An appropriate place to put dirty laundry in a small bathroom is essential because there is not much extra place to have a separate laundry area or closets in small houses.
Where to Put Dirty Laundry in Small Bathroom? You can put the dirty laundry under the countertop space, inside the vanity cabinets, or behind the bathroom door, and select a small slim basket or a wall-hanging hamper for a small bathroom. Some people avoid placing the laundry basket in the bathroom because it causes an unhygienic environment and attracts bugs, insects, and mildew to the clothes.
Dirty laundry includes used clothes, bed sheets, towels, floor mats, cushion or sofa covers, and many other things that need washing when they get dirty. People often use hampers and baskets to put all this stuff at any preferable location in the house, especially in the place where you change your clothes.
Where can you put dirty laundry in a small bathroom?
You can put the dirty laundry at any extra available place in small bathrooms, and some of these places are listed here.
Place it under the countertop space
Some countertops have extra space available under the slab or the sink, and you can put the laundry baskets there. Ensure the basket size is small enough to adjust the space under the countertop. You can also put a trash can in this place.
It is better to cover the basket with its lid after putting the clothes in it because the smell of the used clothes can make the place unsanitary.
The sink installed on the countertop can leak, making the clothes wet. There are chances that the white clothes or sheets can get color from other colored clothes when getting wet.
Therefore, always inspect the area under the countertop before placing the laundry clothes there, and do not put the basket in this place if the water splashes or leakage water drops on the basket.
Store it in the vanity cabinets
Putting dirty clothes, bed sheets, and towels in the vanity cabinet is another option to hide and store the clothes until you find time to wash them out on the weekend.
You can install pull-out hamper cabinets in your vanity, which has many advantages, such as it performs multiple functions.
It offers to put dirty laundry, and you can store other things, such as towels, cleaning products, soap, and shampoo, if there are no clothes or laundry to wash.
It is not necessary to select the pull-out hampers inside the vanity cabinets, as you can place your basket inside the cabinet and put the daily used clothes there.
It can hide dirty clothes and make the bathroom environment more sanitary. In addition, the small space looks more spacious, as the baskets will cover some area if placed outside the cabinets.
Use small laundry baskets
The laundry baskets are available in different shapes, sizes, and material options, such as plastic baskets, wicker weave baskets, hip-hunger baskets, and many more.
You can select a slim and small basket to put in small places, depending on the people in the house. You can place more than one basket at different locations in the house, especially if you have kids in the house because they will change clothes two to three times a day.
I placed a separate basket in my kids’ bathroom and washed the clothes after two days before overloading them inside the small basket.
I placed my laundry basket next to the vanity because I do not have enough space inside the vanity cabinets to adjust it. In addition, the cabinets are already full of other daily-use stuff, and there is no space to place a basket.
My bathroom size is small; therefore, I have selected a slim and deep basket to put more clothes in, rather than the hip-hunger basket, which cannot accommodate many clothes and bed sheets.
Have a hanging laundry hamper
Wall-mounted or hanging laundry hampers are available for small bathrooms to conserve floor space. They are made using high-quality Oxford cloth material or polyester, which is washable and can last many years.
They have an open-top design that offers to put dirty clothes, towels, and other washable things inside them. You can easily carry the hanging hamper to the laundry to wash the clothes, as they are made of lightweight fabric.
Installing the hanging hamper on any free wall in the bathroom can keep the hamper and the clothes away from the wet floor. In addition, you can use collapsible laundry hampers, which is also a good choice for small places
Place the basket behind the bathroom door
Placing the hamper or the basket behind the bathroom door is also a good option if you do not have another empty and suitable place to put it.
I placed a laundry basket behind the bathroom entrance door, as it is the only empty place I found in the bathroom that does not interrupt the walkway and is free to utilize.
A small basket can work well to store the laundry items inside it because a wider hamper will disturb the door opening when you enter there in a hurry.
You can also hang a wall-mounted hamper behind the door because they are made of polyester, and the chance of damage to the hamper and the door is less when someone opens the door forcefully.
Why do some people avoid putting dirty laundry in the bathroom?
Some people avoid placing dirty laundry inside the bathroom because of many reasons. A few people think it attracts negative vibes if you put dirty clothes in this place. Other reasons for not placing them inside the bathroom are explained below.
Unhygienic
The dirty clothes and towels can cause a smell in the bathroom, which makes the environment unhygienic and unpleasant.
You sweat more in summer, and the sweaty clothes, when placed in a closed hamper or basket, can cause an unpleasing smell in the place where you put them.
Therefore, people avoid placing them inside this place and prefer to put them outside the bathroom or bedroom.
Attract insects and bugs
Some bugs and insects, such as bed bugs, cockroaches, gnats, and mites, can attract by perfume fragrances, oil and blood stains, and sweat odors in the clothes, towels, and bed sheets.
Bed bugs hide in dirty clothes or bed sheets, and they can infest the place if you place these clothes in the bathroom.
The humidity in this place serves as an extra point for these insects to lay the eggs there and increase their reproduction by hiding in other places in the bathroom.
Moisture can cause mildew
The moisture and water can cause mold and mildew on the clothes and wet towels if you place the laundry baskets in this place.
The prolonged moisture exposure and sweaty clothes cause mildew; some people do not put them in moist places.
It is better to wash dirty and sweaty clothes after one day to prevent mold and mildew growth and keep the place sanitary.
Things to consider when selecting a laundry basket for the bathroom
Consider these things when choosing laundry baskets for small bathrooms, which are explained here.
Material and handles
Consider the material used in the basket or hamper manufacturing because a high-quality material can last many years and is less prone to breakage if over-loaded.
One of the best materials for these baskets and hampers is fabric or cloth because they are easy to store. Other materials include wicker, high-quality plastic, woven, wood, and metal.
The handles on the baskets should be strong to carry the weight of the clothes, especially when they are wet, as weak or thin handles can break when the basket is loaded with clothes.
Some hampers and baskets have handles on both sides, which can distribute the weight when you lift it from both sides, and some have a single handle to lift the basket from the center.
Size and capacity
It is better to consider the correct size of a basket, depending on the space you want to put it and the number of family members putting their clothes in it.
Some laundry baskets are slim and deep, which can store more clothes than the hip-hunger baskets. Select the one that can adjust to the desired place and contain as many clothes as possible.
Ventilation
You can select a basket for dirty laundry with holes rather than choosing one with a closed design and no way for the air to pass.
The ventilation can allow the air to pass through the sweaty clothes, and they will not smell. However, it can cause a stingy odor when you open the basket, which has no ventilation because the clothes are stacked over each other.
The wicker baskets have holes that ensure adequate ventilation inside the basket and allow air to pass between two breathable layers.
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