Laundromats have been struggling with customers who bring toys and blankets used by their pets to wash them. (Yonhap)
INCHEON, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — With the increasing number of single-person households in South Korea, unmanned laundromats are gaining popularity as more consumers are demanding convenient access to laundry facilities.
These laundromats, however, have recently been struggling with customers who bring toys and blankets used by their pets to wash them.
Laundromat owners claim that these people come at late hours when the laundromat is less populated to clean pet items.
The toys, blankets, and sheets used by pets are often covered with animal hair and other excrement, discouraging others from using the laundromat.
A 42-year-old laundromat owner from Incheon has been denying possession of all pet items as well as entry of pets into his laundromat.
“Customer trust depends on how clean the laundromat is,” he said.
Laundromats are currently without any legal measures to address such customers due to lack of regulations.
In addition, since pets and their owners usually share a common space, banning pets entirely from the laundromat may seem unfair.
“You’re bound to get animal hair on your bed and your clothes if you’re raising a pet,” said another laundromat owner. “And we can’t stop that.”
“We just hope that customers won’t abuse the laundromat service.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
