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Doing Laundry While RVing: 5 Tips to Make This Chore Easier

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Laundry in a 5 gallon white bucket with water and detergent for doing laundry while RVing

5 Tips For Doing Laundry While RVing

One of the best parts of RVing is leaving most of the household chores behind or at least minimizing them.  However, doing laundry while RVing can be a lot easier than you think.  We’ve put together some tips below that make doing laundry while RVing a breeze.   

1. Put your laundry in a bucket and drive

Doing laundry while RVing doesn’t get any easier than putting it into a 5-gallon bucket with some soap and water, sealing it up, securing it, and driving to your next destination.   Every bump in the road will agitate your laundry until it’s perfectly clean and fresh, just like a really great washing machine does. 

You can rinse the laundry when you get there, or even wait until the next day when you are all settled in to rinse it. To do your laundry while you drive, you’ll need a 5-gallon bucket with a lid, some laundry soap, and water.  If you have trouble getting the snap-on style lid on and/or off the bucket, Home Depot sells a great, leakproof screw-top bucket lid that fits all 5 gallon buckets.   You can check it out here.

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  1. Put your laundry into the bucket.  It should be no more than 2/3 full.
  2. Add the manufacturer’s suggested amount of your favorite laundry detergent.
  3. Cover laundry with 2 inches of cold or warm water.
  4. Seal with a tight-fitting lid.
  5. Secure the bucket with bungee cords as necessary.
  6. Drive for at least 1 hour while your clothes get sparkling clean.
  7.  Drain and rinse with clean water. 
  8. Wring and hang on a rack to dry. 

2. Do laundry at the RV park laundromat 

Many RV parks have laundry facilities with multiple machines.   When you start to get short on clean clothes, the RV park laundromat might be the easiest option.   

Here’s the best way to make use of your RV park’s laundry facilities.  Using multiple machines at the same time will save you from running back and forth to your RV.

  1. Gather your quarters and laundry.
  2. Choose the least busy time to go to the laundry facility.  Early evening is often a quiet time at the laundry room.
  3. Divide laundry into several loads as needed.
  4. Use as many machines as you need to wash your laundry.
  5. Put the clean, damp laundry into as many dryers as needed.
  6. Fold at the laundromat table and put into baskets.  We like using storage-friendly, collapsible laundry baskets from Camco.

3. Get your laundry done for you

Many laundromats offer a complete laundry service where you just need to drop off your dirty laundry and they’ll wash, dry, and fold all of it for you. 

You’ll be able to go sightseeing, shopping, or whatever else your heart desires while your laundry is done.  If you really want to make laundry easier, we suggest phoning local laundromats in your area and asking if they have a laundry service.   

4. Wear your clothes for more than one day

If you wear fewer clothes, you’ll have less laundry.  Most of the time, we don’t need to wear a new outfit each day.  When you can, wear clothes two days in a row.  Your clothes will last longer and you’ll have less laundry to do.

5. Hang clean laundry on a rack to dry 

Allowing laundry to air dry on a drying rack is a fast, efficient, and free way to dry your laundry while you are RVing. Some RV parks have rules about hanging laundry lines on your site.  But nearly all of them are okay with hanging laundry to dry on a rack if it’s close to your RV. 

Why the difference?  It’s because laundry lines can be a hazard in RV parks where unsuspecting pedestrians could walk into them.  Clotheslines can also get in the way of groundskeeping crews who are trying to keep the place mowed and spectacular looking.  A laundry drying rack placed next to your RV isn’t hazardous or in anyone’s way, so RV parks generally don’t mind them.


One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 forums allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and much more.

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