While it would be awesome to have a washer and dryer in your campervan, it just isn’t that feasible. A washer and dryer would take up too much space, use too much of your water supply and require a ton of extra electricity. Although I have seen it done, I just think doing laundry on the road is just one of those annoying chores you have to do in exchange for living your best life on the road. Therefore, I am going to provide you with everything you need to know about how to do laundry on the road.
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Where To Wash Your Laundry On The Road
Laundromat:
One of the easiest ways to do laundry on the road is at a laundromat. Laundromats were designed for people to bring their laundry from outside the facility to get them clean, quick and efficiently. Laundromats tend to have quick machines that can wash your clothes in 20-30 minutes. And huge dryers that can get your clothes dried fast (but, that’s only if you don’t overstuff them).
While laundromats do cost money, you can often research some of the cheaper locations on Google. But do note that some of the cheaper laundromats often have older machines and don’t wash your clothes as well as some of the newer machines. And sometimes the dryers can take FOREVER.
Overall, a laundromat is one of the easiest and quickest ways to do laundry on the road. Plus, they usually have Wifi and bathrooms (other things you typically need).
Friends & Family:
Another awesome way to do laundry on the road is at a friend or family member’s house. Plus then you get to hang with your family or friends, so it’s a double bonus! Whenever we visit family and friends, they usually offer up a shower, laundry and home cooked meal. That is not always the case, but it is an awesome and easy way to do laundry on the road.
But it’s rare to always have a friend or family member on the road everywhere you travel, so this option is mostly limited to specific situations.
Hand-Wash Your Laundry On The Road:
Another idea for laundry on the road is to hand-wash the clothes yourself. This is the best budget-friendly way for washing your clothes on the go. But it definitely takes more work on your end. First, you need something to wash your clothes in, such as a bucket, sink or laundry bag.
A river, lake or water source might seem like an easy source, but you often can’t use detergent in those water sources. So it’s only a good idea if you need to wash something quick or get some dirt off without soap.
If you have a sink that can be plugged, in your campervan or RV, then that is probably the easiest option for hand washing your clothes. That way the water can flow into your grey tank to be disposed of properly.
But if you don’t have a sink, then a bucket or laundry bag should suffice. If you are using biodegradable soap, you can often dispose of it on the ground if it is 200 feet from a water source (lake, river, creek, ocean, etc).
Best Products To Hand-Wash Your Laundry On The Road
Scrubba Wash Bag
The Scrubba Wash Bag is a great laundry bag option. It weighs under 5 oz and can hold up to 3 gallons of laundry & water. Although the suggested wash load is 1 gallon. The laundry bag comes with hundreds of internal Scrubba nodules that efficiently clean your clothes in minutes. Plus the bag is Made from microbial and hydrolysis-resistant polyether & thermoplastic polyurethane.
I’d say this laundry bag is good for small loads and for washing clothes you might need between going to the laundromat. But it is compact and a great laundry option to have while traveling on the road.
Sea to Summit Trek & Travel Pocket Laundry Wash
The Sea to Summit Trek & Travel Pocket Laundry Wash is a great laundry detergent for hand washing your clothes. It is compact, biodegradable, phosphate-free and easily dissolves in water.
Small Portable Washer & Dryer:
While I don’t think this is the best choice for doing laundry on the road, it is still possible to have a small washer & dryer in your campervan.
The Giantex Portable Mini Compact Twin Tub Washing Machine is one of the best sellers on Amazon. It has a capacity of 18 lbs and can wash up to 100 loads. The washer typically runs for 15 minutes and the spinner for 5 minutes. It does use 300W Wash Power & 110W Spin Power. Therefore, it is doable in a campervan or RV, but it will use a good amount of power.
Check Out Other Popular Portable Washing Machines On Amazon –>
Then, you could either hang dry your clothes or consider getting a dryer system that is vanlife friendly. This Portable Ventless Cloths Dryer is a decent option for getting your clothes dried fast. It runs on 110 volts, but typically runs longer than your average dryer. Therefore, isn’t great for your campervan battery, but still doable.
And Check Out Other Popular Portable Dryers On Amazon –>
How To Reduce Your Amount Of Laundry On The Road
Rewear Clothes:
Jake and I are huge fans of Merino Wool Clothing. Merino Wool is breathable, odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, and naturally sourced. We have many different brands of Merino Wool that we love.
Our Favorite Merino Wool Clothing Brands:
Icebreaker:
We worked with Icebreaker a couple years ago when we did the 7-day sweater challenge. We wore a sweater for 7 days straight, and even took it to the next level without showering either. So this sweater went through a lot and it honestly didn’t even smell after 7-days of consecutive wear.
Smartwool:
Jake and I have various Smartwool items for when we hike or backpack. Jake really likes Smartwools hiking socks, and I personally love my 1/2 zip sweater.
Unbound Merino:
We also are big fans of Unbound Merino. They are a merino wool company that focuses on timeless clothing that’s great for on the trail or out at the brewery. We liked this brand so much, we wrote an Unbound Merino review.
IsoBaa:
We recently partnered with IsoBaa which is an awesome merino wool company from London. They want their clothing to inspire you to get outdoors and enjoy nature while being comfortable no matter what season it is.
How To Reduce The Smell Of Laundry In Your Campervan
As you know, laundry can get smelly because, well, it’s dirty clothes. So there are a few tips and tricks to reduce the smelly laundry that might loft through your campervan.
Have A Separate, Closed-off Spot For Your Dirty Clothes:
One thing Jake and I incorporated into our van build was to have a laundry shoot under our bed. This way, the laundry bag is separated from the main cab of the van. It keeps our dirty laundry and it’s smells out of our living space.
Don’t Put Anything Wet In The Hamper:
Another huge tip to follow is to make sure everything you put in the laundry is dry. The easiest way for something in the dirty laundry bag to get extra smelly is to have something moist sitting in the bag and not having enough air to properly dry.
How To Find Laundry On The Road:
There are a few great apps and websites to help you find the best places to do laundry on the road.
iOverlander:
iOverlander is a great resource for finding laundromats on the road. It is an app every vanlifer should have downloaded on their phone. It has a filter for almost everything a vanlifer should possibly need, from where to camp, find water, propane, showers, laundry on the road, etc. There is a filter, where you can specifically select to see laundromats. There will be a picture of a shirt on a hanger, which represents a laundromat.
Sekr:
Similar to iOverlander, there is a filter on the app where you can filter to see laundromats near you. The symbol that represents a laundromat is a washing machine.
GoogleMaps:
And of course, simply researching laundromats near me, will give you your best selection of laundromats. My best suggestion is to read the reviews and see what other people are saying about the laundromat. Oftentimes, you will see if the machines work properly or if the machines are appropriately priced.
Tips For How To Do Laundry On The Road
Save Up All Your Laundry To Do All At Once:
Doing laundry on the road can get annoying to do often. So Jake and I try to save up our laundry so we can do 3 or 4 loads all at once. We tend to make it to the laundromat a little less than 1 time per month. This just saves us time overall and that way we can dedicate a day to doing all our chores at one.
Don’t Overstuff The Washer:
A great tip to share about laundry on the road, is to do it right the first time. It is definitely tempting to shove all your laundry in one huge washer all at once to save money. But we suggest trying to break up your loads into a few different washers.
This way you can ensure you clothes are actually getting clean and you won’t have to run the washing machine a second time. Plus you can easily break a washing machine if you over stuff it. So maybe try to break up your loads into darks and lights, or darks, whites & colors.
Don’t Overstuff The Dryer:
And similarly to not overstuffing the washing machines, don’t overstuff the dryers. Your clothes will dry much quicker if you break up the loads into small batches. It allows your clothes more space and heat to tumble dry. Sometimes the clothes can be dry in just 15 minutes, which can get your back on the road much quicker than if you dry to put all the clothes together in one dryer.
Our Favorite Products For Laundry On The Road:
Earth Breeze Sheets:
Our favorite laundry detergent to do laundry on the road is Earth Breeze Sheets. They have recyclable/plastic-free packaging, are hypoallergenic, and cruelty-free. Plus they can save you a decent chunk of valuable space in your campervan, because it comes in a small envelope, rather than a huge plastic jug.
Color Catcher:
We always throw a color catcher in our load of laundry, so none of the colors leak onto our other clothes. We find this method to be easier than separating whites, from colors and darks, etc. So these sheets will help keep your clothes looking fresh!
Oxi Clean:
For those extra tough stains, Oxi-Clean Stain Remover can be great to have in your campervan. It works especially great for keeping your whites to stay white.
Takeaway | How To Do Laundry On The Road
Doing laundry on the road is never really that fun, but it’s something you just have to do while traveling on the road. While I think a laundromat is the best and easiest way to do laundry on the road, there are a few other options to choose from.
If you prefer to not have to visit laundromats, then a portable washing machine might be a great option for you. Or if you are on a budget, consider a laundry washing bag that you can use by hand. But all we know is fresh, clean clothes are a must for us, while living on the road!
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