Laundry services popular with college students<\/p>\n
Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Laundry services are perhaps most popular with those who have
\nclothes or textile items made of silk, fur, or suede, as well as
\ncurtains. However, the service is also popular now with college
\nstudents living in boarding houses nearby campuses in Depok, a
\nsuburb in southern Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Unlike conventional laundry services, laundry operators in
\nDepok do not charge their customers per piece but for every five
\nkilos of garments cleaned. The highly competitive commercial
\nlaundry market has also led them to apply competitive pricing.
\nThey charge Rp 16,000 to Rp 17,000 per five kilos of garments
\ncleaned. They also offer drop-off and pickup services.<\/p>\n
\"It would be impossible for me to drop off 15 kilos of casual
\ngarments every weekend if the price were above Rp 20,000,\" said
\nAde, a student in the psychology department at the University of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
She has benefited from such laundry services for two years.
\nFor her, the service is really helpful, especially as there are
\nso many campus assignments to be completed and, during the dry
\nseason, her boarding house lacks a water supply.<\/p>\n
Another student, Rhino, said that he always relied on the
\nlaundry service as he often got his clothes dirty after playing
\nsoccer with his friends. \"Besides, I'm too lazy to wash them, not
\nto mention the ironing,\" grinned the student from Palembang,
\nSouth Sumatra, in his final semester.<\/p>\n
Currently, six laundry operators exist adjacent to campuses in
\nDepok. One of them is Private Washing, established in 1999 and
\nlocated on Jl Margonda Raya, Gg Kober No. 5. Initially, the
\nfacility was utilized by six college students who considered
\nwashing clothes to be a waste of time. But then they decided to
\nturn it into a business as demands for laundry services from
\ntheir friends continued to grow. Their first investment was worth
\nRp 5 million.<\/p>\n
\"We reached break-even point within a year. From one washing
\nmachine and a dryer, we now have three of each,\" said Tumirin, in
\ncharge of daily operations at the depot, which has a 2,300-watt
\nelectricity supply. It opens from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a
\nweek.<\/p>\n
The depot offers laundry, drying, pressing, drop-off and
\npickup services. Five kilos of garments that are washed, dried,
\nand packed cost Rp 10,000, plus an additional Rp 7,000 for
\npressing. The laundry is packed in a bag that holds up to five
\nkilos and may consist of linen, shirts, jeans, gowns, hats,
\ntowels, blankets, bed sheets, bed covers, curtains and pillows,
\nbut not carpets. The bag is returned in a day.<\/p>\n
The laundering and drying process for each bag can take about
\ntwo hours. Customers are free to choose whatever detergent,
\nsoftener and ironing spray they prefer. Private Washing also
\ngives a free voucher for one laundry bag to customers who have
\nused the service 10 times.<\/p>\n
\"There is no additional fee or limited time for pickup and
\ndrop-off services in the Depok areas. However, most students come
\nhere on the weekend,\" Tumirin said. Every day, his two staff can
\nhandle 15 bags to 20 bags of laundry, and 30 bags to 35 bags on
\nSaturdays and Sundays.<\/p>\n
However, Tumirin asks his customers to abide by some
\nregulations. He says that the depot is not responsible for any
\ndissatisfaction caused by too dirty, discolored or worn-out
\nclothes, or laundry not picked up after 30 days. \"At present, we
\nhave donated up to 50 kilos of garments to victims of flood
\ndisasters and to orphanages because the owners of the laundry
\nbags did not show up after 18 months.\"<\/p>\n
Rimu Washing, located on Jl Margonda Raya, Gg Damai, also
\noffers a similar service. It charges Rp 10,000 for a bag
\ncontaining five kilos of laundry to be washed, dried, folded and
\npacked, and an additional Rp 6,000 for ironing.<\/p>\n
The depot opens from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days per week. It
\nalso offers a free voucher after 10 visits. Customers are free to
\nchoose detergent, softener or ironing sprays with a fragrance
\nthat suits their preference. However, it charges Rp 2,000 per bag
\nin its pickup and delivery service. The pickup service is
\navailable only in the evening.<\/p>\n
Another depot, Bibi's, located nearby Rimu, has a different
\ncharging method. It charges Rp 10,000 per 15 garments to be
\nwashed, dried, folded and packed and Rp 20,000 if the laundry is
\nto be ironed. For single items like shirts or pants the depot
\ncharges Rp 1,000, and Rp 2,000 for a blanket or bed cover.<\/p>",
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