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Not always. Studies have found that shared washers can pass bacteria and fungi from one customer’s load to the next, especially on cooler cycles. A 2022 study of laundromat machines recovered opportunistic pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae from clean test cloths after cold washes. You can lower the risk: wipe high-touch surfaces, use the hottest water your clothes allow, and dry them fully.
Last updated: November 14, 2026.
Below: what research has found inside public washers, why water temperature matters, how to check a laundromat’s cleanliness, and a step-by-step routine to keep your laundry clean when you share machines. Related guides: can you get bed bugs from the laundromat, can you get scabies from a laundromat and what to bring to coin laundry.
What research has found in shared washers
| Study | What it tested | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| Whitehead et al., Microbiology Research, 2022 | Sterile cotton washcloths run through laundromat washers on standard cold-water cycles | Bacteria and fungi transferred to the cloths, including opportunistic pathogens such as S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecium |
| Self-service washer sanitation study (PMC) | Swabs and wash water from four self-service laundries | Warm settings ran 24°C to 51°C; cooler water made chlorine and phenolic disinfectants less effective |
The 2022 study’s authors work for Reckitt, the maker of Lysol and Dettol, so keep that in mind. Their conclusion was that modern cold-water washing doesn’t reliably remove microbes and that public washing machines can be a source of both harmless and harmful microbes on laundered clothes. They also found the fungal load was about half the bacterial load, and most fungi were non-pathogenic types.
The older self-service study tested three disinfectants. The quaternary ammonium product averaged a 97% microbial kill, chlorine 58% and the phenolic product 25%. The authors called cross-contamination between families in self-service laundries a potential public health problem, made worse by low water temperatures and the habits of previous users.
You may have read that as long as you pick a tidy-looking laundromat, the washers will be clean. A clean floor doesn’t tell you what’s inside the drum. The research points to water temperature and what earlier customers washed.
Why the water temperature matters
In the self-service study, machines set to “warm” delivered water anywhere from 24°C to 51°C (about 75°F to 124°F). That range matters: the study found chlorine and phenolic disinfectants worked less well at the low water temperatures common in self-service laundries. The 2022 study used cold cycles specifically because that is how many people wash now, and it still found transfer.
So choose the hottest setting the care label allows for towels, bedding and anything else that can take it. Kentucky State University Extension says kitchen and bath towels in particular should be washed in hot water, because they collect food particles and skin cells.
What to ask the laundromat
Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension suggests asking management how they sanitize washers and dryers. Its guidance:
- Each machine should be wiped with a sanitizer between customers.
- Chlorine bleach shouldn’t be used to sanitize the machines, because it’s harsh and can damage clothes that go in next.
- Ask about off-peak hours and limits on how many customers are inside at one time.
High-touch surfaces to watch
The same extension fact sheet lists the surfaces to be careful with:
- Countertops
- Buttons on the machines
- Machine door handles
- Buttons on the change machine
- Entrance door handles
A cleaner laundromat routine
- Sort and pretreat at home so you spend less time at the laundromat.
- Look inside the washer before loading, and wipe the door, handle and buttons with a disinfectant wipe.
- Pick the hottest water the labels allow, especially for towels and bedding.
- Don’t overload the washer. The extension sheet says clothes need room for dirt to disperse in the water. One queen sheet set can be a full load for a regular washer.
- Measure detergent. Extra detergent won’t rinse out fully and can leave dirt trapped in the fabric.
- Disinfect your basket or hamper while the wash runs.
- Dry completely before packing up.
- Fold at home. The extension sheet suggests repacking clean laundry into your cleaned hamper and folding at home to limit contact with shared surfaces.
If you’re washing laundry for someone who is sick, the extension sheet suggests wearing gloves.
Do laundromat dryers fix the problem?
Not on their own. A 2022 study in the Journal of Fungi tested a laundromat dryer for 10 minutes on cloths carrying ringworm and athlete’s foot fungi. The fungi survived, and the dryer only reached 60°C for about two minutes. Drying fully is still important, but the hot wash does more of the work.
Frequently asked questions
Can you catch germs from a laundromat washer?
Studies have found bacteria and fungi can transfer from shared washers to clothes, especially in cold water. Hot washes and full drying lower the risk.
Should I wipe down a laundromat washer?
Yes. Wipe the door, handle and buttons with a disinfectant wipe. Extension guidance says machines should be sanitized between customers, but not with chlorine bleach.
What temperature should I use at a laundromat?
The hottest the care labels allow. Kentucky State University Extension says towels should be washed in hot water.
Will the dryer kill anything left behind?
Not reliably. In one study, fungi survived 10 minutes in a laundromat dryer.
Sources
- Whitehead et al., Potential for Microbial Cross Contamination of Laundry from Public Washing Machines, Microbiology Research, 2022
- Sanitation in self-service automatic washers (PMC)
- Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension, Considerations for Safe Use of Public Laundry Facilities
- Akhoundi et al., Effect of Household Laundering, Heat Drying, and Freezing on the Survival of Dermatophyte Conidia, Journal of Fungi, 2022