For decades, launderettes have been a common sight on high streets across Greater Manchester.
Sometimes referred to as 'wash houses,' they've been a part of day to day life for as long as many of us can remember, whether it be using your local one frequently or even just passing by daily. Whether it's to wash a particular item or to complete your weekly wash - we all know how handy it is to have a launderette close by.
But to say they're just a place to clean your clothes would be an understatement. Over the years, they've been social hubs in the community and have been vital to the likes of students or those living in rented accommodation where no washing machine is provided.
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At one point in time, laundrettes were popping up frequently around the country. And whilst some would argue the industry has seen a decline, that's not necessarily the case.
Many customers across Greater Manchester still benefit from the service and factor it in to their everyday life. In later years, we've also seen laundrettes offer other services such as dry cleaning, ironing and service washes.
Two images, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, offer a glimpse into life at one Manchester site. The photographs show inside Dainton Street laundry in Manchester in the late 1970s.
Here, you can see a number of customers and the fashions they wore at the time. You will also be transported back in time when you see the equipment used there.
We shared one of these images on our social media and here are some of your memories of using 'wash houses' in Greater Manchester through the years. For some, it's been a while since they visited a laundrette, whereas for others, they are a reminder of how life used to look in Manchester decades before.
On our MEN Facebook page, Annie Cairns said: "I loved going there when I was young for mum. Could have a smoke lol.x proper Hoff man press and rollers. Xx." Patricia Anne Carroll wrote: "Washed fried and iron in a couple of hours loved it."
Ian Wood commented: "Those were the days when they just got on with." Lorraine Clarke posted: "Used to go to Levenshulme wash house back in the day."
Wendy Smylie said: "My Grandad Eric was a baths and laundry engineer for mcc up to 1993. Used to have to cobble together pieces and parts to fix the pump and filtration unit at Victoria baths because the whole thing had become obsolete years before and nowhere made parts any more."
What are your memories of Manchester's 'wash houses'? Let us know in the comments section below.
On our Greater Manchester memories, history and people Facebook group Gary Moose Stealey wrote: "Oh god I remember watching the pull the massive dryers out." Paul Haley posted: "i used to have to crawl under the big dryers to change the filters , the boss used to give me an extra pound for doing it."
Christopher Daly commented: "Used to take my Auntie over from Moston to one off Oldham Rd in Newton Heath in my car. If I wasn't available she would revert back to using her traditional big 'pram'!! This was in the evening after she'd done a days work, kept a house going, fed her younger brother and she was in her 70s!!.This was about 1977 onwards when I drove her but she'd been doing it for years before, using the pram!!!"
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Mary Faulkner commented: "The wash house ..." May Fox said: "We used the 1in south street and have a bath there once a week also had a bath in school jackson street school."
Lorraine Twigg said: "Washhouse never called laundrette." And Patricia White wrote: "We used to all them ‘The Washhouse.."
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