How you do laundry in an apartment depends on what you have. With an in-unit washer, run full loads and keep supplies on a shelf above it. With a shared laundry room, carry a small kit and set a timer. With no machine at all, a portable washer that hooks up to the sink plus a drying rack covers most of it.
Laundry options for apartments
In-unit washer and dryer
Your own machines are often stacked in a closet, and the hard part is finding room for everything else.
- Run full loads. They save water and energy, and you won't be doing laundry every day.
- Use the space above the machines for a shelf or over-the-washer rack.
- Pick supplies that store flat. A box of detergent sheets fits on a narrow shelf, where a jug won't.
A pack of 60 HeySunday laundry sheets slides in next to the stain spray, and the same sheets work in compact, portable and full-size machines. On subscription it's $15 a pack, delivered every 30 days. M.M., a customer who lives in the city, wrote: "I love that I can keep the sheets in a small bag hanging on the door to my stacked washer/dryer."
Shared laundry room
- Go at quiet times, often weekday mornings or mid-afternoon.
- Keep a tote ready with detergent sheets, dryer balls, a stain stick and quarters or your laundry card.
- Set a phone timer for the end of each cycle.
- Bring everything down in one trip. A pack of sheets weighs next to nothing compared with a jug on the stairs.
If the building has no machines, the same kit works at the laundromat, and our guide to doing laundry at a laundromat has more on that.
No washer: portable machines and hand washing
Renters like portable washers because there's no plumbing work. Most connect to the kitchen or bathroom faucet with an adapter, drain into the sink or tub, and roll into a closet afterwards. Some buildings have rules about them, so read your lease first.
- Load them by how full the drum is, the same as a full-size machine. Most portable washer loads are small, so 1 HeySunday sheet is usually right.
- Use the highest spin your machine has. Clothes come out drier.
- For a few items, hand wash in the sink with 1 sheet, or half of one for a really small wash. Our guide to hand washing clothes shows how.
What if there's no dryer vent?
Lots of apartments have no outside vent for a regular dryer. That leaves four options:
- A drying rack is the cheapest, and most clothes dry in a day indoors with some airflow.
- A ventless dryer (condenser or heat pump) collects the water in a tank or sends it down a drain. It's slower than a vented dryer.
- A washer-dryer combo washes and dries in the same drum and saves floor space. Drying a full load can take a few hours.
- For big items, use the laundromat. Dry towels, bedding and jeans there, and air dry the rest at home.
Making the most of a small space
- Folding drying racks fold flat when you're not using them. Wall-mounted and over-the-door versions take up no floor space.
- A slim rolling cart fits between the washer and the wall and holds everything you need.
- Collapsible or stackable baskets let you sort lights and darks as you go. Our laundry sorting system shows how to set them up.
- Under-sink organizers hold detergent sheets, dryer sheets or balls, and stain removers out of sight.
- Hooks and over-the-door organizers hold delicates bags, a lint roller and anything you hang to dry.
Deborah, another customer, chose sheets for this reason: "I like the packaging, as we have a tiny laundry area. And not much room for storage."
Tips for drying clothes indoors
Clothes dried indoors go musty if they stay damp too long. Moving air and space between them fixes most of it.
- Spin hard first. The less water in the clothes, the faster they dry.
- Put the rack next to an open window, a vent or a fan.
- Don't let items overlap. Hang shirts on hangers from a door frame or shower rod to free up the rack.
- Jeans, hoodies and towels take longest. Give them the best spot and turn them halfway through.
- In a small or damp apartment, a dehumidifier in the same room speeds drying a lot.
- Keep the rack away from dark corners, where mildew grows, and off radiators, which can stiffen and shrink fabric.
- Watch the detergent. Thick liquids can build up residue that traps smells, and pre-measured sheets suit a small space better.
Our guide to air drying vs machine drying covers which fabrics do best on a rack.
Saving energy and money
Wash with cold water. The US Department of Energy's Energy Saver program reports that heating water accounts for almost 90% of a washer's energy use. Its Energy Saver guide adds that switching from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half, and cold saves even more. Cold water cleans just as well, and clothes last longer.
Fewer, fuller loads use less water and energy and save quarters in a shared room. In the dryer, switch to reusable dryer balls or eco-friendly dryer sheets. They cut drying time and static without harsh chemicals.
Switching from traditional jugs to detergent sheets can cut your plastic waste by up to 90%.
Shared laundry room etiquette
- Take your clothes out as soon as the cycle ends (that's what the timer is for).
- Clean the lint trap after you use the dryer.
- Don't overload the machines. It's hard on the washer and clothes come out less clean.
- If someone's load is sitting finished and you need the machine, move it carefully into a clean basket or onto a clean surface.
- Wipe up any spills and take your empty packaging with you.
Apartment laundry checklist
- A laundry bag or collapsible basket that's easy to carry
- A folding drying rack
- Pre-measured detergent sheets
- Wool dryer balls or dryer sheets
- A stain remover stick
- Mesh bags for delicates
- A portable steamer or wrinkle-release spray instead of an ironing board
- Quarters or a loaded laundry card for shared machines
- Nice to have: a small fan or dehumidifier for drying indoors
Frequently asked questions
What's the best way to do laundry in an apartment without a washer?
Most renters use a portable washer that connects to the sink, plus a folding drying rack. If you'd rather not do it at all, many laundromats offer wash-and-fold service, priced by the pound, where you drop off a bag and collect it clean and folded.
What's the best way to dry laundry in an apartment with no dryer vent?
A folding rack near an open window or fan is cheapest, and a ventless or combo dryer is the next step up. Renters are better off with the ventless one. Most leases won't let you cut a new vent through an outside wall.
How do you dry clothes indoors without them smelling?
Get everything dry within a day: spin hard, space things out and keep the air moving. If a load does come out musty, rewash it with a cup of white vinegar in the rinse (scent only covers the smell), then dry it somewhere with more airflow.
How do you store laundry supplies in a small apartment?
Go vertical, with a shelf above the washer, an over-the-door organizer or a slim cart. Measure the gap beside your washer before you buy a cart. Even the slimmest ones need a few inches of clearance to roll in and out.
Do laundry detergent sheets work in portable washers?
Yes. Most portable loads are small, so 1 sheet is usually enough, and you can tear a sheet in half for a sink wash of a few items. Many portable washers have no detergent drawer, so load the clothes and lay the sheet on top of them in the drum.
