Can You Put a Closet in a Bathroom? (What You Should Know)

If you’re planning on renovating your bathroom, you might have come across the idea of putting a closet in your bathroom. While this might seem like a good idea initially, is it actually possible to put a closet in a bathroom?

It’s generally not recommended to put closets in bathrooms. While it’s definitely possible to do, you would need to be extremely vigilant to regulate the build-up of moisture and humidity. These elements can cause significant damage to your clothes and even your health in extreme cases.

Mold can cause some serious health hazards to humans and pets that inhale mold spores, like allergic reactions or respiratory problems. Luckily, we discuss ways to prevent mold from growing in your bathroom closet. 

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Where to Put a Closet

There are two main placements for a closet. Firstly, a walk-in closet that acts as a hallway into the bathroom or a bathroom that leads to a walk-in closet.

In this section, we will discuss having a closet inside a bathroom.

Is It Okay to Have a Closet in a Bathroom?

It is indeed acceptable to have a closet in a bathroom. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly common, especially in US homes. There are advantages, including privacy and saving space in your bathroom, but important precautions also need to be taken.

Humidity deteriorates the fabrics of your clothes due to the material’s fibers expanding and contracting.

Proper ventilation and exhaust must be maintained if you plan to store your clothes in your bathroom.

Can a Walk-in Closet Be in a Bathroom?

Walk-in closets can be placed in a bathroom or be accessed through a bathroom. This is also quite a popular option for a master suite, but ventilation can sometimes be an obstacle.

Your bathroom and your closet should have proper ventilation. This can be difficult when combining a bathroom and a walk-in closet.

You would probably need to install one or a few exhaust fans in your bathroom and closet that extract the moisture from your bathroom/closet.

What Is a Closet Called in the Bathroom?

There is no specific name dedicated to a closet in the bathroom. In the United Kingdom, you might hear someone refer to the water closet, but it’s not about a closet in a bathroom at all.

A water closet is used in the United Kingdom and some other countries to refer to a room with only a toilet and a sink.

These rooms are separate from the bathroom, where a shower or bath usually is located.

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How Do I Add Storage to My Bathroom?

There are numerous ways to add storage to your bathroom, from adding a full walk-in closet to simply adding a few wall-mounted shelves over your toilet. We have a list of a few ways you could add storage to your bathroom.

How to add storage space to your bathroom:

1. If you have enough space, you could add a full closet with doors to store clothes or your linen.
2. Add wall-mounted shelves over the toilet or the sink.
3. Add a wall-mounted cabinet over the sink or on a bare wall.

Can You Store Bedding in a Bathroom?

It’s not recommended to store any bedding or linen in your bathroom. Mold and mildew thrive in bathrooms, so you should keep your bedding in a separate closet, like the hall closet or the guest bedroom closet.

Another good idea is to store each bedroom’s linen in its own closet, it won’t take up as much space, and you’ll never get confused again as to which bedding goes on which bed.

It will also be a lot less susceptible to mold and mildew.

Vanities and Linen Cabinets

Do you have a linen closet in your bathroom? Do you store extra bedding in your bathroom? Well, you might be surprised to learn what we have to say in this section!

Should a Linen Closet Be in the Bathroom?

Linen closets should not be in the bathroom as they are extremely susceptible to mold and mildew growth in the bathroom. Since we usually don’t open and check the linen closet daily, mold could destroy your linen before you realize it.

If there is no place to store your linen besides the bathroom, you should ensure the bathroom has an exhaust fan to extract the moisture from the air while showering and bathing.

Also, regularly inspect your linen to ensure they are completely dry and mold-free.

Does a Linen Cabinet Have to Match the Vanity?

Although it looks more stylish if your linen cabinet and vanity match, it is unnecessary. You could simply ensure that they complement each other and provide continuity by color, materials, or finishes.

Although it is unnecessary, you will find many matching linen cabinets and vanity sets at your local department store.

Alternatively, simply buy a vanity and linen cabinet in the same color and material.

What Do You Use a Linen Closet For?

A linen closet is a place to store an assortment of household fabrics, such as bedding, towels, tablecloths, curtains, etc. Having your linen closet in your bathroom is not recommended due to the excessive amount of moisture in your bathroom.

Some people also store their bulk cleaning supplies in the linen closet, depending on the amount of space available.

We recommend using baskets in your closet to keep everything organized and to help you when you’re looking for something specific.

How Should Towels and Sheets Be Stored in a Closet?

Towels and Sheets should be kept moisture-free at all times. To save space, you could roll your towels, having all the towels stacked. Sheets should be folded with their edges to the inside and with enough room to ventilate between each stack.

For convenience, you can store your sheets in a fabric bag to ensure ventilation while also keeping the mold away, never use plastic bags.

You should add all the bedding for one bed in one bag, so you could just grab the bag next time you want to change sheets.

What Can I Put in a Linen Closet to Smell Good?

There are numerous options to make your linen closet smell good. Our choice is perfume cotton balls. Simply soak two or three cotton balls in your favorite perfume and place them on the shelf in your linen closet.

If your linen closet has a musty smell, it could indicate mold. To remove that musty smell, you need to find the source by packing out the closet and making sure all your linen and shelves are mold-free.

Let the closet air out for 2 hours before repacking your linen.

You might also enjoy our post on If Walk-In Closets Need an Outlet

Moisture Concerns

Humidity indicates the amount of moisture in the air, and moisture is what attracts mold and mildew. A closet in a bathroom is bound to hold more moisture.

So, in this section, we’re discussing how to prevent mold growth in your bathroom closet.

How Do I Keep Moisture Out of My Bathroom Closet?

This is no easy feat since the bathroom is the room in the house with the most moisture and humidity, but it’s not impossible to keep your bathroom closet moisture-free. Installing an exhaust fan in the bathroom is the best option.

Exhaust fans are designed to extract moisture from your bathroom and vent it to the outside. You should have at least one exhaust fan in your bathroom and one in your bathroom closet.

Another option is to place a dehumidifier in your bathroom closet.

How Do I Prevent Mold in My Bathroom Wardrobe?

If you have a bathroom wardrobe, mold can be a serious concern. Most importantly, your clothes should be 100% dry, never put damp or almost-dry clothing items in the wardrobe. You should also install an exhaust fan in your wardrobe.

The exhaust fan is the perfect solution to extract all the moisture that might seep into your wardrobe and vent it to the outside of the house.

If you cannot place it inside your closet, place it right outside your closet.

What Causes Humidity in a Closet?

Packing away damp or almost-dry clothes is a bad idea. These items still hold some moisture and humidity; placing them in your closet will allow mold to grow. You should always ensure your clothes are completely dry before packing them.

Also, be sure not to pack your clothes too tightly together. This might seem impossible if you have a small closet, but this limits the air circulation in the closet.

Limited air circulation eventually causes humidity and moisture to attract mold.

Does Baking Soda Absorb Moisture in a Closet?

Baking soda can absorb moisture as it is a hygroscopic substance. You can leave it in a bowl in your closet overnight to absorb a good amount of moisture from your closet. This is a great quick-fix solution.

If your closet is not placed near the bathroom or pipes, you can do this once a month, depending on how humid your environment is.

It’s a great way to keep moisture and mold at bay without buying an exhaust fan.

Are Closet Dehumidifiers Good?

If your closet has high humidity, it might be time to invest in a small dehumidifier. These do work to remove excess moisture from the air, thus preventing mold and mildew from attacking your linen or clothes. 

For a closet, you would only need a small dehumidifier. These are also very convenient as you can install and forget (although don’t forget to empty the dehumidifier when it is full).

Dehumidifiers also help to remove any musty smell in your closet.

Will a Dehumidifier Help With Mold?

A dehumidifier reduces the chances of mold growth by removing the one thing that attracts mold and mildew – moisture. It’s a great appliance to use, especially if you live in a particularly humid area.

Placing a small compact dehumidifier in your closet will definitely help to combat mold growth.

However, a dehumidifier cannot remove mold that has already grown, you would need to clean that yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2ZlB0V6Grc

Renovations

You might be thinking of renovating your closet space into a bathroom, and although it seems like a big project, it is less expensive than adding an extra bathroom into your house. Let’s discuss the renovation.

You might also enjoy our post on If a Bedroom Needs a Closet

How Do You Make a Small Closet Into a Bathroom?

Before even attempting this project, you need to research the building codes in your state to check if your space is big enough for the required bathroom fixtures and if you have enough funds for this project.

After researching and checking all the building codes, we recommend hiring a licensed contractor to convert your space. You might also need to contact a plumber and an electrician.

This is quite a big project that would require thousands of dollars.

These are the basic steps to converting a small closet into a bathroom:

1. Measure out your space and plan exactly where everything would be, checking if you have enough space.
2. Get building permits from your local municipality, also, check if you would need to add new water lines or if you can connect to the other water lines in your home. 
3. Start with the doors and windows, replacing them if need be.
4. Now you would need to contact a licensed plumber to ensure your bathroom has proper drainage and an electrician to ensure your exhaust fan and light fixtures are correct.
5. Add the main bathroom fixtures (sink, toilet, and shower).
6. Completely the flooring and walls.

Is It Better to Have a Separate Toilet and Bathroom?

There are many benefits to having a separate toilet and bathroom. The most obvious is privacy; someone could use the toilet while the other is showering without the awkwardness of sharing the same space.

Another benefit of having the toilet separate is keeping odors at bay, especially if someone wants to shower right after you use the toilet.

There is no real benefit regarding germs and bacteria. Both the toilet and the bathroom are susceptible to mold and bacteria.

How Much Does It Cost to Make a Closet Into a Bathroom?

The costs to convert a closet into a bathroom differ greatly depending on your state and material costs. On average, converting a closet into a bathroom costs $200 – $250 per square foot.

So converting a 25-foot closet can generally cost between $5000 and $6250.

Although this might seem quite steep, you should remember that adding an entirely new bathroom to your house is even more expensive.

Related Questions

How Do Closet Dehumidifiers Work?

A dehumidifier helps to reduce the chances of mold growing in your closet. It draws warm air into its fan and extracts the moisture from this air to store it in a small compartment, which you can empty once a week.

It’s important to note that dehumidifiers cannot remove mold that has already grown in your closet. You would need to clean that with a mold stain remover.

Mold grows when there is an excess of moisture in your closet – a dehumidifier prevents that from happening.

What Goes in a Bathroom Closet?

You should store things you use daily in your bathroom closet, such as your toiletries. Items like toothpaste, toothbrush, moisturizer, face wash, etc. All of these can be stored in a bathroom closet.

You could also store extra towels in your bathroom closet, along with extra bath supplies. Any extra supplies like soap, razors, shampoo, or conditioner can be kept in a bathroom closet.

Do not store your linens in your bathroom.

What Is a Water Closet in a House?

A water closet is more popular in the United Kingdom, but it is a room with only a toilet and a sink. This room is separate from the shower and bath, which is referred to as the bathroom.

There are many benefits to having a water closet in your house, including privacy and no strange odors, lingering.

It also keeps your shower/bath private to snooping visitors and you won’t feel like you have to clean your bath every time a guest comes over.

Final Thoughts

Having a closet in your bathroom seems like a great idea, but it does mean you would need to be extra diligent with moisture control.

As discussed above, moisture attracts mold, and you do not want mold growing on your clothes.