Laundry Store Simulator

In the ever-expanding universe of simulation games—where players can manage everything from supermarkets to gas stations—Laundry Store Simulator by Akhir Pekan Studio has carved out a distinct niche. It combines the satisfying, rhythmic tasks of cleaning clothes with the chaotic, high-stakes management of a growing business empire.

Whether you are playing on mobile or PC, the goal remains the same: transform a dingy, one-machine laundromat into a world-class cleaning facility. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every mechanic, upgrade, staff role, and strategy you need to build a laundry empire that leaves the competition in the dust.

1. The Core Gameplay Loop

At its heart, Laundry Store Simulator is about time management and process optimization. The basic loop is simple, but as your store grows, keeping that loop spinning becomes a complex juggling act.

Step 1: Receiving Orders

Customers enter your store with baskets of dirty laundry.

• The Drop-off: You must interact with the customer at the counter to accept the order.
• The Basket: Once accepted, you receive a basket of dirty clothes. Crucial Tip: Don’t lose track of whose basket is whose! While the game tracks orders, physical organization on your tables prevents bottlenecks.

Step 2: The Wash Cycle

Take the basket to a washing machine.

• Detergent Management: You cannot just throw clothes in. You must pour detergent. Early game, this is manual. Later, automatic machines handle this, but they consume resources you must restock.
• Timer: Each machine has a cycle timer. Standing around watching it is a waste of time—go serve another customer or clean the shop while you wait.

Step 3: Drying

Wet clothes can’t be returned. You must transfer the load from the washer to the dryer.

• Warning: Leaving wet clothes in a washer too long can lower your rating or hold up the machine for the next customer. Speed is key.

Step 4: Ironing and Folding (The Bottleneck)

This is where most players struggle.

• Ironing: You must take the dry clothes to an ironing board. This is an active minigame where you smooth out wrinkles.
• Folding: After ironing, the clothes must be folded neatly.
• Bonus Steps: Sometimes, clothes require extra care, such as lint rolling to remove fur or fluff. Doing this manually awards bonus cash and is highly recommended in the early game.

Step 5: Handover

Return the pristine, folded clothes to the customer to get paid. Your payout depends on speed, service quality, and whether you completed any bonus requests.

2. Equipment and Upgrades

Your equipment is your lifeblood. Sticking with the starter gear is a recipe for bankruptcy.

Washing Machines

Machines are tiered by capacity and speed.

• Top Loaders (Basic): Cheap, slow, and require manual detergent pouring. Great for starting out, but inefficient for high volume.
• Front Loaders (Intermediate): Faster cycles and better capacity.
• Industrial/Automated Machines (Advanced): These high-end beasts (often referred to in the community as “Level 7” or similar tiers) are expensive but game-changers. They wash massive loads quickly and often automate the detergent process, though they may attract “Bomberman” antagonists (more on that later).

Dryers

Often overlooked, dryers are critical. If your washing machines are faster than your dryers, you will end up with piles of wet clothes and no place to put them. Always try to maintain a 1:1 ratio between washer capacity and dryer capacity.

Ironing Stations

The ironing station is the most labor-intensive part of the shop.

• Basic Board: Slow, requires precise mouse/finger movements.
• Steam Stations: Faster wrinkle removal.
• Auto-Folders: Late-game upgrades that can automate the folding process, significantly reducing player fatigue.

Decor and Atmosphere

Decor isn’t just cosmetic; it affects Customer Patience.

• Seating: Customers hate standing. Buying comfortable chairs increases the time they are willing to wait before getting angry and leaving.
• Aesthetics: Paint, flooring, and plants increase your store’s “Rating,” which attracts higher-paying VIP customers.
• Vending Machines: These provide passive income and keep waiting customers happy. You need to restock them with drinks (e.g., Sprite, Cola), which adds a logistics layer to your management.

3. Staff Management: Building Your Team

You cannot do it all alone. As soon as you have more than 3 active machines, you need to hire help.

Roles

1. Washer: Automatically takes dirty baskets and loads them into available washing machines.
2. Dryer: Moves wet clothes from washers to dryers.
3. Ironer/Folder: The most valuable employee. They stand at the ironing board and process the clean, dry clothes. Note: In many updates, players report this as the biggest bottleneck. Hiring multiple ironers (like the popular staff member “Ellen”) is often necessary.
4. Restocker: A specialized role (often unlocked later) that helps keep your detergent shelves and vending machines full.

Management Mechanics

• Training: Staff start slow. Over time (or through payment), you can level them up to work faster.
• Fatigue: Staff are not robots. They need breaks or energy management (depending on the specific version patch).
• Pathfinding: Be careful with your store layout. If you place machines too close together, staff can get stuck or block each other, halting production.

4. Advanced Features & Side Hustles

Laundry Store Simulator distinguishes itself by allowing you to run multiple businesses under one roof.

The Bakso Cart

A unique cultural touch from the Indonesian developers, you can unlock a Bakso (Meatball) Cart outside or near your store.

• Mechanic: This acts as a separate mini-business. You serve customers food while their clothes wash.
• Limits: The cart has a stock limit (often 50 or 100 units). You must manage ingredient inventory to keep this passive income stream flowing.
• Strategy: It’s easy money, but don’t let it distract you from the main laundry loop during rush hour.

Carpet Cleaning & Shoe Shining

Later updates introduced specialized services.

• Carpet Cleaning: Requires a dedicated area and specialized high-pressure washer tools. It pays well but takes up significant floor space.
• Shoe Shining: A quick service that can be done while customers wait.

Custom Clothing Design

A creative feature allows you to design custom T-shirts. You can draw designs, print them, and sell them in your shop. This turns your laundry store into a boutique, adding a retail sales mechanic on top of the service mechanic.

5. Dealing with Antagonists (The Chaos Factor)

It’s not just about washing clothes; it’s about protecting your business. The game throws “Antagonist” NPCs at you to disrupt your flow.

The Types

1. The Bomberman: A notorious NPC who puts actual bombs in your washing machines.
   • Counter: You must spot them and remove the bomb before it explodes, destroying your expensive machine and the clothes inside.
2. The Vomiter: Usually a sick customer who pukes on your floor.
   • Effect: Lowers store rating instantly and makes other customers leave.
   • Counter: Clean it up immediately with a mop.
3. The Graffiti Artist: Vandals who spray paint your beautiful walls.
   • Counter: You must catch them in the act or scrub the walls afterward.
4. The Smoker: Smokes inside the store, annoying other customers.

Pro Tip: Keeping your camera moving and maintaining situational awareness is just as important as washing clothes.

6. Mobile vs. PC: The “Golden Ticket” Difference

If you are reading reviews, you might see confusion regarding the economy. The game functions differently depending on your platform.

PC (Steam)

• Economy: Traditional “Premium” game economy. You earn in-game cash (IDR/USD) and use it to buy everything.
• Pacing: Generally faster progression as there are no ads or microtransaction walls.

Mobile (Android/iOS)

• The Golden Ticket: The mobile version utilizes a “Golden Ticket” currency system for high-tier upgrades and skipping wait times.
• Monetization: You may need to watch ads or pay real money to get Golden Tickets efficiently.
• Strategy: On mobile, you must be much more conservative with your premium currency. Save Golden Tickets strictly for permanent upgrades (like Staff Slots or Machine Automations) rather than consumable items.

7. Strategic Tips for Mastery

1. The “Clean Table” Rule

Always upgrade your Dirty Laundry Table early. This determines how many customers can spawn/queue. If your table is full, new customers won’t enter, throttling your income.

2. Price Management

The game has a dynamic market system.

• Supply Cost: The cost of detergent and Bakso ingredients fluctuates daily.
• Stockpile: Buy in bulk when prices are red (low) and avoid buying when prices are green (high).

3. Prioritize the Ironing Bottleneck

Your first hire should almost always be an Ironer. You can physically load washers and dryers very fast, but the ironing minigame locks you in place for several seconds. Outsourcing this frees you to manage the store.

4. Layout Matters

Design your store in a “U” shape or a logical flow:

• Entrance -> Counter -> Washers -> Dryers -> Ironing -> Counter. This minimizes walking distance for both you and your staff, shaving precious seconds off every order.

5. Don’t Ignore Maintenance

Machines break. If you see smoke, stop everything and repair it. A broken machine is money lost. Keep a toolkit handy or hire a technician if the option becomes available in your version.

Conclusion

Laundry Store Simulator is a deceptively deep management game. What starts as a simple task of clicking on washing machines evolves into a complex simulation of logistics, staff HR, and crisis management (thanks to the Bomberman).

Whether you are designing custom T-shirts, scrubbing graffiti off the walls, or frantically trying to clear a backlog of wet clothes before the shop closes, the game offers a satisfying loop of “hard work pays off.”

Final Verdict: If you enjoy games like Supermarket Simulator or Gas Station Simulator, this is a must-play. Just remember to check your pockets for lint before you load the machine!