Spin Cycle – Laundry While Traveling

No matter where you are from in the world – every person has to do laundry.  However they way we do laundry certainly varies from country to country.    In Europe they don’t use dryers, in India and other developing countries it is often done by hand by the women of the village. Some countries use a clothes line, some use a drying rack.  I have even seen laundry drying in trees and bushes in many countries.  In India they dry them on the highway fences.  Can you imagine your panties hanging out on the interstate for everyone to see?!

I had someone recently ask me how I do my laundry while traveling.  I’ve had a lot of experience doing laundry while traveling since I lived nomadically for 11 years and frequently take long trips.  Quite frankly I do my laundry any way I can; in the sink, in a washing machine, at the laundromat, or have someone do it for me for the right price.  My travel clothes have little numbers written on all of the tags from when I leave my bag of dirty clothes with a random local woman to do my wash; the numbers help them keep track of all of the different bags of laundry they do.  I like them as it reminds me months later of my travels.

Colorful clothes hang on the side of a building along the Anapurna Circuit in Nepal

Where to do Laundry While Traveling

As a traveler you have a lot of options for how to do laundry while traveling.

Laundry In Your Rental

Many Airbnb’s and apartment rentals have a washer/dryer included in the apartment of home.  This is by far the easiest and most convenient!  Just check to see if they have laundry before you book.  It normally doesn’t cost any more to rent a place with laundry. However do know that many of the places don’t have dryers (it’s a cultural thing) and you will need to air dry your clothes.  Or you can travel with a pinless clothes line to hang your laundry.

Use a Laundromat

Many times I have to find a local laundromat to wash my clothes.  This is always a fun adventure as it means that you have to find it, figure out how to work the machines, make sure you have detergent or can buy little packets, and then make sure you have change for the machines.  This can be a time consuming process but I always find it a fun way to see a different slice of the culture in a country that I’m traveling in.

Laundromat in on Lanai Hawaii

Have Your Laundry Done

A woman carries laundry in India

In many less developed countries you can simply have your laundry done for you by a local woman.  This sounds luxurious, but it’s normally really cheap to do.  And it provides work for the local people.  They normally charge by the weight. Many hostels and hotels offer this option to have your laundry done in a day and it will be returned back to you all folded and clean that night!

Of course if you are staying in a fancier hotel or a big city or developed country, then you can also have your laundry done at a hotel.  However, this is probably the most expensive way to do it; it’s actually a huge rip off and I avoid it at all costs!  They charge per piece and it’s very easy to rack up a huge laundry bill.

Laundry In Your Sink

On most longer trips of 2 to 3 weeks I tend to just do laundry in my sink of my hotel!  I travel with a couple of small tide packets and simply wash underwear, socks, shirts, and pants out in the sink. It doesn’t get them super clean, but it gives them a bit of ‘new life’!

My niece doing her sink laundry!

Some things to consider if you are doing sink laundry: 
Make sure you pack clothes that dry quickly and don’t wrinkle.  There are specific companies that specialize in travel clothes like Exofficio.  They make products for sink washing that dry super fast and are lightweight. They even say that all you need to take on any trip is one pair of their travel underwear as you can wash you underwear out each night in the sink and they dry super fast!  And I have to admit…I do love their travel underwear!
Make sure you bring a little soap for sink washing and potentially a sink stop as some places don’t have a way to stop up the drain for washing.

Laundry Prints from Around the World

I find hanging laundry beautiful and have been capturing laundry around the world during my travels!  Maybe you have a laundry room with empty walls that need a little decor?  I sell these laundry prints too!

This is my collection of laundry around the world.

Italy

Canada

Vietnam

Peru

Montenegro

Greece

Jordan

India

Cambodia

Croatia

Singapore

Malta

Africa

Nebraska

Cambodia

Venice

Canada

Morocco

Vietnam

Lebanon

Italy

France