I randomly chose any self service laundrette that did not have many people waiting, so I ended up with Dobi Boy!
First, I needed to have cash to exchange for tokens.
It is Rm1 to one token. But if we exchange for RM50, we get 5 tokens extra for free. The token has the logo of the shop imprinted on it.
This is a smaller launderette but it has sufficient washers and dryers for different capacity.
There is a very small waiting area with a cooler next to it. There were not many seats so I actually excused myself and went elsewhere to have lunch. After lunch when I got back, there was no one left except me so I got the place all to myself.
They have step-by-step instructions to guide newbies like me hahah.
But what I appreciate is there is still a staff whom I can ask questions and help because it was my first time using a launderette service!
After the washer, I used the dryer. To make sure my clothes are fully dry especially the thicker ones, I added extra 1 token for extra 5 minutes.
This dryer is also anti crease which means the clothes won't require ironing after wash and dry.
Check out the amount of clothes I washed and dried - 5 bags of them! They were heavy, no doubt!
It has been raining continuously for almost 2 days in the Penninnsular Malaysia. Some places have even flooded like in Pahang and Johor.
Being in Kuala Lumpur, there has been no sun out for days and my laundry was piling higher and higher. I was a bit frustrated looking at the amount of clothes right be washed and I knew if I do not do something about it, they were about to overflow out of the laundry baskets.
So I had 2 baskets full of dirty laundry and the husband may soon run out of working clothes.
I was contemplating if I were to bring them to my in-laws' place to use their washer dryer. However the crazy amount of clothes made me think twice as it will take a long time since there is just one washer dryer.
I decided I shall try the launderette for the first time! Hahhaha actually it is not a new service in KL and we do have a lot of these self-service launderette nearby us but I have never used them. If it were because I would have limited and insufficient space to sun my clothes, I probably won't have tried them out, still. My youngest sister and my friends use the launderette. My first experience was I went in with my clothes to wash but I came back out without it washed because I did not know what to do and there was no one that I could ask.
Hence, nervously I went for my second time.
I drove around my neighbourhood and decided to just try Dobi Boy as it looked not crowded. There are others who came to use the launderette too. If not washer, they came to use their dryers to dry their washed clothes. It is impossible to dry the clothes now without the sun and the weather looks just so gloomy all the way.
There was a helpful staff who saw I was a bit clueless so he told me I needed to have cash to exchange for tokens. Rm6 per wash and rm6 per dryer. I looked at my amount of dirty clothes and I knew I needed 2 rounds of washer and 2 rounds of dryer. That is a total of RM24 which I only had RM6 in hand. Then I started the first round of washer and I drove to the nearest ATM machine to draw more cash before I load the second round of the washer. The washer took about 30 minutes per round.
After loading the clothes into the machine, I inserted 6 tokens and then I pressed start. The machine will self dispense their detergent and softener. They actually smell quite pleasant.
The dryer
Not all of our washing machines at home are equipped with the dryer function, such as mine. So usually when there is the sun, I just hang my clothes out at the balcony to let it dry. However with the absence of the sun, a dryer really comes in handy. I took out my washed clothes and put them into the dryer. Subsequently I inserted another 6 tokens. After the dryer had started, I inserted an extra token for an extra 5 minute to make sure the clothes are fully dry because I had many jeans and also a bedsheet. The dryer took 35 minutes to finish its cycle.