If any part of
traveling in a motorhome requires some creativity, it is the laundry problem. Some
people try to avoid going to Laundromats, which surprises me. Googling for “RV
laundry” brings up millions of sites, mostly ads for washing machines and
dryers that can be installed in RVs.
Are they serious?
In our Class C Winnebago View, every cubic inch must be carefully used. I
cannot imagine spending hundreds of dollars on appliances we (an older couple with
no children) need no more than once a week when we are traveling. Even for
families with children, having a washer and dryer on board seems like a bad
idea.
Some of the ideas
for frugal washing en route are quite amusing, if not very practical sounding.
Some RVers put their dirty clothes in tightly sealed containers of water and
detergent, then let the motorhome’s movement slosh the laundry around. After
rinsing, the laundry must be wrung out by hand, then hung on a clothesline
(providing the campground allows it, and if the travelers are not spending the
night at Walmart). Is this a good way to spend part of a vacation?
Some items are
too fragile to be washed safely in many machines; others are made of wool or
other fabrics that must be washed in cold water and dried flat. Must even the
spoiled RVers in Class A behemoths travel with clothes that need special care?
Altogether, my reaction
is, Suck it up, people! Think like a European: Don’t wear white or pastels. Take
a few sturdy, washable clothes that can go anywhere, and keep them as clean as
possible. (This works best with well-made clothes from L.L. Bean and other
reliable sources. Cheap clothes will usually let you down.) Take lots of
underwear, though. It takes up little space, and always having clean undies will make
you feel good.
When you need to
do some laundry, find a Laundromat or campground laundry. Have your own
supplies of detergent and fabric softener to keep down the cost, and a
paperback book or e-reader for entertainment. You can often use two or three
machines at once, shortening the waiting time.
We have actually
enjoyed most of our Laundromat visits. Often there is a coffee shop or library
near by, sometimes with Wi-Fi. Chatting with locals can be a way of finding out
about an area. Once we took turns shopping in an antique shop next door. If
nothing else, laundry time is a break from driving, and a chance to walk for a
while. With a little creativity, you can make wash day part of your explorations
on the road.
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