Washing and Drying in NZ

Back home, we're used to having labanderas wash our clothes (at least that was my case). But here in Auckland, labor is very expensive, so we have to wash our own laundry. Enter our best friends: the washing machine and dryer.

My building has a laundry room with 5 washing machines and 5 dryers. It's enough, I guess. They are all commercial-grade machines with very basic settings (no low, medium or high settings, sorry). For those of you unfamiliar with these workhorses, let me show you how to use them. Those who are already experts, well, you can skip this blog post.

First of, you have to buy laundry detergent at the supermarket. Make sure to get one according to the machine you are using. The machine we have is "Top-Load," so I bought Surf brand Top-Load laundry detergent. If your machine's lid is in the front, then that's a "Front-Load" washer.

A regular load usually needs just one (1) cup of detergent. If it's a large load, like full to the brim, then that needs 1 1/2 cup. Do not put too much detergent as the soap might not come off. Also, pour the detergent into the washing machine BEFORE you load the clothes.

Like I previously mentioned, dorms and apartment buildings usually use commercial-grade machines, so the settings are limited. If you have delicates (i.e. underwear, socks, etc.) I suggest you put them inside mesh bags to protect them. These laundry bags are available at the supermarket for NZ$5.00. TIP: they're cheaper at Japanese discount stores (NZ$3.00).

After putting in the detergent, you can now load your dirty clothes. I usually load the big items, like pants and towels, first.

Next, you turn the cycle selector to the desired settings. The rule I follow is this: colored clothes = COLD SPECIAL; plain whites = HOT NORMAL or WARM PERMANENT PRESS (I prefer the latter). Since this particular load is a large one, I select the * counterpart (energy saving cycle), which is for large loads.

Unfortunately, the machines in my building are not free to use. They cost NZ$3.00 per wash. I place 3 NZ$1.00 coins in the coin slots and push to start. Don't forget to close the lid!

Just in case you don't trust my laundry skills, here are the manufacturer's instructions.

One cycle usually lasts 30 minutes. After washing, transfer your clothes to the dryer. Check your clothes' label for care instructions. If it says, "DO NOT TUMBLE DRY," "LINE DRY" or "HANG TO DRY," then do not place them in the dryer! 

Remove your delicates from the laundry bag and place them inside the dryer. Laundry bags should not be used in the dryer.

After loading your clothes, close the door and turn the fabric selector to the desired settings. My machine has "Normal," "Permanent Press," "Delicate," and "No Heat" settings. I usually use PERM PRESS because that's like the medium in this machine. Not too hot, and not too wet.

Like the washer, I put 3 NZ$1.00 coins in the slot and push to start. It takes the dryer approximately 1 hour to dry your clothes. When all is done, please do not forget to remove the lint from the dryer vent. Be mindful naman of the next user. Inis na inis ako pag 'di ginagawa ito ng naunang gumamit.

Back at my flat, I hang the clothes marked "DO NOT TUMBLE DRY" on my clothes airer (Filipino: sampayan). I got mine at The Warehouse for NZ$13.00.

And that's that! Congratulations! You've cleaned your first batch of clothes here in New Zealand!