Does A Laundry Room Need A Window? (Explained!)

Have you wondered why your laundry room is always stinking? Are you interested in solving these issues as soon as possible?

You should consider adding a window to your laundry room. The advantages are limitless and it works wonders to ensure your room is organized and odor-free.

This article will tell you why your laundry room should have a window and take a look at the requirements.

Table of Contents

Here’s If Laundry Room Needs A Window:

Yes, your laundry room needs a window, it has a lot of advantages. Having a window in your laundry room helps to allow in-flow of fresh air, keep it well-lit, and organized.

It also helps to remove bad odor from the air, makes washing clothes very easy, and aids in quick drying of washed clothes.

Does A Laundry Room Have To Have A Window?

A laundry room is a part of your home where you keep clothes that need to be cleaned, washed, and dry. It is most times equipped with several materials that will help even a stranger know that it is a laundry room.

You often find laundry baskets, pegs, irons, washing machines, and the like.

The question is, do laundry rooms need windows?

Yes, every laundry room should have a window. Which room doesn’t need a window? It is very important to have a window in your room for several purposes.

Having a window in your laundry has a lot of advantages, these include:

It helps keep the room well-lit, you don’t it to look like you’re walking into a closet.
It prevents smells. Most times, dirty clothes don’t get washed immediately, keeping them in stuffy, poorly ventilated rooms can cause odor.
It allows wind into the room to actively dry clothes that have been washed.
It allows easy movement around the room and prevents you or your children from colliding with obstacles.
It aids in easy sorting of clothes into different categories based on sizes, colors, etc.

If you have come across a laundry room without a window, please know that it was definitely not by design. Most people just find an area in their homes to drop and wash dirty clothes, but that doesn’t make it an ideal laundry room.

What Then Is The Most Place For A Laundry Room In Your House?

Mostly, laundry rooms are found close to bedrooms and bathrooms so clothes can easily be taken to and fro. It helps to reduce the carrying involved.

Your laundry room is not somewhere you want a stranger or your visitor to have easy access to. So, most times, it is hidden away at the back of the house, where it links rooms and bathrooms. ere

There are various factors that can influence the position of your laundry room, e.g.,

Amount of carrying you’re comfortable with
Noise from machines
Ease of access

If you’re just moving into your house, now you have a clear picture of which room you can use as your laundry room.

Laundry Room Requirements

There are various items and materials that a complete laundry room should have; they include:

Washing machine: This is an appliance that is used to wash dirty clothes with little or no effort.
Counter Space: This is a flat counter area where clothes can be sorted and folded before transport to where they will be stored.
Storage shelves/cupboards: These are high-placed shelves or cupboards where you can store chemicals like soaps, bleaches, dyes, etc. It will help you get organized and keep them away from the reach of your children.
Chemicals: These include detergent, dye, soaps, and other substances that are useful in ensuring your clothes are clean.
Source of light: All laundry rooms need a source of light, either artificial from bulbs or natural from a window. This helps to keep the laundry room well-lit and aerated.
Dryer: This is a machine used for drying washed clothes.
Iron and Ironing Boards: These are appliances used to press and strengthen clothes before being stored or worn.

They are several codes that guide the arrangement and contents of a laundry. Some of them include:

If your laundry room is on the second floor, ensure your staircase is wide enough to carry appliances.
The laundry door should be at least 32 inches wide.
If your washer and dryer are placed side by side, you need a horizontal space of about 60 inches.
If your washer is a top-loading washer, it must have a 16 to 18 inches clearance above it.

It is quite necessary to have a laundry room in your home. This is because the appliances found in your laundry room can take up a lot of space and cause obstruction, damage, and injuries if left lying around.

Ironing machines, pegs, dirty clothes, baskets, etc., should be kept in a different room. Here are a few advantages of having a laundry room in your home:

Helps keep your house neat
It keeps detergents, bleaches, and other chemicals away from the reach of children.
It ensures laundry materials are in one location for easy access.
It frees up space that laundry items would have otherwise occupied.
You can customize it to suit your taste.
Makes the actual washing of clothes easy and hassle-free.

Can Laundry Room Be Without A Window?

It is not wrong for a laundry room to be without a window. However, it is not advisable at all. Your laundry room might not have a window, but it must have a source of light. This will enable easy movement within the room.

Imagine walking into a dark, odor-filled room, and your first reflex would be to clever your nose and probably turn back. To avoid situations like this, it is advisable to ensure your laundry room has a window.

Here are some disadvantages of not having a window in your laundry room:

It can lead to the release of very bad odors.
You can easily bump into appliances, damage them and even injure yourself.
It can lead to improperly washed clothes.
It makes sorting clothes hard.

Summary

The effects of having a window in your laundry room can not be overemphasized. It helps provide your laundry space with fresh air, prevents odors, and keeps it organized.

You must find various materials and appliances in the laundry room for it to be fully operational. These include washing machines, washing chemicals, irons, pegs, etc.

Several codes guide the spacing, location, and arrangement of laundry rooms. These are to reduce accidents and damage.

References

neptune.com/inspiration/2018/07/utility-rooms-versus-laundry-rooms-what-s-the-difference/

houseplanshelper.com/where-should-i-locate-my-laundry-room.html

validhouse.com/laundry-room-code-requirements-and-specifications/