Washing and drying of clothes made easy with laundrette
KUCHING: With the wet weather coming on and off, one of the most bothering things for any household is getting the laundry washed and dried completely before the dark clouds hover over the sky again.
Unless there is space to dry them indoors or a clothes dryer at home, drying clothes during rainy days can be difficult and if not dried properly, chances are the clothes will be damp with a musty smell.
But thanks to Laundromat, a self-service laundry facility with coin- operated washing machines and dryers which can be found in many neighbourhoods and commercial areas across the city, laundry chores have become much easier and convenient.
Operator of Clean and Speedy Laundry at Jalan Bayor Bukit here, Claymond Leong, shared that business at the Laundromat was as usual with a steady stream of customers as the rains were not incessant.
“Of course, there are more patrons during rainy days as well as public holidays or nearing festive seasons. This outlet mainly serves nearby residents and surrounding neighbourhoods,” he said when contacted recently.
“Now that the Chinese New Year is nearing, many customers bring curtains, blankets or upholstery with heavy material to wash, including those who have returned from holidays with a lot of dirty laundry,” he said.
Leong added that the 24-hour facility which provides five washing machines and five dryers did not have fulltime staff to look after or assist customers to do their laundry.
“I go down in the morning to check the situation at the outlet and if there are customers requesting help, I would help them with their laundry for a limited time until they come back to collect them.
“It is very convenient and easy in fact. There is an all-in-one machine to exchange coins because the washer and dryer only accept new 50 sen coin besides dispensing washing detergent and softener if customers did not bring theirs,” he said.
More importantly, the Laundromat tries to provide flexibility and convenience to customers as the machines can be operated with a minimal RM1 to start washing and drying for low load of one or two pieces of clothing.
Noor Namala, who is a mother to three children, said she visits the laundromat twice a week because it is fast and convenient.
It is very convenient and easy in fact. There is an all-in-one machine to exchange coins because the washer and dryer only accept new 50 sen coin besides dispensing washing detergent and softener if customers did not bring theirs. Claymond Leong, operator of Clean and Speedy Laundry at Jalan Bayor Bukit
“Yes, I come here often but of course there are more people during rainy days when they will make a beeline waiting for their turn. It is very fast and convenient because you can wash and dry in one shot plus I get to run other chores nearby like grabbing groceries while waiting.
“I would normally wash the clothes at home and bring them here to use the dryer. With a family of three children – two schoolgoing and the youngest just eight-months old – we have heaps of laundry to do every day,” she added.
During a brief stop to check the situation at a conventional laundry service at Jalan Batu Lintang here, an employee there said business was as usual now except that they received more bulky items such as curtains, blankets and rugs due to the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration.
While she could not reveal much as the boss was not in, she added that the outlet is open the whole year from 8am to 6pm as they have a list of regular customers to serve.
We have googled up a few great tips or options on how to dry clothes on rainy days especially when the clothes are needed desperately.
One of them is to wring out excess water as much as possible or put an extra spin on the machine and shake the clothes to get them straightened out a bit before hanging them up with a hanger to air dry.
Another tip when drying indoor, is to use the fan to help the circulate air in the room as it also help the clothes dry faster.
Another great way to keep the moisture levels low within a room with clothes drying in it, is to place a bag of sea salt or unrefined salt in the corner of the room.
The salt absorbs the moisture in the room, reducing the risk of moulds and fungi taking hold in the home.
If the collar or pockets are still wet, use a hot iron to dry them up.