TIPS FOR AN ERGONOMIC LAUNDRY

We spend enough time in the laundry so let’s make a usually painful chore, strain free.

Raise the bench height

The average bench height is 900mm although this does not suit the average person.  A slightly taller 920mm high bench suits most people and does wonders for improving posture and back pain after all those hours spent folding clothes.

Ensure your appliances are at the right height

Make sure front-loading appliances are at 750mm to 1000mm to save you from bending over uncomfortably at floor level when loading and unloading them.

Choose draws over cupboards

It is much easier to open a draw and quickly locate what you’re looking for than it is to locate the fabric softener at the back of a dusty cupboard on ground level.

 Selecting the right sink and tap

A deep wide sink is crucial to fit buckets in for example. The farmhouse style sink has the ergonomic bonus of letting you get closer to the bowl because there is no bench separating you from the rim of the sink. Consider a laundry tap with a flexible hose and pull-out spray nozzle.

Integrate your ironing board

Integrated ironing boards that swivel smoothly back into your joinery and fold out when needed are a lot more ergonomic than the wobbly portable ironing boards. They are more stable, offer a streamlined look when they’re hidden away and free up tall storage space.

Add functional storage

Irons, mops, brooms, vacuum cleaners… they all need to be stored somewhere and it is easy to forget about these items when designing your laundry.  Rather than tripping over stray objects or straining your back when lifting items off a high shelf, think about the equipment you keep in your laundry then design your storage needs around that.