Laundry and the full timer

[jrpend]

Greetings!!

This may not be appropriate for this forum, but I'd like to hear from the full timers who've "been there and done that"

So what do you do about laundry while full timing?

My wife and I are in the midst of painfully specing out our retirement RV - A large 5th wheeler - Purchase planned for about a year out - we're overplanning. We had a class A for many years but never full timed.

Laundromats? Yeech. Reminds me of my college years. Didn't even want to use them on road trips in the Class-A.

The debate seems to be whether to buy the expensive Splendide units from Camping World (some people say they don't work well) or "normal" units like a apartment w/d unit. Stackers? Side/Side? Did anyone get a dryer that used propane? How big a pain was it to get propane routed correctly.


I'd like to hear peoples opinions.

Mucho Gracias for you input,
Jerald Pendleton

[kakampers]

I think the OP made it abundantly clear the WANT an onboard W/D...they were asking what kind?

There are other options other than Splendide...we have Whirlpool stackables that work great. We full time and I wash usually once a week, four loads, easily handled while puttering around the house.

As far as propane, I've not seen anyone do this, but it should be possible, as it usually only involves changing the orafice for LP instead of natural gas. In our rig the W/D is directly above the propane tank so it should be fairly easy to run the line. If you go this route let us know how it works out.

[Bill_Satellite]

It's really a clear cut issue if you weed through it. There are those who love having a W/D in their coach and there are those who are wrong!
😉

It's a joke, folks!

[kerseysteve2]

Amazing how polarizing this topic is! I asked the same question with the same 50/50 results. As a Journeyman Lineman I live in my 28' TT and don't mind the laundry mat when my job allows the time for it. But my wife hates laundry mats. So in about a month we are upgrading to a 39' Sanibel (hopefully fingers crossed) and it WILL have stackable w/d installed. So morale of the story? Do what your wife wants, cause if MAMA ain't happy ain't nobody happy!

[Mootpoint]

We have been full timing for 2 1/2 years now. At first we decided laundromats was the way to go. About 2 months the DW thought a washer/dryer combo, after talking to many other FT's, should be considered. 2 weeks ago we stumbled into a deal on a used one, hardly used. I checked out the website for our rig and found where they were put when requested. Our rig had no rough in for the unit but all the necessary plumbing was really close. With a few simple mods we are ready to roll (should be finished the mods today). I am positive we will be happy with it.

[jrpend]

Thank you all for you kind responses

Jerald Pendleton

[klm]

I am a solo fulltimer - 6+ yrs. I have the Splendide w/d - and love it. It has worked flawlessly (knock on wood). I do generally camp with full hookups - dry camping with an onboard w/d may not be worth it. If you think you'll be boondocking extensively, that should factor into your decision about a w/d.

[sushidog]

Well since I left my S&B to move to a mobile home, I have only had a washing machine - no drier. So I guess I won't be taking a drier with me when I full-time. I don't think I'll be taking a washing machine with me either. I like the logic of a previous poster that when boondocking a W/D is useless, as it uses too much resources (water, inverter power, gray tank capacity, etc.) When in an RV park with FHU it is unnecessary - as is using a potentially dirty public Laundromat when a CG Laundromat is near. I guess having only one appliance makes me politically Independent, right? Just kidding! You'd think we were discussing religion, where all the W/D owners are God fearing Christians, while those of us who would prefer to forgo this extravagance are Godless Heathens. Lighten up guys - it's just a joke! No politics or religion is being discussed here!

Chip

[DianneOK]

The comments regarding party lines made me laugh. We are firm onboard laundry believers and certainly not democrats !!!!!!!!!!

[soos]

jesseannie wrote:
I am agreeing with liveneasy we use the Laundromats at the Rv parks we stay at. We can do all of our laundry at one time 3 washers then 3 dryers full. Fold it in the laundry room and repack in the closet, 90 minutes done!. Visiting in the laundry room has benefitted us on great places to visit on that trip as well as future ones. I would much rather have the extra storage rather than a W/D.
jesseannie

Agree.
many RV parks have laundry, so its not like we have to drive to town. 2 hours and we are done for 10 days and we can do other chores in between. No brainer. I love my closet space.
Sue

[Bill_Satellite]

Some how a discussion about keeping your underwear clean became political? I guess that's the love/hate relationship you have to have with these open forums.
People make leaps and assumptions, I get that. But making the leap into a political foray should get the thread closed if it ramps up.

[dahkota]

MTPockets1 wrote:

On board W/D are Democrats. Laundromat users are Republicans.

Nope. No on board laundry, firmly democrat.

If I had an onboard W/D, I would need to be at full hook up site to use it. Most FHU sites are in campgrounds with laundries. Since they are providing me with laundry facilities, I would rather not waste the time and space required to have and use an onboard W/D. Without one, I just have to be in a campground with laundry facilities one night every two to three weeks rather than 2-3 nights per week, as someone else mentioned.

[GoPackGo]

I had my stackable Splendides factory installed in my 5th wheel. I've only been fulltiming since January but already I know I wouldn't be without them. They are tied for 1st place with my 6-point leveling system.

Yes, they do take up closet space, and they are smaller then a normal home-sized w/d, but I think that's really the only drawbacks. The w/d, the dirty laundry, and the closets are all within about 6-8 feet of each other so it only takes a minute to put in a load. Then I go about my business. I transfer the clothes to the dryer whenever I get back home. When the dryer yells at me I get the clothes out and put them away. Of course, this process also works fine if watching tv in the evening or reading. I do smaller loads, but it doesn't matter because there's really no lost time involved in doing a load. I could do a load every day if I wanted to and it wouldn't cramp my style one little bit.

No carrying laundry to the cg laundromat. No trip to town to do laundry. No hanging around a w/d when I could be seeing the sights. Basically I spend ZERO time dedicated to doing laundry. And that's the way I like it.

Tim

[CabinetmakerII]

2gypsies wrote:
I just posted this in the Class A forum so might as well do it here, too.

We had our 2004 prepped for W/D. Ten years later we have not installed them.

We're full-timers so we carry everything with us. We have plenty of clothes to last two weeks. Yesterday I went to a laudramat and did two weeks worth in 1-1/2 hours. I would never be satisfied washing clothes every day. We're out there enjoying life. Also, we're rarely at RV parks with full hookups. Public parks and dry camping are our choice. The gray tank would fill up fast if we washed every day.

We wouldn't feel comfortable putting in a load of wash and then leaving to do something else hoping the washer didn't malfunction. It just seems like you'd be tied to that washer daily and constantly thinking about putting in more laundry. 1-1/2 hours every two weeks is the way to go for us.

To those that think you'd get "cooties" from laundramats, we have never encountered dirty equipment. 95% of the time there is an attendant working who wipes down the washers. Plus, washers wash and then rinse. Why would there be dirt left behind?

Ditto for us. We have met many very interesting people at the laundramat. Not to mention that after the laundry is done, we stop at a local restaurant for a nice breakfast and have someone else do the dishes.

[NYCgrrl]

chiefneon wrote:
Howdy!

I'm a CONSERVATIVE that worked hard all my life to have what I have today!

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

Yeeeehaw!

I'm a pinko liberal Democrat that worked all my life to have what I have today.
" Until we meet again"
:W

Don't want a W/D in my TT to come. Think it'll be just one more thing to maintain/leak; the usage cost is less for a laundromat(depending on how ya use it) and I'm used to not having either components. Only time I ever had a washer was when my kiddos was young. Never had a dryer cuz radiator space was free and so was the sun.

Of course if I decide to get a housekeeper/handyperson AND a clown trailer for her/him to travel 600 feet behind me...why I'll consider putting a W/D - in her/his RV:D.