If there is no one in the laundry room- is it ok for me to use all of the washing machines?

Question

Did some laundry on Sunday night at 10p- all 8 machines were available and I used them all. Came down promptly at 10:30p to move to the dryers- and there were a few bags a laundry waiting to be put in- but no one there. When i came down to pick up from the dryer- had an irate woman tell me that I was out of line to use all of the machines.
I asked her- did she really believe that when I arrived in the laundry room and found it empty- that I should leave a few machines open even tho I needed them just in case someone showed up at 10:15p and wanted to do laundry. She assured me that that was the proper ediquette- and told me that under no circumstance should anyone ever use all of the machines. She told me I am not the only person living in the building so I shouldn't use all of the machines- and for good measure called me a selfish prick.
Is it me or is this woman out of her mind? Once I realized that she wasn't kidding, I felt like Larry David.

Thanks for all of the answers. Here are some questions to yours.

I have 2 kids and a prego wife- she can't do laundry all week so I have to do the mother load every weekend- usually 5 to 6 machines but this week my youngest wet the bed.

It was 10pm on a sunday night- ghost town in any building. I ain't rich (u prob figured since im doing my own laundry) but we live in a somewhat fancy building on the upper east side of manhattan- my guess would be that 80%+ of the tennants send out or have their maids do it for them. This was one of the few times I saw a tennant, not a housekeeper in the laundry room.

I have 50 pairs of underware, give or take. Can't remember the last time I was forced to go commando.

Answer 1

I love your question! I know it is serious, but I lived in apartments for many years, so I found it kind of funny. Laundry quarrels are very common. Look, if you really need all the washing machines, use all of them but one or two just in case someone else comes in.

So you don't feel like Larry David, you certainly had no intention of being inconsiderate, and this woman was purposefully very unkind to you. Real ladies do not become irate and do not call people names, and just the fact that you are asking this question makes me think that you are probably a very nice gentleman.

Happy washing and drying!

Answer 2

I think you should have left at least some of the machines for the others. Using a few yourself is fine, but using all 8 at the same time is rude and selfish. You share the laundry facilities and the reason there are so many machines in there is so that many people can do their laundry at the same time, not so that you can do your entire three months' stack of laundry simultaneously. You're not the only one in the building who needs to get their laundry washed. I suggest you be a little considerate next time.

Answer 3

Okay, I gotta ask this - how long to you wait to do laundry? Eight machines!!!! LOL

Listen, I assume you paid to do your laundry. If nobody was there, and you paid you money - so be it. I'd just not wait until I needed 8 machines next time. Besides - at 10 pm - not that many people do laundry that late. If it was Saturday morning - I might have called you a selfish prick too.

Did you have any clean underwear???

Answer 4

I would have done the same thing as what you did. If I needed all the machines, and no one was there, I would have used them all too. First come, first serve. You pay for the machines, so don't feel bad. I used to do that myself, when I lived in a building complex that had a laundromat on the property. If no one was using them, I used all that I needed, regardless of what time it was.

Answer 5

Well..how many washers are we talking about here? More than 4 or 5 might have been excessive. But then again, if no one else was around, why not? Next time, just tell whoever has an issue with it that you were trying to find the one with the best vibration during the spin cycle..that should shut them up. LOL

Answer 6

Absolutely not! See, this is selfishness. People know that just because no one is in there at the exact moment they came down there that someone won't come down later. But the majority of the world is disrespectful and selfish, so they take up all the machines anyway. The very fact that you are asking this question lets you know that it is not right.

Answer 7

In my opinion, whoever pays to put the laundry in the machine has the ''washing rights'' to the machine. If you needed them you have the right to use them. First come, first serve baby. Now, if you had like one pair of panties in one washer and a pair of jeans in the other one...then I'd call you a ''selfish prick.'' However, I know this is not the case. I'd call that lady a shriveled old hag.

Answer 8

Only a communist would expect you to leave open machines for people that "might" arrive. That is just plain stupid, and is actually reverse selfishness. She wan'ts you to leave open machines for ghosts! The room is empty, therefore you should use as many machines as you need. It's all a matter of timing. sometimes you just have to wait for a machine. That's life. I hope you catch her using all the machines someday. If it is really bothering you then you should leave one machine open.

Answer 9

you should have left one or two available in the even someone does show up ... as for the lady who got irate with you is uncalled for, there are more things in this world to be irate about then whether or not she can do her laundry. As annoyed as i get with people and the stupid things someone may do, I would never yell at them.

Answer 10

Eight at once seems a bit much. It would have been nice to leave one or two available.

Have you ever tried the mega-machine at the laundromat? Sounds like that might come in handy for you!