Raleigh Laundry | Coin Laundry Raleigh NC

August 1, 2016
by Laundry Expert
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Dry Cleaning VS Laundering

This is the time of the year that we all enjoy the wonderful warm weather and great outdoor activities that come with it. The problem with all that fun we are having is that our laundry needs increase. You probably find yourself changing clothes more often during the day . Vacation or day trips also increase our laundry needs. This blog post we are going to look at the two ways in which we do our laundry. Is laundering at home with your own washer and dryer sufficient or does your laundry need to be dry cleaned? Both processes will remove stains and clean your laundry but dry cleaning involves no water while regular laundry does. How do you decide which to use? Lets walk through the process of both.

Dry Cleaning Vs. Laundering || Laundry Service in Raleigh NC

Dry Cleaning is a process used to clean your clothing with a chemical solvent that uses no water in the process. This process uses the perchloroethylene, a chemical that will remove the grease and stains from your clothing. Once this is done then the clothing is put into a machine and tumbled to remove the chemicals and also to recycle them. Once tumbled your clothing is them dried in a dry cleaning machine. Once they have dried they are then ironed or steamed and hung ready for delivery or pickup by you.

Some of the advantages to dry cleaning clothing are that there is little to no shrinkage involved. This makes it a great option for your more delicate items. wool and silk are two examples of fabric that will do better by being dry cleaned. The color and texture of your clothing is better protected by dry cleaning also. You will want to make sure your dry cleaner of choice uses the best quality dry cleaning products available. Dry cleaners can also offer stain removal solutions that will get out a hard to remove stain such as ink. Great care should be used not to damage the fabric even by professionals. One of the biggest problems with dry cleaning is the smell. Your garments will not have that freshly laundered smell. Today’s technology does mean that the more widely available environmentally friendly solvents are fresher smelling.

Regular laundry processing simply means you launder the clothing at home with your own washer and dryer. You use the type of laundry detergent you want and you pre-treat stains on the items yourself. Clothing is fresh and clean and there are no harmful chemicals used to clean the garments. If you or any family members have a sensitivity to chemicals then dry cleaning is not for you. There are many allergy sensitive laundry products available today for keeping laundry safe. Laundered clothing is softer and smell so much better and fresher than those that have been dry cleaned.

The choice may come down to cost. Dry cleaning is defiantly more expensive than laundering at home. A cleaner may charge $5.50 to dry clean a regular man’s shirt. That can add up to 175 percent more than laundering it at home. Sometimes depending on the amount of soil, oils, and perspiration on the item regular laundering might be best.

Laundry Service in Raleigh NC

When it come right down to it you will have to look at the type clothing you have and decide what needs a good home laundry and if there are items that need dry cleaning. Then find yourself a good and trusted dry cleaner in your area.

Laundry Express is a laundry service in Raleigh NC that has up to date washers and dryers for all your laundry needs. we also offer dry cleaning and stain removal services and can help you with any and all your laundry needs. Come by and visit us today!

July 30, 2016
by Laundry Expert
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Laundromat Etiquette: Part Two

For many of us one of the conveniences we took for granted when we lived at home was laundry. Having access to a washer and dryer was a luxury you may not have when you move into your own place as a young adult. Looking for a great Raleigh laundromat will certainly be at the top of your must do list pretty quickly after moving into your new digs. As we talked about in our last blog post there are some things you will need to know about laundromats and etiquette before you begin this journey with your clothing. Today we offer up more tips to help you become an expert at doing your laundry!

Raleigh Laundromat Etiquette

The absolute first thing you will want to do is scout out the best laundry facility you can find in your neighborhood. Trust us not all facilities are created equal. Safety is the biggest factor and you need to seek out a laundromat that makes you comfortable. Some have newer washers and dryers, offer vending machines, and have a great staff available for issues and problems. If you are really lucky they also offer advice on any laundry problems you may have. Do your homework and you are already winning part of the laundry battle.

Secondly you will want to go prepared. This will keep the frustration level down. Pre-sort your laundry at home. Measure out your detergent and bleach so you do not have to schlep large container along. Make sure you have the proper coins and paper currency ready so you don’t have to hunt for money to use. Quickly locate a machine or two and load your laundry.

It is proper Raleigh laundromat etiquette to check the timing on your washer and if you want to run a quick errand or go for a short walk go ahead. Just set your cell phone timer so that you are back in time to boot the clothing to the dryer and free up the machine for someone else. The worst of the rule breakers use the washer as a storage facility. They come back when they feel like it not when they should. Don’t be one of those folks.

With that being said you will need to develop a bit of patience when using laundry facilities. Not everyone will follow the rules and you may need to wait a few minutes for someone to unload their wash. This is one reason for scouting out a great laundromat ahead of time. If you need a machine and see that there is unattended laundry ask an attendant to remove it. We still do not recommend that you do this yourself. It is rude of folks to leave their laundry but they may not respond very kindly to you removing it for them. If you are going to do this however do not place the clothing in a dryer for them. Simply place in a basket or container. You should never take on their responsibility and the chance of ruining someone else’s clothing by placing it in a dryer.

Other etiquette rules to follow:

Clean up behind yourself. Dryer sheet to the trash, lint screens cleaned, trash in trash receptacle.
Take calls outside. No one wants to hear your business.
Be polite. Don’t look at others laundry if you can help it. Nobody likes to be scrutinized while doing personal laundry!

If you live in the Triangle area and find yourself in need of a state of the art Raleigh laundromat give Laundry Express a try. We have the latest in laundry services for all your needs. We are sure you will enjoy our facility. Come by today!

July 20, 2016
by Laundry Expert
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Laundromat Etiquette: Part One

Chances are if you have no washer and dryer or no place in your living arrangement for one, you will need to use a laundromat in Raleigh . If you are lucky enough to live near a state of the art laundry facility you are indeed really lucky. Some laundromats may be a perk of your apartment or condo complex. Others may be a necessity of your college dormitory living. Whatever the reason you have for needing a laundromat there are some rules of etiquette you need to know and observe. The following tips for etiquette should help make your laundry experience a great one. Some of these tips should be common sense but rest assured there are those who always seem to discard the rules.

Etiquette | Laundromat Raleigh

First things first. Make certain to take the time to sort your laundry at home. A Laundromat in Raleigh is not usually really big. So with a limited space you need to be organized. Most of us don’t really want others looking at our dirty laundry.

When you get to the laundromat go inside and scout it out. Check to see if there are empty machines ready to be used. Then and only then bring in your laundry. If you see laundry in the washer or a basket in front of a washer someone is using it and the rule is DON”T remove it to use for your own laundry!

Once you find your washer or washers place your laundry in and use the proper settings and amount of detergent and start the washer. Make sure to clean up any debris or trash in your basket and not let it fall into the floor. This is a no no and nobody wants to walk around in someone else’s filth. Hang around while your clothes begin to wash. This takes 3 minutes or so and helps ensure that nothing gets caught and causes flooding.

If you want to run an errand while your laundry is washing that is perfectly acceptable. Just don’t lose track of time so that you can come back and remove them to the dryer for drying. This is just common courtesy as there are others who may need to use the washers as well.

One huge etiquette question is about whether or not is a good idea to remove unattended laundry for a washer. It is usually NOT a good idea. If the laundromat has an attendant on duty you can certainly ask if this would be OK to use that machine and they will most certainly empty it for you. We just would not recommend doing it yourself.

Dryers are much the same. You must have patience! There will usually be others ahead of you either already using or waiting to use the dryers. There are a few hard-fast etiquette rules for the dryers as well. If you use dryer sheets please throw them away after use. Do not leave them in the dryer or on the floor. Clean up your own area.

When your laundry is dry use the folding tables provided. Don’t take up a dryer by folding each piece as it comes out. Others are waiting so be polite. As with washing your clothes, it is OK to run an errand while your laundry dries but do not lose track of time. Be back as close to time for the machine to stop as possible.

In our next blog post we will address more etiquette tips for you to use at the laundromat. Laundry Express offers a state of the art Laundromat in Raleigh to help you get your laundry really clean, really fats. Come by and check us out today!

July 10, 2016
by Laundry Expert
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How To Use A Laundromat Part 2

Over the last couple of blogs we have talked about Raleigh Laundromats and how they can help us keep our laundry done without having our own washer and dryer at home. So far we have found that using a laundromat for all of our laundry needs can be the most cost effective choice for us. No maintenance or repair cost involved. The impact on the environment is minimal and the time savings is great! Last blog we began to offer some really great tips for making the most of your laundromat experience. Today we will continue with more tips to make doing the laundry the best experience it can be.

Raleigh Laundromat Tips

We suggested last post that you pre-sort your laundry at home to make the initial time frame simpler. You will also want to look at the tags on your clothing to be sure your more delicate items are not accidentally ruined. Place these items into a separate plastic bag so you can take care of them properly.

Before you place any laundry in a washer or dryer you should take the time to wipe the tub of the machine with a disinfecting wipe. You can also add a colorsafe or regular bleach product to your load. This will kill off any germs that may linger from previous loads of laundry. While you are doing this check for stray laundry items like socks or paper from pockets of another’s laundry. You will need to check for lint and used dryer sheets in the dryers.

When loading your laundry make sure you don’t fill it too full. Even though these machines are big enough for a plenty big load take care not to crowd. Stains will not be removed well and clothes will not get as clean as needed. If laundry has to be re-done because of this you will lose all of the time saved.

Be certain you check the settings on both the washer and dryer. Most facilities use the highest heat possible because they are time based. If you have not already done so remove any delicate items, particularly any that have rubber in them, and knitted items. If you can adjust the settings to a cooler temperature. A really great tip: Dryers will dry your clothing more efficiently and quickly if you fill them 1/3 of the way full. You can use a couple of dryers to do the job more quickly.

Remember some Raleigh laundromats offer really great perks to get you to use their facility. Some have free coffee and popcorn. Many have gone so far as to have free wifi, with computers set up to use. Television and video games are also some of the amenities offered so make sure to do your homework when selecting a really great place to do your laundry.

Make sure to track your visit to our Raleigh laundromat to help you figure out the best time of the week to visit. More than likely the weekends will tend to be really busy and the middle of the week less busy. You will want to use this all important tip so that you are not stressed out as you get your weekly laundry done. If you find yourself overwhelmed with laundry give Laundry Express a call! We offer a wash, dry, and fold service in addition to other laundry services to help you with all your laundry needs. Come check us out today!

July 5, 2016
by Laundry Expert
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How To Use A Laundromat Part One

Last post we discussed using a laundromat in Raleigh NC verses having your own washer and dryer at home. Using a laundromat makes loads of sense in the cost effectiveness, time management, and the environmental impact. Using a laundromat means less time doing the laundry and more time for you to do other important things! Over the next two blog posts we will talk about how to use a laundromat.

Tips to Help You Use a Laundromat in Raleigh NC

Most of us think that using a laundromat is a pretty self-explanatory task. There are however many ways to make the laundromat experience all that it needs to be. In this blog post we are going to outline some steps on how to make this a really great experience for you.

The first thing you will need to do is gather some supplies you will need for the laundromat in Raleigh NC.

Change or proper bills for your machines.
Your laundry supplies i.e. detergent, stain removal products, fabric softener sheets.
Containers of choice to transport your laundry in.
A couple of plastic bags.
Some disinfectant wipes for wiping down the machines.

Once you have these supplies you will next want to take a look around at the laundromats in your area. Take a special trip there to visit each one before deciding on your preferred laundromat. Area is really important. Check out the types of machines each laundromat offers. Some will top load, some will front load. Look at the settings to make sure you can get the proper setting for your type of laundry. You will also want to make note of what the costs are per load and how clean the facility is. Check the hours of operation and if there is a place to fold your laundry. A good sitting area is a must so that you have a place to relax while waiting for your laundry to cycle. Based on all of these factors you can make a good choice on which facility will best suit your needs.

Now let’s talk money! Make sure you have plenty of change. Many newer laundromats will have a paper currency converter which will simplify things. If you prefer to use your accumulated change be sure you have plenty. We always need more than we think.

Choose a really good detergent and other supplies. A really great tip to reduce weight when carrying the laundry to the facility is to purchase some small travel containers. You can then transport only the amounts of detergent, bleach, and dryer sheets you need. No big , heavy, full size bottles for you.

Pre-sort your laundry at home. This will certainly save you time when you get to the laundromat. You will also know what needs some pre-treatment and how many washers you may need to use. This will all help make the experience feel more organized and help with that time saving thing we are after when it comes to this particular chore. Next blog we will continue to offer you many more tips for making this a truly great experience.

If you need help catching up on your laundry chore, Laundry Express is here to help. We are a premier state of the art laundromat in Raleigh NC and provide many laundry services. If you have questions about how to get out tough stains or need dry cleaning services we can help! Give us a call today!