[China: World Residence Tour] Why do they install washing machines in the bathroom or laundry area?

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Because of the differences in room facilities and layouts between Japan and China, there are also differences in laundry, from where to put the washing machine to where to hang clothes. In this article, I would like to introduce the laundry habits of Chinese people.

Why do they install the washing machine in the bathroom or laundry area?

In Japan, washing machines are often installed in the washroom. By placing the washing machine in the washroom, it is possible to consolidate the water area in one place and put undressed clothes near the machine. In China, however, there are no dedicated places for washing machines, so where to put them depends on the layout of the home. Nevertheless, the Chinese consumers registered in Consumer Life Panorama have shown a certain degree of tendency in where they place their washing machines.

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An example of a washing machine in the laundry area
（Source: Lifestyle database Consumer Life Panorama）
（For an overview of Consumer Life Panorama here）

An analysis of the households registered in Consumer Life Panorama shows that there are two types of households: those that install near the bathroom and those that install in the laundry area. Installing them in the bathroom would make it more convenient to organize the water, while installing them in the laundry area would make it more convenient to do everything from washing to drying clothes. Each could have its own merits. In addition, balconies are often used as laundry areas in China because they are also private spaces.

Selecting a washing machine type and drying area

The choice of drying place depends on many things, but first of all, it is related to the type of washing machine used. The consumers registered in Consumer Life Panorama are divided into two groups: those who own top-loading washing machines and those who own front-loading washing machines. Top-loading washing machines do not basically have a dry function, so the clothes need to be dried somewhere.

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Example of top loading type
（Source: Consumer Life Panorama database）
（For an overview of Consumer Life Panorama here）

In Japan, bathroom dryers are sometimes installed, and it is convenient to wash clothes in the washroom and then dry them indoors in the adjacent bathroom. This way, the line of flow from washing to drying can be shortened. Other than bathrooms, some families dry their clothes indoors or on balconies.

On the other hand, in China, in many cases, bathrooms are not equipped with bathroom dryers. Also, there are limited places to hang laundry in the room. As a result, many families hang their laundry on balconies.

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Balcony as a drying place
（Source: Consumer Life Panorama database）
（For an overview of Consumer Life Panorama here）

I have already mentioned in the previous column about balconies that balconies in China, unlike those in Japan, are private spaces and are often made into indoor balconies. Such balconies have the advantage of allowing a lot of sunshine and drying clothes without being affected by rainy or snowy days.

Besides that, one of the reasons why many people hang their clothes on indoor balconies is because of the expected disinfectant effect of the sun. When buying real estate in China, balconies are often set up facing south, except for some houses in large cities such as Shanghai. Therefore, many families hang their laundry on the balcony, hoping for the disinfecting effect of the sun.

【What is Consumer Life Panorama?】

Intage's web-based database of real consumer lifestyles in Japan and overseas.
The database can be used to intuitively understand the daily flow of life, living environment, and digital life.
To view the Consumer Life Panorama demo site here.
For an overview of Consumer Life Panorama here.

Author profile

(Mr.) Yang Yan

A Chinese researcher living in Japan, providing information on the living conditions of overseas consumers, mainly of Chinese consumers. I bought a washing machine with a drying function because I found it troublesome to dry my clothes.
Editor profile

Yusuke Tatsuda

Responsible for building the Global Market Surfer website. In the laundry process, I mainly take in clothes.

Jun 01, 2021
5815 Views

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