Laundry sinks have many purposes but not many people know how useful they can be. Our team has done due diligence to research the purpose and benefits of installing a laundry sink in your home. This post will option your eye to the many things you can do with a laundry sink.
What is the purpose of a laundry sink? The primary purpose of a laundry sink is to take care of tough stains and delicate clothes in the laundry room. But that’s not all about laundry sinks. They are also called utility sinks because you can use them for various utilities, You can use them to pot plants, bathe your pets, clean the garden, paint stuff, and dye, among other things.
There are many incredible things you can use laundry sinks for in your home. Aside from this, they also add an incredible finishing touch to your home. It’s a great feature with so many advantages. As you read on, we will tell you all the different things you can do with laundry sinks.
What is a Utility Sink Used for in the Laundry?
In the laundry room, you can use a laundry sink to pre-soak dirty clothes before washing them. You can also use them to hand-wash clothes and rinse out swimming suits before putting them in the washing machine. Utility sinks also act as filters that help trap hair and lint, thus preventing them from causing plumbing problems. What’s more, you can wash your washing machine’s drawer in the laundry sink.
You Can Pre-Soak and Hand-Wash Clothes in a Laundry Sink
Laundry sinks have water taps, a faucet, and a large enough bowl. So, you can pre-soak dirty clothes in them before you put the clothes in your washing machine.
Some clothes have stubborn stains that will be difficult for the washing machine to remove. So, they need to be pre-soaked or hand-washed. What’s more, some clothes are quite delicate and could damage if tossed in the washing machine. You can hand-wash such delicate items in the laundry sink.
Bathing suits should also be rinsed because they soak in lots of chlorine from the swimming pool. This chemical can damage your suit’s elastic fiber if you don’t rinse it off first. You should, therefore, rinse it off in the laundry sink first so that your bathing suit and washer will last longer.
You Can Enhance Your Clothing in the Laundry Sink
Another thing you can do in your laundry sink is to enhance your clothes. For instance, you can soak your faded pants in dye or brighten up your dingy white shirts with a new color. People who have no laundry sink use either their kitchen counter or bathtub for these. But that comes with the risk of splashing dye on them, which may be difficult to remove. We have also written this article titled, what is the best material for a laundry room sink? Check out the article for more tips and information about the topic.
Does a Washing Machine Need to Be Near a Sink?
It is better if your washing machine is near a laundry sink. You need both for the cleaning process in your laundry. For instance, you may have to pre-soak a cloth before you toss it in the washing machine. You can also clean the washer’s drawer in the sink. For these reasons and many more, the washing machine should not be too far apart from the laundry sink.
Cleaning Your Washer’s Drawer in the Laundry Sink
Your laundry sink is also a good place to wash your washer’s detergent drawer. If you don’t wash the drawer regularly enough, it may become grungy after some time. This will be easier to do if the washing machine is near the sink. Can you use the laundry sink to wash your hands? Check out this article titled, can you wash your hands in a utility sink for more information.
Trapping Hair and Lint with the Laundry Sink
It’s good to let your washer’s drain hose empty into the laundry sink rather than directly into the pipes. That way, the sink can serve as a filter for hair and fabric lint that washed off your clothes. If you don’t filter them, they will head toward the pipe and cause plumbing problems.
✅ Video – Home Projects: How to Install a Basement Utility/Laundry Sink
This video shows the step-by-step process of installing a utility sink in your basement. You will see all the project components and tools used. And you will see how easy it is to install a laundry sink. If you have been anxious about installing a laundry sink, this video will boost your confidence. Watch it now and see for yourself.
Other Utility Sink Functions in the Home
Aside from laundry-related functions, you can use the utility sink to shower your houseplants. The sink can also be used to wash the mud off different items. You can also use it to bathe your pets, wash large pots during holidays and in restaurants. What’s more, you can use the utility sink to perform several other cleaning functions.
You Can Clean Off Mud With Utility Sinks
You can have a utility sink inside your mudroom. That way, you can wash your sand-covered flip-flops and muddy boots in there before you enter the home. You can also shower your houseplants and clean off the mud on them in the utility sink. It would be the perfect place to wash the mess and drain them away.
Mop water is also usually filled with lots of mess, so you should be careful where you dump it. The utility sink is a good place to dump the messy water. It has a large basin that can contain splashes.
More so, mop water can contaminate your bathtub, kitchen sink, toilet, or any other place you dump it. The only safe place to dump mop water is inside the utility sink. You would not have to bother about the risk of contamination.
The Utility Sink Can Be a Tub for Bathing Pets
Pets can sometimes be quite messy and you need to bathe them. You may not want to bring them into your washroom tub with all the mess. The laundry sink has a large enough basin that you can clean up your pets in it. If you clean up your pet in the bathroom, it may leave your bathtub grudge and litter the bathroom with hair.
If you use the utility sink to clean your pets, there would be a mess there too. But the bathtub is much more difficult to clean than a utility sink. Unlike the bathtub, you can simply wipe down the sink with paper towels.
What is a Utility Sink Used for in a Restaurant?
Utility sinks have an extra-large washbasin. You can wash large roasting pans and pots inside the utility sink in restaurants. You can also use them to wash the large pans and pots used for cooking large meals during the holiday season.
Is a Laundry Room Sink Necessary?
Laundry room sinks can do a lot of things that ordinary sinks cannot do. So it will be worth it if you remodel your home to include a laundry sink. However, if you are planning to sell your home, installing a laundry sink may not be necessary. Buyers will hardly notice that there is no laundry sink in the home. More so, it won’t increase your home’s resale value.
In time past, the best place to put your laundry sink was the basement. But these days, first-floor laundry rooms with a laundry sink are becoming a trend. Consider creating a laundry close to your kitchen or bedroom and install a laundry sink there.
What is the Sink in the Laundry Room Called?
The sink in the laundry room is called “laundry room sink” or “laundry sink” for short. You can also call it a “utility sink”. These sinks have larger basins than the average sink. As such, you can do many things with them that your typical kitchen or bathroom sink cannot handle.
Do You Really Need a Laundry Sink?
You need a laundry sink if it would make things more convenient for you. Installing a laundry sink might also be necessary if it increases your home’s functionality to meet your needs. But if you are planning to resell your house, you may not need to install a laundry sink.
Does a Laundry Room Add Value?
A laundry room on your home’s first floor will add to its resale value. So if your home doesn’t have one, you may want to do some remodeling before putting it out for sale. However, renovating an already existing will not increase your home’s resale value. You can also check out this article that we have written titled, how many gallons does a laundry sink hold? We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Conclusion
As we have discussed so far, laundry sinks serve many beneficial purposes in the home. It is, therefore, worth it if you install one in your home. It will make things more convenient for you. Make sure to install the utility sink close to your washing machine for better functionality.