Laundry

[keilnirby]

Now there's a compelling subject line.

I've done a couple summer Caminos and liked the convenience of having my clothes dry in a couple hours or hanging them off the pack like it's a traveling shop. I'm considering a March VDLP and was wondering if any of you had any tips for laundry and packing/drying wet clothes.

Cheers,

Neil

 

[hecate105]

I swear by Ecover washing up liquid. It cleans anything! We used it for our hair and bodies, for washing clothes and dishes. We only had to carry one bottle - and a little goes a long way.
Microfibre towels are excellent and well worth the expense - we had large ones and could shower, dry ourselves & hair and then twist all our washing (stamped on whilst showering - to save water and Ecover) fairly dry in them. Then a few nappy pins to attach damp washing to panniers or rucksack - and away you go! (Tip - don't take red knickers - people tend to point!)
I also had my hair cut short before I left - to save taking a brush and to use less Ecover.
If weather is bad - choose places to stop that have an open fire or radiator - or even just a window can help get stuff dry. We made a few cafes look like laundries on the way.
Unfortunately most lightweight new materials are no good in dryers - otherwise you can nearly always find a launderette in towns. At albergues offer to share a machine with someone to halve the cost (good bonding experience separating your undies!) and get the washing up drying asap.

 

[Magnara]

Hecate said it all, really, but I'll add my 2 cents worth - we walked the Spanish camino in winter so drying clothes by hanging them on the outside of the pack was not a possibility. When you arrive, the absolute first job is to wash and hang your clothes on the heater. (Usually they heater only stays on for a few hours, not all night). A little twisted elastic clothes line allows you to kind of strap your clothes flat to the heater (top, front, back) to get the maximum drying effect as quickly as possible. In cold weather you don't sweat as much, especially if you are prepared to start off the day a bit cold and allow your walking to warm you up. So you can wear a set of day clothes longer without washing and a set of after-shower evening clothes for really extended periods without washing. Socks got washed every day.
Maggie Ramsay
"The Italian Camino" (Amazon)

 

[keilnirby]

Thanks. Hadn't occurred to me that due to the cooler weather washing as frequently isn't necessary--except for the socks of course. Wouldn't want anyone to pass out.

Cheers,

Neil

 

[ausmarko]

My tip is to use Laundry Liquid.
I say this because on my Camino last year I went into a supermarket and picked some nice blue liquid in a bottle adjacent to the Laundry powder. I was using this liquid in the nice red bottle for over a week before a Spanish lady in one of the Albergue's asked why I was using Oven Cleaner to wash my clothes

Funny thing was it seemed to be doing a good job

 

[keilnirby]

After a few muddy days maybe it worked better!

 

[Packinglight]

Ausmarko, that made me laugh out loud!

 

[Betty Bauer]

My friends and I did something similar during a study abroad semester in Austria. We thought we were getting such a good deal by getting the lighter blue, much larger bottle that was cheaper. It was fabric softener ...