Prior to the rise of the domestic washing machine the laundrette was an important community hub, and the facilities are now regaining popularity as people try to keep rising utility bills under control.
The UK's first laundrette opened in London in 1949 and by the 1980s there was an estimated 12,500 across the country. Numbers dwindled to a few thousand by the noughties as white goods became cheaper.
Liver Laundrettes in particular are a Scouse stalwart, debuting in 1951. They're few and far between now but are enjoying a resurgence.
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Over the years, laundrettes have been kept going by people with limited access to white goods, such as students or those in rented accommodation, but now these facilities are helping homeowners keep their utility bill costs down significantly.
The ECHO visited the Liver Laundrette on Longmoor Lane in Fazakerley on a Wednesday morning; it was surprisingly busy.
Anne Richardson, 66, visits once a week and has been coming since October. She too comes to dry clothes and never gave the laundrette a second thought before the cost of living crisis got underway.
"It's lovely in here, we get all the gossip," she told the ECHO. "Everyone is very friendly."
Alan Grenan, 66, and wife Christine, 63, have been coming to the laundrette once a week for the "last four or five weeks"
Alan told the ECHO: "You can't dry anything in the house. We wash everything at home then dry it here.
"We used to have a tumble dryer but got rid of it. It's always busy in here."
Experts frequently label the tumble dryer as the most expensive house appliance to run.
Christine said rising utility bills "would have come to more" if it wasn't for the laundrette, but added that there are other things to consider when you're air drying clothes inside during winter.
She said: "You also have to think about the damp and condensation – the house is full of it and we're trying to avoid it."
Are you a long-standing fan of the laundrette or a recent convert? Let us know in the comments.
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