We have been living full-time in our motorhome for about five years. When we are in campgrounds we love to talk with other people and hear about their experiences and their adventures. We are frequently asked about laundry! Do we have a washer & dryer on board? Are they separate units? How well do they work?
We have traveled with both a 5th wheel with no washer & dryer and now in our motorhome with a washer & dryer. Of course, everyone has their priorities, but I can tell you I will never have another RV without a washer & dryer!
Laundry Option One: Separate Washer and Dryer
We have a separate washer and dryer. Our RV is a 2011 and the washer has been replaced twice. It was replaced once and then replaced again through no fault of its own (please see the blog about: A Poor Refrigerator Replacement Installation). The heating element in the dryer has been replaced twice. It is much easier and less expensive to replace each individual unit (a washer or a dryer) than it is to replace one (a washer/dryer combo).
One of the biggest issues in an onboard washer is the size of the drum. While my current washer drum is bigger than the one in the RV’s original washer, it still is not very big. We still go to a laundromat to wash bedspreads and quilts.
In our motorhome the trade-off of having a stackable washer and dryer was losing storage, for example, pantry storage or storage for supplies, towels, bedding, etc.
Of note, no RV washing machine or dryer will ever hold half of what a home washer does! Washing and drying bedding in an RV washer/dryer can be a day-long adventure!
Laundry Option Two: Washer & Dryer Combo
There are RV washer/dryers that are one unit. You put your clothes in the appliance and it washes and dries in one drum. We have never had one or used one. We can only tell you that we have never had anyone tell us they loved it.
If something in the washer part breaks, but the dryer still works, you still have to buy a whole new unit. Same for if something breaks in the dryer.
The best feature is that you can put the clothes in the appliance and set it once. Another nice feature is that it is space saving. It takes up half the space of the stackable washer/dryer.
Laundry Option Three: No Onboard Washer & Dryer
When we had our 5th wheel, we did not have an onboard washer and dryer. At that point we were only going out for weekends or a couple weeks at a time. When we arrived home, I would roll up the laundry and bedding, drag it all inside the house, wash it all, and return it to the 5th wheel to be ready for the next trip.
Or if it was a two-week trip, we would go to the laundromat at the campground or an intown laundromat.
We did have more pantry space on board by not having a washer/dryer. However, sitting in a laundromat is not exactly my kind of exploring.
Washer and dryer, washer/dryer combo, laundromat, it is all a trade-off. What is most important to you?
Another Thought about Laundry: Boondocking
Boondocking is when you are not hooked into water, electric or sewer. You rely on water you bring onboard and your onboard black and grey water storage tanks.
Out west there is a lot of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land for boondocking. To see how much land we are talking about, read our blog on the shrinking number of campgrounds in the country Problems Finding A Camping Site This Year?. There may not be a dump station nearby.
Some campgrounds, especially state and national parks, are water and electric only. Usually there is a dump station somewhere in the park. If this is the case, we always make sure our black and gray water tanks are empty upon arrival. With our new energy efficient washer, we are usually able to do one or two loads of laundry throughout the week before we need to go and dump the black and gray water tanks.
The Downsides of a Laundromat
There are downsides to washing your clothing at a laundromat, too. If you wash in your RV you don’t have to be concerned if someone has just washed their dog bedding and all of the fur has been left behind in the machine! Yes, this has happened.
And you don’t have to worry about sheet rock nails left behind in the washing machine just waiting to shred your clothing. Yes, this has happened.
And you don’t have to worry about all of your clothing turning a pale blue from someone using blue dye in a machine before you. And yes, this has happened, too!
Take-away Point
We MUCH prefer having a washer and dryer on board. For us, it is much more convenient and doesn’t put our clothing at risk. It is nice to have options, though! If your RV is on the smaller side and/or doesn’t have a washer/dryer option, the extra space of having a pantry (vs. a washer/dryer) has its appeal, too! It is just a matter of preference.
Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
| No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement. AI has not been used to create any of the content in this blog or website. All of the photos in this blog and website were taken by Dave or Kathryn Harrington. |
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
Thank you so much for reading this blog. If you enjoyed the content, please check out other blogs at:
https://rvingnomads.com
https://relationshipsrelearned.com
To be notified of future posts, please enter your email address and click on the Subscribe button.
If you haven’t checked out our Special Places & Recommendations page, please do so. If you are in these areas, you may find these places as enjoyable and rewarding as we did!