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Thanks for reply JozeroHi Pasha - not ridiculous just not that common...! Most who stay in Albergues tend to hand wash their items and sinks for doing so are often provided but you'll need your own soap (I read numerous people who use a all-in-one soap bar for clothes, hair, skin, etc). Some will have coin operated laundry machines but not too many. More common in private Albergues they will offer a laundry service (wash and dry) but usually in my experience, pretty expensive 7-8 euros. Since you generally have very few items to wash, if you don't mind sharing you can get together with other like-minded Pilgrims and share the cost.
Oddly enough, I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed hand washing my clothes. It became part of my daily ritual, chores if you will, done after checking into the Albergue for the night and then hung on my clothes line so they had time to dry overnight, which they did even in winter.
I should also mention not everywhere has a clothes line (EDIT: to clarify, not everywhere I stayed had anywhere to dry clothes inside I could use in the winter months or space on the line if you arrive last like I usually do...) so I carry my own which weighs only 1 ounce. I wrap it around my bunk and hang my towel and wet clothes so it has a dual purpose, dry the clothes while adding a small privacy barrierThanks for reply Jozero
I just wasn't sure if they even provided somewhere to hand was or dry clothes.. but clothes lines ... perfect ..!!! Not that I'm going for long or plan in having to wash much.. I'm going in may so hoping I won't need too many heavy clothes and the clothes I do take shouldn't take up much room.. least that's the plan I think...
Thanks again
Paula
I have never encountered an albergue without a place to dry clothes.I should also mention not everywhere has a clothes line... I carry my own which weighs only 1 ounce. I wrap it around my bunk and hang my towel and wet clothes so it has a dual purpose, dry the clothes while adding a small privacy barrier
Buen Camino!
During the winter, cloth lines outside didn't help me much...! Was happy to have my own in my clothes line.I have never encountered an albergue without a place to dry clothes.
Ok...is it just a bucket and soap
Thanks again folks
Paula
These creative challenges, which change every day, are among the joys of the Camino. Taking a purchased clothes line is too easy! (Although you would usually need to rig up a contraption to hang it from.)Love the use of Poles. Never thought of that!
These creative challenges, which change every day, are among the joys of the Camino. Taking a purchased clothes line is too easy! (Although you would usually need to rig up a contraption to hang it from.)
As others have noted in other threads (this is not the first laundry thread, my friends!), put your dirty clothes in the bottom of your shower. As you wash and clean, agitate your clothes!
I don't get this. How do you wash your hair and various parts while stomping on your clothes, especially without falling or taking a long time and thus using a lot more water?put your dirty clothes in the bottom of your shower. As you wash and clean, agitate your clothes! Don't fall!
My wife will be the first to say this was pretty out of character for me!! Can't explain it very easily but something about finding a routine in my day allowed my mind to be free for the real reason I was there. Luckily I managed to snap out of it when I stepped off the plane at homeThe clothes washing ritual was not one I relished @jozero
I don't get this. How do you wash your hair and various parts while stomping on your clothes, especially without falling or taking a long time and thus using a lot more water?It seems harder than the trick of simultaneously patting your head and rubbing your tummy in a circle.
Surely agitating the clothes in the sink for an extra minute or two makes more sense!On the other hand, maybe it's good that you are cleaning the shower floor for us!
I think I would rather get out of the shower quickly and go sit, fully clothed, drinking the wine!Just pretend you are stomping Rioja grapes while participating in a nude festival?
And they are collapsible so you can really adjust them for your needsThese creative challenges, which change every day, are among the joys of the Camino. Taking a purchased clothes line is too easy! (Although you would usually need to rig up a contraption to hang it from.)
You are a domestic goddess... Must admit I left the washing to Scott and I went off to get the cold beer...I love this thread, as I'm also one who enjoys the challenge of staying clean...and I do like freshly washed clothes.
You are a domestic goddess... Must admit I left the washing to Scott and I went off to get the cold beer...
My scepter is my walking stick....
My backpack is my throne....
A floppy sunhat is my crown,
and domestic goddess, a title I now own!
HAIL TO ME!
Just pretend you are stomping Rioja grapes while participating in a nude festival?
Hmmm. Quite the image!domestic goddess, a title I now own!
Great idea, @trecile . A portable manual washing machine!I used a dry bag (mine is a 12 liter from Osprey which weighs just 1.2 ounces/34 grams) to wash my clothes in.
I chose the dry bag over the Scrubba because it weighs quite a bit less, and costs less too.
I have. Several actually. Admittedly, most of those had a coin-operated dryer, but not all.(see my take on dryers below)I have never encountered an albergue without a place to dry clothes.
You listed every trick I learned on my first camino! It doesn't take more water or longer time if you have a routine before you step in. I shared this with many Pilgrims last year.I love this thread, as I'm also one who enjoys the challenge of staying clean...and I do like freshly washed clothes. Here are Deb's hints:
1. Don't be that person who puts clothes in the washer or drier and then goes drinking, leaving others to deal with your clothes! Be Johnny on the spot.
2. Use your quick-dry towel to SQUEEZE the last bit of moisture out of socks and underwear. In fact, if you need to, roll up damp clothes in quick-dry towel and walk on the towel. Then, wash the towel out afterward. Towel dries fast. Wool socks, not so much.
3. As others have noted in other threads (this is not the first laundry thread, my friends!), put your dirty clothes in the bottom of your shower. As you wash and clean, agitate your clothes! Don't fall!
Merino wool undergarments can keep you smelling fresh when you're not, which is why so many of us like them!
Buen Cleanino
Great idea! I already use those laundry lightweight, inexpensive bags in my backpack for my "stuff" instead of noisy plastic bags, so now they will become multipurpose items for my next Camino!I brought a fine mesh zipper bag that weighs practically nothing. My dirty clothes & soap went into the bag for soaking, agitation & rinsing. The handiest thing was that the walk to the clothes line didn't have me dropping socks and other pieces of clothing along the way, and a small hook on the mesh bag allowed me to hang it on the line rather than dropping clothes on the ground.
Also worked when gathering clothes from the line, especially the mad sprint when it's started raining on your drying clothes. All part of the daily ritual.
Ok... so I've read a lot on this forum and often hear people saying they rinsed clothes out and dried them too... how are you all doing this? Is there some kind of laundry service or am I being ridiculous even thinking that... is it just a bucket and soap
Thanks again folks
Paula
This is my approach too. Socks and undies get washed every day. Walking clothes only when needed - maybe my base layer top needs washing every day or two in hot weather, but other things don't. They don't smell, and will just get dirty again tomorrow! My evening/night wear gets washed every week or two.I have one set for day and one for evening, which really cuts down the washing. The day ones can go for several days (I wash the undies and socks daily and shirt when it really needs it). I do wear ultrafine merino wool tops, which have a natural anti-"aroma" quality, so that helps.The other set I just use for evening, put on after the shower, to wear till bedtime. They hardly ever need washing at all. Makes life very simple.
That where the dry bag soak comes in, as most albergues and your fellow pilgrims will give you the stink eye if you monopolize the sink while you're in the shower.I say: soak the stuff in the sink with some shampoo while you're taking the shower, then scrub them a little, rinse them thoroughly (soap could be irritating for the skin), hang them on a line or whatever seems usable and go for a COLD BEER
I love this thread, as I'm also one who enjoys the challenge of staying clean...and I do like freshly washed clothes. Here are Deb's hints:
1. Don't be that person who puts clothes in the washer or drier and then goes drinking, leaving others to deal with your clothes! Be Johnny on the spot.
2. Use your quick-dry towel to SQUEEZE the last bit of moisture out of socks and underwear. In fact, if you need to, roll up damp clothes in quick-dry towel and walk on the towel. Then, wash the towel out afterward. Towel dries fast. Wool socks, not so much.
3. As others have noted in other threads (this is not the first laundry thread, my friends!), put your dirty clothes in the bottom of your shower. As you wash and clean, agitate your clothes! Don't fall!
Merino wool undergarments can keep you smelling fresh when you're not, which is why so many of us like them!
Buen Cleanino
Sounds goodI say: soak the stuff in the sink with some shampoo while you're taking the shower, then scrub them a little, rinse them thoroughly (soap could be irritating for the skin), hang them on a line or whatever seems usable and go for a COLD BEER
Yes, very much so. Actually a sink and soap and albergues have clothes lines. I walk in the Summer so it's no problem drying stuff. It is quite nice from time to time to use a washing-machine, they are more and more common on the camino francés. Depending on your budget they can be quite expensive so it is worth sharing with another pilgrim. (electricity IS expensive in Spain so they are not having you on...)
If staying in hotels washing/drying is more difficult - unless you are in a hotel that has laundry serviceNo clothes lines either so I carry my own.
If NOT walking in Summer....I'd advise taking three changes of undies/socks. They don't dry as easily.
Buen camino
Had large safety pins as well as cheap plastic clothes pins. Much preferred the clothespins. Seldom were the clotheslines straight, so all the clothes that had just been safety pinned to the line would slide down into each other .
I much prefer using clothespins over safety pins on the clothesline. Quicker and easier to put on and take off. My mini clothespins worked well, and took up little space and weight in my pack. I also had a few safety pins for pinning socks to my backpack.For each item of clothing put at least one of the pins (both is better) through the clothesline as well. Failing that (e.g. coated-wire clothesline), wrap the clothing fabric snugly against the line and place the pin parallel to the line. This should create enough friction and "grip" to keep the items reasonably in place.
I laughed while reading this or maybe it was the vision in my head!Well, one must be vigilant in choosing the shower floor, of course! Many variables at play here.
Just pretend you are stomping Rioja grapes while participating in a nude festival?
Hi Pasha - not ridiculous just not that common...! Most who stay in Albergues tend to hand wash their items and sinks for doing so are often provided but you'll need your own soap (I read numerous people who use a all-in-one soap bar for clothes, hair, skin, etc). Some will have coin operated laundry machines but not too many. More common in private Albergues they will offer a laundry service (wash and dry) but usually in my experience, pretty expensive 7-8 euros. Since you generally have very few items to wash, if you don't mind sharing you can get together with other like-minded Pilgrims and share the cost.
Oddly enough, I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed hand washing my clothes. It became part of my daily ritual, chores if you will, done after checking into the Albergue for the night and then hung on my clothes line so they had time to dry overnight, which they did even in winter.
In hotels I put my sticks across the open window - this is the reason they are telescopic no? So one size pole fits all windows?
Argh! Hate having to do it on a cold morning, but I've done that as well. But rather than, than having to use a dryer.I have even dried them by wearing straight after a wash
Ok... so I've read a lot on this forum and often hear people saying they rinsed clothes out and dried them too... how are you all doing this? Is there some kind of laundry service or am I being ridiculous even thinking that... is it just a bucket and soap
Thanks again folks
Paula
I shower then put on my clean clothes that I washed the day before.First time Camino coming up for me, and something isn't making sense about the wash procedure. I keep reading about washing your clothes first thing when you arrive at the albergue, and THEN showering......but if you only have 2 sets of clothes, how do you remove your dirty clothes to wash them prior to showering, without putting your clean set of clothes onto your unshowered body? What am I missing?
I used a dry bag (mine is a 12 liter from Osprey which weighs just 1.2 ounces/34 grams) to wash my clothes in. I put my clothes in the dry bag as I was getting into the shower, added soap and warm water, sealed it shut and shook it up a bit while I was showering. (I usually rinsed my socks a bit before adding them to the bag, as they were usually quite dirty) As I dried off, and got dressed my clothes got a good soak, and I would agitate the bag a bit more. Then I took it to the laundry sink and dumped out the wash water and rinsed the clothing. I would wring them out, then lay out my quick dry towel, and wrap the clothes in it, and wring them out further before hanging them on the line. I brought mini clothespins that I found in a crafts store which worked better than safety pins on most clothes lines.
I shower first, then put my clean clothes on for dinner to be had later on. I then wash the dirty clothes I'd worn, then hang them to dry before heading out afterward to enjoy the town, the people, dinner somewhere (or a group style camino meal) and some vino, of course.First time Camino coming up for me, and something isn't making sense about the wash procedure. I keep reading about washing your clothes first thing when you arrive at the albergue, and THEN showering......but if you only have 2 sets of clothes, how do you remove your dirty clothes to wash them prior to showering, without putting your clean set of clothes onto your unshowered body? What am I missing?
I always showered then laundered so that I could clean the clothes I had walked in and put on clean clothes immediately after the shower.First time Camino coming up for me, and something isn't making sense about the wash procedure. I keep reading about washing your clothes first thing when you arrive at the albergue, and THEN showering......but if you only have 2 sets of clothes, how do you remove your dirty clothes to wash them prior to showering, without putting your clean set of clothes onto your unshowered body? What am I missing?
Spoken like a true Leo...My scepter is my walking stick....
My backpack is my throne....
A floppy sunhat is my crown,
and domestic goddess, a title I now own!
HAIL TO ME!
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