# RV Park Laundry Facilities



## DL Rupper

Pet Peeve:  Doing your laundry while living in an RV is one of the biggest negatives to full-time RVing.   This past weekend we arrived at a new RV park and decided to do the laundry.  It took 3 hrs to do a small single load.  First the 2 washers and 2 dryers  were in use.  When we went back 45 minutes later, the coin slot on the only vacant washer was jammed by too many coins.

Off I went to the office to see if on a Sunday they could fix the machine.  The maintenance guy/owner came right over and after spending 20 minutes he finally got the coin box out of the machine.  It must of had over a $100 in quarters jammed in it.

Finally I got my clothes in the machine and from there on it was smooth sailing.  However, this got me thinking.  If you pull out at least $100 from your washing machine and people are waiting to use it, why wouldn't you install at least 2 more washers and dryers.

Over the past 13 years full-timing, I have noticed that MOST RV parks do not have adequate laundry facilities.  This isn't too bad if you know where the local laundromat is located. But all too often there isn't one close by, so you are at the mercy of the RV park and it's way too small laundry room.

If I were an owner of a RV park and I could get big profits from my laundry room, I would have as many machines as required to adequately service my customers.  I often bump into other RV'ers from the RV park doing their laundry at the local Laundromat instead of at the RV Park because of inadequate laundry facilities.  That is lost profits to the RV park.  Common sense would dictate expanding the laundry facilities if you were the owner.

Having your own washer/dryer on board your RV isn't really the total answer either.  I often hear (at laundry room/local laundromat) RV'ers that have on-board washer/dryers describing how long it takes to do a batch of clothes in their RV.  Drying seems to be the biggest problem as most home electric dryers take a 220 V line and RVs only have 50 amp service.

Well it's off my chest and gives you RV'ers contemplating full-timing one of the biggest negatives.  It's still worth it and a GREAT lifestyle.


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## H2H1

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

GOOD POINT DL, I have an on broad W/D. and never used it, mainly I don't care to use it. It was  there when we bought the MH and we bought it because of the 3 slides. But  I do know about those W/D facility you are describing. very bad at some RV parks.


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## utmtman

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Well we started with no washer dryer and spent one day every week doing laundry at a laundry mat.  So back in Oct we had the splendide washer/dryer installed, and yes it takes a while to dry and yes you can only do a small load but when we get free time we can go cuz the laundry is done and we dont have to drive thru the local towns looking for a laundry mat or using the small crowded facilities at an rv park.


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## H2H1

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I think we will do the RV site washer and dryer. But there again I don't do laundry so it not and issue with me. Look if you got no place to go and the power is there why not use your W&D. DIFFERENT STROKE FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS I GUESS. ANYWAY STILL KEEP ENJOYING YOU FULTIME LIFE STYLE.


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## DL Rupper

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I thought I posted this on the Full Timing Forum.  Just getting feeble minded.  Sorry.   No matter where you do your laundry the RV Parks need to enhance/enlarge their laundry facilities.


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## C Nash

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Shoot DL, I haven't changed clothes since we started.  Did keep them on when we went to the hot tubs in T or C NM yesterday so if you go there you might not want to use that tub   :laugh:  :laugh:    We use the cg laundrys and so far no proble other than keeping enough quarters.  I agree if the coin slots are full I would gladly add so more machines.


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## elkhartjim

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Ya'll are gettin way to many clothes dirty.  Besides, most cg's have creeks, just find a good rock to beat the clothes on and hang on a bush.  Watch out for poison ivy.


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## C Nash

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

There you go and mention poison ivy Jim.  Now I am broke out all over at just the mention of it


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## DL Rupper

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I guess after 13 years I just don't like RV Park laundry rooms.  Early on my wife faked a bad back so I get to do all the carrying/lifting and operating the machines.  She comes by just in time to help get them out of the dryer so they don't wrinkle.

I remember one laundramat in Arkansas that the local bums used as a urinal at night.  It was close to the bars.  We were staying at a Corps of Engineer's Campground and it was the only place in 100 miles.  Bad memories of doing the laundry.  Like I said, it's my one bad thing about full-timing.


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## DARLING

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Splendide has a good web site on laundry tips for all you GUYS who want to impress your better half. Honey now knows how to load it properly.  Not STUFF it.
We were in NC, on way to OBX, decided to stop at a local laundry(looked clean) & the clothes came out  of the washer dirty than when they went in.   Such is life.      
Darlin


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## PattieAM

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Guess I've been lucky in my camping - all the campgrounds I've visited seem to have 5 washers and 5 dryers, run about $1.50 for wash and $1.25-$1.50 to dry.


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## H2H1

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

hey DARLING that was good info, my DW will enjoy reading it. :laugh:  :laugh:


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## SnowbirdInFlight

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities



We had our trailer prepped for a washer/dryer combo, but didn't have one put in the first year we went full-timing. I detested doing the laundry. Seeing my DH lug all those clothes baskets down to the laundromat was heartbreaking. Making sure he had enough quarters was hard too. Then there were the instructions I had to give him so he could do the wash right.   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   Well, I couldn't stand it any more! After looking at all the expensive RV models we chose to just go with a regular washer. 

We found one that fit the 24 inch wide opening at Sears. It isn't a fancy model, just a Kenmore Extra Large Capacity Regular Wash Only. But, it does have warm or cold wash cycles. Good enough to get the job done in under 30 minutes. For the drying part I just hang clothes on clothes hangers and put an oscillating fan on them.      
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








Depending on the humidity and the article being dried they take anywhere from an hour to three hours to dry. Of course for rush jobs or towels and blankets I just wash them in the trailer then take them down to the dryer. Since we stay at military FamCamps the laundry fees are only 75 cents or some are even free.


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## DL Rupper

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Dang PattieAm, you are lucky.  The last campground had 2 each W/D's and this big old park has 2 each W/D's.  Campground 3 times ago was ok with 4 ea.  Most campgrounds don't have adequate W/D's and I don't get it.  They are always busy and they make LOTS of money.  

No room in HitchHiker for W/D.  We only spend about $50/month for laundry.  Just another thing full-time contemplators need to take into account.  Just arrived at new campground today and spent $3.00.  Doesn't seem like much, but I/we do a single batch every 2 days.  $3 or $4 x 15 =$45 to $60/month.  It's easier for me/us to find a single W/D vacant and do just a single batch than try to do a weeks laundry at one time.  That would take the laundry boy all day.


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## TexasClodhopper

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I can here you barkin' out the command, "The heck with the expense. Get-Er-Done!"  :clown:


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## onthecoach

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Hello All,
We have been full-timing for almost 3 years. We have the Spendide W/D and I use it EVERYDAY!!!      I do the underwear, socks and t'shirts in 1 load and regular shirts in a second load. 
I set it and forget it!!  :laugh:  

I use the RV laundry facilities or a local laundro-mat for the jeans, sheets and towels about once a week and have never had a problem --- except for the fact that NJ has the most EXPENSIVE LAUNDRIES in the country!!!  $2.25/wash and $2.50/dry!!!  NOW, THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS!!!   :angry:   So, glad to be OUT OF NJ!!!

Dirty clothes are a fact of life....in most places I can do 3-5 loads in 1 1/2 hours!  Can't do better than THAT!!!


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## Knewbee

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities



> SnowbirdInFlight - 3/12/2008  2:38 PM
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> We had our trailer prepped for a washer/dryer combo, but didn't have one put in the first year we went full-timing. I detested doing the laundry. Seeing my DH lug all those clothes baskets down to the laundromat was heartbreaking. Making sure he had enough quarters was hard too. Then there were the instructions I had to give him so he could do the wash right.
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> Well, I couldn't stand it any more! After looking at all the expensive RV models we chose to just go with a regular washer.
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> We found one that fit the 24 inch wide opening at Sears. It isn't a fancy model, just a Kenmore Extra Large Capacity Regular Wash Only. But, it does have warm or cold wash cycles. Good enough to get the job done in under 30 minutes. For the drying part I just hang clothes on clothes hangers and put an oscillating fan on them.
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> Depending on the humidity and the article being dried they take anywhere from an hour to three hours to dry. Of course for rush jobs or towels and blankets I just wash them in the trailer then take them down to the dryer. Since we stay at military FamCamps the laundry fees are only 75 cents or some are even free.



U R funny, but yet make sense 2!


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## SnowbirdInFlight

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

Thank you!


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## hopefulrver

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I just bought a 5th wheel that has been prepped for the W/D. . but the opening is only like 22 1/8 wide. . .If I do get one they are going to have to remove the door and moldings to get it in. . plus remove the door into the bedroom/bath area . . .has anyone else had this problem or is it just that I made a bad choice of 5ers and shouldn't have assumed that if there was a W/D closet one would fit in there!!!


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## hopefulrver

Re: RV Park Laundry Facilities

I just bought a 5th wheel that has been prepped for the W/D. . but the opening is only like 22 1/8 wide. . .If I do get one they are going to have to remove the door and moldings to get it in. . plus remove the door into the bedroom/bath area . . .has anyone else had this problem or is it just that I made a bad choice of 5ers and shouldn't have assumed that if there was a W/D closet one would fit in there!!!


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## Kirk

RE: RV Park Laundry Facilities

We rarely use the laundry in an RV park. Most of the time we just go to some nice laundry-mat down town and use multiple washers and thus get it all done much more quickly. Take along a little reading material or visit with the local folks. In our eight years on the road, we have not found the laundry to be a significant issue for us.


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