The New Laundry System Is Finally On Board

In the middle of October, a new and entirely self-serviced laundry system finally became fully operational in the Skapto 1 and Skapto 2 Residence Halls. Despite slight problems upon launch, AUBG students, both on-campus and off-campus, can now enjoy the services of the new washing and drying machines.

In past years, some students expressed disappointment with the previous laundry firm. When the contract between AUBG and that company expired, it was time for a change and the implementation of a new laundry system project.

“Two years ago, we introduced an informal survey to all AUBG students, in which we asked them what they thought about the current laundry service and what they wanted to upgrade. An overwhelming majority wanted the laundry system to change,” said Ivan-Asen Enchev, an AUBG alumnus and current Laundry Manager.

It was at the end of last semester when the firm Ivan-Asen works for won the bidding process and received a green light to initiate the new laundry project.

“It was a long process with a lot of stuff involved. Winning the bid was the first part. You need to introduce your idea but also follow what you have promised to the students and the university, which is the hard part right now,” Ivan-Asen said.

At the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester, four washing machines and four drying machines started working in the Skapto 1 basement. Students could do their laundry by using their phones.

“It takes a few minutes to set up,” Ivan-Asen said. “A student should download the airWallet app and enter their name, phone number, and PIN code. Then, they should come to the laundry room. The app will make them click on an ‘I am in the laundry room’ button. Then, they will have full access to the system but have to enter a payment method and a phone verification.”

For a student to use the washing and drying machines, they should have the airWallet app but not necessarily book a time slot. Half of the machines are already connected to the app and are available for booking, while the other half are on a first-come, first-served basis. 

“Booking the machines is not mandatory, but it impacts the dosage and time for the services to be conducted,” Ivan-Asen said. “On booking, we offer 30 minutes of drying and 40 minutes of washing, while without booking, it will take an hour and ten minutes for washing and an hour and a half for drying.”

Whether booked or not, the laundry service will be working 24/7. This is an advantage over the previous laundry system that students seem to like.

“The new laundry system is both straightforward to use and conveniently organized. A student can use a machine whenever they wish to without worrying about bringing enough clothes or about having their laundry mixed with someone else's,” Gabriela Stanimirova, a second-year student, said.

Along with that, the paying method is, according to Ivan-Asen Enchev, “preferable by the students.”

“It is very convenient that you can pay by card,” Ivan Obreshkov, a second-year student, said.

It is not only the payment method but also the quality of the service that differentiates the new laundry system from the old.

“The detergents used in the machines are professional and regulated by the government. The detergents and softeners are of high quality. They are anti-allergic, anti-septic, and suitable for all skin types,” Ivan-Asen said.

The quality does not remain unseen and unappreciated by the students as well.

“I was pretty satisfied with the final result. The clothes were perfectly washed and smelled good,” Spasiela Gizdova, a first-year student, said.

There is no language barrier, as the app is in English. Still, some students miss the laundry ladies and their work.

“With the previous laundry, you had the clothes washed, dried, and folded in an almost ironed way. While with those, the clothes are crumpled,” Ivan said.

Apart from having more crumpled clothes, the new laundry system also requires more involvement on the students’ side.

“I know the biggest disadvantage is that you have to come two more times to the laundry room so that you can take your stuff and put it in the dryer,” Ivan-Asen said.

Many students also outlined this disadvantage. “It is relatively time-consuming. You have to plan ahead as you should devote time to put the clothes to wash, then take them out, put them in the dryer, and keep track of the whole process,” Spasiela said.

The price of five leva for washing and three leva for drying remains the same as last year.

“I decided to keep the price that much because of the students. I could have demanded more and adjusted to the inflation, but I decided to take less but give more,” Ivan-Asen said.

On October 6, after a significant delay in the transportation of the machines from Sweden, two washing machines and two drying machines arrived in Skapto 2.

Meanwhile, first-year students already went through training on how to use the new laundry system. The remaining AUBG students will receive an email with the instructions on that.

“The email will include all the necessary details on how to use the system. We are also planning on having an Instagram page, in which we can visually show what students can do and which buttons to press,” Ivan Asen said. “Students can send any question to the provided email or use the supportive page of the app.”

At any point, students can approach Ivan-Asen with questions, concerns, and complaints so that he can address and fix them timely.

“I am happy to see the satisfaction that AUBGers have and the feedback that I have received from the students who have already used the laundry machines,” Ivan-Asen said. “I hope students are satisfied with the service, and it brings great value to them.”