A shared laundry room and planning your washing

Short answer: If you only have access once a week, the number of underwear and socks has to go up. That is the only variable you control yourself.

The calculation changes

If you can only wash once a week at a fixed time, you need clothes for the whole week plus reserve in case the slot does not suit. That means fourteen sets of underwear and socks rather than twelve.

Sort at home

Sort the laundry at home before you go down, so you are not sorting on the floor. Three bags for white, light and dark shorten the trip. See bamboo underwear for men.

Protect the delicates

In a shared laundry you do not know the state of the machine. A mesh bag protects underwear and bras from residue left by earlier washes. See bamboo underwear for women and bamboo bras without underwire.

Frequently asked questions

Should you run an empty cycle first

If the machine is visibly dirty, rinsing the drum through first is a good idea.

How much can you wash at once

Fill to two thirds. An overfilled machine does not wash clean however pressed for time you are.

What about drying

Drying rooms and dryers are often shared. Bamboo fabric dries quickly, which makes it easier.