14 day Southern England/ laundry

I haven't been on this tour, but will this year. On every RS tour I have been on the guide has offered suggestions for laundry locations.

On the subject of laundry, someone on these forums recommended the powdered detergent Forever New, and I love it. Because it's a concentrated powder, it weighs very little and takes up very little space. You can use it for hand washing overnight as well as in a machine.

I like to bring my own laundry detergent when I travel because (a) I don't want to spend time looking for a store to buy some, and (b) I find that coin laundry facilities sometimes have detergent available, sometimes not.

(The Forever New instructions describe multiple uses to remove old detergent residue from your clothes, and that probably works nicely, but TBH I didn't bother with it -- just used the powder and found it excellent. I use it in my washing machine at home sometimes too.)

It doesn't look like there are any Speed Queen locations that would be useful for the South England tour, but when available that would be my first choice.

I have used them in recent years in Spain and France, and they are well-run, clean, fast dryers, and simple to use. The detergent is built into the washer cycle, too.

I find laundry pods easy to pack and use when needed.

https://speedqueeninvestor.com/our-laundry-stores/locations

BTW, I will be on the April 25 tour, so I can report back, though I have already decided I will do laundry in Salisbury, which is at the center of my 22 total day trip. The RS guidebook has laundry locations for many towns.

I've taken this tour but it has changed a little since then (for the better). I believe the only suggestion for laundry was near the end when the tour stayed in Penzance. I am a sink-wash gal so didn't pay a LOT of attention.

There is a free afternoon in Salisbury on Day 6 so that would be a good time to catch up with "chores". I am sure there are laundry facilities somewhere within walking distance of the hotel.

didoman57 - Great question. I'll be on the same tour in late June. It looks like there is a laundromat called the Washing Well at 28 Chipper Ln, Salisbury SP1 1BG, United Kingdom. Hopefully it (or another laundromat) will be within walking distance.

Anytime we went on a trip longer than about 10 days, we planned for laundry time some afternoon about mid trip (otherwise it was just a quick sock / 'other' (and maybe a shirt or two if needed) wash in the sink ... a laundry trip also has a side benefit of traveling lighter since in theory you would need half the amount of clothes ... and since my wife has allergies to the fragrances they use in most detergents, we reuse a few hotel-size shampoo bottles and bring some All Free (just being sure we mark the bottle as such).

You could always do what I do - take enough clothes so that you don’t have to wash anything mid trip.

In the past the tour has often (always??) stayed at the Rose and Crown on Harnham Rd. in Salisbury.

https://legacy-hotels.co.uk/hotels/rose-crown-hotel-salisbury-wiltshire

I’ve no idea if that will hold true this year or not.

From my several trips to the UK, I've added a few terms to my vocabulary, including "launderette" and "service wash." The latter being generally what I would call "wash and fold." I've been happy to find a laundry/launderette offering a service wash. Dropped off a bin bag (aka trash bag) of dirty clothes in the morning, stopped by several hours later to take my clean folded clothes back to the B&B. On other trips I've not minded the time spent doing my own wash in a launderette. Still enjoy the memory of a chat with a couple of local women in an Earls Court launderette, as we waited for the wash/dry cycles to run.

As for the OP's specific question I don't have that information. I'd think the tour director would be the best source. Given that RS tours emphasize packing light enough to handle your own luggage, it seems inevitable that at least midway through an active 14 day tour most folks would need to wash clothes. So the tour leaders must have that figured out. If it's a busy itinerary I'd try to find a service wash about midway through the tour. I've not traveled with RS tours but on other escorted tours, I found our tour director had allowed for our needs for laundry; either DIY facilities or service washes.

I took that tour in August/ September 2019. In Salisbury, there is a laundry, that has a drop off service, you pick it up in the late afternoon. In Penzance, there was a service that picked up at the hotel, delivered back that afternoon. I generally wash underwear/ socks in the sink. However, I had been in London for nine days during a heatwave, prior. It was nice to have things deep cleaned. Both were reasonably priced and contribute to my comfort, but don’t eat up my time. So money well spent.😎

If you travel carryon only, a white powder like Forever New could cause screening problems. Tide has small packets of liquid available at Amazon and they easily fit into your 9-1-1 bag.

You can also email hotels you will be staying at to see if there is a service wash or laundrette near them. I have done this when the complete list of hotels arrives a few weeks before the tour. Sometimes the hotel has a laundry that picks up from the hotel and returns the laundry the next day. The per bag price is usually fair and it is wonderful not to have to waste travel time doing laundry. I always ask them to do a cold wash/warm dry. I was hesitant to use one of these services, but have been pleased so far and, fingers crossed, haven't lost any items. I also do sink washes for underwear and some of my lighter weight tops. And, I love Forever New laundry wash. It works well and is so easy to pack in the nooks and crannies of your luggage.

I've just returned from the SE England tour.
We stayed at the Red Lion in Salisbury, and the Washing Well mentioned above was in easy walking distance.

The biggest problem was getting £ coins. The laundry does not have a change machine, and it was one of the few places I needed any cash at all.