If you are anything like me, you overpack for your trips abroad and bring articles of clothing that you never wear that just take up space in your suitcase. So doing laundry isn‘t usually an issue. But for others who actually know how to pack for a vacation – as well as those who are active and might get their clothes sweaty, wet, or dirty – may need to wash their clothes. Don‘t worry. Reykjavík may be small, but it‘s like any modern city and has a few options for laundry services.
Most of the time, the place you stay will offer laundry services. If you decide to stay at an Airbnb, the occupants will usually have a washer either inside the apartment or in the basement in a community laundry room. Sometimes, there is only one washer for the house to share, so you may need to sign up for a time in advance. However, most people do not own dryers in Reykjavík. Residents usually have a laundry rack or two in their flats, or else the laundry rooms have lines along the ceiling for you to hang the clothes to dry.
Hotels and hostels also offer laundry services, but they charge a fee. It depends on what you are washing and how big the laundry load is. It can get pricey, depending on where you are staying. The good news is that these bigger establishments typically have industrial-size dryers, so there is less waiting around for the clothes to dry. Even the Reykjavík Campsite has washers and dryers on site that campers can use for a fee.
If for some reason these do not appeal to you, there are a handful of laundromats around Reykjavík where you can wash your clothes.
Úðafoss
One of the oldest laundry services in the city is Úðafoss. Although generally used as a dry cleaning operation, Úðafoss also offers general laundry services. Turnaround time can be as short as 5 hours and can cost as low as ISK 2.900. They even offer a pick-up and delivery service for an additional ISK 2.000 in case you are unable to make it down to their location on Vitastígur. It is open during the week from 8 AM to 5 PM but is unfortunately closed on the weekends.
The Laundromat Cafe
It‘s not just a clever name! In the basement of the beloved cafe on Austurstræti is an actual laundromat. Although The Laundromat Cafe is a British chain, it has become a favourite brunch and dinner spot for tourists. The laundry service here is more expensive, but it is a better place to wait for your clothes to finish. Grab a cup of coffee and the famous Elvis pancakes upstairs while you wait!
Wash Laundromat
A newcomer to the laundry scene, Wash Laundromat is a proper self-service laundromat. Located downtown on Grettisgata, Wash is open every day from 7 AM to 9 PM. It opened in 2022, so all the machines are brand new and top-of-the-line. The upside is that the service is pretty affordable, and the price includes laundry detergent. The downside is that the space is pretty small – although we doubt it will ever get super crowded.
There are many other laundry services around Reykjavík, but they are mostly either dry cleaners or industry services that wash laundry for hotels. They are not the type of places you can drop in and do a quick load of laundry. If you are in need of dry cleaning, we recommend Úðafoss, Hraði fatahreinsun, or Efnalaugin Björg.
Stay clean!
