Imagine the home in 2020

1 minute washing machine
design by : jung hyun cho + Bo Ram,Hong from Korea

designer's own words:

In the future, more people will live by themselves and live on a busy life. I suggest a washing machine that finishes laundry in a minute. The basic design motive comes from the human ‘intestine’ (stomach, small intestine, and large intestine) that manages digestion of food. Corporate identity also is an important factor, so that I took ‘E’ from Electrolux as the design motive. When laundry is put in, it goes through a certain cycle like a relay-race and the washing completes. It is a no-soap washing machine that operates without harmful chemicals which pollutes the environment. Rather, it runs with water changed by electronic decomposition, breaks down protein, washes clothes with great water pressure, eliminates water with vacuum cleaner, and lastly disinfect with ultraviolet sterilizer. All of these processes completes within a minute. Lights appear as the clothes move around, and the ultraviolet wave leaks so that it adds on to the interior beauty of the house.

Engineers design way to recycle shower water into washing machines

Thatcher Michelsen October 10, 2012

Tired of hanging your laundry out to dry? The Washit, a concept washing machine from a team of Turkish designers, recycles shower water to cut down on energy consumption.

 

 

A new design from a team of Turkish engineers may prove to be a boon for both environmental advocates and procrastinators around the world. The concept appliance, known as the Washit, is a device that incorporates a shower stall and a washer-and-dryer system, with the former providing water for usage in the latter. Simply put, your clothes get washed while you wash yourself.
According to technology news website Gizmag, the Washit team recently received the 2012 Hansgrohe Prize for Efficient Water Design, which was awarded by the iF Concept Design Awards, an international program that celebrates and honors green-friendly creations.
The Washit utilizes a closed-water plumbing system that takes water from its internal drain and feeds it into a separate water tank. Three different filtration systems sluice the water through in order to remove any contaminants before it is sent to the laundry portion of the machine. UV radiation is employed during this process to kill off any bacteria or germs before the cleaning process begins.
But the Washit doesn't just wash the clothes – it dries them. In a bid to save energy consumption, the engineering team designed it so that the machine doubles as a dryer. That way, users could theoretically change back into their clothes once their shower is done. According to Gizmag, this means that the Washit could potentially be deployed in gyms, clubs and apartments that lack a washing appliance.
As of now, there are no official plans from the creators of the Washit to produce a commercial-scale version or even to market the current design. However, given the publicity surrounding the project, it's all but certain this idea will be a favorite for those who try to live a low-impact lifestyle.

Orbital Washing Machine

Washing clothes has never been so easy

With the incorporated basket you can load and unload the clothes in the washing machine as easy as 1, 2, 3. This isn’t the only innovative feature. The spherical drum is moving on two axes washing your clothes better than the old washing machines that use only one axe.
 

History of laundry - after 180

Washing clothes and household linen: 19th century laundry methods and equipment 

 

 

 The information here follows on from a page about the earlier history of laundry. Both parts offer an overview of the way clothes and household linen were washed in Europe, North America, and the English-speaking world, and are also a guide to the other laundry history pages on this website. The links take you to more detailed information and more pictures.
A tub of hot water, a washboard in a wooden frame with somewhere to rest the bar of laundry soap in pauses from scrubbing - this is a familiar image of how our great-grandmothers washed the laundry. It's not wrong, but it's only part of the picture. Factory-made washboards with metal or glass scrubbing surfaces certainly spread round the world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and bars of soap were cheap and plentiful by the late 1800s, but there were other ways of tackling the laundry too.




In the idealised images of early advertising or today's nostalgia products, the washtub is on a stand near a bright, breezy clothesline, though in reality it may have been in a cramped kitchen or dark tenement courtyard, or by a tumbledown shack. Alternatives to the classic washboard and tub included dolly tubs (photo left) used with a dolly stick (aka peggy or maiden) in the UK and parts of northern Europe. These were tall tubs, also called possing- or maidening-tubs, in which large items were stirred and beaten with dollies or a plunger on a long handle.
Water could be heated in a large metal boiler or copper on a stove. A big pot boiling over an outdoor fire suited much of rural America. In urban areas there were public laundries: some with hot water and modern equipment, some much simpler and older, like the communal open-air sinks with a water supply in Italian cities. There were washing machines of a kind, but not many homes had them. Ideas from inventors working on washing machines helped improve the design of simple washboards and dollies. A plain wringer was the most common piece of home laundry machinery in 1900.




 There were huge changes in domestic life between 1800 and 1900. Soap, starch, and other aids to washing at home became more abundant and more varied. Washing once a week on Monday or "washday" became the established norm. As the Western world prospered, chemists, factory-owners and advertisers invented and sold more laundry ingredients to more homes. English-speaking countries saw riverside washing, laundry bats, intermittent "great washes", and the use of ashes and lye tail away. Later Victorians thought these methods were old-fashioned or quaint. English travellers sometimes described "foreign" laundry routines as very inferior to the "new" ones they expected of their servants at home.
An 1864 sketch (right) from the American Civil War shows two soldiers hard at work, with equipment old and new. One is using a bat on a washing bench, an almost-forgotten method that was hardly used by the next generation in the USA and UK, though it survived longer in some parts of Europe, along with communal washing by rivers and in washhouses. The other soldier's tub and washboard, though, stayed popular for many years to come. Washboards were also used without a tub; they could be carried to the riverside.





It may seem odd to say that using soap generously was a modern, "advanced" way of tackling dirty laundry, but in 1800 soap was used economically. It was mixed into hot water for the main wash, and extra might be used for spot stain treatment, but everyday linen might still be cleansed with ash lye. Some of the poorer people in Europe continued to wash their "ordinary" things with no soap or minimal soap. Laundry soap was often the cheap, soft, dark soap that was fairly easy to mix into hot water. Before the 19th century hard soap could be made at home by people who had plenty of ashes and fat, with warm, dry weather and salt to set the soap. If you bought it, you would buy a piece cut from a large block.
By the end of the century there were plenty of wrapped bars of commercial, branded laundry soap sold at moderate prices. To mix up a lather, you could grate flakes off the bar of soap, or even buy ready-made soap flakes in a box. Soap powder had been known for a few decades, and from about 1880 it was quite widely available. Developments in science, industry and commerce had a significant impact on household chores.

From the mid-nineteenth century, an overall increase in demand was one of the consequences of rising living standards. A growing concern for cleanliness, associated with health and with fashion in the form of whiteness for clothing items and linen, easily translated into widespread consumption, even as the low cost of soap, starch, and blue enabled their definition both as household necessities and as inputs to an expanding laundry industry.
Roy Church and Christine Clark, Product Development of Branded, Packaged Household Goods in Britain, 1870–1914, Enterprise & Society (Sep 2001)

 Other changes in the course of the century included factory-made metal tubs starting to replace wooden ones. Mass-produced tongs were more affordable and more likely to replace sticks for lifting wet washing. Clotheslines, pegs, and pins became more widespread. Home-made clothes pegs and indoor drying racks were copied and/or improved by manufacturers supplying hardware stores. Improvements in starch production led to a range of products with small differences, packaged differently, and aimed at different users. Laundry blue was no longer a mere ingredient in "blue starch". By the 1870s it was produced in an array of different formats with different packaging gimmicks: wrapped squares, balls, distinctive bags or bottles of liquid bluing. Tinted starches, dyes, and products for restoring faded black clothes while you laundered them were on sale at prices people with modest incomes could afford. Borax and washing soda were packaged under various names. Borax was even used as a brand name for soaps and starches, and promoted as a miracle all-purpose cleaning product.





There were laundry services aimed at the "middling" people too. While the upper classes went on employing washerwomen and/or general servants, there were various cheaper "send-out" laundry services in the later 19th century and early 20th, including laundries that brought both domestic laundry and linen from hotels etc. to a "hand-finished" standard. The simplest were wet wash (US) and bag wash (UK) arrangements where you sent off a bundle of dirty laundry to be washed elsewhere. Ironing was done at home at this bottom end of the market. In some places a mangle woman with a box mangle would charge pennies for pressing household linen and everyday clothing.

History of laundry

Washing clothes and household linen: early laundry methods and tools

Once upon a time a metal washboard and bar of hard soap with a tub of hot water was a new-fangled way of tackling laundry, though today it's a common picture of "old-fashioned" laundering. (Read about this on a page about the later history of laundry in the 1800s.) What went before? How did people wash clothes without the factory-made equipment and cleansing products of the 19th century?
This page is an introduction to the history of washing and drying household linen and clothing over several centuries: from medieval times up until the 19th century. It concerns Europe, North America, and the English-speaking world more than anywhere else. It's not only an overview; it's also a guide to the other laundry history pages on this website. The links take you to more detailed information and more pictures. Along the way you'll find answers to questions that OldandInteresting gets asked a lot - like, "Is it true people used to wash their clothes in urine?".
 

Rivers, rocks, washing bats, boards

 

Washing clothes in the river is still the normal way of doing laundry in many less-developed parts of the world. Even in prosperous parts of the world riverside washing went on well into the 19th century, or longer in rural areas - even when the river was frozen. Stains might be treated at home before being taken to the river. You could take special tools with you to the river to help the work: like a washing bat or a board to scrub on. Washing bats and beetles were also useful for laundering elsewhere, and have been used for centuries, sometimes for smoothing dry cloth too. (See 14th century picture left and 16th century painting above.)
Long thin washing bats are not very different from sticks. Both can be used for moving cloth around as well as for beating the dirt out of it. Doing this with a piece of wood was called possing, and various styles of possers, washing dollies etc. developed as an improvement on plain tree branches. Squarish washing bats could double up as a scrub board. Simple wooden boards can be taken to the riverside, or rocks at the edge of the water may be used as scrubbing surfaces. (The more sophisticated kind of wash board with ridged metal in a wooden frame came later.) Two other techniques for shifting dirt are slapping clothes or trampling with bare feet. (See below left.)



Domestic laundry was often treated like newly woven textiles being "finished". Today we have only vague ideas about how the fabrics in our shop-bought clothes are manufactured, but traditional laundry methods often followed techniques used by weavers, including home weavers.

Lye, bucking, soaking

Soaking laundry in lye, cold or hot, was an important way of tackling white and off-white cloth. It was called bucking, and aimed to whiten as well as cleanse. Coloured fabrics were less usual than today, especially for basic items like sheets and shirts. Ashes and urine were the most important substances for mixing a good "lye". As well as helping to remove stains and encourage a white colour, these act as good de-greasing agents.



Bucking involved lengthy soaking and was not a weekly wash. Until the idea of a once-a-week wash developed, people tended to have a big laundry session at intervals of several weeks or even months. Many women had agricultural and food preparation duties that would make it impossible for them to "waste" time on hours of laundry work every week. If you were rich you had lots of household linen, shirts, underclothing etc. and stored up the dirty stuff for future washing. If you were poor your things just didn't get washed very often. Fine clothing, lace collars and so on were laundered separately.
Soap, mainly soft soap made from ash lye and animal fat, was used by washerwomen whose employers paid for it. Soap was rarely used by the poorest people in medieval times but by the 18th century soap was fairly widespread: sometimes kept for finer clothing and for tackling stains, not used for the whole wash. Starch and bluing were available for better quality linen and clothing. A visitor to England just before 1700 sounded a little surprised at how much soap was used in London:

At London, and in all other Parts of the Country where they do not burn Wood, they do not make Lye. All their Linnen, coarse and fine, is wash'd with Soap. When you are in a Place where the Linnen can be rinc'd in any large Water, the Stink of the black Soap is almost all clear'd away.
M. Misson's Memoirs and Observations in his Travels over England (first published in French, 1698)

Drying, bleaching

 

The Grand Wash or the Great Wash were names for the irregular "spring cleaning" of laundry. Soaking in lye and bucking in large wooden bucking tubs were similar to processes used in textile manufacturing. So was the next stage - drying and bleaching clothes and fabrics out of doors. Sunshine helped bleach off-white cloth while drying it. Sometimes cloth was sprinkled at intervals with water and/or a dash of lye to lengthen the process and enhance bleaching.
Towns, mansions, and textile weavers had an area of mown grass set aside as a bleaching ground, or drying green, where household linens and clothing could be spread on grass in the daylight. Early settlers in America established communal bleaching areas like those in European towns and villages. Both washing and drying were often public and/or group activities. In warmer parts of Europe some cities provided communal laundry spaces with a water supply.
 


People also dried clothes by spreading them on bushes. Large houses sometimes had wooden frames or ropes for drying indoors in poor weather. Outdoor drying frames and clotheslines are seen in paintings from the 16th century, but most people would have been used to seeing laundry spread to dry on grass, hedgerows etc. Clothes pegs/pins seem to have been rare before the 18th century. Pictures show sheets etc. hung over clotheslines with no pegs.

Richmond, Virginia in the 1770s:
Customers took their laundry to washerwomen's homes and returned there to collect clean clothes.... ...Much washing took place in public. ... washerwomen "boyle[d]...the cloaths with soap" ... Laundresses then gathered near the market house where Shockoe Creek approached the James River. They "washed in the stream" and then allowed clothes to dry on a nearby pasture...
James Sidbury, Ploughshares into Swords: Race, Rebellion, and Identity in Gabriel's Virginia, 1730-1810
Quotes and info from Journal of John Harrower: An Indentured Servant in the Colony of Virginia 1773 1776

Washit

Washit

The green way of washing clothes.

Designers: Ahmet Burak Aktas, Salih Berk Ilhan, Adem Onalan, Burak Soylemez

Washit is a product that simply combines a small washing machine with a shower cabinet which enables user to wash his/her own clothes with the same water that he/she uses while showering. This concept brings lots of advantages both in domestic life and pubic usage such as fitness centers, festivals or airports.  

 

 

 

 

Why Washit?

Washit is a product that changes our daily routines. It is responsible to our most precious resource: water. With Washit, washing clothes in piles will become a thing of the past. Every time that user wants to take a shower, it will be an opportunity to wash his/her a few pieces of clothes without using any extra water

 

 

Washit can be modified specially for public usage. The washing machine part of the Washit is accessible from inside, which enables user to take off his/her clothes and put them into the machine from the inside of the cabinet. Public Washit has the ability to refresh clothes with Airwash technology which enables user to take his/her clothes back quickly, without bad odors and sweat.

 

How it works?
Washit has a closed plumbing system with 2 water pumps, 3 filters (carbon, organic and chemical) , 1 heater, UV filters and a water storage unit. While user is having a shower, Washit gather graywater from shower cabinet to the water storage via filters. So all the water in storage is cleaned and ready to be used again either for showering and washing clothes. After the shower, user can take back his washed clothes or leave them there for Washit to dry. Washit refills itself from water main in case of water loss. 

 

 

Laundry Makes a Clean Break With Its Own Room

Laundry rooms are often a luxury nowadays, but a washer-dryer nook in a kitchen, office or hallway will help you sort things out

How is your new washing machine going to fit into your kitchen

The average washing machine measures between 80-90cm high, 50-60cm wide and 50-60cm deep, so the first decision you have to make is where in your kitchen it will fit. You also need to consider if you want a freestanding machine that will be on display in your kitchen, or if you’d prefer a built in/integrated model, which will be hidden away behind a matching cupboard door.

• Freestanding washing machines are ideal if you are happy to have it on display in your kitchen. They’re fairly easy to install as they can just be slotted into place. The average kitchen top is 85-90cm high and perfect for placing a washing machine underneath, but make sure you measure the height of your kitchen surface before buying.
  
  
• Built in/integrated washing machines are designed to be disguised behind furniture doors to keep a streamlined look and feel in your kitchen. They have a flat front, as well as space to attach door hinges, so they can be completely hidden from view and won’t draw attention away from your kitchen design.
  

When you come to fit your new washing machine, it’s important to remember that it must be placed within reach of a water supply and a waste water pipe, which can usually be found under your sink. Most washing machines are cold fill, so they only need to be connected to a cold water supply.

The washing machine designed for your bathroom

Washing machines look like 'bathroom furniture'

19 April 2010

Electrolux's washing machine concept is a compact wall-mounted or freestanding washing machine designed to blend in with your bathroom cupboards.

The design concept - dubbed 'Shine' - consists of a freestanding washing machine that sits under the bathroom sink (pictured, right) and a wall-mounted washing machine able to 'seamlessly integrate' with your bathroom cupboards.
Research conducted by the company suggests that 39% of Europeans have their washing machine in the bathroom rather than in the kitchen or a utility room. This design idea aims to look 'more like bathroom furniture than just a washing machine'.

Bathroom washing machines

Extra features, such as ambient lighting on the washing machine doors, have been included to complement the bathroom environment, particularly the idea of the modern bathroom doubling up as 'relaxation room'.
Which? washing machine expert Vivienne Fitzroy said: 'This is just a design concept at the moment, so you won't see these washing machines on sale any time soon - but it's interesting to see manufacturers adapting their designs based on where people are actually storing and using their appliances. However, because of its compact size, we wouldn't expect this machine to be able to tackle large washing loads in one go.'
Electrolux confirmed our suspicions. The company told Which? the wall-mounted version of the washing machine would hold 1.5kg of washing - equivalent to seven shirts - while the freestanding model would hold 3kg of washing, or around 15 shirts.

No room for a utility room? Make space under your stairs.

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a designated room for our washing machine, tumble dryer and cleaning products. But- that doesn’t mean you have to go without.
Here is an ingenious idea for creating a compact but perfectly functional utility room under your stairs. After the chore of laundry is done and dusted you can simply close the door and forget about it.
This is an especially good idea if you are buying a new machine as newer; more Eco-friendly washing machines tend to be compact. If your stairs back on to a kitchen wall it may be possible to connect a washer there for a small investment, saving you space in your kitchen and reducing the noise.
With the correct planning (and a bit of luck as to the size of your cupboard) you could potentially fit: a washing machine, an ironing board, a folding clothes rack, a broom and a shelf to store your washing products.
However, it is worth considering what function your under-stair cupboard currently has, does it hold shoes and the hoover? Or is it full of junk that might be better located in the attic, shed or taken to a car boot sale?

How to:

• Use the central space for the washing machine itself.
• Do not push against the side of the wall as these created spaces are ideal for tall objects such as an ironing board or broom.
• Use shelving wood to create a ‘table’ or large shelf above for further storage. Depending on the height of your stairs it is possible to create two tiers of shelves, or use the extra space under one shelf for pegs.

Work out what is best for your home and for your lifestyle, it is a question of organization and waste management to keep junk to a minimum and live a clutter-free lifestyle.

http://www.hippobag.co.uk/room-utility-room-space-stairs/

Can a washing machine or tumble dryer be installed in a bathroom?

Current-using equipment, which includes washing machines, tumble dryers and central heating boilers may be installed in a room containing a bath or shower, provided all the requirements of BS 7671 are complied with.
Part 6 of BS 7671, which supplements the general requirements of the Standard, requires additional safety measures based on the increased risk of electric shock in a room containing a bath or shower. Four zones are considered. Zone 0, which is the interior of the bath tub or shower basin, is the zone where the risk is greatest. Zones 1, 2 and 3 are mainly defined by dimensions from the bath tub or shower basin. The perceived risk of electric shock is progressively reduced as the zone number increases.
A washing machine installed up to 3 metres, but not less than 600 mm, from a bath tub or shower basin will be in zone 3. Regulation 601-09-03 permits current-using equipment to be installed in zone 3 provided it is suitable for the location and, if the equipment is not fixed, the circuit supplying it is protected by an RCD with a rated residual current not exceeding 30 mA.
Electrical equipment intended to be used in a room containing a bath or shower is required to be suitable for the conditions in the zone in which it is to be used. Even where all the relevant installation requirements have been met, the agreement of the manufacturer of the current using equipment should be sought as to its suitability in the particular location, if this is not specifically detailed in the installation or user instructions.

Plumbing Basics

 Fixture piping size

Kitchen sink

This fixture serves a variety of purposes such as dish washing, cleaning of food, rinsing out articles of clothing, and several others. As a result, waste water discharges vary in composition, and the pipes drawing off this waste must be prepared to handle maximum drainage problems. A I 1/2"-diameter waste pipe is considered to be the minimum size to use for a kitchen sink, but common practice is to allow a margin of safety by using 2" pipe. The nature of the wastes from this fixture also makes the need for adequate cleanouts apparent.


Wash bowl

The problem here is similar to that described above, except that solid waste does not occur in sufficient quantity to require a very large waste pipe. The minimum may be 1 1/4", but 1 1/2" pipe will provide a safety margin.


Bath

Since waste from this fixture is mostly water with few solids present, little trouble occurs with its waste piping. A minimum 1 1/2" pipe will suffice for the bathtub in normal circumstances.
Showers

Here again you have the same kind of waste as found in the bathtub, but due to the large amount of water released over a short period, a minimum of 2" pipe is suggested.


Water closet

Common practice has long been to use pipe with a 4" internal diameter, but in recent years 3" copper tubing has been finding increased use.


Washing machine

Washing machine frequently use the same drain as the kitchen sink, especially when they are a combination fixture. If they are in combination, use 2" pipe; if not, 1 1/2" pipe will probably work successfully.

Where do you keep your washing machine?

If not planned in advance, washing machines can be a cumbersome experience for most of us. Did you know that for reliable operation, washing machines have a few installation tips which need to fulfilled?

If you are about to construct a home or move into one, please consider placing your washing machine in a dedicated place at your home. Some points here are:

• Place the washing machine outside your bathroom as it stays dry and lasts longer too.
• The location for washing machine needs three main facilities. The first one is water outlet for the used water to flow out. Carefully discussing the requirements with your builder/architect can result in practical solutions to this problem. To sum it up, any wall can have an outlet if it is planned in advance.
• The second facility that is required is running water supply. If you have the means to afford warm water wash and if your machine supports two inlets, then this is an option. For the majority of users, running cold water is sufficient to wash their clothes. Make sure that the tap/fitting is carefully done. If not ensured, water can drip and flood the interiors of your home.
• The last thing in this list is an electrical socket with a switch. Make sure you select 15A socket (fuse is optional) for your washing machine.

Some people consider raising the platform for the washing machines. This is especially true for “front loading” machines where the height may not be sufficient. Ensuring that the floor on which the washing machine rests is flat will make the operation smooth and reduce vibrations.
Some of the typical installations of washing machines that could be avoided include:

• Having the washing machine inside the bathroom where it is subject to water sprays from shower, taps and increases the risk of corrosion.
• Having the washing machine just outside the bathroom where the bathroom serves as the water outlet and also provides the machine with the needed water for its operation.
• Having the washing machine in the kitchen!
• Having the washing machine near the balcony where there maybe a common exhaust.

History of Washing Machines: Who Invented the Washing Machine?

When people first started washing their clothes, it was done by pounding them against rocks and then washing away the dirt in a stream or river. While on-board ships, the crew used to put their dirty clothes in a cloth sack and tie a rope around the top. They would then drop the bag overboard and let the water agitate the clothes in the wake of the ship. There is evidence that ancient laundry detergent was made from the ashes of sacrificial animals in Rome. Other soaps include the use of perfumes and lye.

Washing clothes by hand was one of the most difficult tasks of housekeeping until the invention of the washer. It was very tiring to the arms of the women and the lye often caused burns. Women often hired out help with the laundry or took it to a cleaner who used the same process.

It took many years for the washing machine to develop into what most people are familiar with today. You can now find machines that steam your clothes, wash in two different fabric cycles within the same load, and those that use only a few gallons of water. Advances in technology have certainly brought about huge changes in washing machines and their use.

Two Types of Hand Washers

In 1797, the very first washing machine of sorts was invented. It was a scrub board. This allowed women to quit pounding the laundry against a rock. In 1851, James King invented the drum washing machine, but it was still a hand powered washer. This machine used a hand powered spinner to agitate the water.

Rotary/Spinning Washing Machine

The first rotary washing machine was patented in 1858 by Hamilton Smith. Less than 20 years later, in 1874, William Blackstone presented his wife with a birthday present. It was the first washer designed to get rid of dirt in clothes by washing it away. He had made the machine convenient for use in the home. However, most of these machines were made of steel and had heavy, dirty lids. Some were actually made with wooden tubs.

The Thor

The first completely electric washing machine was called The Thor. The Hurley Machine Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, introduced this machine in 1908. The washing machines had an electric motor and a large, galvanized tub. The washer was actually invented by Alva Fisher and a patent was issued in 1910. One of the biggest problems with the early electric machines was that the water would drip down in to the electrical wiring and would result in shorts, sparks, or shocks.

A Few Interesting Facts About Famous Washing Machine Companies
In 1893, F.L. Maytag started a farm implement company. When business seemed slow in the winter, he decided to add a wooden tub washer in 1907. Soon, he began to make washing machines full time and Maytag was born.
Whirlpool actually began in 1911 as Upton Machine Company. Located in St. Joseph, Michigan, it started with the wringer washer with an electric motor.
The Schulthess Group has been around over 150 years. They started production of the first washers in 1909. They also backed the inventions of a punched card control for those washers in 1949. By 1951, the Schulthess Group started producing Europe's automatic washers.

General Electric was the first company to actually produce a washing machine that had five different push buttons. These were used to control the water temperature, spin speed, and the agitation speed. This was in 1957. This finally brought the washing machine to something that resembles what the world is used to today

Fitted Bathroom

Fitted kitchen

Washing machine - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Compactness: True front-loading machines may be installed underneath counter-height work surfaces. A front-loading washing machine, in a fully fitted kitchen, may even be disguised as a kitchen cabinets. These models can also be convenient in homes with limited floor area, since the clothes dryer may be installed directly above the washer ("stacked" configuration).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_machine

Washing Machines for Small Spaces

Small apartments always need smart solutions and practical ideas to save space as much as it’s possible, and when you live in a small apartment, your bathroom isn’t big enough to accommodate the washing machine and of course you don’t have a space for a laundry room. That’s why Smeg came up with this brilliant idea to help you benefit perfectly from your bathroom space even if it is very small; they presented their recent product -LBL16RO- which is a washing machine combined with a practical sink! LBL16RO is a wonderful solution to save space in the bathroom; it doesn’t take but the space of a small washbasin but it contains under it a very functional washing machine that is equipped with the most recent technological systems to help the modern housewife such as; 15 washing programs, Delay timer, Automatic variable load, Variable spin speed from 600 up to 1600 rpm, Extra large 300 mm porthole, Self cleaning pump & filter and Door safety lock. It is also equipped with an Electronic display panel with 5 Buttons: start/pause, rapid wash, easy iron, spin, and extra rinse. With a total dimension of: 310 mm W x 330 mm L x 130 mm D, the sink includes a stainless steel mixer and drain. Besides all these advantages, LBL16RO looks very stylish with a lovely retro look inspired by the 50s style and a pretty pink colour; it could beautifully decorate any modern bathroom in a practical way. It is also available in a pastel blue version.

Are all new washing machines the same size?

The majority of UK washing machines are roughly 850mm high, and 595 - 600mm wide. They can vary much more on depth though, which is usually less critical because a washing machine that's deeper than average will still fit in the space, it will just stick out a bit more. Most budget and mid-priced washing machines should be the same dimensions give or take a few millimetres. Most UK households install a washing machine under a work surface in a fitted kitchen. If a washing machine's size deviates from the standard size then they will lose sales. More expensive, quality machines are aimed more at the kind of people who have separate laundry rooms. If one of these washing machines is slightly bigger, it won't matter because they will normally be free standing.
Always check the measurements, especially if the space available for it is not generous. Don't overlook the depth of a new washing machine, which can cause problems in kitchens where a door or drawer opens just in front of the washer. The main things to watch for are control panels, buttons, doors and control knobs that stick out much more than your previous machine did, which may prevent a drawer from sliding out, or a cupboard door from opening.

Man dies of electrocution

Man dies of electrocution

By Sebugwaawo Ismail / 9 November 2007

RAS AL KHAIMAH — A 34-year-old Pakistani died yesterday after electrocution in the shower room in the Al Burairat area. Shafik Mohammed Rafik, an employee of the drilling company, Al Wahda Group, was electrocuted while using the washing machine at his labour camp.
According to one of his supervisors at work, Rafik had gone out of the shower room after placing his clothes in the washing machine. In the mean time, one of his colleagues, who was not identified, used the shower and left the tap running. When Rafik resumed washing the clothes, he got electrocuted. He died on the way to the Saqr Hospital.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2007/November/theuae_November204.xml&section=theuae 

But, Is it practical AND SAFE to have a washing machine in the bathroom?

QUESTION >>>

"Hi,
 
Do you think its practical to have a washing machine in the bathroom? Our bathroom is very large and there are electricity plugs. (Past owners had a tumble dryer in the bathroom).
We would like to put a dishwasher in the place of the washing machine in the kitchen, as there is not enough space for both?
Are there any complications that we should consider when putting a washing machine in the bathroom, besides the obvious plumbing that will have to take place.
A minor irritation for me would be to carry wet clothes down to the wash line, but other than that, I cant see a problem."

ANSWER  >>> 

That's all very well but did they do the installation in accordance with the regulations? 

Washing machines, tumble dryers, washer-dryers and other appliances ratedIPX4 may be sited in zone 2 if they cannot be reasonably sited in zone 3 or beyond. All such appliances must NOT be supplied by a socket, but by fixed wiring outlets and protected by a 30mA RCD.

I have been told that it is possible to have a washing machine fitted into a bathroom, is this true?
Yes it is possible but it is not as straight forward as a simple Yes. The bathroom is split onto varying 'zones'. Each zone represents an area of the bathroom as per new electrical regulations affecting bathrooms. The majority of UK bathrooms do not fall within zone 3 as they are too small, e.g. electrical appliances in zone 3 must be 2.4 m away from a water outlet and as most UK bathrooms are 8' x 6', this is virtually impossible. However, firstly you must contact the manufacturer of the washing machine to ensure that the appliance is suitable for bathroom/shower room installation. Secondly the electricity supply must be protected by a residual operating current.

Zone 1 is areas that are likely to get wet e.g. around and above baths (steam, condensation, etc) and obviously in shower cubicles. Zone 2 is area likely to get splashed (lesser than zone 1) e.g. around sinks. Zone 3 is beyond that as as previous post said, 2.4 mtrs away from water outlets.
Same zones apply for lighting which also needs to have the correct IP (Ingres Protection) rating for the zone it is cited in. Go into any DIY store and look at the information on the boxes of downlighter sets, explaines the zones and the IP ratings for the lights.
It is against the regulations to have any electrical appliance in the bathroom.
any electrical accessories.ie light switch must be positioned out of reach of any person using bath or wash basin.The only socket permitted is a special shaver socket which is not connected to  A power source.
No qualified electrician would fit a washing maching or tumble dryer,since he could end up in court, or worse if a incident might happen.
THE IEE regs are very specific about bathrooms.
A bathroom, because of water and earthed fittings and also persons may be unclothed is definitely a NO GO area for ANY supply of electricity.

Disguised washer and dryer

Home Design disguised washer and dryer ideas...

Check more of them them out here!
http://www.houzz.com/disguised-washer-and-dryer

Environmental Health

Food Safety

A Guide to Running a Food Business from Home

This guidance will answer some of the important questions you may have and provide information you need to prepare and handle food safely at home.

Introduction

If you are preparing or handling food on a regular basis at home that is to be consumed somewhere else or by someone else, then this guide applies to you.
This guidance will help you meet the requirements of the hygiene regulations. It will also provide the information you need to show you produce safe food.
If you are preparing or handling food at home and it is eaten by members of the public (even if it is free to consumers), it is your responsibility to make sure your food does not make people ill.
Extra care must be taken if you provide food for vulnerable groups. These include young children under 5, pregnant women, older people over 65 or anyone who is ill or immuno-compromised.
Who does this apply to?
This applies to everyone who prepares or handles food at home whether for weddings, parties, group meetings such as lunch clubs, church and village halls, social clubs who provide food for members, cake makers, community centre’s, child minders, farmers markets and boot fair or market stalls that sell food.
Will I be inspected?
Each person preparing or handling food at home will be assessed individually to determine if your operation is deemed to be a commercial food business. South Ayrshire Council Environmental Health Office will advise you on this. Contact details are provided at the end of this guidance. If your business is considered to be a commercial food business, then your kitchen will be inspected.
If you prepare food at the site where it is to be eaten, then your business can be registered at that premises address and your home will not be inspected – your business will be covered by that premises registration.

Food safety guidance

There are food safety issues that you need to control to ensure food is produced safely. You should have an understanding of the hazards in your business and do all you can to minimise the risks from these hazards. This is called HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point).
For example: Risk of bacterial survival due to inadequate cooking. The control would be to ensure food is cooked thoroughly (i.e. 75oC or above). Temperature records should therefore be kept as evidence that food has reached a safe temperature.
South Ayrshire Council Environmental Health can offer additional support to assist in compliance with this legal requirement.
Further information can also be found in the Food Standards Agency’s CookSafe guidance or equivalent which can be viewed at www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/regulation/hygleg/hyglegresources/cookretailscotland/cooksafe/.

 

Questions and answers

Do I need food hygiene training

If you intend to run a food business from home, you must ensure you have good knowledge of food hygiene.
You are required to have adequate food hygiene knowledge commensurate with your work activity and should be able to show that you have had suitable training.
A certificate in food hygiene (i.e. REHIS Elementary Food Hygiene) is generally accepted. For further information on local courses, contact the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland on 0131 229 2968 or alternatively visit www.rehis.com/community-training/training-centres/south-west-scotland for a list of local course providers.
Funding is available from the Scottish Executive to help towards the cost of undertaking training courses. This is known as an Individual Learning Account and, as such, the level of funding is dependent on the applicant’s income. Further information can be obtained at www.ilascotland.org.uk or Tel: 0808 100 1090.

What about registration?

It is a requirement that all food businesses have to register their business with the Local Authority. New businesses must register at least 28 days before starting up. Registration is free and a form is attached. Alternatively, you can complete the registration form online at http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/environmentalhealth/foodsafety/registration.aspx.
Once completed and returned, an officer will contact you to make an appointment to carry out an initial inspection. After this, inspections, if required, may be unannounced.

Do I need to have a new kitchen?

This is very difficult to answer as it will depend on what food you are doing and how much you are producing. However in the majority of cases the kitchen you have is normally acceptable.
A wash hand basin, with hot water, soap and towels, must be easily accessible from the kitchen, preferably in the kitchen itself, and should be designated for hand-washing only. The E.coli 0157 Control of Cross-Contamination Guidance produced by the Food Standards Agency recommends the use of a liquid hand wash that has disinfectant properties conforming to European Standards BS EN 1499:1997.
There should be adequate facilities available for washing and sanitising equipment. This will generally mean a double sink or a single sink and dishwasher. A suitable food grade sanitiser or disinfectant should be used that meets the European Standards BS EN 1276:1997 or BS EN 13697:2001 as outlined in the above guidance. This information will appear on the product label. For a disinfectant to be effective in destroying bacteria, the correct dilution and contact time must be followed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
There are a number of different types of cleaning products on the market and confusion between these can lead to poor disinfection, allowing harmful bacteria to remain on a surface. As a general guide:

• Detergents are used for general cleaning. These do not have disinfectant properties.
• Disinfectants are capable of destroying harmful bacteria when applied to visibly clean surfaces.
• Sanitisers are a combination of disinfectant and detergent. This means the same product can be used to clean and disinfect the surface.

Surfaces should be in good repair, non-absorbent and capable of being cleaned, including floor surfaces (carpets are not recommended due to their absorbent nature). A surface sanitiser should also be used having regard to the standards above.
The kitchen should be well lit and ventilated to prevent the build-up of heat and condensation which could cause mould growth.
The best way to find out if your existing kitchen is acceptable is to allow an officer to call before you decide to start your business. They will help and advise you and there is no fee.

Do I need separate storage?

Yes, you must keep food you prepare and ingredients for your business separate from domestic food. Don't panic as this can be a separate cupboard, separate shelves in a fridge, or a separate compartment in a freezer.

I have pets; can I still cater from my home?

Ideally all pets should be kept out of the kitchen at all times. However, they must be kept out of the kitchen while food is being prepared and the kitchen must be thoroughly washed and disinfected before preparation begins.

Am I allowed to have my washing machine and dryer in my kitchen?

Ideally washing machines and dryers should be located outside food rooms. In some circumstances this is not possible, and in these instances, NO laundry should be done while food is being prepared. Any laundry that is needed for the food business such as overalls, aprons, cloths, tea towels, etc should be washed separately from domestic laundry.

Can my children help me?

Young children and toddlers should be kept out of the kitchen while you prepare food for your business.

I have an order of food to prepare but have been unwell, can I still do it?


If you are unwell then you should not prepare food, particularly if you have food poisoning or a diarrhoea and sickness illness. You should wait until you have been free of all symptoms for at least 48 hours before preparing food for your business.

Cross Contamination

 

Why is it important to prevent cross-contamination?

Foods such as raw meats, shell eggs and unwashed raw vegetables can contain harmful bacteria. These can be spread to ready to eat foods by direct contact or via people, animals and surfaces. Safe handling practices will reduce the chance of transferring harmful bacteria from raw food to cooked/ready to eat food. This is known as cross-contamination prevention.

How can I prevent cross-contamination?

The following points should be considered:

• Maintain good personal hygiene at all times
• Thoroughly wash hands after handling raw foods & before touching other food or equipment. Effective hand-washing takes time and requires effective technique (see attached poster).
• Store raw food in the bottom of the fridge below cooked/ready to eat foods
• Sinks for washing food must be adequately cleaned & disinfected after use along with surrounding areas which may be affected by splashes.
• Separate equipment and utensils must be used for raw & cooked/ready to eat foods
• You must ensure you have separate chopping boards for separate tasks. For example, raw and cooked foods. Coloured boards help you keep clear separation. E.g. red = raw, blue = fish, green = veg etc. As long as you have enough boards to prepare food separately and safely and they are clearly marked then you do not have to purchase coloured chopping boards.

 

What are the basic rules?

 

Remember:

• Wear suitable, clean, washable, protective clothing when preparing food.
• Wash your hands frequently but especially after handling raw foods, after using the toilet, touching pets, and gardening.
• Do not smoke while preparing food.
• Keep pets out of the kitchen.
• Store food in fridges at 0-5°C, maximum 8oC.
• Store food in freezers at -18°C.
• Store raw food at the bottom of your fridge and cooked food at the top.
• Use separate utensils for raw and cooked foods.
• Do not leave food uncovered or at room temperature for long periods of time.

Labelling and packaging of food

• Any food that is pre-packed or produced for sale to another business must be properly labelled and packaged. Further advice can be obtained from your local Environmental Health Office.
• Visit the Food Standards Agency website for more information on labelling.

The law and regulations

If you do prepare or handle food at home then the Food Hygiene Regulations apply to you.
The main regulations are as follows: -

• Regulation EC No. 178/2002
• Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006
• Regulation EC No. 852/2004

The above legislation can be viewed at: www.legislation.gov.uk

Contact Details

South Ayrshire Council
Environmental Health
3rd Floor Burns House
Burns Statue Square
Ayr
KA7 1UT
Telephone: 0300 123 0900
Fax: 01292 288755
Email: environmental.health@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Save space in a small bathroom with “Washup”

The “Washup” is a conceptual design integrating a washing machine with toilette-flush. This new concept is a sustainable and space saving water consumption device that reuses the water that cleans the clothes in the washer to flush the toilet. The “Washup” is certainly a great solution for the problem of location of washing machines in small bathrooms, and I’m sure that this concept would be something that every small place owner will want. And the second part of this a smart idea is that this “toilet + washing machine” conserves lots of water that would normally just be flushed away, something good for our planet.

The ideal solution for small spaced bathrooms, Is this the future for bathroom furnishing on a 'small' budget? ....

Inspirational Luxury Modern Big Bathroom Ideas

This is Big Bathroom design idea from HIA Australian Award 2008. Bubbles Bathrooms won both Bathroom Project of the Year and Bathroom Designer of the Year. Both their projects are very big bathtub design with a lot of things inside. Both bathrooms made in similar light beige and brown colours although materials are completely different

Source: http://www.gandana.com/tag/contemporary-big-bathroom-design/#ixzz26dviQp9e

I know what you're thinking... the people who live here probably have a laundry or utility room for their washing... right? But why is it that a washing machine is never taken into consideration as a prime appliance for the bathroom? Especially when it comes to contemporary modern environments...

Using electrical equipment in the bathroom - IEE Wiring Regulations

17th edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations

the zones - protection - equipment for bathrooms - use of equipment

 

Using electrical equipment in bath or shower rooms has always needed care to ensure safety. The IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition) identified particular zones within the bathroom to indicate what type of electrical equipment that can be installed, these zones have now been updated by the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations.

This post is given for guidance only, always refer to the current IEE Wiring Regulations or a qualified electrician to ensure that you are guided by the latest regulations/code of practice. 

The zones

The 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations redefined the zones for electical equipment in bathrooms and must be used for installations designed after 30th June 2008. They are now identified from 0 to 2, with 0 being the wettest - the previous zone 3 is no longer defined.

Zone 0

The interior of the bath or shower which can hold water.

Zone 1

The area directly above zone 0 limited vertically to 2.25m above the bottom of the bath or shower.
Also 1.2m horizontally from the centre of a shower outlet to the height of the outlet or 2.25m whichever is the higher.

Zone 2

The area beyond zones 0 and 1, 0.6m horizontally and up to 2.25m vertically. Zone 2 also included any recessed window with a sill next to the bath.

Note:

• Providing that the space under the bath cannot be accessed without using tools (i.e. screwdriver etc), that space is considered to be 'out of scope'.

Protection

All electrical circuits within bathrooms must be protected by Residual Current Devices (RCD) not excedding 30mA. This applies all electical equipment whether it is controlled a switch in the bathroom or remotely switched.

Equipment for bathrooms

Electrical equipment may be identified as having a certain level of mechanical and moisture protection, these are quoted as 'Ingress Protection' (or IP) numbers - such as 'IPXY', where X and Y are numbers, the X showing the level of mechanical protection and Y showing the level of moisture protection - in both cases, the higher the number, the better the protection. If a piece of equipment does not have an IP number, it must not be used in zones 0, 1 or 2 (or elsewhere having a wet/damp environment).
Typical electrical items which are marked with IP numbers include:

• Extractor fans
• Lighting
• Heaters
• Electrical shower units
• Shower pumps

Shaver power points are not IP rated, however, if they comply with BS EN 60742 Chapter 2, Section 1, they can be located in zone 2 (or beyond) providing they are unlikely be be the subject of direct spray from any shower.
As well as IP numbers, items may be classed as PELV or SELV.

• Protective Extra-Low Voltage (PELV) - As the name suggests, the item uses low voltage but it is connected to earth.
• Separated Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) - Again a low voltage system but the output is isolated from the input.

Standard electrical wall fittings (such as wall sockets, flexible cord outlets and fused switches etc) are not IP rated so cannot be installed within zones 0, 1 or 2. No standard socket outlets are allowed within 3m of the outer limit of zone 1, and any socket fitted would be on a RCD protected circuit (as per Protection above).

Use of Equipment

Any electrical item approved for use in a zone may be used in another zone with a higher number, but not in a lower number zone.

Zone 0

Requires electrical products to low voltage (max. 12 volts) and be IPX7 (the mechanical protection is unimportant).

Zone 1

Requires electrical products to be IPX4 or better, or SELV with the transformer located beyond zone 2.

Zone 2

Requires electrical products to be IPX4 or better, or SELV with the transformer located beyond zone 2.

Beyond zone 2

When the size of bathroom extends beyond zone 2, portable equipment is allowed, however they should be positioned such that that their flex length does not enable them to be used in zone 2.

OK! Magazine: First For Celebrity News :: Bizarre :: Amy Childs manages to vajazzle everything, even washing machines

OK! Magazine: First For Celebrity News :: Bizarre :: Amy Childs manages to vajazzle everything, even washing machines

TOWIE star has teamed up with Indesit to design stickers and jewels for kitchen appliances

 

OK! Magazine - Thursday 31 May 2012

ABOVE: Amy Childs dressed up as she showed off the Indesit bling

As you can see from the above article, the washing machine is a clear and acceptable  kitchen appliance that in a property of that size would most definitely accommodate the washing machine in any other location.....

The washing machine debate. The UK against the rest fo the world?

When i was in the UK i kept mine in the kitchen. That is where I have always had a washing machine (apart from one house which had more space for a utility room, it was in there in that house).

I think it is a British thing to have a washing machine in the kitchen or utility room. Maybe it is just tradition there, although there is also legislation about electrics in bathrooms - you are not allowed electrical sockets (although I think you can have shaving sockets, but not sure) in bathrooms. You also are not allowed to have a light switch in a bathroom - a pull cord one is fine, just not a push type switch. This legislation would stop anyone putting a washing machine in the bathroom (aside from the fact many UK bathrooms are barely big enough for bathroom furniture to start with!).

Now, I'm in Italy, though, i have quite a large apartment where the washing machine is in the utility room but space also to go in the bathroom where there is also a Bede. I have to admit I don't mind the idea! It does make some sense... but, where should it really go?