Doing your laundry is probably the last thing anyone expects to be complicated when moving to a new country, but actually many foreigners have some initial troubles with figuring out finnish washing machines. This section contains vital information that can save you much time and hassle when doing your laundry for the first time in finland.
Vesiputki (Water line): Both single family housing and apartments alike will have a water line that has an ON/OFF valve connected to the washing machine (and usually also the sink, but that’s a different topic). Before your washing machine can get any water, it is necessary to check that the water line is AUKI (Open/On). The water line is usually not directly behind the machine, as it’s expected that you shut off the water line each time you finish your use of the machine. The reason for this is to prevent flooding in case of a water line bursting (think about cold Finnish winters).
One other thing to remember when attempting to start up a finnish washing machine is the turvatutki. The turvatutki is an electrical safety switch, which is not common in households but might be found in common laundry rooms of apartment complexes. Like the water line, the electrical switch must be switched off when the machine is not in use. There may also be an additional turvatutki on the drying machine.
When doing laundry at your own apartment don’t leave the machine unattended for extended periods. If a pipe or a valve bursts and causes flooding when you’re not in your apartment the insurance company won’t pay for damages.
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