For the 2023-24 school year Cal State LA housing made the switch to cost-free laundry services in all of their residence halls. Students no longer have to pay to use the machines in any of the laundry facilities as they did in the past.
With Earth Day celebrated on campus this week, environmentalists worry about the move’s potential to increase the use of water and harmful detergents. But residents are pleased since housing expenses can add up.
“It’s so convenient and relieving to know I don’t have to worry about making sure I have money put aside to wash my clothes, which is a basic necessity,” said Leslie Ahumada, a third-year resident.
The CSULA Housing and Residence Life website states, “Washing machines and dryers are available throughout South Village, Phase I, II and at the Golden Eagle Apartments (GEA) for free. For the best results, we recommend high-efficiency detergents to go with the high-efficiency machines.”
Those living on campus were not made aware of the new switch at the time. The housing webpage does not provide any additional details about the reason for the switch to cost-free laundry facilities. The Cal State LA Housing and Residence Life Office and the Office of Communications and Public Affairs were contacted regarding the reason for the change and possible increased water usage. No comment was received from housing.
The Office of Communications and Public Affairs gave no response to the reason for the change and said, “The university does not currently track water usage at this level.”
Students who lived on campus prior to this change remember paying $1.50 to wash and $1 to dry per load. One student shared that not having the burden of paying for laundry allows her to wash as frequently as she wants worry-free.
“It may not seem like a lot, but the cost added up and I found myself making sure I had money set aside weekly,” said Gigi West, a second-year resident. “I feel like I especially wash extra because I have an active lifestyle too.”
Payments were accepted through card readers located on the machines or through the WASH-CONNECT app. Students can still check the status of their laundry through the app, to ensure timely loading and removal from the machines. The new system rids the concern of pinching pennies when it comes to laundry now that students have unlimited free use of the machines.
With the introduction of free washing machines some students noticed what seemed to be an increase in machine use. Laundry rooms appear to be full more often, and clothes are left or forgotten for extended periods of time.
“The only downside to free washers and dryers is that everyone is washing all the time so you have to be mindful about when you want to get your laundry done,” West shared.
The university uses high-efficiency machines that are known to use less water and energy per load, according to the American Cleaning Institute. This helps minimize the environmental impact cost-free services can have as it may result in more washing by students.
The ease of doing laundry on campus can also lessen stress and enhance students’ well-being by not having to worry about paying or taking their clothes elsewhere.
“I was already excited not to have to carry my laundry back and forth to a laundromat and then when I found out it was free it was like a win-win,” Ahumada shared.
