Laundry Services and Self-Service Options While Traveling

Hotel Laundry Services

Hotel laundry charges per item: €3-8 per shirt, €5-12 per pants.

A full load easily costs €40-80. This is convenient but expensive.

Express service (same-day or 24-hour) costs 50-100% extra.

Budget hotels often don't offer laundry services at all.

Luxury hotels charge premium rates. A typical business traveler's laundry (5 shirts, 2 pants, underwear, socks) runs €60-100 in major European cities.

Turnaround times vary. Standard service takes 24-48 hours. Express same-day service must be dropped off before 9-10am.

Some hotels offer bag service where everything in the bag costs one flat rate (€30-50). This makes sense for heavy loads but wastes money for small amounts.

Laundromats (Self-Service)

Washers cost €4-7 per load. Dryers €3-5 per cycle.

Total cost €7-12 for washing and drying one load.

Bring detergent or buy single-use packets on-site (€1-2).

Time required: 60-90 minutes total for wash and dry.

Machine capacities vary. Standard machines hold 6-8kg (enough for one person's weekly clothes). Large capacity machines (10-12kg) cost €1-2 extra.

Drying takes 30-45 minutes typically. Thick items like jeans may need two cycles (€6-10 total for drying).

Finding Laundromats

Google Maps shows laundromats in most cities. Search "laundromat" or "launderette."

Hostels often know nearby locations and may have arrangements.

Some laundromats offer drop-off service (€10-15 per load) where they wash, dry, and fold.

Central areas charge more than neighborhood laundromats. Expect €2-3 price differences between tourist zones and residential areas.

Eastern European cities have fewer self-service options. Bulgaria and Romania often require drop-off service rather than self-service machines.

Using Laundromats

Most require coins or cards. Bring change or use change machines.

Instructions are sometimes in local language only. Watch other customers or ask for help.

Stay with your clothes. Leaving them unattended risks theft or removal by impatient customers.

Folding tables exist but bring a bag for clean clothes.

Modern laundromats use apps or card payment. Older ones require exact coins. Change machines accept €5-20 notes but often malfunction.

Temperature settings default to 40-60°C. Cold washes (20-30°C) exist but buttons may be in local language. Hot washes cost the same as warm washes.

Detergent dispensers on machines don't work reliably. Bring your own or buy from vending machines on-site.

Hand Washing Strategy

Quick-dry fabrics (merino wool, synthetic) wash in sinks and dry overnight.

Use hotel shampoo or buy travel detergent packets.

Wring clothes thoroughly before hanging. Use towel to press out extra water.

Hang in bathroom with good ventilation. Items dry in 8-24 hours depending on humidity.

Sink plugs missing in many European bathrooms. Bring universal sink stopper (€3-5) or use plastic bag weighted with water.

Drip-drying works in bathtubs. Lay towel underneath to catch water. Draping wet clothes directly on furniture stains wood and upholstery.

What to Hand Wash

Underwear, socks, and t-shirts wash and dry easily.

Avoid washing jeans or heavy items. They take days to dry.

Synthetic workout clothes dry fastest (4-8 hours).

Merino wool t-shirts dry in 12-18 hours when wrung properly. Cotton takes 24-36 hours and may smell musty in humid climates.

Button-down shirts dry wrinkled when hand-washed. Pack wrinkle-resistant travel shirts if hand-washing is your plan.

Accommodation with Laundry

Hostels sometimes have washing machines for €3-5 per load.

Apartments with washing machines eliminate laundry costs entirely.

Long-term stays: Prioritize accommodation with laundry facilities.

Hostel machines often lack dryers. Drying racks in common areas work but clothes disappear sometimes. Keep valuables separate.

Apartment machines in Europe are smaller (5-7kg capacity) and slower (1.5-2 hour cycles) than American machines. Plan accordingly.

Washing machine-only apartments mean air-drying. Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece) dries clothes quickly. Northern Europe (Netherlands, UK, Germany) takes longer due to humidity.

Packing to Minimize Laundry

Bring quick-dry, odor-resistant clothing that can be worn multiple times.

Merino wool naturally resists odors and can be worn 3-5 days.

Dark colors hide stains better than light colors.

Pack enough underwear and socks for 5-7 days. These are lightweight and wash/dry quickly.

Travel-specific clothing brands (Uniqlo Airism, Outlier, Wool&Prince) are designed for hand-washing and quick-drying.

Timing Laundry Days

Plan laundry on rest days or when spending time in accommodation.

Afternoon washing means clothes dry overnight.

Avoid washing the night before departure. Wet clothes pack poorly.

Multi-day stays in one location are ideal for laundry. Washing clothes on night 1 means dry clothes by checkout.

Transit days work for laundromat visits if you have 2-3 hours between checkout and next transport. Store bags at station lockers.

Costs Over Extended Travel

One-week trip: Hand-washing costs nothing. Laundromat costs €7-12.

Two-week trip: Two laundromat visits cost €14-24 versus €80-160 for hotel service.

Month-long trip: Four laundromat visits cost €28-48 versus €320-640 for hotel service.

Laundry detergent sheets (€8-12 for 50 sheets) last months and weigh almost nothing. Better than buying detergent in each city.

Alternative Solutions

Drop-off laundry services (common in Asian cities, rare in Europe) wash, dry, and fold by weight. €1.50-2.50 per kilo when available.

Dry cleaning costs €5-8 per item minimum. Only use for items actually requiring dry cleaning.

Some hostels offer laundry service for €8-15 per load. Staff do washing and drying while you explore.

Common Mistakes

Overloading washing machines. Clothes need space to agitate. Stuffing machines results in poor cleaning.

Mixing colors in European machines. High-temperature default settings cause color bleeding. Separate whites, darks, and colors.

Leaving clothes in machines. Other customers remove them (sometimes nicely, sometimes not). Set phone timers.

Assuming hostels have laundry. Many don't. Check before booking if this matters to you.