# Laundromat signs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 6, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381 "2003-08-06T18:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Suel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@Suel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/1 "2003-08-06T18:24:38Z")
Having lived in three states over the last ten years, (NM, TX and VA,) I keep noticing that many laundromats have signs made up of three panels of what looks like a wave and one of the panels will be upside down. Anybody know what I’m talking about? This can’t be a mistake considering the number of times I’ve seen it. Anybody know what this means and why they do it? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/2 "2003-08-06T18:48:04Z")
The term Laundromat is a registered servicemark for a franchise of self-service laundries. Not all self-service laundries are Laundromats. The sign you see may be part of their franchise servicemark. ---
**Author:** ![Suel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@Suel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/3 "2003-08-06T19:20:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*The term Laundromat is a registered servicemark for a franchise of self-service laundries. Not all self-service laundries are Laundromats. The sign you see may be part of their franchise servicemark. \*\* Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen the actual word “laundromat”, the word on the sign is “Laundry” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/4 "2003-08-06T19:24:44Z")
Sometimes 'Laund **er** mat is used to get around the trademark infringement. Anybody know if this term is still protected? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/5 "2003-08-06T19:25:50Z")
Er, the term Laund **ro** mat that is. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/6 "2003-08-06T19:37:56Z")
The Laundromat trademark for washing machines is still active, and owned by White Consolidated Industries, Inc. However, I am surprised to learn that the servicemark Laundromat for public self-service laundries, owned by Westinghouse and first used in 1945, was not renewed when it expired in 1993. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/7 "2003-08-22T21:33:50Z")
I can’t find a web site to confirm it, but the upside down sign and wave pattern is a trademark of the Kwik Wash laundry chain. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laundromat-signs/193381/8 "2003-08-23T02:03:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by postcards \* > **Sometimes 'Laund** er\*\*mat is used to get around the trademark infringement. \*\* Whaddaya know? I always thought that laundromat owners were just really bad spellers. I always imagined the fights that they had with the sign-makers: “It’s spelled laundromat.” “No, it’s spelled laundrymat.” “No, it’s laundromat. Really. Here’s a dictionary…” “I’m paying for the sign, and I want it to say laundrymat!” I guess they spelled it all sorts of weird ways for a reason. I’d love to know why the they didn’t renew it in '93!