Sort out these stats: Doing your laundry at the laundromat or at home

You could say we’re nostalgic here at Statistics Canada. For example, we track the production of wheat and other grains all the way back to 1908, honey production back to 1924, and consumer price change back to 1914.

We also track the number of businesses in various industries and sectors, even those that have already had their heyday, like laundromats!

The laundromat has long been an iconic community hub where people of all walks of life came together to do the same thing. Sometimes the waiting time between washer and dryer loads led strangers to friendships and romances.

While more condo and apartment buildings over the decades have included laundry services on the premises or machines in the units themselves, some Canadians still haul their laundry over to the local laundromat.

In June 2022, there were 1,092 business locations nationwide in the coin-operated laundries and dry cleaners industry, compared with 1,199 in June 2020, and 1,309 in June 2018. There were 1,257 business locations 10 years ago. They included automatic and self-service options.

Cleaner is costlier

Whether you’re heading over to the laundromat or using the machines at your own place, doing your laundry is costing more. Consumers paid 8.3% more on a year-over-year basis for laundry detergents and soaps in September 2022.

Consumers paid 9.3% more for laundry and dishwashing appliances over the same period, and prices for water and electricity were up in most provinces.

Prices for fuel oil and other fuels were up on a yearly basis in September 2022 by 48.7%—the highest increase among all shelter costs—followed by a 37.0% increase in prices for natural gas. So those hot washes are costing a lot, depending on what type of hot water tank you have!

So, what about heading to the laundromat instead? You may want to bring a few extra coins, as some of those businesses may have to pass some of their costs onto consumers. Rising inflation and the rising cost of inputs were the top two obstacles businesses expected to face in the third quarter of 2022.

Depending on where you live, would it make more “cents” to split your loads between home and the laundromat? Who knows…it might just come out in the wash.