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Washing the clothes?

angeliki louk

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
July 2014 camino Frances.
June 2015 Camino north
Camino primitivo
Hallo everyone.
Any advise from people that have done the camino or are doing it now, where are we going to wash our clothes? Is there a place at the alburges that we will be able to wash one or two things when needed??



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angeliki,

Many albergues have washers and dryers which you can use for a fee. Pilgrims often share these facilities and share the expense also. In other albergues there are special sinks to use and drying lines outside. It is always handy to carry a few extra lightweight clothes pins in your kit. Check out this recent Forum thread on washing clothes for other comments.

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith
 
Hola

Washbasin in most albergues are used with some kind of soap.
Please do remember that a lot of pilgrims will be using the same wash basin.
Some albergues have dedicated basins for cloth washing.
Coin operated washing machines / dryers are available at some albergues. Prices varies from between 3-4 to 6-7 Euro depending on your needs.
Public washing machine facilities can be found at various towns at different prices.

Bring a string of rope to be secure of having a place for your cloth to dry.
Bring safety pins to attack cloth to string or fasten damp cloth on your backpack to allow it to dry in the early morning after you have begun your daily walk.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Washing clothes becomes part of the daily routine, check in, take shower, wash daily items, hang to dry, have vino tinto or beverage of choice, maybe have nap or explore surroundings, share pilgrim meal, more vino tinto, go to bed, get up early, have breakfast, walk, repeat until you reach Santiago. :)
 
Washing clothes becomes part of the daily routine, check in, take shower, wash daily items, hang to dry, have vino tinto or beverage of choice, maybe have nap or explore surroundings, share pilgrim meal, more vino tinto, go to bed, get up early, have breakfast, walk, repeat until you reach Santiago. :)

Hahahahha!!!! Sounds great :-) thank you sooooo much!!! Can not wait for all that u have described!!!!!


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angeliki,

Many albergues have washers and dryers which you can use for a fee. Pilgrims often share these facilities and share the expense also. In other albergues there are special sinks to use and drying lines outside. It is always handy to carry a few extra lightweight clothes pins in your kit. Check out this recent Forum thread on washing clothes for other comments.

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith
Thank you so much for the advices!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Camino de Santiago Forum
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
Hola

Washbasin in most albergues are used with some kind of soap.
Please do remember that a lot of pilgrims will be using the same wash basin.
Some albergues have dedicated basins for cloth washing.
Coin operated washing machines / dryers are available at some albergues. Prices varies from between 3-4 to 6-7 Euro depending on your needs.
Public washing machine facilities can be found at various towns at different prices.

Bring a string of rope to be secure of having a place for your cloth to dry.
Bring safety pins to attack cloth to string or fasten damp cloth on your backpack to allow it to dry in the early morning after you have begun your daily walk.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo
Thank you for the details! Yes as i read i have to bring rope and safety pins:-)


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Short answer, yes. Longer answer--one of my "luxuries" -- when we stayed in the occasional hotel with a tub -- was to throw my clothes in to soak and then climb in myself LOL.
 
In nearly every Albergue, whether public, private or donation, you will find a wash area, with several large sinks and often a scrubbing brush to tackle the mud, etc. hanging space us also available, either lines or drying racks. I have only found on one occasion that there wasn't enough drying space for our clothes and had to rig up this twisted line that I had bought along. It's twisted so that you can slip the item through and the twist effect keeps the clothes fixed without need for cloth pegs. I also bring along 14 small clothes pegs ( 6 for each if us) it's sufficient. You should also bring some soap. Here on the Forum, you will find all suggestions. I buy a bar and cut it into two, leaving one part at the Albergue.
I should mention, that you don't find the same facilities if you stay in a pension. Where you will probably be reduced to washing your clothes in the wash basin and hand them over the shower rail.
Some of the private Albergues have washing machines and some also have dryers ( the dryer, only necessary, in my opinion, if the weather is rainy or damp). Anne
 
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In nearly every Albergue, whether public, private or donation, you will find a wash area, with several large sinks and often a scrubbing brush to tackle the mud, etc. hanging space us also available, either lines or drying racks. I have only found on one occasion that there wasn't enough drying space for our clothes and had to rig up this twisted line that I had bought along. It's twisted so that you can slip the item through and the twist effect keeps the clothes fixed without need for cloth pegs. I also bring along 14 small clothes pegs ( 6 for each if us) it's sufficient. You should also bring some soap. Here on the Forum, you will find all suggestions. I buy a bar and cut it into two, leaving one part at the Albergue.
I should mention, that you don't find the same facilities if you stay in a pension. Where you will probably be reduced to washing your clothes in the wash basin and hand them over the shower rail.
Some of the private Albergues have washing machines and some also have dryers ( the dryer, only necessary, in my opinion, if the weather is rainy or damp). Anne

Thank you so much for all the details!!!!!!



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All I do is take my clothes into the shower with me. After wringing the clothes I roll them in my towel gets the excess and hang to dry. If not dry by morning they are on the back of my pack. As they are light weight clothes they are usually dry. Just the socks take forever.
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
Hallo everyone.
Any advise from people that have done the camino or are doing it now, where are we going to wash our clothes? Is there a place at the alburges that we will be able to wash one or two things when needed??



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Yes, always. But you write "when needed." You need to do laundry every day. If you do not, then you are carrying yoo much!
 
All I do is take my clothes into the shower with me .......
So long as you are mindful of using hot water that might not be available for others' showers at the end of the day. I once observed a hospitalero looking on in dismay as a peregrina left the hot water running down the drain (it was a cold day and I could see the steam rising) as she casually scrubbed the mud off her boots. I wanted to say something to her, but didn't ........
 
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So long as you are mindful of using hot water that might not be available for others' showers at the end of the day. I once observed a hospitalero looking on in dismay as a peregrina left the hot water running down the drain (it was a cold day and I could see the steam rising) as she casually scrubbed the mud off her boots. I wanted to say something to her, but didn't ........
No problem there charlesx always be mindful of others. I have too many times been caught out with a cold shower cause some people take too long.
 
Yes, always. But you write "when needed." You need to do laundry every day. If you do not, then you are carrying yoo much!
No I won't carry many things of course !!!!!!!! It was just a phrase hahahahha!! I know that I have to wash almost every day otherwise I won't have clothes to wear :-)
 
Hallo everyone.
Any advise from people that have done the camino or are doing it now, where are we going to wash our clothes? Is there a place at the alburges that we will be able to wash one or two things when needed??



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Hello Angeliki,

Here is one to look forward to as you make your way on the Camino Francis. This was at the municipal albergue in the town of Villafranca Del Bierzo just on the entrance to the town.Camino Frances April - May 2012 372.webp
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hello Angeliki,

Here is one to look forward to as you make your way on the Camino Francis. This was at the municipal albergue in the town of Villafranca Del Bierzo just on the entrance to the town.View attachment 10505
Can not wait and for this:-)))) i feel that every second of the camino is special ......


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I remember how, even on the days where I didn't have enough soap / time / energy / will to do a batch of laundry, or when it rained and I knew stuff wouldn't dry in time, I would at least take the time to wash at least one pair of undies; even for the meditative ritual of it, and to know that, despite the pile of grubby clothes that I'd be putting on in the morning, at least my underwear was clean. On some days, that made all the difference ;)
 

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