Shared Laundry Room
What does it mean?
The shared laundry room (tvättstuga) is a uniquely Swedish housing tradition found in most apartment buildings. It offers washing machines, dryers, drying cabinets, and sometimes mangles shared by the building's residents. Laundry times are booked via physical booking boards, digital systems, or apps — and it's important to respect your booked time.
Rules and etiquette in the laundry room vary between properties but the basic principles are the same: book in advance, stick to your time, clean machines and surfaces after use, finish by cleaning the floor, and don't leave laundry unattended. Misuse or disturbance of the laundry room can in serious cases constitute a residential disturbance. The laundry room is normally included in rent at no extra cost.
Key Points
- Typical Swedish system with booked laundry times in apartment buildings
- Normally included in rent at no extra cost
- Booking via board, digital system, or app
- Basic rules: book, keep to your time, clean up, and tidy after yourself
- Repeated rule violations can be considered residential disturbance
Practical Tip
Respect laundry times — it's one of the most common causes of neighbor conflicts in Sweden. If you can't finish in time, move your laundry and free the machines for the next person. Never use someone else's booked time without agreement. If machines are broken, report the fault immediately.