​When we bought our first Laundromat 3 years ago – a few people asked us whether we had seen the movie ‘My Beautiful Launderette’ – we hadn’t – so we made sure that we did. 

The movie takes place in London during the 1980s. The story - in a nutshell -  is about a young Pakistani man called Omar, played by actor Gordon Warnecke and his romance with an old friend called Johnny  played by none other than Daniel Day-Lewis.

Along the way the pair inherit a laundromat originally owned by Omar's uncle Nasser  and transform it from a grotty and neglected space  into a modern laundromat with new machines, giant wave decals, flashing neon signs, button-back plush seating, lush ferns and even an aquarium. 

Released in 1985, My Beautiful Laundrette is a comedy-drama directed by Stephen Frears that focuses on issues of race, sexuality and politics.

In 1986, Daniel Day-Lewis as Johnny Burfoot the award for Best Supporting Actor from the U.S. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, and the film was nominated for Best Film too.

Today the original location of such a beautiful launderette - is - sadly - a launderette no more. The movie was shot on location at 11 Wilcox Road, Vauxhall in London and that space is now occupied by a Mediterranean Cafe. 

​My Beautiful Laundrette continues to receive  positive reviews and currently holds  a 97% "fresh" rating on the Tomatometer at  Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus on this movie is “My Beautiful Laundrette is fast and all over the place because it has so much to say and show, including a highly watchable fresh-faced Daniel Day-Lewis.”

​​Essentially this is an open air Laundromat offering laundry services.  You either wash your laundry yourself or you leave it with the washers to do. These washers, known as dhobis, work in the open air - come rain or shine - and clean the clothes and linens from Mumbai's hotels, businesses and even hospitals.  The word ‘Ghat’ meanwhile is used to describe any area where there is a series of steps leading down to a body of water – whether that water is for bathing or laundry or – morbidly – even for cremation purposes as happens on the banks of the River Ganges at the Ghats in Varanasi.  ​

​The Dhobi Ghat Mahalaxmi area has become quite a tourist destination for the wonderful photo opportunities it offers and is also home to the dhobis and their families.  
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In 2011 a melancholy art-house movie called Dhobi Ghat was released which is also known by the title of ‘Mumbai Diaries’. 

One of the things that people often do in Laundromats – and perhaps (one must assume) at home too – is to use way  too much detergent in their wash.

​They sometimes use so much that even by the time the final rinse kicks in, suds are still visible in the machine. Occasionally.... the suds are so great that bubbles cascade out of the top of the machines and make small children squeal!

​In a Laundromat, as is also true of a home setting, an excess of soapy water (which is what oversudsing is) happens when people add more than the recommended amount of detergent to a washing machine.

​It may also occur if a laundry detergent is added that is not meant for use in that particular type of washing machine. A typical example of this is when a customer brings their top-loader detergent from home and uses it in a laundromat's front loader.
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So, why is oversudsing not a good thing? Well, laundry detergent contains more than one ingredient - and each one has a job to do. The one we are going to focus on right now is the good old surfactant.

The word surfactant is an abbreviation of the words "surface-active-agents." Surface active agents have a unique chemical structure which makes them able to interact with two different types of surfaces,  for example -  oil and water.

Surfactants are shaped roughly like a sperm. With that uncomfortable thought now firmly in your head... imagine placing a load of greasy tea towels in a washing machine and adding detergent. As the drum fills with water, the water repelling tail of the surfactant goes mad attaching itself to the grease and dirt suspended in the water. Meanwhile, the machine’s tumbling motion helps by tossing your laundry about and breaking down the dirt and grease into smaller, easier-to-remove pieces.

​During the rinse cycles, the water molecules attach themselves to the opposite end of the surfactant (the head) and help pull the dirt and grease away from the tea towels. During the final spin – water flushes away the surfactant molecules with all their dirt and grease attached to them.

The problem is – if you use too much detergent – a washing machine’s cycle cannot possibly  flush away all the dirty molecules. By using too much detergent you have effectively created a situation where four, six or eleventy-six rinses would be needed in order to rid your clothes of the surplus  surfactants and their dirty little tails.

Next time you are tempted to add more detergent to a washing machine – whether in our gorgeous Laundromat or at home – remember that your clothes will be cleaner, softer and fresher if you use the absolutely correct amount. ​

Grass stains
To lift grass stains, soak the area of the garment that has the stain  in undiluted vinegar for 30 minutes, then launder it as normal. If you can still see signs of the stain after washing, try making a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to coat the stain, then launder it again.
or
Soak the stain in a solution of water and detergent. Make a paste, apply it and then  wash the garment as usual. Make sure you do not place the item in the dryer until the stain has been completely remove – otherwise you will ‘set’ the stain into the garment and it will be super difficult to remove thereafter.
​or
If the clothing is white  then it  may be possible to bleach it (check the garment’s care lable). Use  a chlorine bleach solution on the stain  but ensure you don’t leave it to soak too long or you'll damage the garment.

Ink blotches
Place the garment on a clean dry towel, and apply a solution of  1 cup of rubbing alcohol to 1 cup of vinegar  to the stained area. Apply with a rag (of a similar colour)  or use a spray bottle until the fabric is thoroughly saturated. Allow the solution to soak in for at least 5 minutes, then pour a small amount of table salt over the stained area. Wait ten minutes then launder as usual,
or
Make a paste by mixing 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cover the ink stain with the paste and leave  for 3 to 4 hours, then brush off the paste and wash the shirt as usual.
​or
This may or may not work depending on how strong the stain is and how long the stain has been there. Put non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water. Were you able to remove some of the ink? Great! Repeat the process a few more times until you get rid of all the ink. Note: The same process works for lipstick.

Paint Stains
Paint comes in all different types. Unfortunately oil based paint is almost impossible to remove.  Poster paints on the other hand are easy – but time consuming.
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Poster Paint Stain : Mix a good amount of dish washing liquid on the stain. Add some water and start rubbing. Rub and rinse adding more dishwashing liquid if needed.  Once most of the paint has gone, launder as usual as that will lift the remaining paint.
 
Acrylic Paint Stain:  These need to be treated with a solvent. Chances are you have solvents in your home in the shape of hair spray, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitiser or perhaps you have  an alcohol-based nail varnish remover.  Dab it on lightly using a clean cloth until the stain starts to come away. Launder as usual.