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The laundry and dry clean industry is one of the most old founded industries in the world. While modern day laundry techniques are characterised by large industry grade machines stacked on top of each other to provide various levels of washing for several kinds of fabric, the roots of these techniques can be found in ancient civilizations dated as long ago as 2800 BC.

While old age laundry was done with the help of lye, a washing detergent made from potato residues, the early 1900s saw the rise of several sophisticated cleaning compounds.

While the cleansing agent kept developing, the techniques of washing kept adapting as well.

Harder materials such as wool, were known to be pounded against hard surfaces such as stone, in order to give them a deep cleanse.

This is one segment that has seen development in methods in tune with the industrial developments across ages and time periods. With modernization and industrialization of Europe and USA in the nineteenth centuries, the laundry industry also went through a large upheaval. Rise in while collared jobs led to an increase in demand for crisp and spotless clothes, and the emphasis on having impeccable attire kept rising in the service class. This in turn transformed the laundry industry from a job mainly handled by women of the middle class, to something that needed more machine influence to create scalability. Between 1890’s and the late 1910’s power laundry became a common phenomenon across America and Great Britain. The increase in availability of water round the clock also helped the laundry industry develop into more systematic operation.

Dry cleaning, a commonplace concept today, was discovered accidentally when a Parisian tailor accidentally spilled turpentine on a table cloth and realised it was an effective way to remove stains. This method soon gained a lot of popularity and was seen as an effective method to clean more delicate fabrics. A lot of research was done on fabrics through the 19th century and soon dry cleaning was a service offered by most laundry providers.

Furthering on the growing developments and demands from the laundry business during the early 1900, the first electric washing machine was invented however, the machine was very difficult to operate and also had questionable safety measures since it was highly prone to short circuits. Over the next few decades, experts focused on making this machine more sustainable, more safe and more durable. However, for a long time to come after the initial introduction, the washing machine would still remain to be a concept out of the reach of a standard American family because of the price at which it came. Taking recognition of this need gap, the first public laundry was introduced in the 1930s in Texas. Customers would pay an hourly rent to be able to use the machines available. The concept of the public laundry, in tune with the increased association of clean clothes to social status, led to a boom in usage since it brought the luxury of frequent cleaning closer to the common people. However, laundry shop owners soon realised that this boom caused heavy wear and tear to the machinery and the maintenance cost of the laundry skyrocketed. This led to a short slump in the laundry business in the late 1950s. However, the decline was short lived as continuous technological advancement and the recognition of the undying need led to owners investing heavily to keep the machines going. Along with this, the owners also started investing in training staff and providing value added services to the laundry, such as folding and ironing.

As the self service laundry industry became more and more popular, it also kept adapting to modern day challenges, which is the reason why this industry has not seen a dip in demand across centuries. When the modern world started facing the growing challenge of water wastage technologies were developed to machines that utilised very little water to do a full load of laundry. Even drying technologies that go hand in hand with washing have seen tremendous growth and advancement. Today industry grade dryers are capable of drying laundry almost as close to sun dried laundry. Along with this, the entry of large FMCG conglomerates has seen a new focus on research and development of washing detergents that cater to specific varieties of clothes and fabrics.

The shortage of space in the standard household has seen a preference in consumers to use public laundries which offer several value added services to consumers. Since consumers have to wait on their wash load, several laundromats offer free WiFi, TVs, vending machines, children play areas and more amenities on site. This has caused the self service laundry industry in the US to draw in more than $5 billion in revenues.

While there are more than 35,000 laundromats that operate in the US, there are some that make life extremely convenient for the consumers at a very low price. Sudz Coin Laundry in Michigan is one such laundromat, which offers fully attended laundry services to its customers, should they be unable to run a load themselves. The prices start at as low as $1.15, which is the lowest price that you can get in the area. They operate on Speed Queen machines, which is the only brand still made in America. This laundromat offers several wash intensities based on the type of cleaning you would prefer, and they specialize in down filled materials, which is usually the stuff found inside comforters.

They offer a large window of operating hours, with further extensions during the weekends, so that you can still manage a wash cycle even after finishing a busy week. Added benefits of getting laundry done from Sudz Coin Laundry include that they will return the clothes the same day, unless the clothes have been dropped off really late, in which case they return it the next day. They also fold or hang the laundry as per the customers preference, and just in case you are having a busy day, packed from end to end, the machines at Sudz Coin Laundry are capable of finishing a cycle in 16 minutes. Therefore this laundromat offering high class services at the best rates in town makes it a favourite among consumers from the area

Picture this; you are interviewing for your dream job. What this job offers is everything you had wished for and you have prepared day and night for the interview you are just about to head out for. You pick out your favourite (read lucky) shirt, and the best fitting trousers you have for the big day. Just as you get out of the shower and are about to slip into your shirt, you notice a huge stain, which you had assumed would have washed out in the last wash. There goes your lucky shirt, and there go the high spirits you were in as you pick out another shirt for the day.

Clothes on special or even everyday occasions might occupy the least amount of our headspace, but badly cleaned clothes can dampen your spirits almost as quickly as your favourite food without any seasoning on it. At the same time, stains and wear and tear on clothes are almost inevitable. Most times the staining on clothes is difficult to get rid of through standard home washing and needs a more targeted and strong treatment. That is where the power of laundromats comes in. While there are several benefits of going to a laundromat, given below are the top 5 which make laundromats visits super useful. We will consider the example of Sudz Coin Laundry which is a leading laundromat based out of Michigan to tell you how a laundromat can be a one stop solution to all your laundry needs.

1. Power Cleaning Solutions for all Kinds of Laundry :
Now whether you are looking for an everyday washing of your favourite clothes, or are looking for a more complicated washing routine such as washing of your comforters or quilts made with down, a laundromat is the perfect place to cater to all your washing needs. Laundromats that offer services that cover the whole spectrum, such as a quick wash as well as a more deep cleansing wash for your laundry will not just help you save time and visits, but this also ensures that your laundry is cleaned immaculately so that you don’t have to worry about stains. While a daily wardrobe such as a T-shirt or work clothes might need a delicate cleanse only to get rid of everyday dirt, a comforter needs a deeper cleanse, and settings that help to remove more stubborn staining since these are washed at longer intervals and are subjected to more rough usage versus daily wear clothing. For harder washes, there is a heavy soil cycle which is adept at handling the more stubborn stains and laundry.
2. The Ease and Convenience :
Whether it is a self-serviced laundry cycle you want to run, or whether you want an attendant to cater to your washing needs while you go about the day, Sudz offers you both. Sudz has been providing services where they will keep your laundry ready at the end of the day so that your clothes are as good as new and ready to use as per your convenience. Sudz offers fully attended laundry services that come with different settings and a quick wash cycle that washes a full load in 16 minutes, for days when you are short on time and have a list of tasks to run through the day. They have attendants available at their facilities at all times, who can assist and guide you with the washing and also take care of your laundry from start to end in case there are other errands you need to run. Not just this, Sudz has developed expertise over the years in dealing with more complex materials such as down, and promises to deliver your comforters as soft and fluffy as they were received at the facility. Therefore this laundry facility offers a wide spectrum of services, right from regular everyday cleaning to heavy duty cleaning at the same place, and with quick turnaround times. Not to mention, scheduling days for regular visits to a laundromat, saves the space and effort you need to set up a washing routine and set up at home.
3. Available throughout the week :
A work week can be busy and exhausting for most people, and specially during the current times where most of the housework has become more taxing owing to everyone continuously being at home. Laundry can be a task that may get deprioritised over meals and cleaning of the house. It is therefore essential that any laundry service be not just accessible but have timings that suit every kind of customer. Sudz has identified this need for their hard working customers, and therefore extended their services from 7am to 11pm on weekends, which is an hour each extended on either side versus the week days. This gives each and every customer the flexibility to start their laundry load as late as 10pm on the weekends, so that they can finish by the time the laundromat closes.
4. Pay with what you have, and as little as it can get : While most laundromats are accessible to the average American when it comes to pricing, nothing beats a service that helps the customer easily access their services. How many times does one find spare quarters lying everywhere in our houses, and they just never see the light of the day ever again. At Sudz, they put these neglected quarters to good use, since their machines run on the evergreen quarter payment systems. Simply walk into a Sudz laundromat, load your washer, throw in those quarters and you are ready to begin.
Their prices start from as little as $1.15 per pound of laundry, which makes their services accessible to anyone who needs a quick wash for their laundry. For comparison, the lowest priced fast food burger at a popular burger chain is $1.69, which means that you can get a pound of freshly cleaned and folded clothes at a lesser price than a single burger.
5. Services for the Community:
The last few months have been challenging for most people managing a fully populated house, jobs, and everything that has been going on at the same time. In such difficult times, most businesses have had to take the hard call of closing down, or reducing operating hours, to absorb some of the damage that is being inflicted on revenues. Sudz, however, has stayed open for the same hours as before and has been lending a helping hand to the community by taking care of all their laundry needs. They have remained operational seven days of the week and have been delivering freshly cleaned laundry, ready for pickup at the end of the day for the hard working community of Michigan. In addition to that, Sudz are the only laundromats in the area that use speed Queen machines, which is the only brand still made in America.

Even though there are several other reasons why you should opt for a professional cleaning experience, the 5 listed above are at the top why one should be a regular at a laundromat.
The ease, convenience, and economical nature of laundromats makes laundry one less thing that needs to be taken care of and the professionalism of most laundry services is something that consumers have learnt how to count on over the years.
Being a regular at a laundromat, will ensure that you never again have to walk into an interview without your favourite shirt which would have been washed, folded and ready for pickup the day before.