Laundry Room Vocabulary: Essential Words for Beginners

A laundry room is where clothes get washed, dried, and folded. It is part of everyday life in many homes, and the things inside it are used again and again throughout the week.

From washing machines and detergent to hangers and laundry baskets, these common items help keep clothes clean, dry, and ready to wear.

Laundry Room

Laundry room with washing machine, dryer, shelves, and laundry supplies

Laundry Room Vocabulary

Here are some common words used in a laundry room.

  • Detergent
  • Washing machine
  • Clothes dryer
  • Dirty clothes
  • Laundry basket
  • Ironing board
  • Iron
  • Clothesline
  • Clothespin
  • Hanger
  • Cabinet
  • Plastic tub
  • Shelf
  • Clean clothes
  • Hamper
  • Fabric softener

Note: a hamper is usually a fixed container for dirty clothes, while a laundry basket often has handles and is used to carry clothes to and from the washing machine.

Common Things in the Laundry Room

These items are usually found in a laundry room:

  • Washing machine – washes dirty clothes
  • Clothes dryer – dries wet clothes
  • Laundry basket – holds dirty or clean clothes
  • Detergent – soap for washing clothes
  • Fabric softener – makes clothes soft and smell nice

Laundry Room Items | Examples & Photos

Detergent

I put the detergent in the washing machine.

Laundry detergent bottle used for washing clothes

Washing machine

The washing machine washes dirty clothes.

Front-loading washing machine in a laundry room

Clothes dryer

The clothes dryer dries clean clothes.

Clothes dryer used to dry wet laundry

Dirty clothes

Put your dirty clothes in the basket.

Pile of dirty clothes ready to be washed

Laundry basket

The laundry basket holds dirty clothes.

Laundry basket filled with clothes

Ironing board

I iron my shirt on the ironing board.

Ironing board set up for ironing clothes

Iron

Use an iron to make clothes smooth.

Electric iron used to remove wrinkles from clothes

Clothesline

I hang wet clothes on the clothesline.

Outdoor clothesline with clothes hanging to dry

Clothespin

Use a clothespin to hold clothes on the line.

Wooden clothespins for hanging clothes

Hanger

Keep your shirts on a hanger so they do not get wrinkled.

Clothes hanger used to hang shirts

Cabinet

The cabinet holds detergent and cleaning items.

Laundry room cabinet for storing supplies

Plastic tub

I wash small clothes in a plastic tub.

Plastic tub used for washing clothes by hand

Shelf

The shelf is above the washing machine.

Laundry room shelf holding towels and supplies

Clean clothes

I wear clean clothes after washing them.

Folded clean clothes ready to wear

Hamper

Put dirty clothes in the hamper.

Laundry hamper for dirty clothes

Fabric softener

Add fabric softener to make clothes soft.

Fabric softener bottle used in laundry

Laundry room infographic showing common items and vocabulary

Last Updated on February 10, 2026

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