Become an expert in the laundry room!

Ready to do some laundry but don't know where to begin? Here are a few useful tips to help you get started.

Find your residence laundry!

If you don't know where your residence laundry is located just ask your site team or check out our UofGLiving guide.

Remember to download the Washnet app!

With the new Washnet app from Washstation, you can take all the stress out of doing laundry by checking machine availability, reserving machines, getting notifications on your phone when your cycle is complete, making payments and much more. Find out more in our UofGLiving article.

In some of our noms residences, the laundry is provided by Circuit and they use their own Circuit Go app. Find out more about Circuit Go in our article Make your laundry day a breeze with Circuit Go!

Preparation

Firstly, start by sorting your items by colour, fabric and level of soil so that you avoid any unpleasant surprised like staining, bleeding colours or shrinking! Also be sure to check out the care label symbols on your clothes to ensure you use the appropriate method.

• Always check inside washers and dryers before putting clothes inside to make sure they are empty and that the lint filter has been cleared. 

• The water in Glasgow is soft, meaning it lathers easily so less detergent is needed.

• Before putting clothes into machines, empty all pockets as items, such as pens and make-up, can cause damage to clothes and to the machines.

• Pay attention to the maximum and minimum loading lines marked on the machines. Overloading the machines will lead to your clothes not being washed or dried properly and underloading is a waste of energy (and money!).

Top Tips - Washers

• A fast setting is better for loads that contain heavy items like jeans and towels. Choosing a slower setting could result in the clothes coming out too wet.

• If the washing machine won’t start the display will show “E DL”, simply open the washer door and shut it again, this will clear the fault as the door wasn’t shut properly.

• You may have to wait a minute after your wash has finished before the door will open. Sometimes gently pressing in the door before pulling it also helps release the lock.

Top Tips - Dryers

• Before using the dryer check that the small fluff vent in the inside front of the dryer has been emptied – if not fluff should be removed.

• When drying clothes, remember that "permanent press" or "delicates" is the cold setting, while "whites" is the hottest setting. If your clothes haven't dried after a cycle, it's usually because a wrong setting was selected or the machine was overloaded.

• If there is a faulty machine you can log the fault online to arrange for an engineer to attend. Also let site staff know so an out-of-order sign can be displayed in the meantime.

Top Tips - Laundry Etiquette

Good laundry practice would advise you not to remove items from a machine while it is in use without the resident being present. You should avoid leaving items in the machine after the cycle is finished as it will cause an inconvenience for other residents. Follow the notifications on your app or set an alarm for when your washing will be done!

Need more help?

If you're looking for more laundry tips or need additional support using the machines, Washstation have a number of helpful instructional videos on their website. You can also contact Washstation's User Experience Team on 0800 141 2331 and they’ll be happy to help you with any issues.

In sites with Circuit machines, you can contact their free 24hr customer helpline number in case you are not sure which settings to use. The number is 0142 282 0026 or 0800 092 4068.

You can also ask a member of the site team if you need additional help!