SIGHTS
Windows facing the street, a row of uniform plastic chairs within sight of a television set that’s bolted to the wall, chipped folding tables, metal laundry baskets on wheels, rows of industrial washing machines and dryers, a security camera, rotary fans on the ceiling, garbage cans (stuffed full of dryer sheets, lint, and empty jugs of laundry soap), a tile floor with the occasional clump of dryer lint, spilled detergent powdering the tiles, signs that give instructions about the facility, a vending machine for detergent and dryer sheets, coin slots on the machines (if coin-operated), kids running around, bored patrons texting or listening to music on devices, too-bright florescent lights overhead, stray socks left behind on a folding table, a laundry attendant behind a desk, candy and soda machines, a change dispensing machine, laundry spinning in machines, piles of clean laundry on tables, garbage or cloth bags of dirty laundry on the floor by an empty machine, stainless steel sinks and sprayers
SOUNDS
The whir and slurp of a washing machine, the click and clack of buttons and zippers hitting metal as they tumble in a drum, sneakers banging around as they’re washed, the clang of loose coins being tumbled in a dryer, automated snaps and buzzers as machines progress through cycles, the suction seal of a machine door being opened or closed, the shimmy and squeak of metal on metal as a machine goes into a spin cycle, people laughing or talking, parents yelling at their kids to stop running or climbing on things, noises from the television, coins cascading down a chute, the click of a turnstile candy machine as a gumball or handful of candy pops out, squeaky wheels on a laundry cart, a snap as one shakes out sheets or dress shirts before folding them, a rush of traffic when the door opens, the whirling blades of overhead fans, sheets that crackle with static as they’re pulled apart and folded
SMELLS
Detergent, chemicals, bleach, fake flower or citrus scents (lavender, lemon, lilac), hot fabric, the metallic scent of overworked motors, sweat, body odor, wet laundry, musty wetness from a washing machine in need of cleaning, dirty clothes sitting in a bag for too long
TASTES
Candy or gum from a mechanical vending machine, granola bars, chips, chocolate bars or pretzels from an electronic vending machine, water or pop brought into the facility
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Hard plastic seats, warm quarters pulled from one’s pocket, feeling the ridged edges as one inserts them into a machine slot, granules of dry detergent stuck to one’s fingers, greasy liquid soap or stain remover, the cold wetness of clean clothing being pulled from a washer, hot air on one’s face as one opens a dryer to collect clothing, fluffy clothes pulled right from the dryer, the shock of static electricity as one sorts and folds, slipping on a liquid detergent spill on the tile floor, the slick and hard-to-wash-off feeling of bleach on one’s hands, peeling a dusty sheet of lint out of a filter and throwing it away
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Someone removing one’s clothing from a dryer before it’s dry
Clothing that goes missing from a folding table
A customer’s children being overly rambunctious and bothering others
Air conditioners that are broken in the summer, causing tempers to flare
Someone trying to wash or dry something that ruins the equipment
Pranks that involve putting pens in dryers so they will explode all over the next load of clothing
A power outage that stops the machines in the middle of a wash cycle
Getting to the laundromat and discovering that one is out of detergent or has forgotten one’s coins at home
Frustrations arising from the circumstances that have forced one to use the laundromat in the first place
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
College kids, customers (people living in apartments, etc.), homeowners with broken-down washers or dryers, laundromat employees, people on vacation, people with large items that won’t fit in personal machines (comforters, pillows, sleeping bags, small rugs), repair men, vagrants
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Big city street, parking lot, small town street
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Some laundromats are nicer than others, with newer equipment, free Wi-Fi, complimentary coffee, televisions, and a play area for children. They may also offer laundering drop-off and delivery services. Some may still use coins, but many newer laundromats involve paying an onsite cashier for usage.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Once the old lady who smelled like cat pee left, I loaded Carmichael into the metal basket and gave it a shake, testing the wheels to make sure we had a solid ride. He gripped the wire bottom and then nodded. The washing machine gurgled and slurped, mashing the load like a colorful wad of food. The noise should cover the clatter of wheels on the tile floor, but I checked to make sure no one was watching anyway. Mom was outside on the sidewalk, blowing out a gust of cigarette smoke as she gossiped with Auntie Denise on her cell. The laundry attendant had her back to us, watching anime on her mobile. I gave my brother the thumbs up and started the countdown. The only good thing about wasting a Friday night here was a game of Laundromat Derby.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions, personification, simile
Resulting Effects: Characterization