Washings & Laundry

[EL]

hi all,

I know this sound kinda odd but how & where did you guys do laundry and have them dry?

Do you send all your dirty clothes and undies to the laundry or do you wash and hang them in the dorm yourselves? ;D

thanks!!

[me]

Many hostels have a coin-op washing machine, or you can wash at laundrymat about once a week.

Well, that's what i do. (not into hand washing in the sink thing)

- d

[WillTravel]

I always do laundry on trips. It's most convenient if there is a laundry in the hostel, but if not, you can find one elsewhere.

On our last trip laundry in Paris cost 9 Euros for wash/dry/soap for two loads, and 7 Euros for the same in Berlin.

You can also find a place to drop off your laundry, but that will be more expensive of course.

In European laundromats there is typically a central control panel. Load the laundry first. You then get your soap and put it in your machine. Note what number your machine is. You put the money in the central control panel and enter the number of your machine.

In a couple of laundromats I have seen places where the spin cycle requires a separate machine.

After you have gone through the wash cycle, and if necessary the separate spin cycle, just move your clothes over to a dryer. Again look at the number on the machine and go over to the central control panel. Note that European dryers have a very high heat by default (although you can probably turn it down).

If you are staying in a hotel, using their laundry service will be frightfully expensive in almost all cases. I look at the rate card and laugh.

[jennifer]

Yup, I think you probably have enough info by now, but what I did was wash clothes as I went in sinks. Ok, I did loads of laundry, but only a few times for my pants and shirts that were harder to wash (and quite not as funny!) in the sink.

My hostel in Switzerland had a drying room where you could hang your clothes to dry. This was fantastic to me because I am fiercefully scared or using european dryers and having my clothes shrink up!

Other times, I washed my stuff and hung it on my portable clothers line to dry at night. It was ready by the next day!

xoxo
Jen

[Eagle]

EL, my method for handling laundry varies depending on where I'm staying. First of all, I mostly use only "travel friendly" Tilley clothing which is designed for easy washing and quick drying.

If I'm in a Hostel, usually some kind of coin or token operated facilities are available (as mentioned in previous posts). If I'm in a B&B or Hotel, they usually know where the local laundromats are located. As in Post #2, using Hotel facilites is usually very expensive and only used as a last resort. My last option is to just wash the clothing in the hotel room sink, and hang to dry with a portable clothesline (I always pack a portable laundry kit, it's very compact and easy to carry).

Hope this has provided some answers to your question. Cheers!!!

[Louise]

Just in addition to the first questions, but when you wash your things in hostels and hang in your dorm rooms, isn't it a bit strange drying your underwear etc if you are in mixed dorm??

[Nicstar]

you know, louise, sitting at home in your own space it does seem a bit odd to think about it.......but once you're there and in the environment its a whole different ball game. On my last trip, I arrived in Dublin after 2 weeks of travelling and not washing once, not even knickers (Lucky packed plenty of knickers!) the first thing I did was wash underwear and t-shirts in the sink. Hung them up near my bunk, and took off for the rest of the afternoon. It didn't bother me at all...after all its just pieces of material that the fellow room mates walked in to see, and I tend not to wear my "sexy" underwear when travelling anyways. And it didn't bother me at all seeing others underwear......if anything it told me at least they care a bit about hygiene and I won't be sharing a room with people who lack hygiene skills!

I knew that trip I'd not be able to wash for a long period of time thus took loads of knickers to last me. this time I'm washing my underwear at least every two days, thus limiting how much I need to take, and also meaning it can be a little more discreet when hanging them up to dry.


Besides, you're not really spending large amounts of time hanging around in your dorm room.....really. I found I'd get up get ready, be gone for the day, come back to shower and change for the evening, and be gone, come back to sleep about half eleven each night.....I didn't have time to notice other people's underwear hanging up!

[jennifer]

Don't worry about being shy, a whole lot of people do it. Of course you shouldn't hang your stuff in the middle of the room or where it could bother someone, but trust me, you won't be the only one doing it, and your underwear won't be the only ones lying around!
oxoxoxo
Jen

[Libby]

I somehow missed this thread.

I only have one bit of advice for doing laundry in a sink. Make sure you are really careful and rinse everything out well. If you are the least bit sensitive to soap or detergents you can end up getting a bit...umm...itchy. That advice goes double for undies.

I also had a friend who used to wash her clothes in the shower when on the road to save on water/time.

[Nicstar]

yeah thats true libby about washing out the detergent!

I'm lucky though, that with ALL my new clothing (apart from jeans) I always always handwash them for the first few months, so I'm quite savvy about rinsing, and the best way to ring certain clothes etc, and the best way to hang for maximum drying. The trick with the detergent is that you don't actually need all that much to begin with, especially if you're just doing knickers and bras! And yeah, in the shower is a great option!

(don't laugh at my pickiness with my clothes! I've found the same top, compared to an exact same one a friend bought a month or so after I bought mine, with the same amount of wearing thus same washing- only hers in the machine, mine always by hand, after a year my top still looked practically new, hers was showing signs of wear! Its just a personal preference of mine! I pay good money for my clothes and want to get the value out of them) (oh and for about a year I lived without a washing machine, so got used to washing EVERYTHING by hand!)

[Libby]

I wouldnt' laugh at you! Not when I hand wash most of my stuff as well. ;D

I don't just wash my expensive, "hand wash only" clothes, but I bought this really cheap (but nice!) shirt at Wal-Mart and have been hand washing it all summer. It still looks great.

Woolite is the best stuff. I'd love to be able to take some with me but a bottle that size doesn't make sense.

[Kim]

Libby,

I'm leaving right now for my honeymoon but just had to post this for you!

www.qksrv.net/click-711188-51504

Kim

[LHR02]

KIM! For heaven's sake girl....your honeymoon is waiting, get off the internet! ;D

[Libby]

Thanks Kim! You really are dedicated to be worried about my dirty undies when you should be off enjoying your honeymoon!. I'll have to try to find myself some of those.

Now go Honeymoon! ;D

[EL]

hi all,

thanks for the great tips!!

My friends and I end up being the only people that hangs our washing in the dorm- most of the time. yes including bra, undies....basically everything.
of course we tried to hang discreetly.
I agree with Nicstar, I'm not bothered by theirs as well.

Well, it did save us some money during the trips.
Anyway, nobody seems to be bothered by them. It's clean!! ;D