Dahna Sanderson and Nancy Seto stand behind the counter at, greeting customers as they enter.
Sunshine streams through the storefront window. Both women sport bright yellow T-shirts branded with the Sunlight detergent logo and the slogan, “Helping Canadians Shine.”
The shirts and signage throughout the laundromat highlight that something is different on this February Tuesday: the monthly Free Laundry Access Program. It’s a day the team of six at Wishy Washy always look forward to.
Founded by Seto, the initiative allows people to wash and dry their laundry without charge, providing up to four loads of laundry with free detergent. Launched in 2021 at her, the program has since expanded to several locations, including Wishy Washy, which began offering it last summer.
Nancy Seto, left, founder of the Free Laundry Access Program, stands with Jim St. Pierre and Dahna Sanderson, co-owners of Wishy Washy Coin Laundry, during a monthly event offering free laundry services to those in need.
Michelle Mengsu Chang / pc28Star“Clean clothing impacts us, not just physically, but mentally, socially and emotionally,” said Seto.
Sanderson, who took over Wishy Washy with her husband Jim St. Pierre in 2023, explained that they quickly embraced the program after Seto and her husband, Connor, approached them after an industry event.
It took the pair less than half and hour to commit, as they had been looking for a way to assist people in need who used their facility.
“Being able to help our clients have that dignity of clean laundry is incredible,” Sanderson said. Before joining the initiative, she and her husband often stepped in to help cover laundry costs for customers who were just a few dollars short.
Wishy Washy is one of four laundromatsacross Canada participating in the Free Laundry Access Program, alongside Seto’s west-end pc28location, and laundromats in Hamilton and Vancouver. The program’s services are also offered to local shelters, many with just one or two machines, to help more people access clean clothes.
Seto launched the program after noticing some customers were skipping the dryer to save money. She remembers one regular, a father of five, telling her he had been laid off and could no longer afford the dryer fee, taking home damp clothes instead.
“Being able to help our clients maintain the dignity of clean laundry is incredible,” said Dahna Sanderson, co-owner of Wishy Washy Coin Laundry.
Michelle Mengsu Chang / pc28Star“I just felt so bad because I’m like, ‘you are a customer of mine for so many years,’” Seto recalled. “So I said to him, ‘Listen, throw the stuff in the dryer. I will cover the cost.’”
This prompted Seto to start a GoFundMe to raise money for clients in need, which raised over $9,000. The program is now a registered charity, offering free laundry services to individuals earning $27,500 or less annually, based on the federal low-income cut-off threshold. Sunlight Canada sponsors the organization.
Back at Wishy Washy, it’s slower than usual on the February program day due toback-to-back snowstorms, but by noon, two people arrive with bags full of laundry. A regular also registers that day.
Nancy McMillan, a retired chef from Leaside, first learned about the free laundry program last May and has been a regular at Wishy Washy ever since.
“I was taken aback and never heard of free laundry before,” McMillan said. “I come every month and it helps a lot to save that $9.”
McMillan, who turns 65 in March, said the service is working for her. “I’m sure it’s going to work for other people too.”
The next Free Laundry Access day is March 18 at both pc28locations. The program is held on the third Tuesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Registration is required through.
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