Woman finds tiny tub in centuries-old house, shocked to learn its purpose
Fascinated by her finding, the online community jumped in with their thoughts.
“Cool….a urinal right in the kitchen…How handy,” writes one man.
“That’s the kids tub, when I was little I took baths in one,” shares another.
A third netizen suggests it may very well have been for small dogs. He writes: “You should check, you’d find you were wrong…Small dogs may have been a luxury to the rich, but could be a necessity to the poor…They could get to, and despatch (kill) vermin.”
Meanwhile, other users offered more practical purposes for the sink.
“Mop sink. Every kitchen should have one to fill and empty mop buckets. Sadly, modern home kitchens aren’t really workspaces anymore,” writes one netizen.
Mop sinks
Dating back to around the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, mop sinks are low-level sinks (or tubs) designed for mopping and cleaning purposes.
The sink represents a practical solution to the task of cleaning floors in a time when manual labor was the norm and modern cleaning appliances were not yet available. These sinks provided a dedicated space for filling and emptying mop buckets, allowing for efficient cleaning without splashing water everywhere.
Some mop sinks come with convenient features like built-in shelves or cabinets for storing cleaning supplies, as well as backsplashes.
Typically made of durable materials such as cast iron, porcelain, or stone – designed to withstand the rigors of frequent use – the knee-level height of these sinks allowed household residents or staff to comfortably scrub floors while standing, reducing strain on the back and knees.
Additionally, the ergonomic consideration speaks to the importance of efficiency and comfort in household chores, particularly in larger homes where extensive floor space required regular cleaning.