You signed the lease, moved into your Raleigh or Triangle apartment, opened the laundry closet, and found the hookups but no machines. It's one of the most common surprises for renters here: plenty of apartments in Raleigh, Durham, and Cary give you the water, drain, and outlet but leave the washer and dryer up to you. Here are your real options.
Option 1: Use a laundromat
Cheap per trip, no commitment. The downside is that it adds up fast, roughly $60 to $180 a month once you count loads, detergent, and gas, plus a few hours of your weekend every week. Fine as a stopgap; rough as a long-term plan. (We broke the numbers down in the true cost of using a laundromat.)
Option 2: Buy a new set
A new matched washer and dryer runs about $900 to $1,600 at Triangle stores, plus delivery. It's yours, which is great if you own your place and plan to stay. If you're renting, it's a big upfront cost for something you'll have to move or resell later, and any repair is on you.
Option 3: Buy used
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist around the Triangle are full of used washers and dryers for a few hundred dollars. Cheaper up front, but you're buying blind, no warranty, unknown history, and you have to arrange the truck, the muscle, and the hookup yourself. When something breaks, you're back to square one.
Option 4: Rent a set
Renting a matched washer and dryer is built for exactly this situation. For a flat $60 a month, Carolina Laundry Rentals delivers a set to your apartment, installs it on your existing hookups, and covers every repair for as long as you rent. No four-figure purchase, no hauling, and when your lease ends we pick it up. It's the option most Triangle renters land on because it turns "empty laundry closet" into "done" without a big commitment.
First, check what hookups you actually have
Before you do anything, make sure your space has a standard washer/dryer setup: water valves, a drain, the right outlet, and a dryer vent. It only takes a minute, and it decides whether any set will drop right in. Here's a quick guide: how to tell if you have the right hookups. If you're not sure, send us a photo and we'll confirm before we come out.
We deliver across Raleigh and the Triangle, usually within the same week. If renting sounds right, you can reserve a set in a couple of minutes.
Skip the laundromat, get a set at home
A matched washer & dryer, delivered and installed across the Triangle, for a flat $60/month. Repairs included.
Reserve your setFrequently asked
Why do apartments have hookups but no washer and dryer?
Many Triangle apartments provide the water, drain, and electrical hookups but leave the actual machines to the tenant, so you can bring your own, buy, or rent a set. It keeps the landlord's costs down and gives renters flexibility.
What's the cheapest way to do laundry in an apartment with hookups?
A laundromat is cheapest per trip but adds up to $60 to $180+ a month with time and gas. Renting a set at a flat $60/month is often similar or cheaper for couples and families, with the convenience of laundry at home.
Can I rent just a washer or just a dryer?
Yes. Carolina Laundry Rentals rents a single washer or a single dryer for $45/month (6-month minimum), or a full set for $60/month.