While there are laundromats that accept smart cards, none of them are taking advantage of the new technology. Imagine:

You put your dirty socks into the washing machine, close the lid & swipe in your smartcard. The machine debits your account for soap and washing fee and then locks the lid with the public key in your smartcard. You come back a half hour later, unlock the lid with your card & move on to the dryer. If you're late, it charges you a storage fee for however long the machine has been idle and locked with your key.

So we've just simultaniously attacked the problems of keeping enough change in your pockets, having your clothes stolen when you're gone, and other people hogging the machines.
-- tenhand, Mar 19 2001

Your Uncle Nutsy's apartment building's laundry room has a debit-card system, which can be used to operate the washers and driers and to purchase single-load detergent packets from a wall-mounted vending machine, so this sort of thing is probably on the way in, somewhere.

However, our system doesn't automagically add detergent or fabric softener and does nothing to stop machine hogs. We find that vigilante justice (i.e., emptying the sloth's machine and leaving his or her clothes on a sorting table) works passably well, but this approach certainly leaves room for improvement.
-- Uncle Nutsy, Mar 19 2001


I could use this (a definite contender for the o-vote).
-- iuvare, Mar 19 2001


I like the idea of the locking machines. I know too many people who've have too much stuff stolen. <I never have because I'm a cynical and non-trusting bastard, and sit there the whole time.>
-- StarChaser, Mar 19 2001


I have a washing machine, but a trustworthy laundromat might be better - since my basement laundry is unused most of the time, and I have to go to a laundry sometimes anyway to wash especially big or delicate things, etc etc. A laundry I could leave to do other errands, in the neighborhood high street, could be an improvement.

Also, these would be useful for all travel not on an expense account, so I'd like to see them places I don't live.

If I ran such a laundry, I'd sell debit cards for cash, thus getting to keep the value of lost cards, unspent margins, etc.
-- hello_c, Mar 21 2001


UnaBubba: I think the fact that a person would annotate this idea is in and of itself strong evidence that they don't.
I never get my clothes stolen either, probably because no one wants them.
-- nick_n_uit, Mar 21 2001


I now have a washing machine of my own, but in the past, it was necessary to use laundromats, and better security on them would be nice if it becomes necessary to do so again.
-- StarChaser, Mar 21 2001



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