Toddlers in the dryer on the floor?

If you have your dryer or front loading washing machine on the floor, AND if you have small children - have they ever tried to get in?

I ask because I'm trying to figure out the layout of our new laundry in my head, where things will go and whatnot, and I like the idea of the two machines side by side on the floor, with a bench overtop.
(At the moment in this house they're ON a bench at waist height, which is sooo handy, but the new house won't need that bench because we'll have enough storage in the laundry, and I think I can sacrifice the convenience for folding space.)

BUT I'm haunted by a story of DH's where his older brother put him in the dryer when they were very little. That sounds like exactly the sort of thing my kids would do, so I guess I want to know how common that is? Will that be a problem do you think?

Um ours is on the floor and DS never even really looks at it. He has gone up to push the buttons a few times, but isn't overly interested in it.

I think its cos it was kept in a room that was gated off, so he couldn't get close to it, and we have just recently opened that part of the room up and closed off the other half, so he's not really used to going in there yet.. lol

But having said that, I have seen him racing his cars around the dryer - but I always keep the door closed anyway, and I dont' think he is strong enough in his fingers to open the door.

I have a front loading washing machine and it is on the floor.
DS climbs into it to pull the clothes out if it isn't clicked closed properly. He can also push the start button (partly cos I taught him!)
The dryer is hung up above the washer, so no way to get into that.

He climbs into the dishwasher too if the door isn't fully clicked shut.

I have heard of cats being put into washers and dryers, as well as siblings. Maybe the only answer is a good lock on the laundry.

Yep, Harrison used to get into our dryer all the time, and he had a terrible habit of turning it off on me without me noticing. We now have it in our garage, which is just outside our laundry... out of sight, out of mind has worked for Harry because he doesn't even give it a second glance these days.

i have front loader and dryer on floor with bench over teh top iuts great
DD helps me put the clothes in and push teh buttons etc
she has never tried to get inside.

but i keep the doors shut and they have child locks on then, you have to push a button and pull really hard to open teh door. so never been an issue

DD also sits there and watches teh bubbles in teh washing machine it amuses her for hours lol

Our front loader is on the ground, the dryer sits on top. DS is a CLIMBER and into everything and he has never tried to climb in....he does play with the buttons if it's on but we have a child lock on it so it doesn't interupt the cycle.

No, surprisingly enough neither boy has attempted to get in. On the other hand, their toys regularly end up in there when one DS is hiding something from the other DS :rolleyes: This isn't a huge problem as long as you always check in there before putting the clothes in!

hi nelle,

you can get them with child locks i think.

top loaders are not always the answer - i used to hide in ours all the time according to mum :redface:

Interesting. So they might, or they might not...if I'd have had the foresight, I'd have gotten machines with child locks perhaps...I might just have to safety gate off the laundry if it's a problem...

nelle with a front loader i would be keeping the door of the washer open so it doesnt get smelly, we have a front loader and just have simple lock on the top of the laundry door!! easy !! check it out next time your over

I would just block off the laundry. Too many dangerous things in there anyway.

I have heard way too many horror stories with kids and pets in dryers, not to mention things like crayons that melt into the dryer and wreck it.

You know what I didn't think of? Riv can climb out a window, so I don't know what would be stopping him climbing up into a machine. I think a safety gate will be the way of the future then. :)

if your building a new laundry why not make your machines in an under bench cupboard?
make sure you have knobs that you could use a child lock thing on?