Laundry On The Road: How To Keep On Top Of It

Nobody warns you about the laundry. It’s the least glamorous, most persistent chore of caravan life, and it doesn’t take a day off. With limited clothes, limited storage, and no permanent washing machine in most vans, you need a system. The good news: once you’ve figured out your rhythm, laundry becomes a minor background task rather than a crisis. Here’s how experienced Big Lappers handle it.

Your Options

Laundromats. Every major town and most regional centres have at least one laundromat, and many caravan parks have coin-operated machines. This is the easiest option: load, pay, wait, done. Most machines take $4-8 per wash and $4-6 per dryer cycle. A full wash-and-dry stop takes about 90 minutes. Do it every 5-7 days and you’ll stay on top of things.

Caravan park machines. Most caravan parks have a laundry with washers and dryers. Quality varies from brand-new front loaders to ancient top loaders that barely work. Cost is typically $2-5 per wash. The advantage is convenience: throw a load on while you’re at camp and collect it later. The downside is queues during peak periods, especially at popular parks in school holidays.

Hand washing. For between-town stretches and free camping, hand washing keeps the essentials clean. A collapsible bucket or the laundry sink in your van, some laundry liquid, and 15 minutes of effort. It works well for underwear, socks, t-shirts, and light items. It doesn’t work well for heavy items like jeans, towels, or bedding. Wring out thoroughly and hang on a line under the awning or between two trees.

Portable washing machines. A growing number of Big Lappers carry a small portable washing machine (5-8kg capacity) that runs off 240V power. These cost $100-400 and handle a full load in 15-30 minutes. They use less water than hand washing, get clothes cleaner, and save you time and laundromat coins. The trade-off is storage space and the need for 240V power (or a decent inverter).

Building A Laundry Routine

The system that works for most Big Lappers is a combination: hand-wash small items every 2-3 days, and do a full machine wash (laundromat or park) every 5-7 days. This prevents the pile from becoming overwhelming and means you never run out of clean essentials.

Plan your route with laundry in mind. If you’re heading into a remote stretch with 5+ days between towns, do a full wash before you leave. Check WikiCamps for laundry facilities at caravan parks along your route. And carry enough underwear and socks for 7-10 days so you’ve got buffer.

Drying is actually the bigger challenge. A collapsible clothes line ($15-25) or a retractable line under the awning is essential. In the dry outback, clothes dry in 30 minutes flat. In tropical humidity, they take all day and still feel damp. For wet conditions, a small portable fan pointed at the line speeds things up. Some Big Lappers carry a portable spin dryer ($80-150) that removes most water before hanging, cutting drying time significantly.

Laundry Tips That Actually Help

Reduce the load. Pack quick-dry fabrics (merino wool, synthetic blends) instead of cotton. They wash easier, dry faster, and don’t hold odours as long. You can wash a merino shirt by hand, wring it out, and it’s dry in an hour.

Use concentrated liquid. Powder can clump in humidity and doesn’t dissolve well in cold water. A small bottle of concentrated laundry liquid takes up minimal space and works in any temperature. Earth Choice and Biozet are popular choices.

Separate is a luxury you don’t have. Forget about whites, darks, and delicates. Everything goes in together. Buy dark or patterned clothes and you’ll never notice.

Carry a dry bag. A waterproof dry bag ($15-30) doubles as a laundry bag and a hand-wash tub. Throw in dirty clothes, add water and detergent, seal it, and agitate. It works surprisingly well.