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Last Updated on October 13, 2023 by Paul Clayton
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Announcing 7 Ways to Do Your Laundry While RVing
One of the frustrating aspects of RV living is dealing with laundry. And the thing is, dirty clothes are inevitable while RVing, so there’s no way around it.
There’re, however, several tips you could employ to keep you at the top of your laundry game while on the road.
In this definitive guide, I’ll share the methods I use to wash and store my laundry while RVing.
Read on!
How I Wash and Dry My Clothes When RV Traveling
1. Consider RV Park Laundry Services
Many, if not most, RV parks usually have clean and maintained laundry facilities. So, you could plan your RV travels to use the campground laundromats when boondocking.
But remember, the campground laundry facilities are usually coin-operated and will charge you depending on the load. The good thing is they’re generally cheap and will only charge about $1.25 to $3.50 per load, and usually the same or a little cheaper for a dry.
2. Consider A Laundromat and Truck Stops
Consider traditional laundry services if you’re nowhere near a campground. Most towns in the US have laundry shops, so it should be easy to find one.
I prefer laundromats, especially if I don’t want to pay to camp; remember, some campgrounds will only allow you access to their facilities if you’re officially registered as a visitor.
3. RV Washer Dryer Setup
Laundromats are great, but the price can get slightly higher depending on how much family laundry you do. For example, we’ve paid anywhere from $1.25 to $5 per load; for a family of four, we were spending around or over $150.
We got an RV washer and dryer instead. And if you do the math, the dryer pays for itself in a year or so.
Of course, an RV washer and dryer will take up precious cargo space, but there’s no way around it. I can even fill the washer with stuff and use it for storage when not washing, so it’s not all wasted space. Furthermore, it saves me from the hassle of lugging laundry to and from the laundromat.
An RV washer and dryer are almost necessary for RVing with infants and kids. It’s also a huge relief for RVers boondocking.
We got a tiny camp washer for less than 100 bucks, and it’s awesome. It plugs into the 110 outlets outside the trailer and can accommodate a sewer hose splitter, so it drains into the sewer or ground.
The biggest concern, however, is the weight of the washer. This could be an issue if you’ve a small travel trailer with a small weight capacity. There’s also the jiggling and movement while the washing is happening, but not a big deal.
4. Cleaning Socks and Undies in the RV Shower
The RV shower is also another fantastic place to do your laundry, and it works well for underwear and socks.
After a long day of traveling, I bring the dirty underpants I wore in the shower and do the laundry as I wash. Have a clean plastic bag with you to put them in to carry out.
5. Rent an Airbnb
While on the road, you could choose to stay at hotels or Airbnb for a night for a few days or so.
Staying at a hotel will allow you to catch a hot shower and sleep in a real bed. You could also use the time to do laundry. Most hotels and Airbnbs have washing machines, so you can the time to clean your clothes and everything.
I know this sounds like a crazy unique plan, but it has worked for us by taking advantage of the hotel resources. I also utilize my time at the hotel to recharge my deep-cycle battery.
6. Dry Bag- Scrubba
Another fantastic option for doing your RV laundry, especially on the small laundry loads, is a dry bag. A dry bag is simply a waterproof bag with bumps and can be used to clean your clothes. The dry bag method is a little labor-intensive and best done outside. However, it best works for delicate and small laundry loads.
Fill a dry bag to about 1/3 of the capacity with your dirty clothes, and cover everything with soapy water and your favorite detergent.
Close the bag and squish it, knead it, and toss it. After some sloshing, open the bag and throw the water out. Rinse and repeat until your clothes are clean. I repeat the rinse cycle about 3 times until the water is clear.
Make the cleaning process more efficient by adding magnesium. Throw in some magnesium tablets, and agitate. Let everything soak for a little while, and allow the magnesium to lift the dirt off your clothes. You could add your preferred softener.
Scrubba dry bags are usually great for this task. While expensive, they help me go much longer between my visits to the laundromat.
7. Handwashing
Finally, you can always go the traditional way of doing laundry- washing the clothes by hand. It’s easy, very efficient, and doesn’t take long. Depending on the load, it could take between 20 to 45 minutes, and that’s sufficient to give you a week’s worth of clothes.
It’s also not resource intensive; you only need a large bowl, powdered soap, and water. But the key to handwashing clothes is doing it immediately. Don’t give the funk time to bond with your fabric.
Laundry Tips to Make RV Life Much Easier
Plan Ahead- Consider Fabric
One thing that really helps, regardless of the method you use to do your laundry, is the choice of fabric.
I suggest going with fabrics that hardly absorb odor and dry quickly, even when worn multiple times. Think of fabrics that are most common in camping or athletic stores.
Wool-based fabrics are a fantastic example. They don’t take up odors easily and can go for a little longer with only sunlight and air. Merino is a great option. It’s a little pricey, but a fantastic base layer against your skin and resists odors. You can also wear it multiple times between washes. I also love how the merino stuff packs well.
Polyester is similarly a game-changer. It’s hydrophobic, so it dries quickly and is effortless to clean.
In short, if I had to go for a long time and worried about doing laundry, I would ensure that at least I’ve wool or polyester fabric, especially on the sweaty parts.
Extend your Wardrobe
There’re several ways to extend the length between washes of your RV clothes. Three or four sets of clothes are a good number for me. I’ll alternate with wash one and dry one or two days. My clothes are also mix and match, so I can pair any shirt with any pants.
I’ve also learned how to wear my clothes until they’re dirty. I load my laundry weekly, mostly underwear and socks; I wear my clothes as often as possible between washes.
And if it doesn’t bother you, you could still wear the same outfit for several days, especially when you’re not sweating. I know it’s quite obvious, but I know a friend who refuses to wear the same pant for more than a day.
You must also consider wearing clothes depending on the task. For example, have daytime clothes and evening clothes. Set aside clothes you’ll only wear after doing all your stuff that might get sweaty or dirty. This way, you’ll have something nice to wear when you go out for the evening.
Finally, you must pick your clothes carefully. Choose lightweight fabrics and dark colors to minimize the need to wash after minor spills and smears.
Drying Tips
Unless you’re using a dryer to dry your clothes, the other awesome alternative is simply hanging them on the line and waiting for them to air dry. Simple.
You could also hang clothes inside your RV, providing sufficient ventilation. Ideally, you should have a shower cabin with a separate ventilator on the roof to remove moisture.
For the small delicate items such as innerwear, you could wrap them in a towel, roll them and stomp on it to squeeze the excess water for quicker drying. It’s also known as the towel burrito method and works super awesome.
Soap (LNT)
The Leave No Trace guidelines apply to whatever situation you’re in. It asks you not to throw or do dishes near any water source. The best practice is to do your laundry at least 300 feet away from any source.
It also makes environmental sense to use biodegradable soap, especially if you plan to ditch it in a cat hole. The low-phosphate or phosphate-free options are more environmentally friendlier.
Some laundry detergents hardly suds up in salt, so you should pick one that does at least a little. The
Wrap up
It’s a wrap and everything you need to know about how to do your laundry while camping. It’s evident that doing laundry isn’t challenging as many RVers tend to put it, and you could use a couple of different methods to keep your clothes clean.
