Laundry in Spanish: Five Words for a Laundromat
By Lingobi · Published on 10/23/2026
A bag of laundry is easy enough to carry. Working out which machine to use in another language can take a little longer. A few Spanish words will help you read the labels and ask for what you need at a lavandería, a laundry or laundromat.
The washing machine is la lavadora, and the dryer is la secadora. For the products you add, look for el detergente (detergent) and el suavizante (fabric softener). A stain is la mancha. Notice that lavadora and secadora name the machines, not the actions.
If you cannot find the dryer, ask “¿Dónde está la secadora?”, meaning “Where is the dryer?” To ask whether detergent is included, try “¿Está incluido el detergente?” And if a shirt needs extra attention, “Tiene una mancha” means “It has a stain.”
Match each English word with its Spanish translation. Keep the article, el or la, with the noun as you practise.
Activity
Match each phrase with its correct answer.
English
Spanish
Practice next
Next time you do the laundry, name the machine and the products in Spanish before you use them. It is a small habit that gives these words a place in your day. You can also revisit our Spanish clothing vocabulary to talk about what goes into the wash.