Self-Service Laundromats Are Spreading Across Tallinn
Several self-service laundromats have recently opened in Tallinn, Estonia's capital, even though almost every home has a washing machine. Estonian public broadcaster ERR looked into why people are choosing them.
A number of self-service laundromats have recently appeared in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, even though few homes lack a washing machine. The trend was reported by Estonian public broadcaster ERR, citing the evening news programme "Aktuaalne kaamera" on the ETV television channel.
The first self-service laundromats opened about 60 years ago, when many people still had their water supply outdoors. They disappeared several decades ago as automatic washing machines went from luxury items to everyday household appliances.
Smaller flats and lack of time
Ingmar Saksing, a management board member at the real estate company LVM Real Estate, said shrinking apartments play some part, but are not the main reason. In his view, people simply have little time, and laundry remains a tedious chore. Washing machines are usually tucked under the sink or built into kitchen furniture, while drying clothes is the harder problem, especially without a balcony.
Faster and more convenient
Aljona, who lives in the Mustamäe district, has both a washing machine and a dryer at home but still prefers the laundromat. Washing bed linen at home takes two to two and a half hours, compared with half an hour at the laundromat, and drying takes 15 minutes instead of an hour and a half. The machines are quicker partly because they do not spend time heating water.
Mairo Matsi, a management board member at the laundromat chain Laundrix, said the venues have more and larger machines, so more laundry can be washed at once.
Kristiina Lõhkivi, a representative of the company Laundromat, said the main customers are single men and mothers with large loads, such as blankets and pillows. She said home washing machines are considerably less efficient than industrial ones, unless a household has bought a model costing several thousand euros. The busiest times are weekends and the evening hours between 10 pm and midnight. A quarter of customers bring wet laundry to be dried.
