The Hidden History of the Laundry Chute
theatlantic.com
theatlantic.com
"In 2006, the most radioactive object ever discovered by Scotland Yard was found at the base of a hotel laundry chute in London. Two Russian FSB officers had traveled to the U.K. to take out a dissident using liquid plutonium. They succeeded in poisoning the man but only on their third attempt. After they finished, the two men, who had little knowledge of the material, poured the most toxic substance known to man down their hotel drain and disposed of a polonium-soaked hand towel in the hotel’s laundry chute. The hand towel was sent immediately to the U.K.’s Atomic Weapons facility."
It reads like poorly written fiction. Surely, it wouldn't take trained assassins 3 attempts to kill a person with the most toxic substance known to man. Surely, the people who supplied them with the liquid plutonium would include some basic care and guidance instructions with it. Finally, the story ends with a hand towel being delivered to an Atomic Weapons facility.
It's like a fire at a Sea Parks - the mind boggles at what series of events happened.
When I was a kid on a camp, I was in charge of setting up campfires. The other day another kid dared me that I won't make the fire tonight because it's raining and water doesn't burn. Cue in the propane canister I had with me for just such occasions...
(Also, not sure if the same camp or the previous year, we also lit the road on fire with acetone during a rain.)
There is also a conspicuous consumption aspect that someone who has a washing machine anywhere but the basement is wealthy and care free enough to do substantial repair work, because there's only two kinds of washing machines, the ones that will flood and ruin everything underneath them, or those that already have. Putting a washer on the 3rd floor by the bedroom seems very practical and convenient until the first expensive flood. Of course the trend to fancy up basements means a leak will cause $10K of damage and mold where ever the washer is located, so may as well located it conveniently.
I would like a house with the laundry on the 2nd near the bedrooms. But I'd make sure it has a spill basin and drain for the inevitable massive leak.
The downside is just noise when running the washing machine.
BTW, build it with the assumption that it will get soaked in disgusting things. Drywall isn't strong and isn't really washable. Non-stick coatings are best; metal is OK.