Washing woes whittled down

As you settle into life in Chico, sooner or later you are going to have to wash some clothes. And if you are not fortunate enough to have a laundry room in your apartment complex, you will need to track down a laundromat in your vicinity.

Here are a few that come to mind:

Flume St. Fluff & Fold,
372 East Sixth St.
Right around the corner from the Pageant Theatre, this venerable laundromat no longer provides a fluff-and-fold service, but you can still do your own laundry there. With 20 standard washers at $1.25 a load, two industrial sized washers at $2.50, and 10 large dryers offering 7.5 minutes of drying time per quarter, this is a good bet if you happen to live between downtown and 12th Street. Six basket carts are on premises, as is a sink. Plus, there are soda, change and soap vending machines. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily.

Bubbles Laundry,
664 Mangrove Ave.
Right next to Baskin Robbins in the Safeway shopping center, this recently refurbished laundry features 20 washers at $1.50 a load, nine industrial washers of varying size and cost ($2.50-$4.75), and 20 driers offering a whopping 10 minutes per quarter. Six basket carts are available for moving your duds. Plus, there are change and soap vendor machines, and a sink in the back. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily.

Laundry Room,
1722 Mangrove Ave.,
Mangrove Square, #16
Situated next door to Kinko’s, this laundromat out in the “avenues” area offers five old washers for only $1.25 a load, 18 new washers for $1.50 each, six industrial washers ($2.50-$4 per super-sized load), and 20 driers at eight minutes per quarter. This venue features the notable addition of a restroom. Plus there are change and soap vendor machines, magazines and books, but only a couple of basket carts. Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily.

East Ave. Laudromat & Dry Cleaning
986 East Ave., C-2
This site offers a genuine fluff-and-fold service seven days a week, at 90 cents per pound. And, with about 40 front-loading washers of varying capacity and price ($1.25-$4), 26 dryers at 10 minutes per quarter, change machines and a bathroom, if you happen to live at the north end of town, this is pretty handy and cost effective. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and located eastbound on East Ave., just past Chuck E. Cheese Pizza.

Chico Laundry Co.,
1000 West Sacramento, E & F
Open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, this laundry offers a fluff-and-fold service with a 10-pound minimum at $9.50. It sports a few industrial washers ranging from $2.25 to $4, about 40 regular washers at $1.50 a load, and 32 driers clocking in at eight minutes for a quarter. Plus, six basket carts, a kids’ area, big screen color TV, and a bathroom make this a pretty nice spot. It’s situated near Safeway, off Nord Ave. (Hwy 32).

Walnut St. Laundromat,
671 Walnut St., #4
At first this looks like kind of a small space, but it still manages 18 driers at seven minutes per quarter, 16 washers at $1.25 per load, and quite a few front load washers ranging from $2 to $3 per wash. Plus, there are sink, bathroom, small overhead color TV, six basket carts, and soap vendor, change and soda machines. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., it’s situated between Kathy’s Deli and Zepeda’s Meat Market, at Walnut (Hwy 32) and West Seventh Sts.

Wash Away Laundromat,
648 West Fifth St.
If you happen to be situated in the center of the fraternity/sorority zone, this laundromat is a must. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, it’s right across from the 5th and Ivy Market and Deli, and sports 20 washers, 12 driers at eight minutes per quarter, one video game, a sink, and change and soap vendor machines. Plus Frankie’s and Riley’s are right there. Who says laundry has to be dull?

Korner Market & Laundromat,
1455 Chestnut
If you live out past West 12th Street, this is a good bet for doing your laundry. With nine washers at $1.25 a load, 10 driers at 10 minutes per quarter, plus a video game, color TV and two basket carts, this isn’t a bad little place to get things done. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Note: The market does not own the laundromat.

Laundry Basket,
Raley’s Shopping Center,
off the Skyway
And last, should you live on the southeast side of town, this isn’t a bad little spot to wash your stuff. Hours: 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., daily. With change and soap vendor machines, sink, 12 newer washers, 12 older models at $1.25 per load, eight industrials ($1.25-$2), and 20 driers (7.5 minutes for a quarter, 17 minutes for 50 cents, and so on), and 4 basket carts, this venue features just about everything you need to make your Chico washing experience slightly better than dull. And, actually, that amounts to quite a lot.

Trading card - Ajamu Lamumba, Associated Students Coordinator