Washing machine in kitchen

[Ozyorkbourne]

In almost every 'modern' apartment/house designs I see washing machines being put in the kitchen. Like, you can smell your socks while making a dinner.
Yet, in almost every design made by or for 'common people', they leave it in the bathroom where dirty clothes actually 'reside'.

Why is it so? Where would you want your washing machine at yourself? And why?

I remember seeing weird ideas where someone put toilet bowl in kitchen too lol...

Washer and Dryer are in the kitchen under the worktop. I have quite a large kitchen and this is fairly common in the UK. Alternatively they can be housed in a large pantry, garage or basement if you have one.

Also, if your socks smell so bad that you can smell them while in the room with them, especially if they're in a sealed, water tight space then you need to get more and change them more often.

It's fairly convenient given that the kitchen has a large open space in the centre (fuck auto correct trying to Americanize my Queen's English) and is next to the back doors if I either need a plumber or to get them in/out.

[Pickynerd]

We're talking about specifically under the sink. Do you think the entire plumbing system is under the sink? You're just arguing pointless semantics at this point because you look silly bitching about how hard it is to fix a sink.

Crawling under the sink half in the cabinet to do any plumbing sucks, what part of this are you having trouble with? I wasn't complaining about plumbing in general, I was complaining about plumbing in tight spaces.

I have never seen a washer and dryer in a kitchen, if you ask me that's fucking weird.. Also sounds like a pain in the ass when it comes to maintenance.

[Tackhisis]

Because older houses had the high-power electricity feeds in kitchens only (for use with electric stoves).

[Mormolyce]

Washing machine in the kitchen is almost as bad as toilet in the bathroom.

[Mormolyce]

I actually like having a separate room for the toilet. It’s not common here in America, but when I lived in Belgium we had 3 separate bathrooms upstairs. One was for a bath tub, second was a shower room and third was just a toilet and sink.

Here in Australia they were typically separate until quite recently, when toilet-in-bathroom started becoming more common I was horrified at the idea. I still think of it as "American style".

[oplawlz]

In a laundry room, like God intended. Yes, a separate room to house a washer and a dryer, along with storage for soaps and drying racks, counters, and other laundry accoutrements.

Agreed, although we did end up putting a toilet and sink in the laundry room to give a third option for those desperately in need of a piss.

[ChampionChains]

How bad does your dirty laundry smell that it overpowers your cooking? Do some damn laundry, OP. Clean that shit up.

[Independent voter]

Here in Australia they were typically separate until quite recently, when toilet-in-bathroom started becoming more common I was horrified at the idea. I still think of it as "American style".

Nothing like having a conversation with the wife in the shower while you're pooping on the john.

[Deleted]

In almost every 'modern' apartment/house designs I see washing machines being put in the kitchen. Like, you can smell your socks while making a dinner.
Yet, in almost every design made by or for 'common people', they leave it in the bathroom where dirty clothes actually 'reside'.

Why is it so? Where would you want your washing machine at yourself? And why?

I remember seeing weird ideas where someone put toilet bowl in kitchen too lol...

I've had places where it is in the Kitchen, and in a separate room. Other than convenience I cannot see a problem with any of these options. It's a tool I use to wash my clothes.

I've lived a few shared houses and I think the only smell I have ever picked up is that of drying clothes when the tumble dryer has been on for a while, and I find that smell pleasant if I'm honest. Now the smell the housemates have left in the bathroom is something I could do without.

[Lollis]

Quality has nothing to do with failures, you could by the cheapest shit rubber supply line and not have a single problem for 10 years, or you can buy a top quality stainless braided line and have it leak 5 months later.

I have a feeling you're talking about installation, while I am talking about maintenance..

Braided rubber pipes are responsible for 20% of plumbing failures. Why do I know this? the braided pipe on our bathroom sink burst a couple of weeks ago at 4 in the morning, it's just lucky that it didn't happen when nobody was around.

And, again, how does a drain not protect the cabinets in case of maint failure? Also, you claim that different components last for a different length of time, overall, is hilarious.

Failure ratings differ between different components, of course they do. With stuff like the aforementioned braided piping you have to take the rubber into consideration; rubber deteriorates over time and at different rates. One rubber seal rated at 10 years might last 12 years while the other goes at 9 years 364 days.

[Deleted]

I have never seen this in my own country, not even in the 300-400 year old buildings.
But I see it very regularly in British homes in those TV shows with people looking to buy a house.

I know that British homes are often tiny (and old), so maybe it makes more sense to have in the kitchen there?
As far as for US homes goes, I recon it's because people live in the cheapest apartments money can buy you there.

[Deleted]

I have mine in the garage. I wouldn't want it in the kitchen just because of noise, the dishwasher is loud enough.

[Eosia]

But you would have plumbing in your toilet as well?? ?? ? ?? ? Both water and drain?????

Yes. As you would have drain plumbing in the kitchen too. Kitchens generally tend to be larger than bathrooms though.

Otherwise you run into interesting problems. Like at my first house the wiring dictated Washer/Dryer be in the basement but the plumbing dictated they be on the main level. This was because the main sewage line out of the house was under the main level instead of the basement. So in order to use the washing machine in the basement, a pump had to be jury-rigged to get the water up to the main sewage. It was a constant pain in the butt.

Any room that has cabinetry makes plumbing a nightmare.

Only if the cabinetry is installed first I'd imagine.

[Pickynerd]

Braided rubber pipes are responsible for 20% of plumbing failures. Why do I know this? the braided pipe on our bathroom sink burst a couple of weeks ago at 4 in the morning, it's just lucky that it didn't happen when nobody was around.

Seems like the best time for them to burst.

One night I was dreaming of a waterfall, I woke up and had to piss so bad - first step into the kitchen was very wet, as I started actually waking up (WTF panic) I turned the light on and water was streaming out of the cabinets under the sink. I could hear the water leaking into the basement from the vents, I figured this is why I was dreaming about the waterfall...

So here I was at 3am mopping and cleaning before work that day. I've been checking hoses on the reg since I was 19 because of that nightmare.

- - - Updated - - -

Only if the cabinetry is installed first I'd imagine.

So you've never done plumbing work after the cabinets have been installed?

No? It sucks, you'll find out.

[melodramocracy]

It's so that planners can promote a sense of convenience while actually just selling you less square footage for more money.

[Pickynerd]

I have never seen this in my own country, not even in the 300-400 year old buildings.
But I see it very regularly in British homes in those TV shows with people looking to buy a house.

I know that British homes are often tiny (and old), so maybe it makes more sense to have in the kitchen there?
As far as for US homes goes, I recon it's because people live in the cheapest apartments money can buy you there.

This thread made me do some digging..

UK building regulations don't allow electrical sockets in bathrooms, so that rules out putting the washing machine there. In most houses that leaves the kitchen or an adjoining utility room as the most common place to find power and a water supply.

Is this true for the UK? Anyone?

[Super Kami Dende]

How many people do you know without cabinetry in their bathrooms/kitchen? I’m assuming they all have indoor plumbing, thus plumbing in those rooms.

I don't have Cabinets in my Bath Room. The only Storage place is a Shelf above the Faucet.

[Deleted]

Is this true for the UK? Anyone?

This is correct, our supply is 240v, but "shaver" sockets can be used if they are mounted a certain distance above the ground and from showers/baths.
110v must be used in damp places, construction tools etc.

Washing machines are found in 90% of UK kitchens, often adjacent to a sink and sharing feed and waste. Kitchens are often (and should be) put on a separate electric ring main from the rest of the ground floor, which means items like washing machine motors, fridge/freezer compressors etc don't create noise for more sensitive stuff.

Some U.K homes have a utility room but none have been or are designed to put a washing machine upstairs.

edit to say - rubber would only ever be used in flexible tap tails, and most people will use copper tails. It's folly to put unsealed/untreated wood on any surface which may get damp, typically cabinets are not built on the ground but are stood on something, with a fascia added to cover the gap. Our washing machines fit into 1 cab width (600mm).

[Deleted]

This thread made me do some digging..



Is this true for the UK? Anyone?

Kind of. You can't have a 240V socket in the Bathroom; you do, however, get 120V shaving sockets, which have completely different plugs, aren't earthed, and won't run anything other than electric razors. AFAIK the standard in the US is 120V; this difference is probably a large part of why americans are allowed to have mains sockets in the bathrooms and the UK is not.

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

To make it more convenient for your wife.

ayyyyy got em