Laundromat adventure
Everyone has a washing machine fo' sure. Some of us (not pointing fingers) are so spoilt, we (definitely not pointing back at myself and jed) don't know how to use them at all. What is a fabric softener? How do you work this shit? Omg it's making weird noises.
Yes, I am a terrible person. Terribly spoilt too - but hey I do different sorta chores.
Anyway, when I was a wee kid back in New Zealand, I remembering walking into this huge room filled with washing machines and weird dryers; all I could think was "holy sheep, that Mr. Bean episode". If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're probably much younger than me.
Yeah these huge weird machines that made me want to do nothing but crawl inside.
So call me a frog in a hole or a bimbo, but I've never seen one in Singapore before until the other day I was with my family and we spotted this 24 hour laundromat service that seemed voided of human life. It looked welcoming and adorable painted in lovely pastel blue - but I totally forgot about it. Until yesterday where I stumbled crossed it once more after my facial.
I decided to give it go since I wanted to wash my blanket anyway.
This lovely afternoon, I travelled down to have a little adventure down at the laundromat. Surprise, surprise - no one there at all. It was once more voided of life - yes of course, we got our own washing machines, why do we need to spend money on shit like this?
Well it seemed interesting and I did want to try it out since I never really got to back in New Zealand. It's a brand new experience, why not? Plus if I ever want to backpack I'll know at least how it works. I'm curious, sue me.
Minding the sweltering hot mid day sun, I travelled a short 10 minute to reach the shelter small corner of the laundromat. Clean pro here I am.
With a plastic bag filled with my blanket and my mews, I entered an entire new territory.
Firstly, I started off by reading the instructions on how to use the washing machine - it's plastered everywhere on the walls on how to use the machine and I was pretty stoked at how easy it was. Basically the items on your hand must not be heavier than 9kg and washing time is only at 24 minutes.
- Load your shit into the circle, shut the door and latch it up.
- Select temperature (Hot, mid, cold)
- Detergent (MUST) and extra things like softener/bleach (optional)
- Insert coins as the display
- Start
There are two washing machines - the express one and the non express. $7.00 and $5.50 respectively and I picked the non express one; I'm not in a hurry. The machine only excepts 50cent coins (old or new) and one dollar ones (old ones only) - thankfully my NZ aunt told me about coin usage and I have a bunch of coins ready for use.
But if you don't have enough coins, lucky you, there's a money changer that changes all your notes into 50cent coins and I didn't even notice it at first.
Once you've picked the machine you want, it time to get your detergent - nicely there's this vending machine that provides detergent, softener and bleach, etc even an extra laundry bag for you! Measured nicely for you in a small cute box, everything is a dollar but they only accept coins - it's a vending machine, what else did you expect?
It's like a mini gachapon machine for me and I had fun deciding which to buy. I must've looked like some manic child thing giggling at the machine and happily picking at the different buttons.
I wasn't too sure about what to use, so I decided to just pick the detergent itself. Had my own bag so I didn't need an extra laundry bag. Should've got a softener but I decided to try it simple for now. Detergent and nothing more.
Once you got your soap, get your clothes into the machine.
Nicely, they have informed you on which space to put your soap/bleach so the shit doesn't go everywhere. After putting your blankets/clothes into the machine, you pour whatever is needed indicated.
The laundry detergent smells like any old detergent - I expected a cotton candy pastel smelling soap but non people, it's a dollar, don't expect too much.
Let me digress for a moment: I took all this photos with a iphone camera because I woke up late and was too lazy to charge up my SLR (not even DSLR seriously I must be insanely lazy this morning) so all the pictures aren't full quality okay sorry.
Now we're back.
After pouring in your soap, just select the temperature accordingly. I just went for warm since I don't have any silk or delicate stuff - just my plush mews and my blanket. You can basically pick any of the 3 temperatures but I guess if you aren't sure, just stick to normal - it always works.
Lock it tightly and make sure the door is sealed shut. They even put a warning label for those who aren't careful - people like me. It's tight when the handle is at a 6 o'clock position.
Once you are done with the above, put in your coins. Look here I am, cer-docking the coins in - I love the sound of coins plonking into metal. $5.50 worth of 50 cent coins and you can happily push the start button.
My precious darling mews were all inside the machine so I was a little reluctant leave it alone - what if someone steals it or what if my mews explode inside? Honestly I was a little afraid but hell, it was only a short 24 minute wash what's the worst that could happen?
So I decided for lunch.
The instruction stated to be here 8 minutes before your wash is done so I went for lunch with Samuel at the hawker center nearby for 2 dollar chicken rice and to draw out some cash.
We shuffled back just in time to see the machine at 5minutes and waited for a while. For those people who feel like just sitting there and watching your shit run because you're as paranoid as I am, you can actually bring along your phone/laptop to use and surf the internet: why so?
TA-DA!
Wow they are nice enough to give you free wifi - it's not too shabby as I've tried to connect to it for the last 5 minutes and was instagramming and whatsapp. Good free wifi for a laundromat huh? Not bad guys, not bad.
Once the machine starts beeping, it means the washing is done and you can take out your clothes. The laundromat has it's own big blue basket for you to dump your wet clothes into before throwing it into the dryer.
While throwing all my stuff into the basket, I see all my things still in shape and not disintegrated and was thrilled - something in my mind told me that shit was going to happen and destroy my mews but all was well until
PS: complementary samuel "dafak face" because I didn't take the insides of the laundromat
I walked over to the dryer to put my things into it - as usual held my mew up to talk to her and to my utter horror, I saw this.
I think my heart stopped for a second and I went holy fuck this mew ain't going into the dry. Hell naw nigels, hell naw. Of course I should've use softener or maybe put my mew into a cloth bag or something but I'm a total bimbo at washing machines.
Well guess now I've learnt my lesson very well.
This darling mew has been with me for years people. It's not a surprise for her to get torn into shreds in a big scary machine. Poor mew, I'll never chuck you into a laundry machine like that ever. From now onwards, I'll forever hand wash you with all my loving like I always used to.
Back to the session. After washing your clothes will be wet, so it's time for some drying.
Anyway I realized my larger mew and sasori plush were some what more drier than I thought it would be so I didn't put them into the dryer. Just my blanket and I selected the dryer temperature before starting up the dryer.
The dryer costs about a dollar for 5 minutes of drying through hot, mid, warm heat. Just put in your clothes, put in your coins, select your temperature (HOT,MED,WARM) and start it up!
Quite terrified of my mew's delicateness, I picked warm in fears of burning up my blanket and after 7 minutes, I realized it wasn't dry. I went in for another quick dry of hot but it came out half dry because I folded the dog gone blanket. Man I really suck at washing stuff.
USE HOT IF YOU ARE WASHING BLANKETS PEOPLE.
By now I was internally panicking about my darling mew and wanted to get home asap so we quickly packed my shit and waddled back home in the haze and hot sun. Did i mention FUCKING HAZE? It's been hazy around the east recently and the sun doesn't help at all.
I have to thank my saviour and now my mew is fixed nicely with some extra fluff into her. She's now more plump and lovely and bright and clean okay.
So that's the end of my laundromat adventure.
I honestly don't think it's a wise idea to spend $8++ to wash your blankets everyday or every week. It's a nice experience and maybe I should do it with more items next round or with Joy, I'm sure that woman would love it to try it too.
Hey now I know what to use and how to wash clothing. Yay.
Love,
Evely.
Evely.
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