Forest 24 Hour Laundromat

This place has really gone down hill but the prices keep going up. I went last week and 80% of the dryers were out of order. Most were marked as out of order, but the first one I tried, took my money, but also did not work. There is never any one around, or they are hiding in the little staff box so we can’t see them, so you can’t report broken machines or get refunds. The change machines may or may not work so always get your quarters before going here, and the soda machines also take your money without dispensing a product and there are never enough carts for the number of people. The three good things — it is 24 hours so you can go crack of down on a weekend morning to avoid the rush, free parking in the large parking lot, and it is the closest to my apt. If I had options, I would not ever come back here, but the reality is, nobody has stepped in to fill the void, so it is what it is.

First. The machines are clean and reasonably priced. Friendly and helpful staff also. I had a great time! Yes, at a laundromat! The place is probably the largest laundromat that I’ve ever been in. It had about fifty people doing their clothes and there was plenty of room for the kids to run around. I do mean run. I made friends quickly as I bought the kids candy and gave them quarters to play some games. Being mostly Spanish and Mexican, we couldn’t understand each other but it didn’t matter, we had a great time and I enjoyed watching them on a sugar high race around the place.

Quick, clean machines and location to my hotel make this a perfect find. I recommend it highly, especially if you’re in DC’s Crystal City, VA area and are in need of a quick recycling of your travel wardrobe.

I came on a Saturday Evening. I was prepared for a busy night but I’m glad there wasn’t too many people. Found two washer 60 lbs and a 40 lbs. each were 24 mins. No wifi service. Limited seating. Though it’s huge there could be more room for tables to fold clothes.

Sketch would be an understatement. No one is helpful, I was there at lunch time during the week and the crowd is well, not good. Thought with its location near Del Ray that it would be better but this place is s show. I will not be back.

It’s a big place, and it can get really busy. I was there at 7:30 on a Sunday night and I had to wait almost half an hour to get an open machine. Prices are OK, but not great, especially considering how busy it is and the working-​class clientele they cater to: I expect they’re turning a tidy profit, and there’s clearly room for competition.
Top-​loaders are $ 2.00, while front loaders are $ 2.75 (20 pound limit), $ 3.75 (30 pound), $ 5.25 (40 pounds), and $ 6.25 (60 pounds). I think these pound limits are extremely over-​stated, unless you’re washing rocks, but whatever. Drying, as others have said, is 7 minutes per 25¢. Laundry service is 99¢ per pound with a 10 pound minimum. 20-​ounce bottles of Pepsi products for $ 1.50, Red Bull for $ 2.50. Laundry products for 75¢. Standard stuff. Two bathrooms. Lots of folding tables but few seating options. An arcade machine running your choice of old-​school games and a couple of win-​a-​prize machines complete the picture.
No wi-​fi either in the laundromat or anywhere along the strip mall.
Unilocal’s overall three-​and-​a-​half star rating is pretty accurate.
The area is very Hispanic, which means there are great places to eat in the strip mall this laundromat anchors. The place right next door seems to be the most popular, but there are a couple of other Latin-​American spots as well as a Popeye’s and a Papa John’s. A mini market on the other end of the mall and another Latin market about a block away.

If you use washer number 80, your clothes should already be hand washed. Leave the soap on the clothes and then bring them to Forest laundromat to be washed. The cycle was abnormally short.
I would however, use the dryers. The dryers are normal «Dexter» and they offer seven minutes per quarter. That is unusual these days.
This staff is not unfriendly. However, they never said hello or even cracked a smile upon making eye contact.
As laundromats go, this one is huge. There are tons of washers and dryers. I could be biased though because my first visit was on a Tuesday night at 6 PM. If I return, which I think I will, I will update my review at that time.
Who knows, I may never get my own dryer fixed.

Old machines, many of which are broken. Inefficient dryers. The place is large enough and arranged in a way that it acts as a playground or racetrack for the many small children. +1 for being open 24 hours.

Photos to come! I was impressed the first 2 times I went. I hate doing laundry but multiple washers and dryers makes an all day task a 1 hour task. The washers were $ 2.00 for top loaders and the dryers were .25 for 7 minutes. I can usually wash and dry 3 loads of clothes for less than $ 10.00.
I went again and washed and dried about 4 loads of clothes. Typically I am in and out in about an hour. THIS TRIP TOOK 3 HOURS and the place was practically empty. The washers held my clothes hostage constantly running until I had to track someone down to help make the washer stop. Then none of the dryers were hot, I had to keep putting more and more money in.
Then when I went to fold some of my clothes, there were HUGE RIPS going through everything from my bath towels to my linen shirt. The worst part, the manager refused to even acknowledge that my clothes were torn to shreds. I did not get an apology, just a shoulder shrug and told me to sue the makers of the dryers. I am still in disbelief.
I then called the number in very small print in the back of the laundromat and spoke to the co-​owner. Who also would not take any responsibility but offered me 1 free wash…(shove it)

Fast machine, good company. A lot of blue collar families with cute babies getting their wash in at 9PM at night. Not the newest or the cleanest, but spacious and comfortable. A lot of workers going around keeping things clean and checking things out around the facility.

It was time to do the comforters again! First of all, some dry cleaners do wash comforters, but will charge about $ 25 a piece. The one in Columbia Heights/​Petworth (Soapy Joes) will dry clean down blanket for about $ 10 – 15. Barring heading into that area with almost no parking, I decided to save the cash and invest a morning instead. FHL is in a tiny strip mall with parking off Mt Vernon on the right side of the street heading south. There’s a latin restaurant or two there.
The weekend morning, it was bustling with families (read: safe) with kids. There are a ton of machines. Many of which did not work, but still it screamed availability. There were a few coin changing machines, but I used a ton of my saved up quarters. It breaks down differently for different sized washes. About $ 3 for a small load, up to $ 4 – 5 for a large load (16 to 25 quarters). The dryers were almost all the giant ones. Soap is available for purchase unless you have your own.
If you’re enterprising, you could walk to Del Ray and get a sandwich or drinks while you wait. I opted for the low tech book and found a chair in front of the TV which is pretty much all Spanish language channels. Very handy. I just heard there is a MOMs organic market not too far away, probably walkable.

For a 24 hour coin laundromat this place is a good choice. I lived in Chicago for 4 years and there are coin laundry establishments aplenty. This seems not to be the case in the DC area. I recommend going here as the prices are not high and it is pretty clean. There are plenty of machines and dryers.

First time i have been in. laundromat in years. Our machine broke and the replacement wasn’t in yet so no other choice. I Unilocaled this place and drove there to check it out. All in all not bad but if you are a newby to laundromats they have changed. Several different size washers and driers. They have ll the stuff but cheaper to bring your own soap. The place was clean, nice and bright inside and lots of machines so no waiting. I’d come back in a pinch.

Not if you are looking for wash and fold service on the weekend. Called them on the weekend looking for wash and fold service. Took FOREVER for them to answer the phone. Then, the guy said you will have to bring the laundry tomorrow, we don’t have wash and fold service on weekends. Well, no, I’m not bringing the laundry tomorrow — I’m going to Dukes which DOES have weekend wash and fold service.

The only thing I would add to the information provided by other viewers, is that there is a little market in the small strip mall where you can get a snack and a soda, etc. You could do lots of grocery shopping in there for latin products and some produce. (6 limes for a $ 1)! There is also a latin Bakery and two Latin restaurants… both looked delicious. I had a papusa and a tamale at the bakery/​restaurant.
The laundromat is clean, friendly, large, has tables to fold laundry, and the machines are really great.
On a side-​note, there is a fantastic Giant Food market around the corner. New, super clean, fully stocked, competitive prices, friendly, etc.

Washing machine died and between dealing with repairman and then having to purchase a new one I’ve had to make a couple of treks out to a laundromat for clean clothes.
large number of machines in various sizes — look around first, the larger the machine the more quarters required but you might be able to use 3 of the 30lb machines and get all your wash going at once instead of 6 of the smaller machines. If you have the special detergent for the HE front loading machines bring it — didn’t have any problems with oversudsing as I just used less on those machines than the top loading models.
Anyway. Lots of washers and probably 100 dryers. On the weekend there are more people but the air conditioning was on. Went on a weekday, not crowded at all but the AC was off/​just had the doors open. Yes, it was a nice day outside but even with only 10 – 15 dryers going at once the place was a sauna.
A couple of tvs on the wall tuned to the Spanish language stations — fun when it’s World Cup as everyone is watching but otherwise — not speaking Spanish — bring a book.
Seemed clean enough, and because there are so many machines I was able to get all the wash done at one time (8 loads!) so I was washed/​dried and folded in about 90 minutes.
Tip: check the driers before you start adding money, make sure the doors lock (a couple don’t) — if you have problems there is an attendant.
There are change machines that take 1, 5 and $ 10, and a vending machine with laundry soap/​supplies.

I’ve been dreading a trip to the laundromat for the last month (since my dryer died) but found the reviews on Unilocal and have to agree with all the positive reviews.
I had my 16y.o. son, my cast & crutches, and a ton of laundry — one of the gentlemen in green helped us get everything into the place and pointed us to the large load machines. My son was thrilled with the ancient video games (hey! those were the games of my youth, does that make me ancient too?!?)
2 or so hours later we came out $ 35 poorer, but having had a great time and quality bonding! I was very impressed with the staff, the facility, and the fellow patrons!

Based on the reviews on Unilocal,I tried out Forest 24 and was very impressed. $ 1.00 a pound for wash and fold service is amazing. Look for the people wearing green vests, and ask for the wash and fold service.
I got next day service and could not be happier. This laundry is very clean, and the staff is friendly and helpful. All of my clothes were clean and fresh, and they even matched my socks for me. I will definitely be using this service again, and would not hesitate to recommend it to my friends.

For years I did my laundry only at laundromats, never mind that I’ve had my own unit for 2 years, and have lived in buildings with laundry machines for at least 4 years. I’m just the kind of guy who waits until the absolute last minute to do laundry and then I want to do it all at once, like in 5 super-​sized washers.
It’s remarkably hard to find do-​it-​yourself laundromats around the area, at least in areas that you’d feel comfortable hanging around at and that aren’t so nasty that you worry about what may get on your clothes while you’re there.
I’m used to doing my laundry at incredibly off peak hours. Which is what’s making me think of this review, because it’s 930pm on a Sunday night, and I’d typically run out with all my laundry around 11pm to get back by 1am and fall asleep exhausted. Nothing like «extreme laundry» to wear yourself out. :)
The place is pretty clean and it’s located in an interesting little strip mall that’s worth exploring at decent hours. I’ll review the other establishments soon so you can get a flavor of what to expect. As for Forest 24, there are tons of tvs, usually tuned to spanish channels, and the place can get really packed at busy times. Even at the middle of the night, there are always people around, but it’s a lot easier to get a handful of machines together.

Great Wash & Fold Service. Wash and Fold only costs $ 0.99 per pound! The clothes smell great, they have same day pick up if you need it, but definitely prefer next day pick up.
Look for the little Asian woman in a green jacket. The Green Jacket wearers are the only employees of the Laundromat. Once you find them, tell them you want to do Wash and Fold, and they’ll weigh your clothes, you pre-​pay, get your receipt, and come back the next day to get your clothes.