Just like living in a stationary home, the need to do laundry will always arise. Fortunately, there are a number of cost-effective and reasonable options available. Below are listed some of the services in order of least to most expensive.
- Laundromat (self service)
- Campground laundry facility
- Laundromat (wash and fold service)
- Portable washing machine
- Washing machine & dryer combination unit
- Individual washing machine & dryer
Laundromat (self service)
Laundromats are readily available and often have loads of machines available, especially if you are there during off-peak hours during the weekdays.
Cost of self service laundromat
I have seen laundry cost between $1.00 to $1.50 per machine, depending on the store.
Most commonly, these facilities are coin operated so have some cash on hand. If you only have bills, there is usually a coin changer in the same room or you can go to the front desk to make change.
Paying by credit card is becoming more common, but it is still hit or miss.
Campground laundry facility
Many campgrounds we stayed out, big and small, offered this service because it really is a necessity. When booking, you can ask customer service or the booking agent if this amenity is available.
If there are limited machines available, I recommend doing laundry in off-peak hours, like early in the morning (6a-10a) and evenings (6p to 10p) and avoiding the weekends.
Expect each cycle to take 30 minutes to 60 minutes (drying usually takes the longest).
Cost of campground laundry service
I have seen laundry cost between $1.00 to $1.50 per machine, depending on the park or campground.
Most commonly, these facilities are coin operated so have some cash on hand. If you only have bills, there is usually a coin changer in the same room or you can go to the front desk to make change.
Laundry etiquette when using group laundry facilities
As a common courtesy, if there are few machines available and a queue, don’t be rude and leave your laundry blocking someone from doing their laundry when yours is done. Otherwise, you may find your laundry pulled out and you lose your place in line!
Laundromat (wash and fold service)
We exclusively use laundromats to do our laundry when living in our school bus conversion. Specifically, we use the wash and fold service which means that we drop off our laundry to the laundromat, pay a flat fee based on the weight of the clothes, and a staff member will perform all the laundry duties (wash, dry and fold!).
Cost of wash and fold laundry service
Usually this service costs about $40 ($50 with tip) for our family of five doing laundry once a week with one large laundry bag. Since we pay by weight of the laundry, that is roughly $2-$3 per pound of laundry.
The fee typically includes the cost of the detergent, however you can bring your own if you have sensitivities.
You can usually pay by credit card for this service too, which is nice if you don’t often carry cash.
Large and bulky items: You will pay individually, not by weight, for large items like duvets and comforters – somewhere between $10-20, depending open location and size. For example, a twin duvet ($14) will cost less than a king comforter ($22).
The service takes about 2 hours from drop off to pick up, which is a perfect amount of time to go grocery shopping and make lunch while someone else washes and folds the laundry. As a mom of three and wife, this feels like the ultimate luxury for an otherwise very routine life!
Walk-ins are accepted, and sometimes there are time delays if they are under staffed.
Additionally, more laundry doesn’t mean more wait time since there are frequently many commercial machines available throughout a store location.
We purposefully did not build a place for a washer & dryer in our
How to find laundromats that offer wash-and-fold services when traveling
I would venture to say that 99% of the commercial laundromats you can walk into offer a wash and fold service, even if it is not posted. We must have used at least 50 laundromats on our 6-month
We keep our eyes open when going to the grocery store and the areas around it. Many laundromats are found in strip plazas near grocery stores, and they are frequently clean, friendly and quiet.
Portable washing machine
There are so many great portable washing machines on the market these days, designed for smaller living spaces. These would be a great option for a couple or single person, but very tedious for a family.
If I had a choice, I would pick this energy-efficient portable washing machine with dryer from The Home Depot.
Cons: There are additional water usage, electricity usage and space considerations to think of.
Washing machine & dryer combination unit
These combination units are fairly common outside of the USA. I first saw one in Germany and what a great concept for a small space.
You can pick up an all-in-one ventless washing machine and dryer for around $900 after taxes at The Home Depot.
Cons: There are additional water usage, electricity usage and space considerations to think of.
Individual washing machine & dryer
I’ve seen a few rigs carrying residential full-size and RV-size washing machines and dryers on board. I love the idea.
I really liked the looked of this ~$1,400 stacking unit and have used it in my non-moving home as well.
Cons: There are additional water usage, electricity usage and space considerations to think of.
Conclusion
Truly, I have never regretted using group laundry facilities at campgrounds or wash-and-fold laundry services when traveling on the road full time. In fact, I wish I could use the service when not on the road because it is so nice to have someone else wash, dry and fold your laundry for you. The only trick is getting it put away at that point, which is really achievable and necessary when living tiny.
If you want to read similar content, check out the 12 Hacks for Living in a Skoolie blog.
Thanks for following our journey! – Ingrid & the HildeFam
