Washing machine....kitchen or bathroom?

[Rooners]

Just that really. Would you cram it into a small kitchen, or put it in the bathroom (next to the kitchen) where there is plenty of space?

I think it's a no brainer but our plumber thinks I'm a bit mad.

I just hate having dirty clothes in the kitchen and tripping over the laundry basket all the time when I want to cook etc.

We have it in our kitchen now but have to decide where it'll go in the new house.

arghhhh

Bathroom! It just makes sense.
Kids get undressed in the bathroom before their bath and put their clothes in the laudry basket. I don't need to run around the house when doing washing since it's right next to the washing machine.
It was one of the first things I changed when moving to the UK. The plumber thought I was insane.
Dirty clothes in the kitchen? Yuck.

bathroom as they do everywhere else but britain it seems.
it's logical place imo

Is there not an issue about having an electrical appliance In a bathroom?

Electrical regulations mean it will have to be boxed in, separated from the bathroom. So you couldn't reach to switch it on whilst in the bath for eg to avoid electrocution risk.

Do other countries have plug sockets in bathrooms then?

yes, even right by the sink (for dryer shaver)
iirc it's ok to have washer in bathroom as long as it's fixed o stalled with switch for socket outside the room.

Bathroom! (plugged in safely )
Never understood why we have washing machines in kitchens - why would you mix jam/ketchup splodges with clean washing? - plus it's annoyingly noisy. On the continent it's quite normal to have washer + dryer in the bathroom.

Thanks all. Well I spoke to the electrician today and he said it can't go next to the bath, where the existing tank is (which is being removed) obviously because it's in the wrong zone, has to be 60cm all round the bath which I had actually found out already. It would be ok if boxed in/hardwired but I think it's safer further away as the children are liable to splash water all over the floor anyway.

So we thought we would put it about 4ft away from the bath, under the new boiler (electrical stuff already there) and it's sort of next to the toilet, which is Ok, I think...not really sure...how will it be for cleaning? Is it likely to go rusty in there?

I really don't want it in the kitchen. I'm not that organised that there aren't always some dirty clothes next to the machine, and I cant think what else to use all the space in the bathroom for.

Do they really have them in there normally on the continent? Hooray

Do they box them in? I may build a cupboard around it but I think it will look a bit huge like that.

Wiring has to be switched outside the room which is FINE

Does anyone know if it is ok to put a tumble dryer inside airing cupboard which houses combi boiler which is in bathroom next to bath?

I have no idea, I'm sorry. Do you think you could find a qualified spark to ask?

You should be able to build in to a normal 60cm kitchen style cabinet - various styles available e.g. you can get the sort of built-in variety where you affix a kitchen cupboard door to the front (not sure I'm not speaking gibberish here - tell me if I don't make sense)

How come other countries (ie USA) trust their citizens enough to allow them to use hair dryers and other electrical items in a bathroom, and we're not allowed to?!

Yes, it is permissible to put washing machines and tumbledriers in bathrooms. However you are not allowed to have an electrical socket within three metres metres of a fixed bath or shower. Most UK bathrooms are so small that you therefore can't have a socket at all (shaver sockets are "different" and are electrically isolated).

You can however have certain other electrical items in certain other positions, and an appliance can be connected to a flex outlet with no plug. A diagram is here. An electrician who is a member of a Competent Person Scheme should be very familiar with the rules and will know how to achieve what you want.

Yes on the continent, they have it in the bathroom.

Heard of some people even have it outside (it's like an off building, where the roof hangs over enough to protect it, but these are generally very dry countries where it doesn't rain like it does here).

Found and image here

I am certain my grandmother who lived in Scotland had hers in the Bathroom (I was very young, but I would put money on it that I remember a washer in the bathroom).

They don't care if you get electrocuted in the US.

Our WM and TD are in a large larder style cupboard next to the downstairs loo. One on top of the other, best thing we ever did as kitchen is sort of open plan to the living room. Out other option was in the old airing cupboard upstairs, looking back that would have probably been better!

Terrier

The US electrical system is different than the UK system. I mean, the entire way it works, its not just different plugs. I cant recall what is the difference. Additionally, the wiring for wet areas like kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoors in the garden has an extra grounding breaker.

I say: bathroom. Both because dirty laundry where food is is gross, and clean laundry where food is, is at risk. And because yes, the dirty laundry starts there.

For the last 20 years or so, it has been the thing to put the washer and dryer upstairs in a bathroom, or separate laundry room in a big enough house. I first thought it was weird, but quickly got used to never having waiting to be folded laundry sitting in public rooms. It may never get folded, but it was never in the way either.

Thanks everyone and especially for the helpful and interesting links.

Getting quite au fait with the building regs approved documents lately

Looks like we can do it, I've emailed Siemens to ask if they consider their machines suitable for installation in a bathroom which as they are German, I'm hoping they do - apparently most washers are IPX4 rated but will need to check.

I think it's most likely that it could have a detrimental effect on the machine rather than on us - esp if it gets steamy in there. I might build it into a simple cupboard to help protect it.

US electrical system: 110V, 60 Hz
Uk/Europe: 230V, 50 Hz.

Also completely different building standards, wiring regs etc etc.

doesn't matter what they do abroad. If you ever want to sell your house, you need to stick to the rules in the country where it is.

also worth considering that these rules may just have been made for your protection. UK wiring standards are the highest in the world. And yet dimwits still use socket protectors...

in germany/denmark/france they have 220/240 just as in the uk. no fused plugs. and still sockets and appliances in bathrooms are very common (and actually quite safe)

Continental Europe has a longer history of using RCDs than the UK, and makes much less use of earthed plugs.

Sadly RCDs do not always trip, especially if they have not been regularly tested per the instruction label.

A plug-in portable electrical appliance such as a hairdrier is very unsuitable for dropping into a water-filled bath or basin.

UK does now allow sockets in bathrooms, provided they are at least three metres away from a fixed bath or shower. I suppose the idea is to make it very difficult for a person to use a hair-drier while sitting in the bath. Having the tradition of not permitting sockets, UK is quite reluctant to relax the rules completely.

I don't know any comparative figures for electrocution accidents in bathroom per country.

Our (upstairs) bathroom is approx 10' x 12' although an L-shaped chunk was taken for an en suite next door. We have a large cupboard with a proper stud wall at the end of the bath; the washer, dryer on a shelf above, & boiler are all inside (it was the airing cupboard before we got a combi boiler).

It has louvre doors for ventilation although they're usually open anyway. All 3 appliances are wired into wall plates. The bathroom is a Victorian extension (formerly a bedroom) so it has 3 external walls - easy to vent both dryer & boiler. The washer & boiler condenser pipe both drain to the outside under the bath.

It's an excellent arrangement esp in the winter when nothing goes outside (small backyard, lots of coal fires around) & laundry air-dries on rack, gets finished in dryer, then lobbed onto nice big clean double bed next door for sorting & folding.

Carrying heavy baskets of damp washing downstairs for pegging out is the only drawback.

My washer is a Bosch btw (= Siemens) but I started out 30 years ago with a Creda & have also had a Hotpoint there.