# Should we take the Iron



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Michelle has just informed me that she is taking a 240v Iron with us on our European trip. As we are going to be away for at least 2 months she says she will need it once we do laundry. My concern is that they are around 2000 watts which I guess uses about 8 amps. Is this going to be too much for the weedy French EHU's? If so what do most people do about ironing? Not the most interesting post but I promised I would ask. Maybe the iron might just end up in Dover Harbour by accident!

Regards
Barry


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Barry you may as well take the ironing board and clothes horse too.
two sets of hair curlers and dryers , just in case you have a failure.
The vacuum cleaner may come in usefull and take some potted plants so you really feel at home.


dave P


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ha Ha!


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

I have seen low wattage travel irons that fold up but I can't remember where. I did use an old one for my aeroplane modeling days for shrinking film onto the wings. I bought that one from a car boot sale for £2:00


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

The iron could always come in usefull as a wedge behind the front wheels.

Dave


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> The iron could always come in usefull as a wedge behind the front wheels.
> 
> Dave


Yes. As I drive over it!

Do campsites not have them? Dont visit campsites very often but I bought that ACSI Card and some of them look like they have all sorts of facilities. Not my sort of place to camp but we could book in every now and then and sort out laundry etc.


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Don't be silly you would burn the tyre.


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Don't take the iron. Many campsites have an iron provided in the laundry room.

If you do take the iron ( and you'll have made a rod for your own back) then take a set of travel adapters and use it in the campsite laundry room where there will be sufficient current.

I have a small travel iron that I use for pressing patchwork pieces but it is not a lot of use for ironing clothes and only makes a vague impression on them. 

G


----------



## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Aldi have travel steam irons £6.99.
Please dont tell my wife i know about this. :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Thanks for that
I just picked 3 campsites at random in Normandy from ACSI and 2 of them say they have ironing facilities so Michelle can Iron away at one of them!


----------



## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

It`s essential part of a MH ,you must always carry a iron,numbers 3.4.5.6.7.8.9


----------



## snailsontour (May 1, 2005)

Since we stopped work, we don't even iron at home let alone in the 'van!


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

a small Steam travelling iron is an essential bit of kit.... there are enough scruffy brits about over there already :lol: 

and Barry, don't forget the small table top ironing board 


Ironing... so relaxing, it's a great stress buster :wink:


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

snailsontour said:


> Since we stopped work, we don't even iron at home let alone in the 'van!


Hurrah! Absolutely right. Come to think of it, we didn't iron before we finished work, and we haven't ironed for at least 4 years. I was lucky enough to be able to wear polo-type shirts for work, and we just shook them when they came out of the washing machine, and hung them to dry.

Life's too short to spend any of it ironing.

Gerald


----------



## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

You must learn to wash with style :lol: :lol: :lol: Then no ironing is required. However if you persist with the ironing lark you must learn all the words and verses of the Ironing song!!!!


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

carolgavin said:


> You must learn to wash with style :lol: :lol: :lol: Then no ironing is required. However if you persist with the ironing lark you must learn all the words and verses of the Ironing song!!!!


Well personally I haven't Ironed for over 17 years when I was single (or done washing actually) so I don't want to get into the technicalities of it all but how do you wash in style and how does the song go? I have told Michelle she wont need it but she reckons its going with us. don't think I can dump it in in the harbour either as she will just go and buy another one. I can just see us plugging it in on an Aire and blowing everyones hook up. I cant believe I started this post there must be more things to worry about than Michelles Iron. Problem is I have wound my work down to such an extent that I now seem to spend half my life on MH forums waiting to go. Its over a week till we go and I have nothing to do!!!!!! Roll on the 9th June!


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

barryd said:


> ..... Its over a week till we go and I have nothing to do!!!!!! Roll on the 9th June!


Have a nostalgia trip whilst you're waiting....

do the ironing = max brownie points :lol: (you never know when you'll need 'em) :wink: )


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

That would be a fatal mistake. Do it once and that will be it for ever! I am of the same opinion as Geraldine and Dannie, dont bother, shorts and a T Shirt maybe a bit creased. So what!


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Watt to Do*

Cheap Tesco Iron £7, never blown a EHU yet.

Otherwise as suggested 800w Travel Iron.

Trev


----------



## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

We have a little travel steam iron from Aldi, it lives in the bottom of the wardrobe forgotton most of the time, but it has come in very handy a couple of times when we've been away and needed something smart.

The longest we have been away in our van was 2 months, loads of stuff hand washed, a few things machine washed at sites.... only a couple of things ever ironed :wink: 

Tina


----------



## Carper (Aug 15, 2007)

We have a travel steam iron we take with us. We also have a table top ironing board.

I can't go out with screwed up clothes....even my boxers are ironed :roll: :roll: 

Doug


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

We have a travel iron but Michelle says its rubbish. Ill just let her blow the electric with the big iron and then dump it then. Doug, you Iron you boxers? I shouldnt pick as I dont do nothing domestic but isnt this a little over the top or are they on display a lot (wish i hadnt started this now)?

It seems we are divided into two camps the scruffs who dont care (thats me then) and the tidy freaks thats Michelle and one or two others (especially Doug). :lol: 

On a serious note do they do service laundries in France? I.e turn up with all your stuff, douvet, jeans pants etc and just pick it all up later all clean and pressed?


----------



## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

We've changed our clothes to Craghopper for shirts & trousers & Tilley
for socks & underwear. 2 of every items are a minimum of course. 
Wash them overnight & they are dry by morning. No ironing involved :lol:
Light weight & pack away very small so takes up less room in the cupboards. 

Jean does have a travel iron of course, but it's seldom used.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

barryd said:


> We have a travel iron but Michelle says its rubbish. Ill just let her blow the electric with the big iron and then dump it then. Doug, you Iron you boxers? I shouldnt pick as I dont do nothing domestic but isnt this a little over the top or are they on display a lot (wish i hadnt started this now)?
> 
> It seems we are divided into two camps the scruffs who dont care (thats me then) and the tidy freaks thats Michelle and one or two others (especially Doug). :lol:
> 
> On a serious note do they do service laundries in France? I.e turn up with all your stuff, douvet, jeans pants etc and just pick it all up later all clean and pressed?


He doesnt pack an Iron either :lol: :lol:


----------



## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

barryd said:


> on a serious note do they do service laundries in France? I.e turn up with all your stuff, douvet, *Jeans pants *etc and just pick it all up later all clean and pressed?


I wouldn't wish that on anyone 8O

**** :lol:


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

locovan said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > We have a travel iron but Michelle says its rubbish. Ill just let her blow the electric with the big iron and then dump it then. Doug, you Iron you boxers? I shouldnt pick as I dont do nothing domestic but isnt this a little over the top or are they on display a lot (wish i hadnt started this now)?
> ...


I like that look. That could be me by July. Do they sell Special Brew in France?


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

**** said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > on a serious note do they do service laundries in France? I.e turn up with all your stuff, douvet, *Jeans pants *etc and just pick it all up later all clean and pressed?
> ...


No your right **** in fact Michelle deserves some kind of reward for washing my pants. I dont want to ruin Anglo French relations by passing my duds onto them. Best scrap that idea. It could cause an international incident. Maybe we should just find a nudist camp and then it wouldnt matter. No that would be worse!


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

barryd said:


> On a serious note do they do service laundries in France? I.e turn up with all your stuff, douvet, jeans pants etc and just pick it all up later all clean and pressed?


Yes, but once you've seen the prices, you'll not be so attracted to them !

Be aware that in the south of France sites have washing machines but dryers are few and far between. As the lady in Reception said - expressively- we have all this sunshine why do you need a dryer ?

What she did not know was that we'd also got 2 weeks worth of washing stored up and it would take several long lengths of clothes line to dry it on. No doubt if I'd festooned the place with it all I'd have got dirty looks at best.

The next site- Arc en Ciel at Aix, the delightful daughter of the owner actually showed me to a couple of secluded and very sunny pitches and suggested I set up my lines there so it all got done - not ironed however.

G


----------



## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

barryd said:


> It seems we are divided into two camps the scruffs who dont care (thats me then) and the tidy freaks thats Michelle and one or two others (especially Doug). :lol:


Not quite, I'm somewhere in the middle. Don't iron most stuff, and its fine if you wash it carefully and shake, pull, hang it rignt. But this only applies to certain sorts of clothes and fabrics. Linen would be hopeless without ironing, and soon needs ironing again when it's worn. It all depends what sort of clothes you have. If you're a dedicated ironer then you've probably accumulated a wardrobe that needs ironing, so there's no point saying don't do it.

I haven't felt the need to iron whilst away, but then we haven't yet had any trip longer than 10 days. Have been to a few 'occasions' in the motorhome now, including one funeral and one Wedding (our own) so we've taken 'posh clothes' but haven't needed to wash them.

I quite like ironing if I'm doing something else, like watching lelly, but as I don't watch much telly I don't do much ironing.

chris


----------



## carol (May 9, 2005)

I am very good at hand ironing - we used to take an iron (like you two month trips) and a small ironing board, some may remember it from the first rally ....

Anyway, I got fed up with that, so clothes ONLY go now if they can be hand ironed straight from the dryer, and folded, that way it is done as you fold the clothes, and we don't stay on sites. Laundry is done by finding an aire close to laundry facilities and walking - usually in our back packs to do it... my most hated chore!! So we try not to do it too often.

Last year I did for the first time, start to do some hand washing of undies only, which saved us going as often, and they don't need ironing anyway...

Carol


----------



## cavaqueen (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi there

Yes, we do carry an iron, a lot of campsites have ironing facilities, but that is normally only a room with an ironing board in it, you have to use your own iron.

As we stay away for months, I couldn't cope without an iron, not all clothes can be hung out and all the creases drop out, and one of my pet hates are creased clothes.

Hope this helps you decide

Cavaqueen


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

If you do take your iron then, rather than go the whole hog with a heavy ironing board - or even the small light ones- buy a milium (reflective) ironing board cover instead. Use a doubled over blanket or a couple of towels underneath and it is almost as good as an ironing board and takes up very little space. If you put your folded newly-washed duvet cover and pillow cases under it they will be ironed while you do the other stuff.

G


----------



## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

Are you kidding?!!! Isn't that why you go away in a MH - to get away from the ironing :lol: :lol: Actually we have a small travel fold up iron in the van but in 4 years I've only used it twice and once of those had disastrous consequences  We've also got a spray from Lakeland that professes to remove wrinkles from clothes (unfortunately not from bodies 8O ) but we haven't used that either! As you can tell, we just wear creased clothes, who cares - we're on holiday  

Jean


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

*FOR SALE IRON

Much travelled to many countries over 20 years and thousands of miles. 
One careful lady owner, never used, like new in box................... Offers.

Ray.*


----------



## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*Iron, never!*

I bought an iron about 10 years ago when I got a job in security, found out you only had to iron the front of your shirt to look smart !! Never iron at all now.


----------



## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

barryd said:


> Well personally I haven't Ironed for over 17 years when I was single (or done washing actually) so I don't want to get into the technicalities of it all but how do you wash in style and how does the song go? !


Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat you don't know the words to the Ironing song??????????????????? What is the world coming to???? There ya go!!!

'Twas on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In ev'ry high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble, O, 
A-washing of her linen, O,
|: Dashing away with the smoothing iron, :|
She stole my heart away.

'Twas on a Tuesday morning
When I beheld my darling,
She looked so neat and charming
In ev'ry high degree.
She looked so neat and nimble, O,

A-hanging out her linen, O
|: Dashing away with the smoothing iron, :|
She stole my heart away. 
'Twas on a Wednesday morning . .
A-starching of her linen . . . . 
'Twas on a Thursday morning . . . .
A-ironing of her linen . . . .

'Twas on a Friday morning . . . .
A-folding of her linen . . . .

'Twas on a Saturday morning . . . .
A-airing of her linen . . . .

'Twas on a Sunday morning . . . .
A-wearing of her linen . . . .


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

carolgavin said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > Well personally I haven't Ironed for over 17 years when I was single (or done washing actually) so I don't want to get into the technicalities of it all but how do you wash in style and how does the song go? !
> ...


Oh very well done Carol 10 out of 10 for that :lol: :lol:


----------

