Coin Laundry Trivia Quiz

Answer: urine

Public laundries in Ancient Rome were called fulleries and the people who worked in them were fullones. The premises had big vats filled with water. Men were encouraged to urinate in these vats and urine was also collected from public urinals. It was such big business the Emperor Vespasian even put a tax on it! The high ammonia content of urine, particularly after it had been exposed to the air for a while, made it a useful bleaching agent.

The Romans were very inventive when it came to laundry. Sulphur was also used and a type of Fuller's Earth, creta fullonica, removed grease and was used for cleansing, scouring and its colour-enhancing properties. Roman fulleries were a very unhealthy working environment with the polluted air and exposure to the substances involved.

Answer: EastEnders

Owned by the seldom-seen Mr Papadopolous, the launderette on Bridge Street in the BBC's EastEnders was for many years staffed by Pauline and Dot. After Pauline's death in 2006 Dot took over the running of the launderette. She has been assisted at various times by Heather, Shirley and Carol among others. The launderette has been the background for much 'soapy' dialogue and action over the years. In 2001 Dot's grandson, Ashley Cotton, was killed when he lost control of the motorbike he had stolen from Mark Fowler, Pauline's son, and crashed it into the launderette.

Answer: Laundromat

Although it is difficult to determine where the first self-service laundry opened, it is believed that the first in the USA was the Washateria in Fort Worth, Texas, which was opened in 1934, and that the first coin-operated Laundromat started business in Philadelphia in 1947. The name 'Laundromat' was invented by George Edward Pendray of the Westinghouse Corporation. In the UK, Laundromats are called launderettes or laundrettes (note the alternate spelling of the word 'launderette'; both are perfectly acceptable.)

Answer: My Beautiful Laundrette

The film, which also stars Saeed Jaffrey as Omar's uncle, focuses on the relationship between the two young male leads from different ethnic backgrounds in 1980s London during Margaret Thatcher's premiership. As well as raising the topics of racism and homosexuality it also highlights the British political system of the time. The film, which is a comedy-drama, revolves around the laundrette Omar runs for his businessman uncle. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay by Hanif Kureishi, the Award eventually going to Woody Allen for 'Hannah and Her Sisters'.

'The Fuller Memorandum' is a spy thriller in the Lovecraft mould by British author Charles Stross in his aptly-entitled 'Laundry' Series. 'There's a Hippie on the Highway' is by another British writer, James Hadley Chase, and 'Washday Blues' is a song made famous by Dolly Parton in 1972 which reached number 20 in the US charts.

Answer: True

The washboard is still used for its original purpose in many parts of the world where washing machines and plumbing are not widely available, but it is its use as a musical instrument that rapidly gained popularity in skiffle and other music genres. A washboard traditionally had an oblong wooden frame with the 'board' comprised of wooden ridges against which the clothes were rubbed to clean them after first being soaked. Today they can be made of many different materials including zinc, steel and even glass. All types can be used as musical instruments and there are many very sophisticated styles and materials available, including brass, which is the favourite of many musicians. Scottish singer Lonnie Donegan (1931-2002) was known as the 'King of Skiffle'.

Answer: criminals

Money laundering is the term used when criminals disguise the money trail of their illegal proceeds to make it appear that it came from a legitimate source. Many techniques are employed; one well-known way to launder money is by routing sums through legitimate businesses. Methods range in their complexity; some of the most sophisticated ways can take years for the authorities to unravel the money trail before a case can be brought to court.

There are heavy legal penalties for money laundering, including imprisonment.

Answer: Calgon

Calgon is a water-softening product rather than a washing powder. It was first marketed in Pennsylvania by Calgon Inc in 1933. The trademark name derives from the two words 'CALcium' and 'GONe'. The original company diversified into making bath and beauty products too and nowadays various companies own different sections of the brand.

In the UK the only product line available is the water softener, which is available in three different forms; tablets, powder and gel. Calgon is marketed as a product which is useful in preventing the build up of harmful limescale in washing machines, hence its claim to make them 'live longer'.

Answer: London

The UK's first coin-operated launderette was Central Wash, situated in Queensway, West London, which first opened its doors to the public in May 1949. With ever-increasing numbers of British households owning washing machines, launderettes have sadly diminished in number from an estimated 12,500 in the 1980s to only about 3,000 nationwide by 2010.

Answer: Coin Laundry

Singer/songwriter Lisa Mitchell was born in Canterbury, England and moved to Australia with her family when she was three. She found fame on the fourth series of Australian Idol, in which she finished in sixth place. 'Coin Laundry' appears on her debut album 'Wonder' which was released in 2009 under the Warner label and achieved platinum sales, with over 70,000 copies sold. The album, which also featured another hit 'Neapolitan Dreams', won Lisa Mitchell the Australian Music Prize in 2009.

Answer: Australia

The Hills Hoist rotary clothes line was developed in 1945 by Lance Hill from an earlier, expired patent taken out by fellow Australian Gilbert Toyne. He initially made and sold the hoists from his own home in Adelaide before expanding into industrial premises in the city. Now available in many countries worldwide, the Hills Hoist company, later Hills Industries, markets several different styles. They are the leading manufacturer of rotary clothes lines in Australia, and an Australian icon.

The Hills Hoist is among many Australian inventions, including the black box flight recorder (which is actually orange in colour)! Some other notable Australian inventions are the electric drill, the electronic heart pacemaker and, on another 'watery' topic, the dual-flush toilet cistern.