A bathroom and washroom may contain the same fixtures.
By definition, a washroom and a bathroom are the same thing, depending on whether the room is in a public building or a private residence. There can also be a difference between the two when you talk about quarter baths, which do not contain the same fixtures as a full bathroom.
Similarities
A washroom and a bathroom often contain the same elements, which are basically a fixture for washing and a toilet fixture. The fixture used for washing in a washroom is normally one sink, or more in a large, public washroom. Washrooms contain at least one, and sometimes more toilets and urinals. A bathroom often contains at least a sink and toilet combination, if not more fixtures.
Different Uses for Washrooms
In the United States, the term washroom is sometimes used in ways other than its true definition, and signifies a room that contains neither a toilet or sink. This is usually done in private residences, where the term washroom is used interchangeably with laundry room or utility room. This room is where laundry is cleaned with a washing machine and dryer, or where cleaning tools such as mops, brooms and buckets are stored.
Different Types of Bathrooms
Rooms that are normally referred to as bathrooms can also contain different fixtures, and are either quarter, half, three-quarter or full bathrooms. A full bathroom contains four fixtures: a toilet, sink, bathtub and shower. Take away one fixture, often the tub, and you have a three-quarter bathroom. A half-bath contains just two fixtures, usually a toilet and sink, while a quarter-bath contains just one of the four fixtures. That one fixture is often either the toilet or the sink.
Public Vs. Private Terms
Although the terms washroom and bathroom are often used as synonyms, when a room with a toilet and washing fixture is located in a public facility, it is usually referred to as a washroom. The term restroom might also be used in a public facility, more than the term bathroom. When that room is located in a private residence, it is often referred to as a bathroom. This might be due to the fact that public facilities usually do not have the bathtub that private residences often have.
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