A laundry room sink will allow a homeowner to do laundry by hand if necessary, rinse out detergent cups, soak items that need soaking, or simply wash one’s hands after handling dirty laundry or other items. The type of sink one will choose will depend largely on the intended purpose of the sink as well as the available space and plumbing access points for the sink. Before purchasing a sink, be sure to consider how the sink is most likely to be used and how often, and take careful measurements in the laundry room to find out how much space is available for the unit.
A tub sink, or a utility sink, is a large laundry room sink that is quite deep. It can be filled up with water by stopping the drain, and items can be washed by hand in the sink. This is a good unit to have if the homeowner plans on washing items by hand regularly; people who own delicate garments that cannot be machine washed should consider this type of sink. It is important to keep in mind, however, that this type of laundry room sink is quite large and will take up a fair amount of space in the room. It may be necessary to get rid of other laundry room accessories to make room for this type of sink.
A much smaller sink like those found in bathrooms or kitchens can also be installed in the laundry room. These types of sinks are great for washing hands or cleaning off items in the laundry room. The smaller sinks can also be stopped and filled with water so items can be hand-washed in them, but the smaller sink will make it far more difficult to wash larger items. The disadvantage of this type of sink over a utility sink is its inability to contain large amounts of water, which means water can slosh around and spill to the ground, potentially leading to moisture damage.
Consider the materials used to construct the laundry room sink basin. Stainless steel is a good choice because it is durable and resistant to water damage as well as staining, but it will cost more than other options. Plastic is a less expensive choice, though it may stain fairly easily and can also scratch or even crack. Porcelain and other higher end materials will look very nice, but they can get stained easily and they will not be inexpensive options.