Going on a road trip or camping adventure in an RV is an exciting thing to do. You find peace looking at the breathtaking views along the road. While you are on the road for a few days, some things that concern you, including your laundry.
Even when you are only inside the RV, you need to change clothes to feel clean and fresh. You are probably asking yourself how you can do laundry when traveling in an RV, right? The laundry methods you can do in an RV range from the cheapest to the most expensive option. Let’s talk about these methods and choose the one that fits your adventure style.
Use a Portable Washing Machine
Some rental RVs have a portable washer, and if you own an RV, you can purchase one for traveling. Buy one that you can rely on to wash and spin your laundry while on travel. Portable washing machines only allow you to wash small loads of laundry.
If you opt to have a portable washing machine for your RV, the only essentials you have to bring for laundry are laundry bags or basket, detergent, and a clothesline.
You can easily do laundry with a portable washer. Once you sorted all your laundry, you only have to load your dirty garments in the washer. Add a detergent, and it will spin the laundry for you. It is basically what you do at home but in small loads. After washing your laundry, you need to dry them with the clothesline. You can install your clothesline outside, but ensure that your clothes are not under direct sunlight as it may affect their color quality.
If you want to have this option and can afford to buy a compact washer, it is for you. However, a portable washer can be expensive for some. If it is a set back for you, you can either hand wash your laundry or stopover at a laundromat along the way.
Hand Wash Laundry
While the most expensive method to do laundry when traveling in an RV is purchasing a portable washing machine, hand washing is the cheapest yet most time-consuming way.
It is a cost-effective way to do laundry when traveling in an RV since all you need are a laundry basket or laundry bag, two small wash bins, and a portable clothesline. How to do the laundry is quite similar at home:
Install the clothesline first. You can either attach it around trees or to your RV to hang dry your clothes after washing. Now, it’s time to sort your clothes by fabric type, level of dirtiness, and color.
After sorting, fill one wash bin with water and detergent while filling the other water only. Scrub your laundry in the wash bin with water and detergent. Squeeze out and place it in the second bin.
After you have scrubbed and transferred the clothes to the second bin, drain the water on the first bin, and rinse it. Empty this wash bin.
On the second bin, carefully rinse out the detergent residues on your clothes. Squeeze out the water and place it on the empty wash bin.
After you have rinsed all the clothes, hang them on the clothesline you installed.
Although washing your laundry by hand is a time-consuming way, doing it with nature’s breathtaking beauty makes it all worth it. If you think of washing by hand beside a lake or laundry, you have to make your best judgment first. Is the lake or river water clean? If it is full of algae and dirt, it is best to stay away and use your water resource. Meanwhile, if the water looks clean, it can be suitable for washing your clothes.
Lastly, if you are doing it around nature, use an eco-friendly detergent. Do not use those with harmful chemicals as they may cause damage.
If you think hand washing is time-consuming and you feel lazy about it, you can pass by a laundromat along the way to your next destination.
Pass by a Laundromat
If a portable washer is too expensive for you and hand washing is time-consuming, passing by a laundromat is the better option you can do. Although you have to sit and wait for your laundry to finish, it is faster than washing your clothes by hand.
While some don’t like staying around the laundromat, some laundry service provider like Liox Laundry takes their services to the next level. They are renovating and upgrading their place to make it exciting for visitors. You can watch entertaining shows, grab a coffee, or use their Wi-Fi for an hour or two while waiting for your laundry. Some even have arcade games or playground.
However, the service charge of laundromats is not the same. They may vary per load and their location. Laundry shops in prime locations are expensive. Doing laundry in laundromats is the fastest option and probably the affordable one.
If you are one of those who thinks waiting at the laundromat is a waste of time, you have the last option– go for a stopover at a camping ground or an RV park.
Stopover at RV Parks or Campgrounds
Instead of wasting an hour or two at the laundromat, you can have a stopover at a camping ground or an RV park. There, you can use the time to explore the area. Several camping grounds and RV parks have public laundry facilities.
They are even more affordable than laundromats, and you can explore some sites during your wait-time.
If you wish to have this option, you need to plan it. Search for featured campgrounds and parks to include them in your route.
Are you excited to hit the road with your RV? Choose the best way to laundry your clothes when traveling in an RV. No matter which way you choose, may it be the cheapest or the most expensive one, let it be the most convenient and effective choice. Make your road trip the adventure of your lifetime.
