Does a laundry room need a mezuzah? The room has a washer and dryer and gas heating system. Its also used for storage of soap and cleaning products. It does not have an odor.The dirty water from the wash flows out through a sink. Can someone make a bracha in such a room? Can someone wash netilat yadaim there as well?Is there a ruach ra’ah there?
Answer:
If the room is 4 by 4 amos (approx. 2m by 2m), a mezuzah should be affixed without a berachah.
Sources:
According to Orchos Chaim and Kol Bo, a laundry room is not a place of dirah shel kavod, and is therefore exempt from mezuzah. See also Bach, Yoreh De’ah 286:4. In addition, many rishonim maintain that a refes or beis otzar (286:2) is exempt from mezuzah, although the Shulchan Aruch rules that it is obligated in a mezuzah.
However, our laundry rooms are cleaner than they used to be, and as the question notes, there is no odor. Therefore, our laundry rooms can be considered a part of regular living, and obligated in mezuzah.
If the room is smaller than 4 by 4 amos, one can be lenient in not affixing a mezuzah.
There is no problem of washing there, or making a berachah, because the room is actually clean (no odor); there is no concern for ruach ra’ah.
If the back door leads straight into the laundry, which is used for diapers, do I not need a mezuzah on the external door?
This would need a mezuzah to a still greater degree, since beyond the room itself, the door is an entry into the house. The use of the room for diapers, among other uses, will not change this.
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