New app-based, high tech, and high-efficiency Washlava washers and dryers were placed in all on-campus halls before the Fall 2018 semester.
The new laundry machines are run by an app called Washlava, a student only needs to download the app, create an account, and attach a debit or credit card. The app allows students to pay for their loads of laundry by simply holding their phones near the machine. Students are also able to reserve machines for up to ten minutes.
The new machines cost $2.00 for one load in both the washer and dryer. Washlava determined the pricing for the machines. Jessica Aguilar, a sophomore and an Oakwood Hall resident, said, “The convenience and upgrade were necessary, but the price increase should not have happened.”
The Washlava app allows students to monitor the machine’s progress they are currently using and notifies them of the cycle completion. Gina Urbanik, a sophomore and an Oakwood Hall resident, said, “The app makes it more efficient, no longer do I need to set a timer for my laundry. The app notifies me when my load is done.”
The new machines provided by Washlava are brand new LG commercial laundry machines. Pillar said, “The new machines are 1.5 times larger than the old ones. Therefore, students get three loads for the price of two.”
The machines are also “HE” machines. Pillar said, “The washers are high efficiency and have advanced water technology. Therefore, students are only required to use ¼ cup of detergent or 1 “pod,” ½ to ¾ less. The machines also have smart water technology, reducing the water needed.”
The new laundry machines are in all on-campus halls. The Garden Apartments, Great Lawn, The Bluffs, and Pier Village housing options provided by Monmouth did not get the new Washlava laundry machines. Megan Jones, the Associate Director of Residential Life and Housing Operations, said, “The Bluffs and Pier Village are serviced by another provider. Garden and Great Lawn have washer and dryer units in their apartments so there is no plan to remove those machines.”
The University leased a total of 116 machines from Washlava. James Pillar, Ph.D, Associate Vice President For Student Life, said, “We do not purchase the machines, they are leased. We did reduce the total number of machines on campus due to lack of usage in the past three years.”
Elmwood Hall and Pinewood Hall both had a reduction in machines. Jones said, “In Elmwood and Pinewood, we reduced 1-2 washers.”
The previous laundry machines provided by Monmouth were operated by laundry cards that could only be reloaded with cash at the Dining Hall, Student Center, and the Hawks Den gym. The previous machines cost $1.25 for one washing load and $1.50 for one drying load.
The Washlava app-based system replaces the use of laundry cards. Aguilar said, “The laundry cards and old machines were very old-fashioned. The new machines are more modern and fit our generation better as college students.” Aguilar added, “The new machines make it less of a hassle to get laundry done.”
The University’s contract with the previous laundry unit provider ended this year prompting the switch to Washlava. Pillar said, “Our contract with our prior provider had ended. The former vendor’s proposed agreement included a variety of fees that made the change to Washlava an easy one.”
The change to Washlava was also made due to its convenience. Jones said, “The transparency, customer service, and ease in dealing with Washlava was a huge factor in why we chose this company.”
The new contract with Washlava is for five years. Pillar said, “The lease is based on a guarantee that every washer and dryer will have had $35 dollars a month in revenue. If the revenue is met, there is no out of pocket expense to the University.” This is a great deal for the University, as long as each machine meets that minimum revenue a month the University is able to provide laundry services to its students at no cost and able to use funds elsewhere.
The University also has the potential to earn a commission on the Washlava machines. Pillar said, “If all machines meet the monthly minimums, a percentage of sales is paid to Monmouth. Any commission that is paid goes back to our students by supporting a number of student-led programs….”
Pillar also said, “It is important to note – with our prior vendor, we struggled to meet the minimum guarantee; therefore, we believed that the old card system prevented students from doing laundry.”
Washlava offers campuses a remote machine monitoring feature that allows for the status of machines to be checked and the starting or resetting of machines remotely. Jones said, “We do have access to the dashboard to see which machines are in use, which are open, and if any are in trouble mode. While we can reset a machine if there is an issue, Washlava is constantly monitoring our system and we encourage students to contact them directly through the app if there is an issue with a machine.”
Washlava offers 24/7 support for all of its customers through the app and its website. Pillar said, “All issues reported have been addressed. In many cases within 24 hours, an improvement from our prior service.”
For the students who do not have access to mobile devices, Jones said, “Washlava is providing my office with an iTouch. Therefore, if a student does not have a smartphone, they can come to Res Life to sign out an iTouch.”
If students still have money left on their laundry cards, Pillar said, “Students can mail their cards to our prior vendor, address is available in Residential Life, however, funds on the cards are generally good for the academic year in which they were purchased. With the app-based machines, students no longer have to prepay for laundry.”
