Clothes drying

[Ralph]

We have one of those portable washing machine things in the van (basically a bucket with a motor on the bottom) but the really hard thing, when away, is not washing clothes but drying them.

Does anyone know if there's such a thing as a portable spin dryer or the old fashioned mangle? Not too heavy of course.

 

 

[J9withdogs]

Towsure sell a twin-tub washing machine/spin dryer - can't find a dryer on it's own tho.

 

 

[Guest caraprof]

One tip worth considering is drying them on a rack in the 'van. If we have damp laundry we hang it overnight in the cab and if it's still damp next morning we then hang it from the side lockers. To use a rack in the cab you need to have lockers like mine I suppose, from which to hang it, but the most 'vans have overhead lockers in the main area.

We drive with the laundry hanging in the 'van and it really works. You should cover the ends of the drying rack with an old sock or something to protect the woodwork. These pictures will show what I mean.

It may look odd driving along with a load of washing hanging up in your living area, but who cares if it works!

[J9withdogs]

Has anyone tried using a small heated towel rail? Are there any dangers etc?

[Steve OReilly]

This isn't a solution to drying clothes from a washing machine but works well for towels damp from showering. The heki rooflight handle is U-shaped and an aerolastic (bungee cord) can be hooked onto each 'arm'. The shape of the handle stops the aerolastic moving. Hang one towel on the aerolastic and a second on the handle. It works for me.

 

Steve

[Ralph]

I find that the biggest problem is not getting the damp out but the initial water, hence my search for a spin dryer. I can't wring enough out. Perhaps I need to invest in a Charles Atlas course?

My van has the boiler in an external cupboard and I've put a slatted shelf in above the boiler which makes a great airing cupboard but you still need to stop them from dripping first.

Frank, the only worry I have about driving around with the washing hung up inside is that people going the other way may see the sleeves moving and mistake it for someone waving :-D

 

 

[MOTORHOMER]

Are you talking about smalls, t shirts? and similar size items if so there is a product called ring dri. It is sold as a car accessory but I use mine for small items then hang them on one of those airers with pegs that Betterware sell.I have the square shape which just hangs nicely on an alice rail over the drop down sink in the shower room or from one of the cupboard handles . We have microfibre toewels so can just about ring them as well. I got mine from QVC but you can get them here.: http://www.performancemotorcare.com and put in ring-dri

 

Aparently they were at one of the shows a lot cheaper.

 

The item is secured onto a flat surface for use.

 

 

Motorhomer

 

[Ralph]

This looks like just the kind of thing!

I've looked on e-bay and they go for £25 on there so not so bad price.

I think this looks like a good idea, thanks.

 

For anyone else interested see http://www.ringdri.com/

 

Incidentally I also searched e-bay for mangles and it seems they are collectors items these days and worth a packet!

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

Mrs Mental will not travel anywhere without her home comforts...

[Hymer C 9.]

Yes please I have also been looking for a small mangle quite happy to fit it in the van and not worry about the weight, I ve scoured car boots and local add's to no avail so if anyone can tell me where to buy as small wringer (mandle) I would be pleased, some times the old ideas are the best. Carol (husband says light weight would be best) Carol.

[Guest peter]

I've fitted a rack on the underside of the engine hood. Works a treat clothes dry as you are travelling. It's even better if you give the engine some wellie as the fans come on and dry it in a flash. Try and keep them away from the Turbo though as it could scorch them. By the way your engine needs to be clean or you could be washing them again. You can also cook your dinner on the move as well. Sausages cook a treat on the exhaust manifold when wrapped in foil, as does a nice trout or mackerel. :D

[Ralph]

Hymer C 9. - 2007-07-15 8:21 PM

 

Yes please I have also been looking for a small mangle quite happy to fit it in the van and not worry about the weight, I ve scoured car boots and local add's to no avail so if anyone can tell me where to buy as small wringer (mandle) I would be pleased, some times the old ideas are the best. Carol (husband says light weight would be best) Carol.

 

The Ring Dri seems to fit the bill Carol. It apparently weighs only 1 Kg.

Follow the link above and see the promo video.

If you look on E-Bay you can find it for £25 plus £7 postage. I think I'll treat SWMBO for her birthday >:-)

 

 

[Tony Jones]

Wear less clothes!!

[Ralph]

Tony! We always think of you as a man of the cloth and here are you as the man of less cloth :-D

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

Bit of a provocative pose for a man of the cloth - exposing ones hairy man boob's! :-D

 

quiet put me oft my lunch...

[Tony Jones]

Sorry folks, the camera must have been pointing in slightly the wrong direction.

You will OF COURSE realise that the real intention was to show how few things

are drying on the rack in the bottom RH corner of the picture

- a rack, incidentally, very similar to Frank's,

and which we also put up inside when travelling.

 

Tony

 

(PS notice I've used the "enter" key to shorten the lines,

since my pic has widened the field of the whole thread.

[John Keats]

Hell Tony, you'll sure get a wave from me if I manage to spot you in time !

[Guest peter]

John Keats - 2007-07-16 1:18 PM

 

Hell Tony, you'll sure get a wave from me if I manage to spot you in time !

That's got him worried John. :D

[maggyd]

Silly question I know *-) coming from a mere female BUT why the H... cant you use the laundry facilities on site? or are you men all too tight to pay for the use of same.? Or hang that clothes drier outside the window and let them drip dry? I thought it was Women that wanted to take the KITCHEN SINK! :-D

[Guest caraprof]

maggyd - 2007-07-16 11:24 PM Silly question I know *-) coming from a mere female BUT why the H... cant you use the laundry facilities on site? or are you men all too tight to pay for the use of same.? Or hang that clothes drier outside the window and let them drip dry? I thought it was Women that wanted to take the KITCHEN SINK! :-D

Some sites don't have driers, only spin driers that leave the clothes damp. Of course you can hang them outside but it's a bit dodgy when you're moving along to your next destination at 70 mph. They tend to fly off the rack.

[Mike Parke]

Why not take sufficient clothes to last the lenght of your trip, (assumimg we are talking holiday usage and not 'full timing'). We get away for 3 weeks three times a year and always manage to take enough shirts, undergarments, socks etc, etc, to see us through. I would have thought that the last thing one wants ones lady to do on holiday is washing!! However, with our method there is an awful lot of washing to do when we do return home!! (Cannot win always, can you??!!).

regards, Mike & Cherry.

[michele]

caraprof - 2007-07-16 11:31 PM

maggyd - 2007-07-16 11:24 PM Silly question I know *-) coming from a mere female BUT why the H... cant you use the laundry facilities on site? or are you men all too tight to pay for the use of same.? Or hang that clothes drier outside the window and let them drip dry? I thought it was Women that wanted to take the KITCHEN SINK! :-D

Some sites don't have driers, only spin driers that leave the clothes damp. Of course you can hang them outside but it's a bit dodgy when you're moving along to your next destination at 70 mph. They tend to fly off the rack.

Frank improvise tie em on I read somewhere that someone tie them to his roof his undies as well whilst onthe move ..hope it stays fine for him nothing like a blow dry ...failing that Comet do my little old tumble dryer and when I went to get the big one a man over heard me and asked to buy mine I gave it to him onthe condition that he came to collect.Turns out he wants it for work he works outdoors and is sick of getting soaked so he put it inthe back of his van for through the day .You guys with big pay loads could do this just fit in your garage *-)Its only a baby one..

[Guest caraprof]

Mike Parke - 2007-07-16 11:38 PM Why not take sufficient clothes to last the lenght of your trip, (assumimg we are talking holiday usage and not 'full timing'). We get away for 3 weeks three times a year and always manage to take enough shirts, undergarments, socks etc, etc, to see us through. I would have thought that the last thing one wants ones lady to do on holiday is washing!! However, with our method there is an awful lot of washing to do when we do return home!! (Cannot win always, can you??!!). regards, Mike & Cherry.

Sexist beast! Why do you assume that my wife always does the washing? If I'm away for 28 days I prefer not to take 28 shirts thank you and find it much easier to wash a few every seven or eight days.

There is then the added advantage of not having 28 shirts to wash, dry and iron when you return home.

[maggyd]

HEAR HEAR MIKE (lol) my thoughts exactly! *-) mind you my Hubby says I take enough for a month when we are going for two weeks! but it could be HOT! it could be COLD! it could be WET! need lots of jumpers Tea shirts skirts blowsers jeans trousers ! Holidays arent for doing washing. Its bad enough we have to shop to eat.

[ike]

a wee tip to reduce need to dry towels. Face flannels will remove most moisture from your body and then finish off with hand towels. these take up far less storage space and are easily and more quickly dried by hanging on one of those little plastic oval things with pegs attached. Socks , undies etc also easily hung on these little airers and can be hung in shower or elsewhere if not dripping. a dozen or so face flannels take up same storage space as an normal size towel. Also if you have dogs who swim, or for those rainy walks you can buy "fake" chamois cloths (they look like felt, soak up gallons of water, sqeeze out and dry very quickly - Poundstores sell them 3 for a £1.