The Washing Machine ... of Doom
22 November 2005, the wee hours
As I had mentioned in passing earlier, the washer and dryer where I like are far from typical. The units sit in one corner of my apartment’s kitchen. The apartment is quite small, and there really wouldn’t be a better place to put the two machines. I didn’t realize till after I had moved in that space was not the only reason the washer and dryer were there. The washing machine at my place isn’t connected to any of the houses plumbing. “How does that work?” you might be thinking. When I moved in, my roommate showed me how to work the washer. It is an involved process:
- You need to wheel the washer from the corner of the kitchen it is in over to the sink. How else are you going to get water into the machine after all.
- You must plug the washer into the plug outlet on the stove, which is the closet outlet to the sink. The thing needs power. Now you are ready to start washing.
- You’ll need to turn on the tap, and set it to the temperature you want. (All the dials on the washing machine that set the temperature of the water are useless.) If you want different temperature water later in the wash cycle, you need to remember change the setting of the tap to the warm or cold accordingly.
- Pick the type of cycle you’d like to do and you’re ready to go.
Once I have finished a load of laundry, I get to use my dryer, which doesn’t really do anything at all. I use it more out of habit than anything else. After “drying” for 2 or 3 hours, I have somewhat damp clothing I can fold and put away.
terrible. reminds me of my family’s ghetto stylings when we secretly had a washing machine in the apartment.
by Amena on November 22 2005, 1:47 am #
I love the picture. I can’t help but laugh. Are you going to continue doing your laundry like that or just go to a Laundromat? Or will you just bus home and do your laundry in scarborough?
by krishna on November 22 2005, 3:24 am #
Oh, you spoiled people in Canada…that’s how all the laundry machines in houses in Switzerland (or at least the houses that I’ve been to) are hooked up…and the dryers lessen the dampness as well. Hence I have to deal with stiff hang dried clothes every week. And no, fabric softener doesn’t completely work.
by *L* on November 22 2005, 10:49 am #
I don’t remember if we had a dryer or not in England. I do remember my mom drip-drying most of our clothes on the clothes lines in the backyard. I think old crappy appliances must be a European thing; perhaps because there are more older homes there? Maybe? I think my sample size of 2 is reasonable.
by ramanan on November 22 2005, 12:05 pm #