laundry

[debbiej]

After doing the "daily wash", is there a clothes line to hang our wet clothes or what? So we need to bring a line to string up?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Competition for the drying line is intense! Bring your own with clips. This one can be clipped under a bunk bed:

http://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-Bungee-C ... 97&sr=8-45

 

[Anniesantiago]

The little clothesline falcon suggests is brilliant!
We used ours when the lines were full.

You can also make one quite easily if you go to the fabric store and purchase round elastic (1/8"), maybe about 20 feet. Then double it, and tie the ends together. Put one end over a chair top or doorknob, pull it tight but not stretched, and you twist the other end until it is so tight it begins to double up on itself. At that point, you carefully have a 2d person hold the middle, fold it in the middle and take your end to the doorknob ... tie the ends together... and let it go!

You can also try just twisting and doubling it once if you can only find 1/4" elastic rope.

We've made these many times and they work great! You can put caribiners or other clips on the ends. You don't need clothespins with these. You just stick the corners of your clothes up into the elastic and it holds it tightly.

You also can take some baby diaper pins or large safety pins and pin your clothes to your backpack in the morning if they are not dry. They'll dry as you walk.

There were only 2 or 3 times we didn't find a clothesline, though.

Another tip: Pick up a bar of Naptha soap when you get to Spain and cut it into 3 or 4 pieces. Share with other pilgrims. It works best for handwashing your clothes - it's made for that.

 

[WolverineDG]

or save time & wash your clothes in the shower. Worked very well when I did it.

Kelly

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yeah! I heard of one pilgrim who'd wear their clothes into the shower, soap them up, take them off and put in a ziplock, then finish washing after the shower. Sounded pretty smart, really!

 

[Chev.Jerry]

Many of the private albergues have washing machines and dryers, and for a few euros they will do your laundry for you. You can always share a load with other pilgrims to make the cost lower...

Jerry

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Typically, the "few Euros" is 6, three for the wash and three for the dry. A couple of places would not let me use just the dryer after a rainy day; in part because the clothes might be dirty, and partly because is would halve their income!

 

[Nicki2009]

or save time & wash your clothes in the shower. Worked very well when I did it.

Kelly

.. but please be considerate of other pilgrims waiting for their showers (e.g., don't use more water or take more time than you would otherwise have taken)

Personally, I walked into the shower fully clothed (but pockets EMPTY!) and then stripped off, leaving the clothes to get wet & soapy as I showered. After showering, I would bundle the wet clothes in my towel and take them to the laundry sink for finishing & rinsing. I got to be pretty efficient at this.

 

[Javier Martin]

Typically, the "few Euros" is 6, three for the wash and three for the dry. A couple of places would not let me use just the dryer after a rainy day; in part because the clothes might be dirty, and partly because is would halve their income!

I see a problem in the time "wasted" during the laundry and drying. If you hand wash your clothes, it takes to you ten minutes and after that you can have a walk or what you prefer. But, both machines can take you a couple of hourse, and you need to be there to change your clothes from one to the other ... so you can not visit the place and others.

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[beachamorgan]

Yes, taking your dirties into the shower is the easiest way to clean your underwear. It takes minutes. Strip before showering and throw your underwear, socks, under shirts and bras on the floor. Wash yourself and after the soap has rinsed over your clothing all you have to do is spot wash the soiled parts. It really takes minutes.Be sure to wash all of the soap out!

I carry a suction cup hook and a small elastic line to ensure a place for drying but I have hung underwear and socks on my pack to allow the drying process to continue

Nicole