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Laundry

Caring for Your Clothes

Whether you are an undergrad, graduate student, or a member of the faculty or staff, laundry facilities are available to you as part of your on-Grounds housing.

Please see the category below that applies to you for some of the most commonly asked questions about laundry. 

Undergraduate residents can also download the Speed Queen laundry app using the button at the bottom of the page. The app allows you to operate laundry machines, monitor availability, and receive notifications.

If your question is not answered below, please contact us.

 

Wash/Dry/Fold Laundry Services

Housing & Residence Life has partnered with approved vendor University Cleaners if you are interested in subscription laundry services. Please see our Wash, Dry, & Fold Laundry Services page to learn more!

 

Undergraduates

Where are laundry facilities located?

Undergraduate laundry facilities are located on the ground floors of:

Laundry facilities are also located in each of the upperclass apartment areas (Bice, Bond, Copeley, Faulkner, and Lambeth) and in language houses.

How do I pay for laundry?

Laundry machines in undergraduate housing areas accept payment using the Speed Queen mobile app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

After downloading the app and creating an account, you'll add the UVACAV Location Pin, and locate your laundry room to get started.

You can use your Cavalier Advantage account to pay for laundry machines in the Speed Queen app. Or you can use a credit card or debit card to add funds to the Speed Queen app directly, if you prefer. A $10 minimum deposit is required. Current laundry machine fees are $1.75 per washer or dryer cycle.

For more about the Speed Queen app, including a video library and troubleshooting tips, visit www.laundrypalooza.com/using-the-app.

What are Wahoo Spins laundry credits?

Wahoo Spins gives on-Grounds residents living in undergraduate housing 10 free machine loads each semester that can be used to operate washers or dryers in on-Grounds undergraduate laundry rooms.

For more details about the program and a video showing you how to use the credits, see our Wahoo Spins webpage.

How do I report a broken machine?

The laundry facilities offered by Housing & Residence Life are currently contracted to Caldwell & Gregory, Inc. Any machine malfunctions or loss of money should be reported to Caldwell & Gregory:

How do I request a refund?

The laundry facilities offered by Housing & Residence Life are currently contracted to Caldwell & Gregory, Inc. If you think you were charged twice or need a refund, please report it to Caldwell & Gregory:

Can I check the status of washers and dryers from my room?

The Speed Queen mobile app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, allows undergraduate housing residents to:

  • view machine availability
  • see remaining cycle times
  • receive notifications

When is the best time to do laundry?

Generally, mornings and early afternoons are good times to do laundry! If use times are staggered, you will usually have no difficulty finding available machines. You can help keep machines free by promptly removing your clothing when your load has finished. The time for a washer load to finish varies based on the cycle you choose, and there is a time display on all machines that tells you how long the cycle will run. A dryer load normally takes about an hour.

How do I wash my clothes?

Only load front-loading washers to half-full, and double check your fabric labels for recommended water temperature settings.

Add no more than 1/4 cup of liquid detergent to the washer tub. Only use high-efficiency (HE) detergent. Detergent pods/packs go into the washer drum before you add your clothes. Do not put pods in the detergent drawer! For liquid fabric softener, please refer to the directions on the bottle.

Select your desired wash settings. For an explanation of washer settings, visit www.laundrypalooza.com/cycle.

Make payment, if required, and push the START button to begin washing.

The washer door will lock about 30 seconds after the cycle starts, and will unlock about 30 second after the cycle is finished. Please leave the washer door open after use to allow the interior to dry.

For a washer instructions video, visit www.laundrypalooza.com/frontloadwashers.

What type of detergent should I use?

Only use high-efficiency (HE) detergent. Add no more than 1/4 cup of liquid detergent to the washer tub. Detergent pods/packs go into the washer drum before you add your clothes. Do not put pods in the detergent drawer!

For liquid fabric softener, please refer to the directions on the bottle.

How do I dry my clothes?

Check the link filter before using the dryer. A full lint trap is a fire hazard. A clean lint trap speeds up drying time.

Double-check clothing labels for recommended heat temperature settings. Athletic clothing must be dried on low heat, or it may melt! Air-dry bras per manufacturer instructions.

Do not overload the machine. One washer load = one dryer load. In addition, only use one (1) dryer sheet per load.

Make payment, if required, and push the START button to begin drying.

For a dryer instructions video, visit www.laundrypalooza.com/dryer-tips.

 

 

 

 

 

Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff

Where are laundry facilities located?

Laundry facilities are located on the basement floors of all apartment buildings in Copeley Hill and Piedmont Apartments.

All laundry must be washed in designated laundry rooms, not in sinks, bathtubs, or in-apartment washing machines (which are on the prohibited items list and can result in termination of your stay in University housing). The only exceptions are housing units where the washing machine is furnished by Housing & Residence Life.

Do I need to pay for laundry?

Machines in graduate and faculty/staff housing areas accept only "Clean Cash" laundry cards. These cards are issued to all residents at check-in and must be returned to Housing & Residence Life when residents move out.

An allotment of free laundry loads is included as part of your monthly rent. Unused amounts do not carry forward to the next month. The number of free loads is dependent on the number of occupants on your housing agreement:

  • Single residents are given a green card that has an allotment of $31.50 per month. This amount allows for 9 loads monthly (9 wash and 9 dry loads, or any combination up to 18 loads).
  • Families are given a red card that has an allotment of $49 per month. This amount allows for 14 loads per month (14 wash and 14 dry loads, or any combination up to 28 loads).

After the first day of the month, residents are required to "charge" the Clean Cash card in order to receive the monthly allowance. Cards must be reloaded at any of the Add Value Stations in the laundry rooms at:

  • 448 Seymour Road
  • 547 Seymour Road
  • 278 Peyton Court
  • 422 Farrish Circle
  • 117 Mimosa Way

How do I add funds to my laundry card?

Monthly laundry allotment

  1. Tap and hold your laundry card on the Add Value Station touch screen until it beeps.
  2. Select the option to add funds with a Value Code, then select Confirm.
  3. Tap and hold your card again to the screen to add the allotted funds. Your updated laundry balance will be displayed.

Adding more funds using a credit card

  1. Tap and hold your laundry card on the Add Value Station touch screen until it beeps.
  2. Select the option to add funds with a credit card.
  3. Enter the dollar amount you would like to add to your card (there is a $10 minimum). Tap or slide your credit card to process the payment.
  4. When prompted, tap and hold your laundry card again to the screen to add the funds. Your updated laundry balance will be displayed.

What if I need to do laundry after I've used up my allotment for the month?

If you require more loads than the laundry allotment will cover, you can add funds to your card at your cost. To add more funds, use the Add Value Station in your laundry room and follow the directions in the "How do I add funds to my laundry card?" section above.

What should I do if I lose my Clean Cash card?

If you lose your card, please report the loss to housing@virginia.edu. Our office will de-activate the lost card and make arrangements for you to pick up a replacement card at Gibbons House. For single-resident (green) laundry cards, the replacement cost is $41.50. For family (red) laundry cards, the replacement cost is $59. The replacement cost will be billed in the same way as your monthly rent.

How do I report a broken machine?

The laundry facilities offered by Housing & Residence Life are currently contracted to Caldwell & Gregory, Inc. Any machine malfunctions or loss of money should be reported to Caldwell & Gregory, Inc. at 800.927.9274 (800.927.WASH). This number is also posted in the laundry rooms. You can also report issues to service@caldwellandgregory.com.

When is the best time to do laundry?

Generally, mornings and early afternoons are good times to do laundry! If use times are staggered, you will usually have no difficulty finding available machines. You can help keep machines free by promptly removing your clothing when your load has finished. The time for a washer load to finish varies based on the cycle you choose, and there is a time display on all machines that tells you how long the cycle will run. A dryer load normally takes about an hour.

What type of detergent should I use?

We recommend you use H-E (high-efficiency) detergent. Liquid detergent pods/packs typically contain H-E detergent -- just make sure you put pods or packs in the washer tub, not the drawer.