Ha! Here is an obscure product you bet you didn’t even know you wanted – but now you do – and now you know where to get: A laundry chute door.
And here’s another one — designed and manufactured by Air Rite Service Supply in Lakewood, Ohio, USA. It’s also powder-coated metal.
And the one above: Alas, discontinued: It’s available from American Metal Products / Lima Register … made of powder-coated steel … comes in 10″ or 12″ widths … and includes “spring-hinged, push-in laundry chute door with inner rubber guards for quiet closing.”
Consult with a licensed professional / check local building codes before installing, or if you have one — a reader has pointed out that in some communities, laundry chutes are considered a fire hazard.
Do we all have laundry chute stories?
“I certainly remember my first one,”
she says longingly, as if recalling a childhood sweetheart.
Here’s Ann-Marie’s:
…I do have a laundry chute story from my childhood. My sisters and I were always forgetting our keys to get in to the house after school, but we could usually borrow the spare key from the neighbor.
One day, we realized we had forgotten to return Mrs. Neighbor’s key. We puzzled and puzzled over how to get into the house without a key.
Finally, being the resourceful little schemers that we were, we figured out that my sister Lisa was probably skinny enough to go up the laundry chute (a cut out in the bathroom cupboard, with a tube like protrusion hanging from the basement rafters).The basement was accessible from the garage, which we were able to get into, because the garage door did not lock.
We pulled an act worthy of a circus, with me standing on a box, Ginny on my shoulders, and we crammed Lisa into the chute.
Of course she got stuck, but Ginny and I didn’t care. What is the life of one little sister worth when you are missing the afternoon’s episode of original “Star Trek” rerun? (Captain Kirk was so dreamy.)
So we just twisted her and kept shoving until she popped through, and, the day was saved.
To this day, we cannot figure out why we got in so much trouble for that little escapade. My theory was that it scared my parents into seeing how easy it would be for bad guys to break into our house to steal all our stuff, of which I was sure we had plenty.
Annie B. says
These stories are great. I suffering from chute envy.
Joy says
I have the first laundry shoot you listed in my bathroom closet, but its all silver. I was super excited about it when I moved in because my parents home had a laundry shoot and I had many fond memories of dropping my cabbage patch dolls one by one down the shoot and then running to the basement to retrieve them. Alas, the previous owners of my home closed it up!!… It only opens about an inch and there is no sign of where it deposits in the basement. Its on my to-do list of house repair projects. Unfortunately…its a long list 🙂
Shannon H. says
When I was buying my house the home inspector didn’t even recognize the laundry chute for what it was! Looking at it in the basement he thought it was an air exchanger or something!
Jeanne says
I just wanted to add that in my current house, the laundry chute is in the bathroom and empties right into the laundry room and is very convenient.
In my previous house, the laundry chute was in the hallway and emptied into the basement right at the foot of the stairs and in front of the bathroom, so not too convenient of a spot. I will also add that sound travels up these chutes, and one night while I was in bed (near the hallway with the chute) I overheard a phone conversation coming from the basement (clear as a bell) that was not intended for my ears. ’nuff said! LOL!
When I was a child, my older high school sister was having a party (must have been ’66 or ’67) in the basement. My brother and I (it was his idea!) dropped a microphone from his tape recorder down the clothes chute to try and catch some conversations. We heard someone say “Hey, what’s this?” LOL. We were busted!
clampers says
I have a laundry chute in my ’68 rambler! I told our real estate agent at one point during the search that a laundry chute was a “non-negotiable.” So fun. We use it all the time. Except our basement has been renovated so it doesn’t empty into the laundry room, but the spare bedroom instead! HA! We just resolve not to use it when guests are staying with us.
Our laundry chute looks like Laura’s, just a little square cupboard door. It’s been painted over though. One of my projects is to strip it and refinish it.
I was over at a cousin-in-law’s house (is that a thing?) and exclaimed over her laundry chute…I asked if they use it and she said, “Psh, no!” as if that was the silliest, most childish thing. Oh well, her loss! It sure is fun to use and it keeps things better organized!
Kari says
We had one in our rambler that we lived in from 1962 to the mid 70’s, It was inside the bathroom linen closet on the floor and had a wooden door you lifted up. It was a shear drop down to the cement floor of the basement! I shudder to think how dangerous that was but we never fell through. We would throw our stuffed animals down there to test it out! There was a basket to catch the clothes under it. A drop of 9 feet or so! Mom installed a hook latch on it for some safety. Back in those days we did not have all the rules and regulations I guess. I miss one in my newer modern house. Great memories and great ideas! I love this website so much! Keep up the great work!!
nina462 says
oh I want one of those. have wanted one for quite a while, even have a spot to put one in. It’s on my list of things to do this year-so thanks for the link!
along with installing folding stair to the attic (another american made product-several companies make these) and reinstalling original lights to the hallway & bedrooms (have gathered them from various garage sales last year).
Laura says
My 1939 cape cod has one in the hall just outside the bathroom door, and looks like a little square cupboard door. Kids’ fascination with them continues–my boys thought the determining factor for buying the house (for them, anyway) was “Mom, it has that cool laundry chute!” And they actually pick up their laundry because it’s there to use. Glory be!
pam kueber says
Note, that I’ve included in the main story to consult with a licensed professional if you have one of these or are considering installing them — there may be fire hazard issues.
MCM is Grand says
Here is another “hazard”, albeit a humorous one to watch out for….sometimes the clothes would go down the chute and then, instead of landing in the basket in the basement below, would get caught on a ceiling nail….so funny to walk downstairs and see underwear, etc hanging in the air !
Josie says
We live in a 1952, 1.5 story bungalow that’s been added on to over the years. Still only has one bathroom though, and that bathroom has a laundry chute! At some point, I think in the 70’s or 80’s the bathroom was redone, and a wooden toilet seat/lid were put on the wall to cover the chute. So so glad to see that “REAL” chutes are still available. You can bet that I will be ordering one soon.
Do appreciate being able to drop dirty clothes, etc., directly into the basement laundry room. I understand that they quit installing them in homes due to fire safety. I have no plans of closing mine up. Look forward to a new door.