How to use coin laundry in Japan?

There are roughly three standard coin-operated washing machines in Japan.

Coin Washer (4.5kg)

One is like this:

Coin Washer (4.5kg)

This is the most basic and typical washing machine in a small coin laundry. 

Things you need to pay attention to:

You shouldn't put your clothes into the washer directly.

First, you need to press the shower button(シャワーボタン) just right after the coin is inserted. (This action is to make the washing machine self-cleaning.)

After the washing machine finishes self-cleaning, you need to open the lid and put the clothes and detergent into the washer.

Then put down the lid of the washer, just ok.

You must wait until the countdown is over before taking out the laundry.

Detailed instructions 

In fact, there are detailed instructions on the back of its lid.

It says:

1. You must first confirm whether other people's clothes are in the laundry bucket.
2. You can only put 100 yen coins.
3.  And 4, that's what I said before.

When 「ソフト剤投入ランプ」(Soft agent lamp) flashes, put in the soft agent. It will flash when there are 9 ~ 7 minutes left. (Well, this actually depends on whether you use the agent. Anyway, I don't use this. So when I put my clothes and detergent in, I left directly.)

Coin Washer (9.0kg)

The bigger one:

Coin Washer (9.0kg)

This washing machine is straightforward to use. 

First, put the clothes in, then put in three 100-coins, and press the start button.

But maybe you need to choose a mode:

Choose mode

There are several modes for you to choose from.

• Green: dirty degree, ordinary, medium, extremely dirty.
• Red: cleaning mode, towels, clothes, delicate items.
• Blue: water temperature, hot water, warm water, water.

After choosing, press the スタート(start) button.

(You don't need to bring washing liquid here because the washer automatically puts in a special detergent.)

 

Washer Dryer Combo

Here is what it looks like:

Washer Dryer Combo

It has four options:

1. Standard course
2. Small quantity course
3. Wash only course
4. Dry only course

The panel of Washer Dryer Combo

You can see two red buttons. The small red button on the left is "self-cleaning," and the large red button on the right is "Start." You just need to press the start button directly after selecting a course.

Of course, whether to carry out self-cleaning depends entirely on you. Please don't put clothes in before self-cleaning. 

If you want to wash directly, please put your clothes in and then press the button. (And this washer also doesn't need detergent.)

But I don't recommend using this washing machine because it's expensive and inefficient. For example, when you have more clothes, it is easy to see that your trousers legs are not dry, like this:

The legs of my jeans are still wet

Look, the legs of my jeans are still wet. I paid 700 yen for the "Small quantity course." 

But I can spend 300 yen on washing and 200 yen on drying on other machines, which will be better.

Clothes Dryer

There are two kinds of dryers here, one for small laundries and the other for large laundries.

The small dryers (7kg)

Dryer's Instructions

I recommend dryers in the large laundry because their prices are the same, and large dryers have a better effect and can adjust the temperature. And the large dryer looks like this:

The large dryers (14kg)

Although its capacity is twice as small, its efficiency is good. (It usually takes 20 minutes for the clothes to be dried completely. Medium temperature.)

The large dryers' buttons

The method of using it is also straightforward. First, select the temperature, and then press the start button. Of course, you have to put the clothes in first.

Change machine

It doesn't matter if you don't have change. There are usually change machines in large laundries.

Laundry rules

• Don't use wet coins.
• Don't eat in the laundry.
• Please take the laundry out in time when it is done.
• Before using the washer, take out the clothes others left inside. (Please put them in the basket prepared by the laundry.)
• Don't put dry clothes in the dryer. It's dangerous.
• Don't have paper balls or cotton and other inflammable in your clothes.
• Please check that you haven't put the lighter in before using the dryer. (Other explosive items are also not allowed.)
• Do not put clothes in the washing machine when it is self-cleaning.
• Don't put your shoes in the washing machine.

Shoe Washing Machine

Yes, there are special shoe washing machines in large laundries.

Shoe washer

Its usage is not different from that of the machine I introduced above.

Shoe washer instruction

Generally, there are only 1 or 2 shoe washing machines in a large laundry. Because it isn't commonly used. And this machine is specially used to wash sneakers.