Would You Share Your Washer with a Stranger?

While noodling around on YouTube I saw a reaction video to another video concerning extreme cheapskates. Among other things, it showed a guy going around a laundromat with a half empty laundry basket asking people if he could share a washer with them. Somebody said okay. So the guy didn’t have to spend change for a washer or later, a dryer. A different person let him share their dryer.

Huh? I wouldn’t say okay. I know a lot of people have used those washers before me, but some stranger’s laundry slopping around with mine? Gross!

Would you let some stranger share your washer for free if they asked?

No way. Then again, I doubt the stranger would want to share a load with me. If I’m in a laundromat I’m washing horse blankets.

I honestly can’t see the problem with their clothes being washed with yours. “Gross” is just ridiculous. I probably wouldn’t because I don’t want the hassle of dividing the clothes between us after the wash, but washing dirty clothes together, no problem.

UGH! Nope - no one is putting their dirty clothes with mine. I’ve always had a washer and dryer at home, but on occasion I’ve had to use the extra large washers at the laundromat when washing a king sized comforter. It gave me the heebie jeebies just to do that.

No way! It’s not particularly any “gross” factor (I use my building’s washers so other people use them anyway) but the effort of trying to sort through everything afterwards to pick out the individual items that aren’t mine? No thanks.

If someone approached me with that question, I would assume it was dire necessity, and I would pity them so intensely that I would offer them any extra quarters I had, but I wouldn’t mix my stuff.

If I had the money and was asking people to let me freeload (heheheh) and someone offered my quarters out of pity, I would die of well-deserved shame.

Is he willing to dry and fold my clothes (as well as separate his) as I wait in the comfort of my car?

I would say no, for the obvious reasons:

  • I don’t want to mix our stuff and have to then paw through his stuff and/or have him paw through mine to sort it out.

  • I don’t want to get into a fierce debate with him over whether that sock is mine or his.

  • I don’t want to interact with another human.

  • What is he doing inside my house, anyway??

Just another note about the guy in the video. He was a manager of a casino so he wasn’t hurting for money. He just prided himself on getting freebies. If the video wasn’t a setup, that is. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were people like that, but goddamn. I would die of shame before asking anybody to wash my laundry with theirs just to save a buck fifty, or three dollars, or whatever it is.

A small child barely fits, no way two adults will.

I assume you’ve determined this through experimentation.

I’ll leave that to the reader’s imagination.

Probably not, not because gross (if my laundry came out gross, the washer wasn’t doing its job), but for the various “it’s a hassle” reasons other people have mentioned. Plus, I’d be planning to do full loads anyway and wouldn’t have room for extra.

If the person were really in need, I’d probably be more inclined to donate a few quarters than to share a washer. If they’re just a cheapskate, I’ll leave them alone to figure out their own business.

Nah, they could have ectoparasites.

Or endoparasites!

I guess if a hot 22 year old wants to toss in her Victoria Secret bra and panties, why not?

Seriously though, not a friggen chance.

But if they’re ordinary Walmart underclothes, no chance! Not worth stealing.

In all seriousness, the real appeal of the silly scenario is that you get to stand around and chat with the attractive woman while you’re waiting for the wash to finish. Presumably she’s not going to walk off while you’re in possession of the those unmentionables you mentioned.

Of course, but in all seriousness to the un-seriousness of my post, it’s not going to happen.

Nope. When I had to go to the laundrymat regularly, I knew the timing for the washer and dryer, and having someone else’s stuff in there would throw those off, particularly the dryer.

Also, I don’t want to have to separate their things and mine.

I’ve done it.

While thru hiking the Appalachian Trail it is not uncommon for thru hikers to do it. After all not only do most thru hikers have very minimal clothes which is very wasteful to do a full load, but also there are lots of us and sometimes few or one machine. Sometimes all I am washing is a t-shirt, a pair of hiking socks and a bathing suit (which is used as shorts). This while I am wearing my 2nd bathing suit, t-shirt and some thin socks as really my only other clothes.

But for general purposes, no, I wouldn’t want to have to sort things out with so many pieces.