When Your Laundry Needs a Little More Washing

by Wade Hickok and Marissa Zumbo, June 2025

With laundry, every load is different in its level of dirtiness. Most bathroom towels are lightly used and only need a basic wash. But sweaty workout clothes or food-stained garments need a bit more time in the machine. And when it comes to baby clothes or heavily soiled items — they often need extra special attention.

At Big Waves Laundromat, we offer the perfect solution for every level of dirtiness. Let’s break it down:

The Extra Wash

This option is perfect for clothes that are a bit dirtier than average — gym wear, sweaty linens, or anything that needs a little extra help. It gives your laundry extra time in the washer for more thorough particulate release and more rinses to wash away all the bad stuff. Sheets are the most common item washed on this cycle.

  • About 30% longer than a normal wash (30 mins)

  • 3 wash phases and 3 rinse phases

  • Extra time and extra cycles to lift out more sweat, grime, and odors

  • Inexpensive! Big Waves upcharges a mere 12.5% for this, while we give you 30% more wash.

The Double Wash

For bags filled with seriously dirty laundry — like baby clothes or stained fabrics — the Double Wash is the way to go. Also known as the “nuclear option”, the Double Wash was the most popular cycle during the Palisades Fires, when many adjacent residents were battling strong smoke odor on their clothes and bedding. This cycle gets it done!

  • Double the duration of a normal wash (44 mins)

  • 3 wash phases and 3 rinse phases (extra duration)

  • Leaves clothes ultra-clean and residue-free

  • Not expensive! Big Waves upcharges a mere 25% for this, while we give you double the wash.

How to Get it:

When dropping off your laundry or scheduling a pickup, let us know which bag(s) are extra dirty and require either an Extra Wash or a Double Wash and your laundry will get the extra washing love it deserves. This is not an all or nothing proposition; you can tell us to “Extra Wash” one bag, “Double Wash” another bag, and “regular wash” the rest of your bags. This way every bag of laundry that you bring to us gets the intensity of wash that it deserves.

Big Waves Laundromat — For When Clean Matters Most.

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