Laundry room

History:
– Utility room originated as a modern version of the scullery room in England
– The term “utility room” was first mentioned in 1760 in the UK
– In 1944, Scottish housing reports recommended utility rooms in new homes
– Utility rooms gained popularity over basements in the US in 1949
– The term “laundry room” transitioned to “utility room” in the US in 1970

Uses:
– Utility rooms are primarily used for laundry purposes
– They house laundry equipment like washing machines and dryers
– Utility rooms also serve as storage spaces for seasonal clothing and additional appliances
– Some utility rooms incorporate furnaces and water heaters
– Shelving and trash bins are sometimes included to prevent congestion in the house

Location:
– In older homes, laundry rooms are often in the basement
– Modern homes may have laundry rooms on the main floor or upstairs near bedrooms
– Laundry rooms adjacent to garages can serve as mudrooms
– In the UK, washing machines are commonly found in kitchens or garages
– Hungary has communal laundry rooms in older buildings and hostels

See also:
– Drying room
– Furnace room
– Lavoir (public place for clothes washing)
– Mechanical room
– Scullery (room for washing dishes and clothes)

References:
– Utility Rooms FAQ from UtilityRooms.com
– Definition of Utility Room by Merriam-Webster
– Organized Utility Room tips from Hi Hut
– “New Kitchen Idea Book” by Joanne Kellar Bouknight
– Google Timeline Search for Publications on Utility Room

Laundry room (Wikipedia)

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A laundry room is a room where clothes are washed, and sometimes also dried. In a modern home, laundry rooms are often equipped with an automatic washing machine and clothes dryer, and often a large basin, called a laundry tub, for hand-washing of delicate clothing articles such as sweaters, as well as an ironing board. Laundry rooms may also include storage cabinets, countertops for folding clothes, and, space permitting, a small sewing machine.

The term utility room is more commonly used in British English, while Australian English and North American English generally refer to this room as a laundry room, except in the American Southeast.^{[citation needed]} "Utility" refers to an item which is designed for usefulness or practical use, so in turn most of the items kept in this room have functional attributes, i.e. "form follows function".