ᐅ A Sink in the Laundry Room?

Created on: 26 Oct 2017 20:36
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Grym
We have a utility room on the upper floor of our two-story house intended for a washing machine, dryer, drying rack, ironing, and, if possible, some cabinets (e.g., for towels, bed linens, and general storage). The floor will be tiled, but the walls are not planned to have tiles.

Right next to it is the bathroom with an extra-large steel bathtub and an extra-large ceramic washbasin, as well as a walk-in shower with both overhead and handheld showerheads (compared to sanitary acrylic and mineral casting materials, steel and ceramic are much more resistant to chemicals; a handheld shower in a tiled shower is also practical, hence these specific mentions).

That covers the upper floor, now to the ground floor. There is also a utility room here with tiled floors but no laundry-related appliances, plus a washbasin and a shower with a handheld showerhead, also tiled.

Now the question: Should we consider installing a washbasin in the upper floor utility room (laundry room)? Or is the adjacent bathroom sufficient when running water is really needed, or the bathroom on the ground floor? My wife said, when asked, that we don’t need one. She rarely hand-washes anything, and in emergencies, one of the bathrooms could be used.

We might be lacking experience here: Will children eventually get their clothes so dirty that the washing machine isn’t suitable for cleaning them, or is that a pointless concern? What would a washbasin in the laundry room be used for, or is it unnecessary at all?
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Anoxio
27 Oct 2017 10:28
If there is enough space, I would at least install the connections for a washbasin. I find it practical to quickly rinse, for example, the detergent drawer or to refill a spray bottle with water while ironing. It would also be an advantage when soaking heavily soiled clothing, as you can simply fill and empty a bucket without having to carry it into the bathroom.
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Alex85
27 Oct 2017 10:44
If there is space available, do it, because it costs almost nothing. The connections are already in place anyway.

We have a washer-dryer (with a heat pump) that drains the condensate water through a hose.
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Bau-Schmidt
27 Oct 2017 10:59
A small tip for Bosch / Siemens appliances: it’s better not to modify the hose connection.
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DNL
27 Oct 2017 11:07
Our Bosch heat pump dryer needs to be emptied after every cycle. Even with modifications, there is no way to connect it directly to the wastewater system.

Besides, you also asked about children. I wouldn’t even hesitate about installing a utility sink there—I would do it immediately.

Clothes completely covered in mud ("Somehow, I fell into a ditch"), pants with dried feces from kindergarten accidents ("Your child had a bowel accident"), blood... kids bring all kinds of messes in their clothes, which I at least wouldn’t put directly into the washing machine or want to soak in the bathroom sink for hours.

If you search for “utility room sink,” you’ll find the classic options that don’t require tiling or anything fancy. Some cost around 30 euros (about 30 US dollars). It doesn’t have to look nice in the utility room.

You could make a compromise: have the plumbing installed. If the washing machine is already there, the effort is minimal. If there is no hot water supply, it might not be a big issue since you can just fetch warm water in a bucket from next door.
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Bieber0815
27 Oct 2017 13:37
DNL schrieb:
If you google "utility room sink," you find the classic types where you don’t need to tile around them or anything.

We have a utility room sink with an integrated splash guard (raised back panel). In hindsight, I regret not having a tiled backsplash since there is splashing from time to time... (maybe we’re just a bit clumsy).

Oh, and I also regret choosing a simple plastic utility sink instead of a beautiful, larger ceramic one from Villeroy & Boch or some enameled variety. @Grym: If you’re going to do it, do it right. But that’s a different topic...
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haydee
27 Oct 2017 13:49
We have planned a basin in the utility room. I’ll be glad when I no longer have to use the bathroom sink for that.

Kids sure manage to make all kinds of stains. Most food stains fade well in the sunlight, but what about all the others?