Who has their washing machine in the bathroom? Hands up!

[Anastasie]

I just want to know I'm not the only one

Apparently it is a common thing in Germany and other European countries?

We have our washing machine (with tumble drier on top) inside a cupboard in the bathroom. Fantastic idea - saves space and noise in the kitchen.

We do.

Our kitchen is tiny (as I've said countless times on here, I can stand in the middle and touch every surface, including the ceiling). We had a choice of dishwasher or washing machine in the kitchen.

We lived in Germany and our washing machine was in the bathroom, same with all our friends. But they also have electrical sockets in the bathroom, which I was always puzzled about.

I don't, but I would if I could. Washing machines in kitchens is unnatural! (From NZ. It's also normal in Australia)

How is that possible- You have an electrical switch in your bathroom?

Oh lovely! I wonder if it isn't more popular over here because of the electrical issue or maybe the size of bathrooms...it has to be at least 2ft away from the bath and I think further than that maybe.

We have it wired straight into a closed outlet on the wall and it's switched on the wall above the door, outside the room.

I had to check with the manfctr (Siemens) that it was suitable and being German I suppose, they happily confirmed it in writing. Then according to building regs it's actually fine.

Main issue I have had is the floor being joists and boards, and forgetting to bolt the base board for it into actual joists before we laid the new vinyl. So it wobbles a bit but it isn't nearly as bad as I imagined. It's fixed to a WPB board with special feet they sent us.

We are in an upstairs flat so no option to have it on a concrete floor.

Yes my understanding is you might struggle to find an elsctrican who will put a socket in the bathroom for you

Mine are in the cupboard next to the bathroom. We had extra plug sockets fitted for that purpose. Absolutely brilliant idea, no dirty washing downstairs, no clean washing waiting to go up. Its washed, dried, folded and out away all in one go (I only iron shirts) its great

I wish I had a cupboard next to the bathroom! That sounds ideal.

We did have a bit of bother convincing the spark that it was Ok, and I checked the regs over and over and so did he, till he was happy, and it was all signed off by another guy afterwards too.

It's not a socket as such. It's just an outlet plate which the wire goes into, nowhere for water to ingress. So you could touch it with wet hands etc, not that I would but anyway. The actual switch is outside.

Mine is in the bathroom. Am in Belgium. Normal here. Sockets and all in the bathroom.

Also walk-in cupboard off bathroom - so much better than in kitchen. As above, plus being able to sort laundry whilst young DC are in the bath!

OP you need one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Washing-Machine-Universal-Anti-Vibration-Mat/dp/B00E0JVN7G/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1445451084&sr=8-5&keywords=washing+machine+shock+absorbers

I bought one and it made a massive difference.

It you're in an upstairs flat and it wobbles, is it making a horrendous noise downstairs?

Thank you for the link - I bought one of those a while ago as it was really bad, and also tried the little rubber feet caps, but then I realised the pump was broken which was why it was trying to walk round the room!

Since that was repaired it's actually hardly wobbled at all, well, no more than it would downstairs though of course I worry that the people downstairs must hear it.

I think it wouldn't be terribly noisy though - and living in a flat it is par for the course. I know we could hear our old neighbours' one above our heads.

I may attach the mat under it at some point but am not sure where it should go, as the whole machine sits on a plywood plinth, with special metal feet brackets to hold it still.

It's pretty sound tbh. It'd be a bit sounder if I'd screwed the plinth to joists rather than just floorboards, but I don't think it's a big problem.

Mines been in the bathroom for 30+ years - it's a big room (12' x 10') & the washer is inside a cupboard, with the electrics literally impossible to reach from the bath (unless you're Mr Tickle).

It was hard wired initially but recent electricians have said socket is ok because of where it is.

Dryer is on a shelf above & boiler is also in the cupboard. I love being able to take stuff from the dryer to sort on the double bed in the next room

The only real drawback is lugging heavy wet stuff downstairs to put on the line in the summer. & the floor slopes into the middle of the room so it tends to wander & vibrate a lot but there is thick ply on top of the floorboards which spreads the load across the joists (& I have those rubber feet as well)

Well the washer has rubber feet. I don't.

I think actually most washing machines are meant to be bolted to the floor if they are on floorboards? It's in our instruction manual and also in the Miele ones I've looked at online. It's meant to be 3cm thick too but we went with 18mm weatherproof ply.

I think you can put it anywhere if it's in a cupboard. I wanted mine out in the open so it had to be 2ft from the bath.

We looked at a house to rent with a huge cupboard in the bathroom with washer and dryer and that was what gave me the idea. Lovely and so sensible.

Check your manufacturer - they may supply special feet to bolt it to the wooden boards. I found the rubber feet just made it wobble and bounce more tbh. It was having a great time!

It does a bit of vibration when you sit on the loo and it's spinning but I try and time it so I'm not doing that at the same time as the spin cycle

I agree about carrying the washing down to the garden though.

Maybe a utility room on the ground floor might be the best option then you would only have to carry dry things up and down.

No, but it's a bloody good idea if you have room.

Previously it was on a platform of, I think, 2cm ply (though without any edge)

Then we had the entire bathroom plyed over though only with standard flooring-type ply. I really wanted the builder to get a thicker piece (3 cm? Really? Makes sense though) but you know what builders are like; & it's a big heavy Bosch machine & getting it in & out is bloody awkward even on the level, so I let it go.

It's actually not too bad except for the occasional unbalanced load - sometimes all the dishes in the kitchen cupboards below vibrate together. Generally it's ok though & more so now I've stopped using 1400rpm - 1200 or 800 seem to be plenty

Yes I know what builders are like!

I don't dare go above 800. I have to reset it every time but am used to it now.

Things get pretty dry on that.

Bosch will sell you some brackets for the feet if you ring them up in fact I think mine were free.

Same people as Siemens.

Ours was in the huge bathroom in our last house. In a sort of walk in cupboard built in to the bathroom.

I don't but I would have if my bathroom was big enough. I dislike my washing machine in the kitchen, it makes no sense.

Our bathroom is on the ground floor, so easy enough to take washing out into the garden