock off brand that is absolutely comprable to Tide at 6.50 a huge container and it will do the 12 loads a month I do. The laundromat costs me around 15.00 a visit and sometime I go twice a month, never more is needed.
$4.00/week = $16.00/month = $192.00/year = L
He bought a cheaper set than moi at
Hotpoint HSWP1000MWW Washer: $469.00 + Hotpoint HTDX100EMWW Dryer: $429.00 = $898.00 = P
He stated he would have to use my laundromat for 23 years before a cheap washer/dryer combo would pay for itself. I imagine that many other young city-dwellers will come to a similar conclusion.