Washhouse

A washhouse is a room or building equipped with facilities for washing clothes, typically including sinks, tubs, or washing machines. It's a dedicated space designed to handle laundry tasks, often found in older houses, communal living spaces, or industrial settings. Traditionally, washhouses were essential for manual laundry processes, providing access to water, heat, and surfaces for scrubbing and drying clothes. The evolution of washing machines has led to the partial replacement of these facilities; however, some modern communities still maintain communal washhouses for their convenience, as well as housing laundries in communal areas for large families or people without in-unit laundry access.

Washhouse meaning with examples

• Grandma reminisced about the days when the entire family would spend Saturday mornings bustling in the washhouse, scrubbing clothes and sharing stories as water cascaded into the galvanized tubs.
• The tenement building's washhouse was a hub of activity for the residents, a place where they could wash their linens and catch up on neighborhood gossip.
• The community washhouse, with its rows of washing machines and folding tables, offered an affordable and social laundry solution for those who lacked in-unit appliances.
• Before the widespread adoption of washing machines, the washhouse was an integral part of daily life, where the chore of washing was often completed in a social setting.
• After the washing machine broke down, she found a new sense of appreciation when she had to bring her clothes to the local washhouse again.