Laundry on the road during Covid 19

[wndopdlr]

Wife and I, both in our 79's and her with some heart issues, will be headed out in a couple months.  We feel that we can maintain our social distancing, wear masks and gloves when prudent, and be as safe as we are at the s&b.  Our question concerns doing our laundry.
We boondock a lot once we get west, but plan our travels so we have a campground with good laundry services when it come times to do the dirty clothes.  We ask the question of those who have traveled since the Coronovirus hit and that do not have onboard w&d.  What has been your experience?  Are campground laudromats open?  Has anyone used commercial laundromats in town?  Does anyone have another solution?  What have been your experiences?
I am looking to put her mind at ease concerning this and appreciate your input.

 

[garyb1st]

Good question.  Hadn't thought about it but we have similar plans and laundry is a once every two or three week event.  Normally when traveling, we'll use laundromats.  However because of the virus, it may make more sense to use a parks facilities.  At least there would be fewer people and the facilities would possibly be cleaner.  We have a splendide washer which we haven't used much.  We will likely use it more and see how it goes. 

As far as health risk goes, I'm 77 and in relatively good health.  Still until they get a better handle on the virus, and hopefully a vaccine or at least some effective treatment, I plan on erring on the side of safety.  So, masks, sanitizers and social distancing.  The social distancing part might be challenging in laundromats.  We're in the West and plan on doing mostly BLM campgrounds, dispersed and similar camping where we're not side by side in an RV park.  That said, we'll still use RV parks every week or two for dumping refreshing our water and whatever. 

 

[NY_Dutch]

My wife and I are also in our later 70's and my wife has COPD. We are currently on our private site where we have our own laundry equipment next door in our family vacation cottage. When we head back out again, we will consider using commercial drop off "fluff and fold" services if available. Otherwise, we'll try to do our laundry at slow times when few people are around, only going in long enough to get our loads started before returning to the car to wait until it's done. Then I'll likely switch the loads to the dryers by myself and return to the car to wait. The dried loads will be put back in laundry bags to be folded back at the camp site.

 

[Boat Addict]

We traveled with extra clothes and  was lucky enough to hit things right in states that was not quite as locked down. KOA had super clean laundry facilities and found ones to use and dump and replenish our freshwater in more relaxed areas. We also "extended" our change of exterior clothes time since we were traveling in cooler areas. So this minimized the amount of dirty clothes that we had to laundry.

 

[Isaac-1]

We have not traveled since COVID-19, though overall in our travels, we have rarely found rv park laundry rooms to be crowded social gathering places.  Most people seem to walk in start laundry and walk back out.  It may also vary depending on time of day you choose to don your laundry, but I rarely recall seeing more than 2 or 3 other people in laundry rooms while doing laundry on various trips over the last few years.  Add in social distancing and it should be easy enough to time the visits to the laundry rooms when no one else is there.

p.s. I would be more concerned with virus particles getting on the clothing and being transferred to us with a full service laundry service.

 

[darsben]

Truck stops have laundry facilities that are not used much during the day. Just wear a mask, start washer then go back to rig to wait and while waiting gas rig, have lunch, or take a nap. When washer time is up transfer to dryer. When dryer stop take hot clothes to your rig to fold. Minimal exposure time.
This is our routine when we travel

 

[Rene T]

We went to a CG last week for a couple of days and their laundromat was closed. Next week we are going to a different CG and theirs are also closed. Luckily we have a Splendide washer and dryer combo

 

[rbTN]

I have been at campgrounds where bathrooms are closed but none yet where the laundry was closed. That is since beginning of May.

 

[Dreamsend]

I full-time also and do laundry every 3-5 weeks depending on convenience.  Since February, I've stayed at numerous private parks and all had their laundry facilities open.  I've used commercial laundromats as well.  Of the commercial facilities, some ask that you return to your car and not wait in the building. Others have sitting areas blocked off if seating can't be arranged to accommodate social distancing.  At the commercial centers, most everyone was wearing masks, including me, and a large majority of folks were being conscientious about trying to distance.  That's more than I can say for what is STILL happening at grocery stores.  I prefer commercial laundromats over campgrounds because I like to use the big/giant washers and the campgrounds have smaller machines. And, I have found that typically 30-40% of campground washers/dryers are "out of service", so overall, old or not well-maintained.  I also simply pack things up when dry and head home to fold and put away.

At the commercial places, generally attendants were cleaning surfaces and wet mopping floors; since I've been in the southwest since Covid-19 hit, their doors were open and things were nice and breezy inside -- good for dispersing any stray virus.  In general, I've found the commercial facilities to have better equipment, to be generally cleaner, and overall are following the guidelines for sanitizing and distancing.  Park CGs, not so much, but they have been open to answer the OPs question.  If I find myself needing to use a campground laundry, I will be taking my own sanitizer and wiping down everything I have to touch.

Linda

 

[SeilerBird]

I live in my RV full time near Orlando. I do my laundry once a month at a laundromat in Kissimmee and they offer a drop off service. Drop off your laundry and pick it up clean and folded a few hours later. I have the very best secret for doing laundry while RVing. I don't own anything white. All my clothes are colored. No separating whites and colors and it is cheaper when everything goes into one load.

 

[John From Detroit]

The campground I'm in laundries are open. (at least 3 different buildings) all are small so generally you will be alone .

However I don't do laundry here I usually do it at the other campground.. Their laundry (4W 4D) is closed.. So I go across the road (literally across the road) to the LOVE's  2 W 4 D so again I'm generally alone (Nicer machines too since that Loves was built last year)

 

[Heli_av8tor]

Gary,
We've come to be friends with our Splendide W/D. We run a load almost daily while we are at the resort in Yuma. But it won't do you much good if you are only staying with hookups one night every couple weeks. Loads are too small and it takes too long to do two weeks of laundry in one night.

Hope you and Maria are staying safe and sane.

 

[garyb1st]

Gary,
We've come to be friends with our Splendide W/D. We run a load almost daily while we are at the resort in Yuma. But it won't do you much good if you are only staying with hookups one night every couple weeks. Loads are too small and it takes too long to do two weeks of laundry in one night.

Hope you and Maria are staying safe and sane.

Hi Tom, we're doing our best to stay safe.  The real question mark is whether or not we can maintain our sanity through all this madness.  When do you and Theresa plan on heading out? 

 

[95f5334j]

We're currently in a state park for 2 weeks with water & electric only. Normally we'd use our on-board washer & dryer every other day but I don't want to fill the holding tank and then have to break camp to go dump until it's time to leave.  Our solution was to drive into town and use a local self serve laundry. To avoid any nasties, we took our own chairs and wore our face masks to load the machines then sat outside until finished. 

 

[wendimere]

My solution to laundromat use when at a site w/full hookups is a sweet little portable wash/spin dry unit purchased from Amazon. I'm perfume sensitive and cannot handle how my clothes smell after using public washers/dryers. So far I'm extremely happy w/my purchase. It's a Super Deal brand, lightweight model. Fits in my shower/bath. Small loads, to be sure, but very clean clothes and no chemical perfumes. Amazing spin dry. I just hang my things to finish drying.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HVSR8RF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HueyPilotVN]

I think that Little Miss Mermaid used to use a small washer like that or similar.

I miss seeing posts by the mermaid.  Hope she is looking down on us.

 

[JudyJB]

I've been managing to full-time and get laundry done, but I have not used commercial laundromats and am particular about what campground laundromats I use.  That requires owning a LOT of shorts and t-shirts!  (And washing my undies in the bathroom sink occasionally.)

Mostly, I stay in state, federal, COE, and county campgrounds, but I have been occasionally staying at a commercial campground to use the laundromat there.  Most are not as crowded as those commercial laundromats in towns.  But, if you are getting desperate, call ahead and ask if the laundry is open.  And when you find one that is open and not being used, wash things even if you do not have a full load!  Usually a campground will have only a couple of washers and a couple of dryers, and if you go in the early afternoon while most people are out, it will be empty.

And I do take a few paper towels and Chlorox spray with me.