“It was moldy, it was gunky, it was nasty,” Junior, Jolia Bracero said to describe the laundry machines in North Campus Residence Hall.
Whether it is North Campus, Bayside, or Cedar, the laundry rooms remain in a less than ideal condition.
Bracero had to move her load to other machines multiple times after discovering mold in the detergent compartments. “I found the cleanest one I could find and just went in there. But I still felt grossed out by it because it’s like what am I cleaning my clothes with, mold?”
Bracero has suitemates who resort to bringing their laundry home. But for most students who don’t live close, going home every time the laundry basket is full isn’t an option. “I just had to help her carry her laundry basket back up and it was so heavy because she waited.” Bracero said about her roommate.
This semester has been the first time students are not charged per load, but Bracero said, “They’re so nasty and no one wants to use them, even if they are free.”
Upon visiting Bracero’s laundry room, I found gunk and black mold covering many detergent dispensers and around the opening of the washers. Dryers had lint packed underneath the doors as well. While Bracero’s laundry room itself was relatively clean, the Bayside 200s laundry rooms on the other hand were a different story. The floors were covered in dried detergent, dirt, leaves and grime.
Facilities Management Secretary Christine Galib said the university is not responsible for machines or their cleanliness. Students must put in a request with Automatic Laundry to get them serviced or cleaned.
Margaret Gorman, Director of Buildings and Event Services, said the best way for students to get the laundry rooms cleaned is to put in a work order with facilities. However, there is no signage in the rooms to instruct students to do this.
There have been two requests for cleaning this semester and three work orders for non-working machines, which Gorman says has been redirected to Automatic Laundry. Facilities are not allowed to touch student belongings, so loose socks and piles left on the machines cannot be thrown out but can be placed on the tables. Gorman also revealed the laundry rooms get cleaned Wednesdays and Fridays, but they do not appear that way.
