Spin Cycle: Laundry Day Updates

MARCH 18, 2010

No matter how you spin it, doing the wash has become a breeze.

Sleek, modern appliances with names like Maytag and Miele have turned the once-dreaded washday into a celebration of modern technology. But in-unit hookups can have a downside: They often send water usage through the roof, rattle neighbors’ ceilings and take up space you’d rather use for something else. Many residential buildings have laundry rooms, and newer ones use electronic cards for safe entry and to pay for machine use.

Some laundry rooms—like the ones in this recent NY Times article—have been transformed into cozy community centers complete with shelves of reading material for browsing during the spin cycle.

Another option: Like the quick mani-pedi and the gourmet food cart, New York City excels in service. Most laundries will let you drop off your wash and will return it washed, dried, fluffed and folded. Some newer services even let you book a time slot online. Downside: Though there are services that specialize in giving your fine washables the white-glove treatment and using the latest and greatest techniques, some picky folks don’t like to trust their high thread counts to strangers. For every condo-dweller who dreams of a spacious laundry room, there’s a drop-off-and-delivery addict who’d rather have more closet space; whichever solution you choose, it all comes out in the wash.