How I do my Laundry on the Camino
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- čas přidán 8. 03. 2024
- Does anyone else find hand washing your Camino laundry somewhat satisfying?
Mesh soap saver: www.amazon.com/dp/B0068UZBHS/...
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I usually bring those laundry soap sheets that I cut into quarters for sink laundry. One tip I learned for drying is to first use your microfiber towel to roll and squeeze most of the water out of your clothes before you hang them up. It gives your clothes a better chance of drying if you are short on time or the weather is uncooperative. I use those super thin “PackTowl” ultralight towels and they do a very good job 👍🏻
Yes! I did that with my towl as well. It came in especially handy when I arrived later in the afternoon to wherever I was staying.
I take a 100ml bottle of shampoo (fits handluggage on the planes) and I use it for hear, body and laundry. When its empty I buy a big bottle of shampoo in a groseryshop, refill my little bottle and leave the rest for others to use.
I take a "solid, single-use, plastic grocery bag", put all my clothes inside and soak them there. It works no mather how the sink is and I dont have to mix my dirt with yours. I put it to dry on the laundry line together with my clothes. Easy, not much space and lightweight.
This is a great system!! Thanks for sharing it :)
1) Lush soap bars. An amazing product. Lots of soap suds. Lightweight. 1/4 a small round bar (cut it) is likely enough for a Camino. Can be used on hair, body and clothes.
2) butterfly paper clips to hang clothes.
3) bring your own cord and learn basic knots to dry clothes in random spots. Knots can also be used to replace clips or clothes hangers, but I bring clips anyway (multi purpose).
I use Lifeventure fabric wash leaves. I put some warm water in a dry bag, add a wash leaf and my laundry and seal the bag. I can squish through the bag and let it soak while I shower. Rinse and squeeze out excess water in my travel towel.
I have the old fashioned locking diaper pins if I hang stuff to dry from my pack.
This is what I use too
I've never tried fabric wash leaves, but I know that some people use them all the time! It sounds like a great system :) And I forgot to talk about clothespins/safety pins! I also take safety pins to be able to hang laundry from my pack to dry, as needed.
Matador makes a bag for soap bars that allows soap to dry without getting mushy or spreading to other items. It’s magic 👍. Any type soap works well.
Thanks. I researched this just now- looks wonderful.
Good tip, I'll have to check this out!
great idea with the exfoliator bag. the other thing I used was my sea 2 summit towel to wrap clothes in then squeeze out the excess water. helps get them drier and the towel takes no time to dry. Dr Bronners is good you could even try your shampoo as well, another multi use option.
Sea to Summit soap leaves are perfer3. No mess, no fuss. Lightweight. You also get netted laundry bags for delicate clothes when machine washing. These laundry bags can be used as packing cubes and to do your laundry in. You can also use it to hang out on your smaller items, socks etc on your backpack.
I love using the old style concrete wash basins you sometimes see in Alburgues. It’s like being transported to another era and is somehow therapeutic…😂
Haha I sometimes like using those too!!
I use my shampoo. Run some water in the plastic tubs or sink, pour in a tiny bit of shampoo which suds nicely, squeeze your clothing all over, rinse, wring, hang to dry. The shampoo rinses out really easily. Our clothing is not that dirty to be honest, except sweaty. Plastic clothespins work for me, though I do have some safety pins. Most albergues have clothes pins. Will use a washer if one is there, going in with another pilgrim or two. Only use dryers if it is a rainy day and I think my clothes won't dry.
I've never tried using shampoo but it's a great idea and would also cut back on some pack weight. I also use plastic clothespins to hang my things to dry (I usually carry a few extra if the albergue is short), as well as safety pins for hanging stuff on my pack as needed. Your system sounds great!
Thank you, Nadine. I don't think I have ever come across those scrubby things but a great idea.
I do my laundry pretty much the way everyone does using my shower soap. It gets the job done😊
Buen Camino, Pilgrim🙋♀️
Haha, exactly- it gets the job done!
Thank you Nadine! Perfect answer to my question!
Love your channel!!
I'm glad it was helpful! :)
My top tip is to pack 6 large safety pins for hanging my laundry. Sometimes there are enough pegs to go around but often not. You can also use them to hang laundry off your pack. I always have about 4 meters of (multi use) paracord with me so I can even set up my own washing line.
Ah yes, I completely forgot to talk about safety pins! I also bring 6 and will use them to hang wet things from my pack, if needed. I've never brought paracord, but I can see how that would come in handy!
I have used baby shampoo on most of my caminos( 7 and counting) for hair, body and clothes. And I bring a clothesline made of 3 meter long chains of braided elastics. I can attach it to my bunk and slip the wet clothes in an elastic - no clips or pegs or safety pins needed.
I keep wondering if I should try out my own clothesline... it would definitely come in handy!!
I would wash mine in the shower whilst taking a shower.
NOT recommended! 1/ it tempts you to stay in the shower longer than you should, others may be waiting. 2/ you are likely to use far more water - Spain is in serious drought. 3/ your longer showers can mean cold showers for somebody later.
Let alone the cleanliness issue of shower floors
Please do not wash your clothing in the showers. It uses a lot of time and water.
I’d prob’ly pass on washing my stuff in the shower, but am very aware of my water use at home and will be en el camino. Get wet, turn off the water, soap up, rinse off. Pan comido🤙🏽
I have to laugh about this one .I bought one at theDollar Tree store and keep by my laundry sink. I put in all the little pieces of bar soap that are left over . It makes an amazing amount of suds to remove stains before putting in the machine. What a great idea for the Camino! Definitely would take one and if wet could probably put on your backpack to dry out when leaving in the morning.
Haha, we sort of have the same idea!! I love that you use it for the little bits of bar soap (I don't like wasting those, either!) And I love the idea of hanging the mesh bag from my backpack, I've never really thought of that!!
Thank you!
You're welcome! :)
I bought small exfoliating pouches at the Dollar Tree. Pack of two for 1 25. They only fit about a half a bar of soap but that works for me
Ooh, an even better deal than what I found!
Hello Nadine,
I hope you’re well.
I made the mistake on the Camino Ingles of using washing machines and dryers. They’re so darned expensive.
On the Frances I went back to a hand scrub, without the “lifebuoy” and singing. I tend to have a bar of does everything soap, though in all honesty, to get the sweat and dirt out of your clothes just takes scrubbing and rinsing. Soap not really required, except for heavy soiling, maybe.
My soap I keep in a tin, though it must be allowed to dry out (wet soap dissolves and is therefore uneconomical).
I know some people like to use safety pins to hang their drying laundry from their packs. I hang a nylon onion sack from my pack fastenings, with my drying laundry in.
I like your idea of an exfoliating, soap holding sack. Good call. I’ll have to try that sometime….
Scrubba wash bag is the answer ❤
I hate hand washing my clothes. I transport a bag when I walk so I can pack a little more than if I was carrying it all on my back. So I generally have 4 walking outfits and I just find a washer and dryer every 4-ish days. I have only had a few instances where I had to hand wash some socks or underwear to get me through. I carry laundry detergent sheets for that purpose.
I was looking forward to the part about drying your clothes! Do you bring your own travel clothesline, hang them on a line provided or...?
I use a mesh that is around lemonds /citrus around my soap same principle recicycl and free
Oh what a great idea!!
Camino laundry is uniquely wierd - done every day yet gets increasingly musty with an aftertaste of shower gel & yesterday's deodorant 😂
Dr Bronners liquid soap. Mini bottle.
I haven't tried the liquid soap on the Camino before... maybe one day I'll switch up my system and try it out!
My tips would be:- take liquid laundry soap, a few clothes pegs and a small washing line. It annoys me when you can't dry the clothes outside and are forced to use a dryer.
Yes, I often think I should bring some kind of washing line that I could string up in my bunkbed, it would be helpful on those chilly/rainy/cloudy days!
Do you use clothes pins or the safety ( diaper) pins to gang your laundry? How many do you take?
I forgot to address this!! Yes, I use the plastic clothespins that the albergues (usually) provide to hang my things on the line. I usually bring 6 extra of my own, in case the albergue is short. I also bring 6 safety pins (I have big, diaper pins) and use these to hang things from my pack to dry, when needed.
I use a dry bag like a washing machine, like this: czcams.com/video/eV8itZr8hLQ/video.html Works great because you don't have to be right at the sink, which can be crowded, grungy, or missing a drain plug. And you can really get things clean and rinsed thoroughly. I use a laundry bar (any brand) stored in a Matador flatpak, hang on line (or pack) with diaper pins (I bring 8). I use another Matador flatpak to hold my bar shampoo and body soap. (And thanks, Nadine, for your videos!)
When’s the next Camino starting ? 🤫I won’t tell anyone 🤫
Hahaha, I have a trip coming up (soon!!) and it involves walking/hiking but isn't a Camino... I'll be sharing soon!
Sounds so messy. Why not just a liquid soap? I just use Campsuds for my backpacking trips, (not using it in wild water sources!), and it works great for washing body, hair, clothing, dishes. But you're probably cleaner than me! Does anyone ever steal clothes on the camino? Or pick up the wrong stuff by accident.
Liquid soap is a good idea! I think I just get into my routines and ways of doing things, and as long as it works for me, I just stick with it! But judging from these comments, many people are using liquid soap and it seems to work well!
I've never had anyone steal my clothing, but I HAVE lost a couple of things when someone picked them up by accident (a pair of underwear, and then a pair of shorts, but at least the shorts disappeared the day before Santiago, so I didn't really need them anymore!)