Quarters, or a bill for the changer
Every store is coin operated with a change machine on the wall. Bring bills if you have no quarters — the machine sorts it out.
No surprisesWhat to bring,
What to bring,
what to expect.
Laundromats are not complicated, but a first trip is easier when somebody tells you how it works. Here is everything worth knowing before you drive over.
Singles ✦ Double loaders ✦ Triple loaders ✦ Hot dryers ✦ Change machines ✦ Folding tables ✦ Singles ✦ Double loaders ✦ Triple loaders ✦ Hot dryers ✦ Change machines ✦ Folding tables ✦
Pack the car
Four things and you are set.
Detergent, or a few dollars
Bring your own if you have a brand you like. If not, soap and dryer sheets are sold on site.
A basket or a bag
Something to carry clean laundry back out in. Folding tables are there; a hamper is not.
Something to do
A wash and a dry runs a little over an hour. A book, headphones, or the errand next door all work.
Sizing the load
Pick the machine, not the cheapest one.
Overstuffing a small washer is the most common way to leave with laundry that is not quite clean. Two right-sized loads beat one crammed one, and a single big machine usually beats three small ones on both time and cost.
Single loaderA week of clothes for one or two people.
Double loaderA family week, or towels and sheets together.
Triple loaderComforters, sleeping bags, mattress pads, curtains.
DryersTime-based. Split a heavy load across two if it is damp.
A realistic clock
WashRoughly 25–35 minutes depending on the cycle
DryAnother 30–45 minutes, longer for bedding
FoldHowever long you want it to take
Plan on about an hour and a half door to door for an ordinary trip. Running two washers at once barely changes that, which is why most people do the whole week in one visit.
Asked often
Straight answers.
What are your hours?
They shift with the season and by store, so rather than post a time that goes stale we would rather you called (414) 651-0122. One call covers all three locations.
Do you take cards?
The stores are coin operated. Change machines are on site, so a bill works fine — just do not count on tapping a card at the machine.
Can I wash a comforter or a sleeping bag?
Yes. That is exactly what the large front loaders are for, and it is the most common reason people drive to a laundromat rather than use the machine at home.
Is there a wash-and-fold or drop-off service?
Call (414) 651-0122 and ask — availability depends on the store and the day, and we would rather give you a straight answer than a page that promises something we cannot do this week.
A machine took my money. What now?
Call (414) 651-0122. It reaches the owner directly, not a service queue, and it is the fastest way to get it made right.
Which store should I use?
Whichever is closest. Cedarburg covers Cedarburg, Thiensville and Mequon; Grafton covers Grafton and Saukville; Port Washington covers the north end, Knellsville, Belgium and Fredonia.
Still wondering
Call (414) 651-0122 and ask a person.
The same number covers Cedarburg, Grafton and Port Washington.