Laundry, version 2.0

    The idea of doing our own laundry by hand (or foot, as the case may be) seemed reasonable enough, until we both started working way more than we expected and our sweaty, dusty clothes piled up faster than we anticipated. It was time to re-examine our options.

     And there are many options. On every block, there are multiple places offering laundry service, charging anywhere from $1 to $2 per kilo. Most places wash by hand and hang to dry. Some use city water, some use well water, and some use water of questionable origin. Some hang their laundry almost in the street to dry, so it can get a head start on accumulating the grit and grime that it will eventually collect when you wear it again. Some hang it on the roof, where it catches a nice breeze and an occasional afternoon downpour to provide an extra rinse cycle. The general feeling is that when laundry is hand-washed at a laundry business, it gets scrubbed with a brush, which causes clothes to wear out faster.

     The other option here is brand new: Three Hours Laundry opened a business that uses actual washers and dryers, and has promotions going on to entice new customers. I couldn't resist and bought a "gold membership" which meant I paid $40 for $50 worth of credit toward laundry service.

3 Hours Laundry
"We are using washer and dryer machine."
(I think the problem is that they only have one of each machine.)

     I think they're still working out all the kinks, as many new businesses have to do. First of all, "Three Hours Laundry" is a bit of a misnomer. I was at their front door this morning at 9:00 when they opened, and was told I could have my laundry back by 4:00 or 5:00. So they really should be called "Eight Hours Laundry."

     They advertise pick-up and delivery service, but they don't really have that yet. It's just as well; it's easier to bring the laundry over on my bike than it would be to try to explain where we live. ("Take Wat Bo Road north through the traffic light at Route 6, then turn right into the dirt lane between two concrete walls and go four houses past the empty lot where the frogs are singing....")

     They offer some complex options. You can have your laundry machine washed and dried for $1/kilo, or washed, dried, and ironed for $1.50/kilo. OR, you can have 4 kilos of laundry "80% dry" for $1.50 total. I asked for a little clarification on that one. "That mean not all dry, just 80%." So I guess I would bring it home and hang it to finish drying. The price is such a bargain that I couldn't resist giving it a shot. I'll let you know how it works out...sometime after 5:00 pm.

     As an added bonus, I am now Facebook friends with 3 Hours Laundry.


Addendum:
      Here's how "80% dry" worked out: Sure enough, the laundry was better described as heavily damp rather than dripping wet. Oddly enough, every item was neatly folded before being sealed in a big plastic bag. Our T-shirts, our pants, even our underwear was folded into neat little squares. And as expected, we still had to hang it up to finish drying at home. So the lesson here is that in order to do the 80% option you need to be able to go and pick up your laundry as soon as they text you: "Dear customer your laundry is finish already" and you have to have enough space at home to hang it all up when you get it there. It saves us a bundle of money, but it sure doesn't save them any time or trouble. I'm going to suggest they don't need to fold it the next time.