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Ability to wash clothing during 13 day tour

We have booked the 13 day Scotland tour. Will we have the ability to wash clothing along the way?

Posted by
6231 posts

You might want to post this on the Tour forum, but I've been traveling to Europe for almost 30 years and most of the time, I just wash clothes in the sink or bathroom, then wring them out, squeeze them in a towel and lay them out (or hang them) to dry. I wear the same garments at least twice (jeans even more) and hand wash underwear every other night.

If you feel like this isn't enough, most towns in Europe have some kind of laundromat that you could use. Regardless, it's a good idea to think about the type of clothing you are bringing and make sure that it's easy to care for and easy to dry.

Posted by
13809 posts

The itinerary has changed since I did this tour in 2018 but you've got a free day in Oban on Day 5 so that is when I would do laundry. I would also bring this up with your guide during the meet-up session.

On our tour the guide took people to a laundry in Inverness to drop off laundry as we were headed out for the day and then arranged for the bus to drop off people to pick up laundry on the way back into Inverness.

I'll add that I am a sink-washer, lol. I use a 2 gal ziplock bag and do a small wash on the 1st night of a 2-night stay.

Posted by
6431 posts

Sometimes a hotel where you're staying more than one night will offer tour members a low-cost laundry service, a bag of laundry for a set amount. The guide will tell you about this at the introductory meeting. I used these services in Spain and Ireland, very convenient. If you use the hotel's regular laundry service (if any), make sure you can get your clothes back by the night before the group's departure.

There's also the sink-wash option Pam mentioned, though that's some work, leaves your stuff hanging in the bathroom, and may not get things as clean as a real laundry. It also means packing detergent (Tide and Woolite have single-use packets), a clothesline (good for geometry creativity on hotel fixtures), and that ever-helpful (but optional) 2-gallon bag. On a time-limited tour, I'd say going to a laundromat would be a last resort -- even if it offers a "service wash" where you drop off and pick up. That's time you won't get back.

Posted by
13809 posts

Actually, I just use the hotel shampoo or shower gel. I figure both are formulated for body oils and they do a good job getting my clothes clean. I also pack a plastic hanger...the kind with a hook on one side so I have a place to hang a shirt, can flop a pr of socks over the top side of the hanger and hang unders on the hook, lol. I tried the clothesline thing early on in my "sink-washing career", hahaha, and could never get it to work out well. I'm also a solo traveler so have just my clothing to deal with. I also pack some clothespins for when I wash out my jeans/pants/capris and can clip them to the hanger.

Posted by
6231 posts

Actually, I just use the hotel shampoo or shower gel.

Pam, I'm the same. I tried bringing small amounts of laundry detergent many years ago (along with the clothesline) and neither worked. Now I just use body wash and hangers, or drape them over something. I remember years ago that some B&Bs and hotels had signs in the room saying no clothes washing allowed, but I haven't seen those in a long time. I still bring a circular rubber sink stopper just in case there's no plug.

Posted by
13809 posts

Mardee, I also started out using the tide or woolite packets but I didn't need a whole packet just to do a pr of unders, lol and then it was messy to figure out what to do with the rest or I felt wasteful if I threw 3/4 of a packet away.

I take the big ziplock (reinforce sides with mailing tape) so I can put everything in as soon as I get to a hotel and then stash it in the shower or tub while I go out for dinner.

Posted by
8261 posts

While I have not taken this tour, there has always been a laundry opportunity mid-tour on every tour I have taken. Your best bet is to contact the tour office with this question.

I will sink wash, if I have to, but I always appreciate and use laundry when an opportunity is provided.

Posted by
2339 posts

I only sink wash underwear these days, so do laudromats on tours.
The guides often mention laundry possibilities at the first meeting, but RS tour books are a good source for laundry facilities in towns. I check towns that are at a good point in the trip.

Posted by
6386 posts

Not sure where the tour goes, but there should be places to wash clothes. On a recent trip there were laundromats in Keswick, England and Inverness, Scotland that I’m aware of. Our B&B in Nairn, Scotland did our laundry for us for £15. That saved us from going into Inverness and having to sit in a laundromat for a couple hours.

Posted by
7453 posts

Sounds like you will have the opportunity to do laundry, but if you are looking to do some items in the sink, and do not want to pack liquids or use shampoo, look for Laundry Sheets. Basically thin sheets of dried detergent, easy to pack a few in a ziploc, they dissolve when they hit the water, you can even tear one in half for an item or two.

Posted by
175 posts

We took this tour in October and the guide took anyone who wanted to drop off laundry to be washed and picked up the next day in Inverness which was the 1/2 way point. Very easy so no worries.

Posted by
2942 posts

Mary and I have found that showering twice per day means our clothes need less washing. We hand wash a few items and dry them.