Campus laundry payment system to see chamges beginning in spring semester

Students who reside on campus are looking at a change to laundry for the upcoming semester. Residence hall laundry rooms will upgrade to digital payments starting Spring 2026. 

Previously, students could pay with cash, coins and their Trojan ID, but now they’re looking at the use of a mobile app. The One Tap Away app accepts all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo and more. 

“It’s going to take a little time to get used to,” said Sabrina Foster, assistant director of housing. “I do think that in the long run, it will be a convenient way for the students to be able to do their laundry.   

“Some of the things students do have trouble with a lot of times is getting quarters, so that will eliminate that. [As for] the ID card, which is currently convenient, unfortunately the system is at the end of its life, so this was the best, easiest way.” 

Riley Mattos, a sophomore sociology major from Statesboro, Georgia, who is a resident assistant (RA) in Clements Hall, shared his thoughts. 

“It’s not my favorite thing that they are doing,” Mattos said. “I don’t quite like how they’re just doing it so suddenly, especially halfway through the year. 

“I think that’s something they should have done over summer, so no one had to worry about it.” 

Mattos did agree the updated system would be beneficial in the long run. 

“Honestly, yes, just because it keeps it about the same payments as you would use anywhere else,” Mattos said. “Also, having an updated system is good to prevent them from getting messed up.” 

For those without a mobile device, each residence hall will have one kiosk location that allows the use of a debit or credit card to pay for their laundry. 

With this upgrade, each load of laundry will cost $1.50 instead of the previous $1.25. 

Some students felt that the price increase was unfair. 

“It’s already expensive, and we’re already paying to live in the dorm,” said Haley Wilson, a sophomore nursing major from Phenix City, Alabama. “We’re still going to pay for it because we don’t really have a choice.” 

Foster shared that the increase from the laundry company was due in 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic. 

“With COVID and everything, CSC kind of stayed away from that for us, and we are still at a lower rate than their other schools, which start at $1.75,” Foster said. 

With the One Tap Away app, students will also be able to submit work orders for the machines directly through the app without having to go through an RA. 

“That’s really nice because that makes my job a little bit easier because I have people constantly coming and doing work orders on things that I can’t help with,” Mattos said. 

Anyone with remaining laundry money on their Trojan ID card is encouraged to use it by Dec. 12, the day the ID card readers will be taken offline. Any money left on a Trojan ID can still be used at dining locations on campus. 

Students that reside on campus are encouraged to review the information emailed to them from Foster at sfoster@troy.edu