Off-Grid Laundry
Did you buy an RV without washer/dryer connections and hate the laundromat? We did too! Ugh, nothing like ruining a nice week of camping with the dreaded trip to a laundromat. It’s expensive, it’s dirty, it’s boring, and it’s just a hassle! Luckily, we’ve found a way to avoid it.
Even if your RV has washer/dryer connections, you may not want to use them. We’ve heard mixed reviews of the little combo units that come in some models. The stackable units are great, but they use a lot of water and power. When you’re living off the grid or trying to conserve resources, this isn’t ideal either.
So, what to do?
We’ve been using our little portable machine for over a year and it’s been a game changer! You don’t need hookups, just a good place to drain and fill. It can even be used outside!
Choices
We looked into a few different models before landing on the little electric washer/dryer we purchased. If you’re only going to do small amounts of laundry just while you vacation, the hand crank style might be perfect. These are basically a step above hand washing in the sink.
If you’re full-timing or going to be doing more than just a few clothing items, then you’ll want to look into the Portable Electronic Washing Machine/Spin Dryer. We paid about $75 for it. It only uses 1-2 amps of power, so it’s ideal for off-grid or low amp sites. You are able to fill the desired amount of water, it isn’t preset by load size. And because it’s so small, we have seriously cut back on our detergent use. It has an electronic spinner than gets clothes pretty close to dry! After we hang them near our dehumidifier it only takes about 20-30 minutes before they’re ready to wear or be put away.
Our Routine
We keep our little washer in the shower. It has a hose that attaches to the shower spigot or sink and fills directly into the washer. It holds 8-9lbs of laundry, which is about a pair of pants and 5-8 shirts. You might be able to wash a sheet, but we typically just take bedding to the laundromat once in a while.
Washing: It uses a very small amount of detergent, about 2-3 tbsp per load. We did have to start using fabric softener. Since the clothes hang to completely dry, they tend to become stiff without softener. We make our own softener with vinegar and hair conditioner.
Rinse: After the clothes are washed, there is a drain switch. Then, we spin dry them for a couple of minutes. After the soapy water is removed, we put them back in the wash with fabric softener and clean water for the rinse cycle.
Dry: Once again, flip the drain switch. We spin the clothes for about 2-4 minutes. Usually, we separate the load into two dry cycles, because the dryer is smaller than the wash side.
Hang: After the final spin, we hang our clothes near our dehumidifier to speed up the drying process. It usually takes 20-30 minutes for clothes to dry completely.
This little machine has saved us a lot of money over the past year! There are a few downsides to it though: First, if you have a lot of laundry, it will take a good chunk of time to finish it all. Second, it lives in our shower, which is only a minor inconvenience. Lastly, the laundry must hang to fully dry, so we recommend you have a dehumidifier for this as moisture can reek havoc on an RV.
We’ve had this machine for about one year, and it still works like new! It’s one of the best purchases we’ve made for the RV yet.
How to you manage laundry in an RV? We’d love to hear your solutions, as this is one of our least favorite chores!