How to Build a Clothes Hamper
Clothes hampers are easy to find in most big-box stores and come in a variety of styles, materials and sizes. Building your own clothes hamper from PVC piping that attaches to your wall is relatively easy and inexpensive to do. This type of hamper holds dirty clothes in a mesh bag that is suspended from the piping so that clothes never touch the floor and are well ventilated. This is especially important in moist areas like bathrooms or when you have damp clothes to prevent mold and mildew from forming on your laundry.
Things You'll Need
- 6 feet of 1½-inch PVC piping
- Four PVC corner connector joints
- PVC cement
- Pipe mounting bracket
- Jigsaw
- Hand-held drill
- Screws
- Standard mesh laundry bag
Instructions
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1
Cut the PVC piping into four 18-inch sections using the jigsaw. These sections will form the frame for your clothes hamper.
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2
Connect the cut PVC pipe sections using PVC corner connector joints so that they form a perfect square. If you want your hamper frame to be assembled permanently, spread some PVC cement onto the portions of piping and joints that touch, and then allow the cement to dry. Be sure that you work in a well-ventilated space.
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3
Use the drill and screws to attach the pipe mounting bracket to your hamper frame; the bracket should be positioned at the middle of one of the pieces of PVC piping. This helps to ensure stability of the unit once it is hung.
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4
Screw the wall portion of the pipe mounting bracket onto the wall where you want to install your hamper. The bracket should be hung 3½ feet from the ground to allow plenty of space between the bottom of your laundry bag and the floor.
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5
Loop the mesh laundry bag opening up through the middle of the PVC square and then bring the opening over the frame. Pull the drawstring to tighten the bag so that it will stay in place when filled with laundry.
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Tips & Warnings
To wash your clothes, simply loosen the drawstring and bring the entire laundry bag to the washer with you.The bag can be washed and dried with your clothes before being rehung on the hanging hamper frame.
