Apartment Bathroom Decor When the Tub Doubles as Laundry

If your tub is also your washing machine, the fastest way to make the bathroom look finished is to get the laundry gear off the floor and out of sight: a retractable line or tension pole for drying, matching bottles for detergent, an opaque hamper, and a fan or dehumidifier to clear the damp air.

It's very common in older buildings and small city flats, so don't feel bad if your bathroom works overtime. These are small apartment bathroom decor ideas that work for renters because none of them needs a contractor.

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How do you dry laundry in a bathroom without it looking messy?

A folding rack in the middle of the floor eats walking space and is easy to trip over. Move the drying up and into the tub footprint instead.

Retractable clothesline

If you're allowed to drill, a retractable line mounted roughly 72 to 78 inches off the floor clears most heads and keeps trousers from dragging on the tub rim. I recommend a braided stainless steel line over nylon, which tends to sag under wet denim.

Tension pole for renters

If you can't drill into tile, a floor-to-ceiling tension pole with adjustable arms works. Put it in the back corner of the tub, away from the showerhead, so drips stay inside the tub.

Wet clothes are heavy, so check the weight rating before you load it. As an architect, I'd choose a pole sold for heavy-duty use over the cheapest rod, since wet wool and denim add up fast.

What are good apartment bathroom storage ideas for laundry supplies?

Bright jugs and spray bottles make a bathroom look like a utility room. Decant detergent and softener into matching bottles with pumps and simple labels. If you live with pets or kids, choose thick-walled plastic over glass, because glass on ceramic tile does not end well.

For shelves, put two above the toilet or on a dry wall near the tub. Leave enough room below the lowest one to reach the tank. Pick teak or powder-coated aluminum, and skip MDF and particle board, which swell and peel in a steamy room.

Powdered detergent clumps in humid air. Keep it in an airtight jar with a rubber gasket, and keep concentrated pods and bleach in a closed cabinet. Check with your vet about which laundry products are safe around your pet's bedding.

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Can you set up a comfortable wash station in the tub?

Bending over a tub rim for twenty minutes is hard on your back. Two cheap additions help.

• A kneeling pad covered in quick-dry, waterproof fabric in a calm color like charcoal or navy. Hang it on a hook behind the door when you're done.
• A sealed wood or heavy plastic board that spans the tub, so you can set a basin at a more comfortable height. Silicone bumpers underneath stop it sliding on the rim. Between laundry days it works as a bath tray for a book.

Measure the tub's inside and outside width before you buy a board. Rim heights and widths vary a lot.

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How do you manage humidity when you dry clothes indoors?

Drying a load inside puts a lot of water into the air, which invites mildew and that damp-towel smell. Clean the exhaust fan grille, since dust slows airflow, and run the fan for a good while after you finish. No fan? A small dehumidifier on the counter or floor does the job.

Leave a few inches between hanging garments so air can move around them. Pull the shower curtain closed to hide the line, and choose one with a weighted hem that hangs clear of the clothes, so air still gets underneath.

If the room also holds a litter box or a pet-wash zone, damp air traps odors, so ventilation matters more. If the tub gets a film after laundry days, this guide to removing white film from shower tiles helps.

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How do you hide dirty laundry and make the bathroom look better?

If you're wondering how to make an apartment bathroom look better fast, hide the pile first. A rolling canvas cart fits in a gap as narrow as 12 inches and tucks away after you load the tub. A canvas bag on the back of the door is the tighter-space option. Either way, choose something opaque, because a visible heap of clothes undoes every other change.

Then tie the textiles together. A shower curtain, bath mat and towels in one palette make the room read as designed. Pick a mat that dries quickly, such as teak slats, so drips don't leave it soggy.

Lighting

For spotting stains, bulbs with a high color rendering index (90 or above) at about 3000K are a good choice. For a soak, that can feel harsh, so add a plug-in or screw-in dimmer if your lease allows. A dimmer is among the cheapest changes with the biggest effect on mood.

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A quick checklist for rental apartment bathroom decorating ideas

• Is the line or tension pole rated for heavy wet items?
• Are detergents decanted into matching bottles?
• Is there a kneeling pad or a board for the wash station?
• Is the fan clean, or is a dehumidifier running?
• Is dirty laundry out of sight?
• Is the bath mat quick-drying?

Rugs are a separate job: washing a rug in the bathtub has its own steps, and the basics of doing laundry in your bathtub are covered in a separate post. If you're planning a proper laundry room later, these laundry room paint color ideas are a good start.

Frequently asked questions