Laundry
 

I am planning a long trip to Italy in May (14 nights) and I am curious how do you solve laundry problem. There is no way I am carrying 14 pair of socks and underwear...<BR><BR>We are not staying in fancy hotels with laundry service, rather in small ones. Do you just wash your stuff in a sink and dry it out on chairs or ceiling fan?<BR><BR>Thanks.<BR><BR>Brian

I never travel with more than 3 or 4 of anything, even if it's a 3-week trip. <BR><BR>Forget doing laundry in the sink: I just throw my stuff in the bottom of the shower, stomp on it a bit while I wash, then give it an extra rinse. After I dry myself, I wrap the laundry in the towel to get out some more moisture. If you take advantage of radiators or hang a string clothesline near an open window, everything will dry OK as long as you don't bring any heavy cottons. <BR><BR>After the first two or three times, this routine becomes automatic and seems like no extra trouble at all. The freedom from traveling with big suitcases is wonderful!

Like xxx3 I never travel with more than a few pairs of underwear and socks (or tights/stockings, which I really like). I've not done the shower thing, but may give it a try next time. I don't pack heavy cotton things in any case, but certainly wouldn't wash them while traveling. If you're staying in a humid area you may need to use a hairdryer to get things really dry, otherwise hanging in the bathroom is good enough.<BR><BR>I've only used a laundromat once, in Trouville. We'd been traveling for close to a month at that point and really needed to give everything a good scrub. These days I'd send it to a laundry and have it done, but we were pretty poor at the time.

When I travel, I bring some detergent in a ziplock bag, and a sponge to clean the sink. I wash my underwear in the sink and dry them on the hangers in the closet. However, I usually just find a laundramat and unload my backpack. Usually in these European cities, you can just bring your clothes in and they will stick it in the washing machines and dryers, fold them for you and you pick it up in an hour. Problems solved!

I usually bring a laundry detergent in a small bottle or buy a small bottle of dish washing liquid while I am in Europe to wash socks and underwear. But is the issue really socks and underwear? They fill up a lot of nooks and crannies in your luggage. I found that sending laundry out in Italy is actually not very expensive. Unfortunately I had a hard time getting anything dry cleaned, they didn't seem to know what that was.... How do they wash all those expensive Gucci and D&G clothes anyway?

Richard, we have the opposite experience in Italy specifically in Tuscany around Castellina. We have a hard time finding a laundromat-what we always find are dry cleaners!! hence we had no choice but to have my shirts dry-cleaned.

Hi Brian,<BR><BR>My wife and I have learned to travel for up to two months with one small roller board and a small backpack each.<BR><BR>The proprietor of our hotel, B&B etc. points us to a laundromat. Most often drop laundry off and pick up later. They do the wash, dry and folding. Have lost only one piece in years of traveling.<BR><BR>Have found this to be very inexpensive about $3 - $5 for one or two loads.<BR><BR>Travel lite, there are lots of inexpensive alternatives.

Brian, if it's time to buy new underwear, suggest you get the cotton/poly briefs and undershirts at JC Penney. It is their Towncraft brand. They are very soft and dry in half the time of 100% cotton. My husband loves his!

xx3.....great idea! Hadn't thought of that. My husband and I spent a small fortune at a do it yourself laundromat in Paris. However, it was worth it not to haul tons of clothing.<BR><BR>I'll keep your suggestion in mind for when I simply cannot get to a public laundry facility. Thanks for sharing!

<BR>Brian where are you staying when will need to do the laundry? I can tell you where the laundramats in the area are.

I use shampoo i/o laundry detergent, and use the shower trick as well (damn, I thought *I* invented it) IF I find I need to do laundry. On a short trip (10 days) I can bring enough underwear and socks to not have to wash; longer trips, I find a laundromat (I **hate** doing hand wash).<BR><BR>I have a bungee cord with metal clips and hooks on each end; I can stretch it across door hinges, shower heads, whatever. Mostly I use it for drying rain-soaked clothes (wait wait I got it - sprinkle soap powder in your shoes and when your socks get wet...).<BR><BR>Guys really are at a disadvantage - women can wear nylon underwear and nylon knee-his or pantyhose; guys are pretty much limited to cotton everything (or silk underwear...)<BR><BR>There is expensive men's underwear from France that is luxurious - fine cotton, almost like silk, but an A-shirt is $20; I'll have to check out bettyk's suggestion at JCP!

I don't really like coming back to a room full of soggy laundry hanging from every fixture. Nor do I particularly like to spend valuable vacation time doing hand laundry.<BR><BR>So, like many of the above, I travel light and use laundromats. An added benefit to laundromats is that you often get an opportunity to meet locals, get tips on nearby hot spots, and visit with other tourists.

<BR>A recent flea market find was a plastic contraption with a hanger hook on the end. When you hang it up, it fans open with 14 clothes pins on it. Great for socks and underwear. I just hang it off the shower curtain rod. Only $1, too!

Brian:<BR><BR>If you have old undies/socks, bring them and throw them away as you use them.

Am I the only one who thinks throwing your underwear in the tub as you're showering and "stomping" on it is a bit of a gross thing to do? How clean can it possibly be when you just step on your laundry as you're showering...Yuk.<BR><BR>Anyone ever hear of hotel laundry service? Or just pack really light, bring an expandable duffle in your suitcase, and buy clothes as you go. They don't have to be designer clothes, just things you see and like. Don't we all shop when we travel anyway?

yes, i love to shop for souveniers, but not underwear.<BR><BR>I just bring enough for the trip. Undies don't take up THAT much room.<BR><BR>Other items I try to wear twice if possible, and may have select pieces cleaned by the hotel laundry service if necessary.<BR>

Hey Gina,<BR><BR>not all of us stay at hotels with laundry service. We all can't afford to purchase a new wardrobe while on vacation either!<BR>

We stayed for 10 days in Spoleto in June of 2000. We found great laundry service near the train station in Rome and it had an internet cafe. However in Spoleto the locals thought we were from Mars asking for a laundromat. We spent more than an hour hunting one down and negotiating with the drycleaners. Ultimately we compromised and paid the equivilant of $40 a load for same day service. I am certain that the person just took our clothes home with them washed them and brought them back UNFOLDED! In the Lake Garda area we found a laundromat but it cost about $10 a load by the time I was done. The machines were very complicated, controlled by what appeared to be one computer. This trip I am either opting for a combination of bringing the old stuff and tossing it along with the shower/line method.

Come on kids! Brian asked about socks and underwear in a hotel without laundry service. HEY BRIAN - Been there many times; I do mine in the sink with shampoo and just throw them over the towel rack or whatever else is handy. I work in a three day cycle. M.

The last time I used hotel (Florence) laundry service it looked as if they just ironed the dirty clothes and packaged them up. This was especially evident on my husband's khaki's.<BR><BR>I must admit it wasn't that expensive to send the clothes out. Perhaps their laundry soap isn't as effective as ours?<BR><BR>

Gini,<BR><BR>Was the laundromat called "Splashnet"? I found in a travel book that it was one of the only internet cafe/laundromat's in Rome near the college - would you recommened this place to others? Was the etablishment clean or kinda dirty?

Hi, Brian - <BR>My bf, bless his heart, cannot bear to throw anything away. He takes his mostest-worn-out-but-not-holed socks with him when we travel, as they dry the fastest. Ditto T-shirts and undies. I, in an extreme effort to pack lighter, have taken to traveling with fewer clothes and doing laundry in the room as he does - I take lightweight cottons or polycottons that dry quickly. We have stayed at 4-to-5-star resorts and have never had a problem from them about hanging our laundry to dry INSIDE our rooms - their only concern seems to be with those guests who hang the drying on the balcony or out the windows.And no, even though we take older socks & undies with us, we would NEVER think of throwing them away while on vacation.<BR>ja

Ask at your hotel if there is a laundry service nearby. You can drop off a load or two, go have lunch, shop, and stop back to pick up your washing and folded clothes. We did this on Mykonos and found it very inexpensive. Our other option is washing in the sink. Only problem with that is when washing socks in a humid climate -- the socks seem to take two or three days to dry.<BR>

Gina,<BR>As a confirmed shower stomper of many years' standing, I'd like to ask you just how dirty you let your undies get before you wash them? Personally, I tend to shower and change mine twice a day and prefer not to do anything too strenuous whilst on holiday, so the shower method gets them perfectly fresh and clean, but I suppose if you are a little less fastidious it may not do the trick. (Meeeoooow!)

Topping for Mickey.

Anne: I can not remember the name of the laundry/internet cafe combo by the train station in Rome. However it was very clean, the people were friendly, and at the time I thought it was very innovative.<BR><BR> This issue of laundry availability is essential to our clan since we travel with our three boys who have to "experience" every inch of Italy. It is amazing what they look like at the end of the day. I am a little scared given what I just read about one Fodorite's experience in Florence. I guess less cotton this trip!

I knew I would do a little shopping while in Italy recently. I went to the local Good Will and shopped for some sweaters, t shirts, and jeans. I found some great designer stuff there. My goal was to find some things at bargains prices and still look good, and dispose of these items as I used them. Many hotels were left with very nice Liz or Calvin Klein sweaters. I had loads of room for my souvenirs! <BR>I did laundry midpoint, but brought very little clothing home with me. <BR>I always wrapped my undies in a plastic bag. Yuk! I wouldn't like to clean rooms and find some grungy undies someone left. <BR>So, Brian, did we solve your dilemma? :)

I like the idea of throwing dirty clothes away as you go. Bring the oldest stuff you got, go around looking like a vagabond in polyester, plaid pants, flowered shirts, and then BINGO throw them away (won't this drive those stylish posters who only wear black bananas).<BR><BR>Another idea: instead of stomping on your clothes in the shower, I wear my while I bathe in the tub. Then, as I scrub my feet, I also scrub my socks! Underwear is a little more difficult.&lt;;)

I have a serious question about what type of clothes to bring? I never dry my clothes at home in the dryer. They shrink! I am going in June and have no idea what to bring? Capri pants, cotton long pants, skirts? Can you get in churches with capri pants? What kind of material for pants works best so I won't be too hot? Do I really have to stay away from bright colors even in summer? Do I need some kind of sweater or jacket for evenings? Do you wear dresses at night to eat out?<BR>Are the museums and churches cold with airconditioning(Women please, men are never cold in my experience). Also I can't walk all day in sandals and I hear tennis shoes are out so what advice to you have that is not terribly ugly? Thanks ahead of time for all advice. Karen

Don't you have disposable underwear in the US. I always take a few pairs of cotton knickers with me and a pack or two of disposables. I don't think you'll find many European women wearing nylon underwear. No wonder you have to change twice a day, I'd want to change such unpleasant garments at least four times.

Karen: In my weeks of checking this site twice a day I found several (although not current) threads dealing with "What to Pack" which you may find helpful. I am not sure where or when you are going but I will assume now to early fall. I wore capris into several churches without a second look. I also wore long shorts into Churches in Venice without a second look but the girls in short-shorts and tank tops were not let in even after I offered them my sweater. It must be that tired old mom look that let me slide. I strongly suggest a sweater or a jacket for evenings, on days when the sun is behind a clouds, and when you want to get into a church with shorts and a tank top. I am very interested in suggestions on shoes. However, I am going to take my own advice and search this site for those shoe threads. I saw quite a few the other day suggesting Eccos. Now back to the laundry question. Have a great trip.

Brian,<BR>Last year my husband and I spent approximately the same amount of time in Italy as you are planning. We certainly did not stay at grand hotels offering laundry service but rather small B&B's using our saved money to enjoy all that Italy has to offer. While in Florence (our half way point) we found a great laundromat and while doing our laundry enjoyed the company of the local people as well as our fellow travellers who were able to provide us with a wealth of useful information for the rest of our vacation. Have a great trip.<BR>Maureen

Hi Karen,<BR><BR>Personally, I've found that air-conditioning in Europe (at least in London and Paris) is totally different than in the US! In the US, it's often frigid with the AC on; yet in the few places where AC is in Europe, it's usually not cool enough for me; very, very generally I've found that Europeans like it much warmer than we're used to experiencing. But that's just my opinion.<BR><BR>I want to thank those who posted about the "shower stomping" routine. I never thought of that!<BR><BR>Jennifer

Maurine, or anyone else who knows,<BR> Do you remember the name or location of the nice do-it-yourself Florence laundromat? Would greatly appreciate any input as this is where we will be needing to do laundry on our upcoming trip. Thanks<BR>Tara

One of the most useful suggestions I found on this website was to use the bidet for hand washing. Much easier than the sink.

Try this:Wash and Dry Lavarapido; via della Scalla, 52-54r; or La Serena Tintoria Lavanderia,via della Scala, 30r. Good Luck. I haven't been there yet but will need to do some laundry in Florence.

topping for troy

I find it beyond belief that you cannot carry 14 pairs of the required items. If I travel for just a week I'd pack enough for at least three changes per day, and sometimes (depending on time of year) sufficient clothes for four changes. How much room can 14 pairs of socks and undergarments take up? In just 2 large cases I can take 3 lounge suits, 2 dinner suits, around 30 pairs of underwear/socks, and the accompanying shirts, shoes, sport shoes, sportswear, etc. Perhaps you ought to learn to pack properly.

I am a wear them and throw them person. I view it as a opportunity to buy new underwear twice a year. Since we are never gone more then 12 nights it takes very little room for 12 underwear and socks. I in fact pitch my jeans(Oh God)and shirts.

another option is not to wear any underwear - just go the loose and free route....