The time has come, your new home. Maybe even your first home, and after finding your perfect curtains or deciding just how big your TV should be, your mind turns to the humble washing machine and its location.
Where should the washing machine go? Do you create a utility room, giving the washing machine its own room tucked away out of sight, do you copy the Brits and have it in your kitchen (weird, right?), or do you go to the bathroom?
You might be wondering, can you keep an electrical appliance in the bathroom? Who would have thought washing machines could cause so many questions?
But don’t panic! For we are here to answer all your washing machine-related queries! Let’s find out where our washing machines should be kept and why!
Can we keep a washer in the bathroom?
Yes, you can keep a washing machine in the bathroom! You need to consider some factors when placing your machine in the bathroom, but generally speaking, you can use your washing machine while it is in the bathroom.
Most washing machine manufacturers will state whether the machine can be placed in the bathroom or not. This is for safety reasons due to the most air and higher humidity seen in bathrooms frequently used.
Placing washing machines in bathrooms when they shouldn’t be can jeopardize your warranty should something go wrong, so be sure to check beforehand!
When keeping your washing machine in the bathroom, it needs to be fitted to a fused connection unit. These units look similar to your boiler’s. There is a wire from your boiler hardwired into the wall featuring a fuse box.
You will need to have an electrician carry out the work for you; it’s not as simple as plugging the machine in and turning it on!
Be sure to have a professional complete the work and install your washing machine to avoid any potential electrical issues! Often it will be required by your warranty too.
To ensure you comply with regulations, your bathroom will need to be large enough to place the washing machine at least 3m away from the edge of a bath or fitted shower.
These regulations can vary from state to state and be updated, so be sure to check these beforehand to ensure your washing machine is fitted safely and legally.
Where do you put a washing machine in the bathroom?
Your washing machine needs to be placed at least 3m away from any edge of your bath or fitted shower.
These regulations can be updated regularly and vary from state to state, so it is always worth consulting planning regulations or an electrician beforehand who will have the most up-to-date information for you.
Generally speaking, your washing machine should be as far away from other water sources as possible to reduce the risk of electrical damage or fires. You will also need to ensure that the plug you use for your washing machine is not near any water points too.
Often when doing these calculations, people find that their bathrooms are not the safest or best places for their washing machines to be.
While some people fit washing machines under their sinks to save space in their bathroom, it’s something we do not recommend.
There are so many safety factors to consider when doing this; you could find yourself in a dangerous situation with your washing machine so close to the sink!
Built-in storage is another way to fit your washing machine into the bathroom.
These can be stylish and integrated systems that also save space for those with smaller bathrooms! Again, be sure to follow the necessary safety precautions when fitting a washing machine in your bathroom.
Why do the British have washing machines in the kitchen?
Washing machines in Britain tend to be kept in the kitchen as there are no electrical sockets in their bathrooms. You will rarely find an electrical socket in a British bathroom due to the risk of electrical damage or fires.
Often washing machines are in the kitchen and away from sinks or other water sources in the kitchen. They tend to be fitted by the mains plugs, and unless people have a separate utility room, you will find the washing machine in the kitchen.
Sometimes these are integrated with a cupboard door in front of the machine. These integrated machines give the kitchen a uniform appearance and hide the more unattractive appliances from plain sight!
Although it can seem strange not to have your washing machine in the bathroom (where typically, dirty clothes are kept or removed from your body), in Britain, it baffles people that washing machines are in the bathroom!
They view this as an electrical safety risk and is therefore not common practice.
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- Where should a washing machine be placed in a kitchen
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- Can you run a washing machine empty to clean it
