Where to wash clothes

[sunshines]

I noticed the trail I am taking (Almendralejo - Caceras) the places listed for accommodation ( I am doing short stints between averaging 16-26kms) dont have any washing facilities for clothes is there a list somewhere I could get hold of for laundry services my route is simple

from Almendralejo - Torremejia
Torremejia - Merida
Merida - Aljucen
Aljucen - Alcuescar
Alcuescar to Aldeo cano
Aldeo - Caceras

NONE of them have a laundry service only Merida that is open 10am-13.00 the following day

wondering if there are other places that I could stop and get clothes washed only want to take minimum if I have to carry that weight on my back...... eeeeeekkkk I am shocked that these places dont have laundry

I am walking from March 21st also have to contend with weather conditions double eek... If I wash them my self in said places what are the chances they will be dry come the morning ( as it wont be warm that time of year) from previous experiences hand washed clothes left to dry can actually smell WORSE than dirty clothes

 

[trecile]

I noticed the trail I am taking (Almendralejo - Caceras) the places listed for accommodation ( I am doing short stints between averaging 16-26kms) dont have any washing facilities for clothes is there a list somewhere I could get hold of for laundry services my route is simple

from Almendralejo - Torremejia
Torremejia - Merida
Merida - Aljucen
Aljucen - Alcuescar
Alcuescar to Aldeo cano
Aldeo - Caceras

NONE of them have a laundry service only Merida that is open 10am-13.00 the following day

wondering if there are other places that I could stop and get clothes washed only want to take minimum if I have to carry that weight on my back...... eeeeeekkkk I am shocked that these places dont have laundry

I am walking from March 21st also have to contend with weather conditions double eek... If I wash them my self in said places what are the chances they will be dry come the morning ( as it wont be warm that time of year) from previous experiences hand washed clothes left to dry can actually smell WORSE than dirty clothes

I would recommend that you bring merino wool shirts. They are slow to develop odor, so you can actually skip a day or two if washing without offending your tor other pilgrim's noses

 

[Deleted member 43780]

I, and most other walkers, hand wash clothes in hostel, hotels, alburgue, camp ground, etc in sink or shower.

Hang on clothes line out side. or even in my room using my own clothes line.

You must be staying somewhere that you can do the same??

I have even seen walkers doing clothes in small villages in the community wash tub/pool.

I like Dr Brommers One-in-All soap bar. Use it for body, hair, shaving, and clothes.

And as Trecile told above, merino wool is the best!

 

[KJFSophie]

I noticed the trail I am taking (Almendralejo - Caceras) the places listed for accommodation ( I am doing short stints between averaging 16-26kms) dont have any washing facilities for clothes is there a list somewhere I could get hold of for laundry services my route is simple

from Almendralejo - Torremejia
Torremejia - Merida
Merida - Aljucen
Aljucen - Alcuescar
Alcuescar to Aldeo cano
Aldeo - Caceras

NONE of them have a laundry service only Merida that is open 10am-13.00 the following day

wondering if there are other places that I could stop and get clothes washed only want to take minimum if I have to carry that weight on my back...... eeeeeekkkk I am shocked that these places dont have laundry

I am walking from March 21st also have to contend with weather conditions double eek... If I wash them my self in said places what are the chances they will be dry come the morning ( as it wont be warm that time of year) from previous experiences hand washed clothes left to dry can actually smell WORSE than dirty clothes

I've never had hand washed clothes smell worse than unwashed clothes...but I wash every day, so they aren't totally filthy/stinky. You are wise to question if hand washing will be dry the next morning. We had many mornings where our things had not dried...either hung too late, or too raw/damp outside, no sun/breeze... also beware that things left out overnight outside will get dampened by the morning dew. I try to wring clothes as best I can, then wring them again inside of my towel to suck up even more water. My towel seems to dry quickly despite it's additional burden. Bring something to tie inside of your bunk for a makeshift line. If you are ready to retire and things aren't dry, I would bring them inside and dry on bunk lines.

In the end, after walking a few caminos and struggling with damp or unlaundered clothes...I bring a spare set. I'll gladly add the weight to be clean and comfortable.

Good luck !

 

[sunshines]

I've never had hand washed clothes smell worse than unwashed clothes...but I wash every day, so they aren't totally filthy/stinky. You are wise to question if hand washing will be dry the next morning. We had many mornings where our things had not dried...either hung too late, or too raw/damp outside, no sun/breeze... also beware that things left out overnight outside will get dampened by the morning dew. I try to wring clothes as best I can, then wring them again inside of my towel to suck up even more water. My towel seems to dry quickly despite it's additional burden. Bring something to tie inside of your bunk for a makeshift line. If you are ready to retire and things aren't dry, I would bring them inside and dry on bunk lines.

In the end, after walking a few caminos and struggling with damp or unlaundered clothes...I bring a spare set. I'll gladly add the weight to be clean and comfortable.

Good luck !

great answer thanks you actually understood my mindset

 

[C clearly]

Another approach... I wash only socks and underwear every day. It usually dries overnight, although I always have a spare pair of socks. I wear walking clothes that can be dirty for a day or 2 or 3. I have evening/sleeping clothes that don't get dirty too fast. So, I only need to wash major clothes about twice a week and I can do that when it is most convenient.

P.S. The private albergue in Aljucen does have washing machines.

 

[OzAnnie]

great answer thanks you actually understood my mindset

Hi there..
Reading your posts I feel your understanding of the camino routine may still be too abstract for you?
I think that once you are on Camino for a few days and experiencing your routine ., it will all seem so simple.
Generally (unless you are in a big hurry or time poor), we tend to try to stop at albergues (or hostales etc) by around 2ish.
Once you’ve got your bed sorted, it’s into the shower and wash what you need to (put your fresh set on)... this usually gives a few hours of daylight to dry things. Merino dries very quickly.
It was not often that I had to hang gear overnight to dry. I usually had everything dry and my pack ready before going to sleep. The part that I enjoyed about the camino was ‘letting go’ of what you think is expected , and do what comes naturally.
Good luck with planning though ., we’re all different ..

Buen Camino
Annie

 

[t2andreo]

Many of us do our hand wash in available sinks, using a rubber stopper. For soap, we generally use whatever we washed our bodies with.

Others, myself included, and especially if in an albergue, will simply go into the shower wearing our t-shirt or polo shirt, socks and undergarments needing washing. They are soaped and rinsed first, then wrung out and rinsed while still in the shower. It makes total sense one you do it the first time.

After you exit the shower, towel off and put a second set of clean, dry undergarments and top garment on, you can use your damp towel to do a 'roll and stomp' on the wrung out socks and undergarments. This removes like 95 percent of the water.

If you followed the advice in this forum and used synthetic fabric or wool, the very damp garments will dry overnight. Hanging in the fresh air is preferable.

I usually include my t-shirt or polo shirt in the above all-in-one wash routine.

If I am staying in private / commercial accommodations, I usually use the sink, do the roll and stomp using their towels, and hang clothing on available hangers.

I have even developed a clever method for using a hiking pole as a clothes hanging rod in front of an open hostal or hotel room window to air dry stuff in my room. It works great... I have developed a small 'kit' that travels with me, domestically, internationally, or on Camino...

My clothes drying kit contains a couple of large plastic 'S' hooks, a couple of light metal "S" hooks, and four long, heavy duty rubber bands (actually bin bag-holding rubber bands). I also carry three, folding plastic hangers. If a place does not have hangers, I do. One holds my polo or t-shirt, one holds my boxer shorts and the third holds my two pair of socks to dry overnight.

My 'system' involves suspending one of my hiking poles horizontally and parallel to the curtain rod in the room. Once it is dark, no one can see it from outside anyway...

Hope this helps.

 

[lt56ny]

Follow this advice like others have said. Get your bed, take your shower, wash your clothes, hang them and if they still aren’t dry in the morning hang them on your backpack Welcome to the Camino.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

Some of the alburgues have a inside area/clothes lines/clothes racks for hanging clothes inside at night.
Two benefits for this:
- prevents theft
- clothes will not completely dry outsid over night: dew/possible rain too at night

I have only experienced one incident of theft of outside clothes being stolen. That was at Los Arcos Few years ago. Koreans had their clothes stolen that were left outside.

I was in tent in the yard and didn’t wake up from whoever took the clothes.

 

[KinkyOne]

Anyway if you will go for a washing/drying machines and willing to pay think of environmental point of it too. Try to find more pilgrims to share the service. Saving money (could be used for communal dinner), saving water & electricity and also "saving" the washing machine which tends to broke down faster when too little or too much clothes are put in them.

 

[jmcarp]

Many of us do our hand wash in available sinks, using a rubber stopper. For soap, we generally use whatever we washed our bodies with.

The best piece of advice my mentor gave me before my first Camino was to take and use Gold Bond Friction Defense on my feet daily. The second best piece of advice he gave me was to take a round piece of rubber from an inner tube 3 to 4 inches (75-100mm) in diameter to use as a universal stopper in those albergue wash basins that never seem to have a stopper. Oh yeah, I used Ivory soap for everything.