A laundromat (U.S.), launderette or laundrette(British), washette (Southeastern U.S.), washateria (Southwestern U.S.) or Laverap (Argentina, translation: quickwash) is a facility where clothes are washed and dried. This is often done via self-service coin-operated machines that are worked by the customer. Laundromats may have a member of staff to wash the clothing; this is referred to as Fluff-n-Fold or drop-off service. Laundries are equipped with both washing machines and dryers, usually specialized ones designed to survive heavy use.

The washers in many laundromats are of the front loading variety. The design of the machines uses less water and provides a gentler wash. Capacities of these machines can allow up to 85 pounds of dry weight laundry. In addition, the lower resource consumption of the front loader decreases the impact upon the infrastructures of the community.

Laundromats can have full-time attendants, part-time or none. Often, bill changers are included to facilitate the coin operation of the machines. In many laundromats, cleaning supplies such as detergent and bleach are sold from vending machines, or in some locations, by one of the attendants from a counter.

Recently, there has been a switch to card operated stores. The laundry will issue a plastic stored value card, similar to a credit card, which will contain a monetary value which has been pre-paid, and the user inserts that card into a slot on the washer or dryer (instead of coins) in order to operate the machine.

In many apartment buildings and complexes in most parts of the United States, a dedicated common laundry room is provided for the exclusive use of the residents. Coin-operated washers and dryers are provided in a set-up similar to that of commercial laundromats. Many colleges and universities provide similar laundry rooms for those students living in school-operated dormitories on campus. Many hotel and motel chains also provide these laundry rooms for their guests.

The name Laundromat was originally coined by Westinghouse as a trademark for washing machines. The term is often used as a generic word for a self-service laundry (the original registration for this use was allowed to expire); the word is still a registered trademark (in script form) for washing machines.

See also

• Fulling

External links

• Mobile laundry and the US Army
• Laundrylist.org history of laundry

American society | Buildings and structures | Laundry

Waschsalon | מכבסה | Wasserette | コインランドリー