How to set up your laundry room for maximum efficiency

If you are renovating your home or perhaps building a new one, you should seriously consider placing your laundry room next to the bedrooms on the same floor. It seems that about 90% of clothing is generated at that level. Bedding and laundry are the most frequently laundered items and a rug can always be brought upstairs from time to time if needed.

In a two-story house, it is especially desirable, since many housewives can also attest to it. Going up and down stairs carrying baskets of heavy laundry can be a killing on your back and legs. Placing a laundry room in the basement that builders made for years is out of the question today.

A five foot by seven foot room is just one big closet, but it can accommodate both a washer and dryer, side by side, or stacked units. This leaves plenty of room for a nice set of wall hanging cabinets and a folding table. If you iron clothes, the room can be slightly larger, or you can use a wall-mounted ironing board that folds away when not in use. There are also wall plates available today that save space and can be left on a wall bracket when not in use.

Although not essential, a window is always desirable, but with or without a window an exhaust fan is essential. Excess moisture can cause mold to form on walls, causing both a health hazard and mold stains on painted walls. I use smooth faced mylar panels which is easy to clean and takes a lot of abuse over time. The floor also needs something easy to clean. Using twelve-inch or twenty-four inch vinyl tile makes floor installation easy and floor care quick and easy too.

Any clothing that is installed today should have a plastic drain pan placed under the washer. These trays come with a drain outlet that can be connected to a sewer line. In the event of an accidental overflow from the washer, the water is sent safely down the sewer line and not onto the floor surfaces. A sewer trap should also be installed to prevent sewer gases from backing up into the house. Pans are inexpensive and can save thousands of dollars in water damage.

Another need is the use of metal-lined shatter-proof hoses. Old rubber hoses can and usually will break when you’re not at home, of course. Explosion-proof hoses are a bit more, but the added peace of mind they provide is well worth it.

Cabinets – It can be as stylish or as simple as you like. Open shelving is also a possibility, but clutter quickly turns unsightly. Good solid cabinets with a melamine finish offer long life and also very easy to clean surfaces. A simple cleaning keeps them looking new. I suggest using as light a color as possible to keep the room light and airy. Soap, fabric softener, lint removers, etc. they can be stored out of sight and if you can afford a larger cabinet, toilet paper rolls, tissue boxes and towels, etc. can also be stored there.

Lighting – People often skimp on lighting as it is “just” a laundry room. A good quality four foot dual tube fluorescent lamp provides low cost lighting that will light a five by seven room quite well. Incandescent or recessed lighting can be used, but the extra cost isn’t really necessary. Fluorescent lamps last a long time and the running cost is lower than incandescent bulbs. In either case, make sure accessories are positioned so that they do not cast or create a shadow when you are working in the room. It is often overlooked, but it will be quite apparent if you are trying to iron or classify clothes in a dark shade. There are also many CFL devices available now that are small (less than 3 inches in diameter) and cost very little to operate. A sixty watt CFL provides sixty watts of light, but consumes only 12 watts of power, for example. Many are also directional for task lighting. Take a look before you buy and think about long-term savings.

Outlets – All your laundry outlets should be of the Ground Fault Interrupter type. You’ll need one behind the washer and dryer units, one next to the ironing board, and at least one additional outlet at standard eighteen inches above the floor for vacuuming or other cleaning tasks. With a little care when brushing, you should be able to cross between cabinets, washer / dryer, and ironing board without crossing a power cord. Accidentally knocking a hot iron off the ironing board and knocking it on the floor or foot is no fun at all.

If you have a large family and a lot of laundry and ironing, installing a cable TV outlet can also provide additional downtime while you work. Standing in a laundry room for an hour without a television or radio can be a drag, to say the least. You can also consider purchasing a rubber mat to stand on while you work. There are many specialty mats available and they can save a great deal of stress on your legs and feet.

Laundry Baskets: Keeping laundry baskets open within sight of the door helps train children (and your husband) to throw dirty laundry in a basket and not on the bedroom floor. This, of course, helps Mom or whoever is in charge of the laundry to get the job done faster and easier. You can expect colored clothing and a basket of linen, but that may be well beyond the abilities of the children (or again the husband). At least all the dirty clothes will be in one place.

Keep your paint colors bright and cheerful for walls and ceilings. A good quality washable paint with added anti-mold can again help to give your new laundry room a long life.

Pete

Your friendly building inspector

http://www.Wagsys.com

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