Everything Sweden

The Tvättstugan and Laundry

June 22, 2017

The Tvättstugan or laundry room in Swedish is something that everyone has a story about. Whether it is aggressive neighbours, people not understanding timetables, or the pain of leaving your apartment 4 times in a 2-hour window, the Tvättstugan is another peculiar part of living in Sweden.

The majority of people living in Sweden and Stockholm live in apartment blocks. Since many do not have an apartment big enough to have a washing machine and drying machine, most people use a laundry room or Tvättstugan.

The system is very simple and works like this:

  • Each apartment block will have a bookings system (either online or with an old fashioned key system - see below)
  • You book a time
  • At that time, you do your washing, and you usually get an extra 30 minutes for drying
  • After your slot, make sure the Tvättstugan is clean
  • Rinse and repeat

booking a tvättstugan time

Tvättstugan Tips

  • Don’t be late. People will try and take your slot if you don’t turn up on time
  • Be prepared. No-one likes a neighbour that takes too long to get out after their slot, so make sure you’re ready to do your laundry before you start doing your laundry
  • Bring a timer. You’re going to be making a lot of visits

Anything else?

How have you found doing laundry in Sweden? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments.

Photo Credits: Magnus Liam Karlsson/imagebank.sweden.se