Laundry

Laundry

ຮ້ານຊັກເຄື່ອງຢູ່ໃສ?
[ han sak khuang yu sai? ]

Where is the laundry shop?

ຂ້ອຍຢາກຊັກເຄື່ອງ
[ khoi yak sak khuang ]

I want to wash my clothes.

ໂລໜຶ່ງເທົ່າໃດ?
[ lo nung thao dai? ]

How much per kilo?

ຊັກ ແລະ ລີດບໍ່?
[ sak lae lit bo? ]

Do you wash and iron?

ແລ້ວມື້ໃດ?
[ laew mu dai? ]

When will it be ready?

ເອົາມື້ອື່ນເຊົ້າໄດ້ບໍ່?
[ ao mu uen sao dai bo? ]

Can I get it tomorrow morning?

ຂ້ອຍຟ້າວຫຼາຍ
[ khoi fao lai ]

I need it urgently / I am in a hurry.

ຫ້າມຊັກເຄື່ອງຈັກເດີ້
[ ham sak khuang chak doe ]

Do not machine wash this.

ອັນນີ້ບາງຫຼາຍ
[ an ni bang lai ]

This is very delicate/thin.

ເຄື່ອງຂ້ອຍຫາຍໄປ
[ khuang khoi hai pai ]

My clothes are missing.

ອັນນີ້ບໍ່ແມ່ນເສື້ອຂ້ອຍ
[ an ni bo maen sua khoi ]

This is not my shirt.

ຊ່ວຍລຶບຮອຍເປື້ອນນີ້ໄດ້ບໍ່?
[ suay lup hoi puan ni dai bo? ]

Can you remove this stain?

ຫອມດີແທ້
[ hom di thae ]

It smells very fresh/good.

ຂອບໃຈທີ່ພັບໃຫ້
[ khop chai thi phap hai ]

Thank you for folding it.

ນີ້ແມ່ນໃບບິນຊັກເຄື່ອງ
[ ni maen bai bin sak khuang ]

Here is the laundry ticket.

Cultural notes

Doing laundry in Laos is one of the small, simple joys of traveling in Southeast Asia. You will not find self-service coin laundromats filled with tumbling machines here. Instead, laundry is a full-service, community-based affair. Walking down any tourist-friendly street, you will see hand-painted signs saying "Laundry Service." When you step into the shop—often just the front room of a family's home—you hand over your bag of dusty clothes. The system is entirely based on weight, so your first question should be ໂລໜຶ່ງເທົ່າໃດ? (lo nung thao dai? - how much per kilo?). The prices are incredibly cheap. You should then ask when you can pick it up: ແລ້ວມື້ໃດ? (laew mu dai? - when will it be ready?). Usually, if you drop it off in the morning, it will be ready by the following afternoon. The clothes are hand-washed or machine-washed in the back, then hung out to dry naturally in the potent tropical sun. This means that delicate Western fabrics might shrink or get damaged. If you have a sensitive item, point to it and warn them: ອັນນີ້ບາງຫຼາຍ (an ni bang lai - this is very delicate) or strictly specify ຫ້າມຊັກເຄື່ອງຈັກເດີ້ (ham sak khuang chak doe - do not machine wash this). When you return with your laundry ticket (ນີ້ແມ່ນໃບບິນຊັກເຄື່ອງ - ni maen bai bin sak khuang - here is the laundry ticket), you will be handed a pristine, tightly wrapped plastic bundle. The clothes are not just clean; they are meticulously ironed, perfectly folded, and infused with the incredibly strong, sweet floral scent of local fabric softeners. Taking a deep breath and saying ຫອມດີແທ້ (hom di thae - it smells very good) is the perfect way to thank the hardworking auntie who took care of your wardrobe.