Know what's a mud room and why you need it now

In this ‘viral’ age, your home must be a sanctuary of safety

What’s a mud room? A lot of Filipinos are not aware of this feature, or the need of this space in their homes. Simply put, a mud room is a small room or entryway in a house where wet or muddy footwear and clothing can be removed. 

In typical Filipino homes, this mud room is simply that tiny space in front of the door, where shoes are left behind in exchange for slippers. An upscale household may consider the foyer, or even a corner of the garage, to be the de facto mud room. But in times like these, when the threat of a virus lingers in the air and stays on surfaces, it is prudent to have a “real” mud room that can protect you and your family.

“The pandemic is not yet over. This is not the time to be complacent or to let our guards down,” says interior designer Christine Villamoya. “This is the time to secure our homes carefully, especially as more people are now going in and out of their homes.”

One of Christine’s important advice to homeowners is to immediately create a mud room, regardless of the size of your home. “This mud room doesn’t have to be an actual room, but it should be near the gate or main door, where you put a shoe rack, laundry basket, a hand sanitizer, soap dispenser, and a small pail of water for hand washing.”

For added protection, the mud room should be “enclosed” with either a plastic sheet from ceiling to floor (or an acrylic partition if you have the budget). One can also use the shower curtain as an enclosure with the rod properly attached to the ceiling.  

5 tips on how to enhance your mud room 

1. Place a disinfection floor mat for added safety. Purchase a sturdy floor mat that absorbs water well. Create your own disinfectant solution by combining one bottle cap of bleach to one liter of water. Mix the two, then spray on the mat before and after its use. 

2. Invest on a nice shoe rack. Aside from avoiding the clutter of mixed shoes and slippers, contamination of clean home slippers by dirt-laced (or virus-laden) shoes can be avoided. 

3. Use the wall in order to save floor space. Purchase wall-mounted racks or hooks to hang dirty clothes, umbrellas, even bags or backpacks. As much as possible, do not bring inside the home any items from the outside, even packages or food deliveries, unless you sanitize them first. It is better to be safe than sorry.

4. Label the “toxic” bin for everyone to avoid it at all cost. This bin is for discarded face masks, handkerchiefs, or any items suspected to be exposed with the coronavirus. It is also ideal to place the mud room nearest the water drainage, for convenient washing of hands.

5. Designate parts of the mud room by user, in order to prevent mix ups and clutter. During a health pandemic, any items used by someone who goes outside should be separate from items used by family members who are seniors or those with health conditions.