Laundry during UK travel?

[euro]

A bit of an odd question, but what are local practices in England/Scotland with regard to laundry options while traveling? We will be touring the countryside by car for 3 weeks in September. Do B&B’s typically have laundry facilities that the guests can use? I seem to recall not seeing any laundromat facilities in a typical small town. One solution is to bring 3 weeks’ worth of clothes, but there has to be a better way?

 

[Spock]

backup plan: book 1 night a week in a hotel with laundry service.

 

[dirtbiker]

Similar to what Spock said above, Airbnb can be a great way to do laundry. Book one that has a washer and dryer however often you need to do laundry. This way you won't be inconvenienced waiting in a laundromat. And I definitely wouldn't pack 3 weeks worth of clothes! The worst part about that would be coming back from vacation to 3 weeks worth of dirty laundry!

 

[Nemo2]

Go to a laundromat - socialize - meet some locals - learn things that you might otherwise have missed.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Ask the B&Bs owners what to do?

 

[Alan]

B&B's don't typical provide laundry facilities. Spock's suggestion is a good one.

You can check ahead at the places you plan to be by using Google Maps and searching on "Laundromat near ...", where ... is a city or even better a postcode, as a UK postcode is accurate to a few hundred feet.

You can also check with the owners of the B&B's you will be staying at. Wherever you are you can always search on "Laundromat near me".

 

[candrew]

Go to a laundromat - socialize - meet some locals - learn things that you might otherwise have missed.

^^^^

This.

There are probably laundromats where you can drop off your clothes and have them laundered and folded. Some places will even deliver.

 

[RunningBum]

When we did a 3 week rail trip in Europe a few years ago, I checked in advance. We were in an even tougher position without a car. At about one week in we stayed in a hostel that provided laundry service for about $7 IIRC. At two weeks we went to a laundromat in a bigger city near our lodging and just burned an evening there. This was pre-airbnb. It's easier to look for places with laundry available there. So I suggest checking in advance and having a plan for 2-3 reliable stops, even if you were planning to freewheel the rest of your trip.

 

[HarveyS]

Just a word of caution based on my experience; make sure you check for washer and dryer. Lots of homes in EU don't have dryers.

 

[brett]

We were always able to find a launderette. They always had dryers but as I recall they were not inexpensive.

We are in the same situation. We travel for weeks at a time but only pack for six or seven days.

We have had some great conversations, traded tips, paperbacks etc with other launderette 'travelers' Mostly Aussies.

 

[euro]

Thanks for all the advice - much appreciated. We will be traveling mostly in the highlands and off the beaten track, but as some have pointed out, all we need is to hit a larger town once a week or so. I just asked Mr Google and there are a dozen launderettes in Inverness, for example. I had not realized this - I though that I recalled from my travels 40 years ago that public laundry facilities were very rare in rural UK, but apparently, something changed, or, more likely, my brain just isn't what it used to be.....

 

[GalaxyBoy]

While in Edinburgh a few years ago, we went to a laundromat to drop off clothes to be washed. While there, there was a fire on the upper floor, nobody evacuated, the fire brigade showed up, entered the second floor window, extinguished the fire, and left before we were done with our transaction. Nobody blinked an eye; it was surreal. Especially as a fire protection professional myself, I was dumbfounded. Of course, I didn't evacuate either but we were right at the front door. Would have been pretty embarrassing to me with my job if I were injured.

Anyway, it was pretty similar to the US as I recall. Things like this I don't mind spending money on while traveling as the time is worth far more than a few pounds or euros.

 

[jj]

Just a word of caution based on my experience; make sure you check for washer and dryer. Lots of homes in EU don't have dryers.

This!

In VRBO/AirBnB type listings for Europe be aware that 'dryer' can sometimes mean a drying rack. The usual term in the UK is 'tumble dryer' and it will be tiny by US standards.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

For anyone reafing this, laundry during our time in malmo sweden bordered on impossible. The expat community told us they took the train to Copenhagen to do it as Sweden didn't "do" laundromats. We were in an airbnb with firmly denied laundry privileges. Cultural? Unknown.

 

[OldShooter]

Sometimes we have found that not having laundry soap is a problem, particularly in an AirBNB where we do have a washing machine. I have been carrying this stuff in my Red Cross volunteer "go bag:" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C2UFT20/ It works great and takes no space at all. I also carry a cheap Chinese laundry bag that cost me all of $3.50 on eBay. Something like these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Storage-Ac...ing-Quilt-Extra-Large-Heavy-Duty/264447403703

 

[Finance Dave]

Pack small amount of laundry powder in checked baggage, then book hotel with laundry service or self-use machines one day while on the trip...that's what we did.

 

[6miths]

Biggest thing that we found was that it is hard to get used to dryers being on the left...

 

[Nemo2]

Biggest thing that we found was that it is hard to get used to dryers being on the left...

Huh, and here I always thought dryers were apolitical.

 

[6miths]

Biggest thing that we found was that it is hard to get used to dryers being on the left...

Huh, and here I always thought dryers were apolitical.

In the UK, everything seems a little more left.

 

[Scrapr]

Biggest thing that we found was that it is hard to get used to dryers being on the left...

Are dryers known as "Roundabouts"?

 

[Nemo2]

Are dryers known as "Roundabouts"?

In a discoidal fashion.

 

[NW-Bound]

Just a word of caution based on my experience; make sure you check for washer and dryer. Lots of homes in EU don't have dryers.

True. But if you insist on a dryer, it will severely limit your choice.

I have found that with some planning, drying clothes on a rack is not so bad, particularly as you do not stay at an Airbnb for just one night.