Does it all come out in the wash?

As an artist interested in the mundane and overlooked, and intrigued by the routines of everyday life, this project has really pricked my interest. Much of my work centres on exploring aspects of life within a particular time or place and uncovering both the individual and collective experience. I’m looking forward to this opportunity to delve into the domestic, everyday routines of laundrette customers and workers, and uncover some of the fascinating insights into their lives. Often there are powerful, resonating stories that emerge from seemingly uneventful moments or activities.

Thinking about this project has led me to reminisce about my own experience of using laundrettes as a young, disabled mum in a wheelchair, trying to transport two giant bin bags full of clothes up a step and into a laundrette whilst trying to keep two toddlers in sight until the machine had started its cycle and we could pop to the park across the road! On rainy days we would sit inside next to steamed-up windows, reading stories or drawing and listening to the rumble of machines whilst chatting with or listening to other customers. Just this one fleeting trip down memory lane has reminded me of the smells, sounds and rituals of doing the laundry each week. My overall recollection of the laundrette is twofold: a warm haven with comforting soap smells, where the hypnotic whir of machines lulls me into a sleepy stupor; and conversely, the vibrant, buzzing melting pot of local characters with all their commonalities and differences.

I like the idea of launderettes being more than just a washing service, all the unsaid added extras. In particular, the idea that regulars use it as a point of social engagement, routine, and support. Not only are their clothes cleaned, but there is often a listening ear and friendly face; it is a place where customers can wash away their worries. Those human touches provide a lovely contrast to the whirl of Air bnb and restaurant washes that seem to be the mainstay of  the laundrette business. I find myself wondering, what do customers and staff gain from the launderette beyond clean washes? What are the stories behind the stains? What is the drama in the Launderama? Does it all come out in the wash?