# Drying clothes in the van



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Siggie mentioned this in another thread.



> the biggest problem is drying laundry, when the weather is poor.


Could you make the area where the heater is into a airing cupboard, when I did my self build I purposely put the Truma in the bottom of the wardrobe, so when washing was done the damp clothes went in there, and the real contents were on the bed for the day, we also used the sun to dry stuff when we were out of the van, laying them over seats or the bed etc, a bit untidy but not for long.

How do others cope away form sites or launderettes etc?


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## siggie (Oct 2, 2010)

We actually put an airer in the shower cubicle of our bathroom. There is a radiator and a heated towel rail that keeps the bathroom quite warm, but not as warm as a drying room or as good as drying outside when the weather allows.

If it's just a few smalls (or bigs in my case!) or a couple of pairs of socks or a single t-shirt then hanging them over the towel rail does a better job.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Line under the awning.
IMO drying clothes inside, apart from hanging a wet waterproof in the shower, is asking for trouble.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

We have a couple of screw out expanding curtain rods that fit in the surround for the large bathroom rooflight, then hang wet stuff up there.


One of these also doubles as a security pole for the sliding cab side window. :wink:


Pete


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Sounds obvious but I don't do washing unless I'm pretty sure its going to be a dry- outside day. I've a drying rack that fits over the bike rack and, if on a site,a few metres of clothes line.

I also try to keep on top of the washing so there is never too much to hang on the fitted pull- out Brabantia washing lines in the bathroom if I have to. We can stretch a clothes line between the two handles above the inside of the cab door ( what are they for ?) and that is useful to air clothes on if they are not dry enough to put away. With heating on and roof vent open in the bathroom I don't worry about damp in there.

Bedclothes, towels and heavy things are done in a launderette or campsite laundry.

I don't rely on hanging things under the awning as generally, if its too wet to dry things outside its usually too windy to leave the awning out.


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## siggie (Oct 2, 2010)

Grizzly said:


> Sounds obvious but I don't do washing unless I'm pretty sure its going to be a dry- outside day.


In some places you could go weeks then :grin2:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

45 plus years of tenting, caravanning and motorhoming all over the world and I've not been caught out many times !


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Spacerunner said:


> Line under the awning.
> IMO drying clothes inside, apart from hanging a wet waterproof in the shower, is asking for trouble.


I can see why you might think so, but we've always done it and never had a problem other than on really cold days we get a bit of condensation on the inside of the windows, but no more than when cooking a meal or brewing up.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Not my department of course but in the summer its easy. We either use a dryer thing that hangs out of any window on the side of the van. Has about 15 rungs on it or we use a washing line tied to a tree or something.

Winter is a little harder but if Mrs D does any washing or we have damp stuff we just hang it over the fire or above the electric heater (obviously not dripping wet stuff over the electric heater). We are never away long enough in winter to warrant doing any proper washing though really.


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## Harrers (Dec 21, 2011)

I usually try and dry outside hanging a washing line to the awning and any other objects such as trees or fences. If it's wet or too windy or I've washed in the evening and want to dry overnight, I use the shower/bathroom. I put the heating on as high as I can then put the blown air on having first closed all the outlets except the bathroom. If a bit of heat is needed elsewhere, you can always open another outlet. There is still heat coming from the boiler itself to keep rest of mh warm.


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

Back to the old dehumidifier thread again - ours goes in the toilet/shower, set it to "laundry", leave for an hour and things like jeans and sweatshirts are 100% dry. Another case for a dehummy lol.


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

We've got rails in the toilet/shower cubicle and a heater vent. Some things go over the rails, others go on coat hangers, shut the door, programme the Truma for overnight temp of about 12c, up to 20c at 5am and they're usually dry by morning. Also great for hanging the waterproofs in if we've had a wet walk or cycle.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

On a slight deviation from original subject - how often do clothes really need washing. I often find myself looking at items of clothing that part of me is trying to put in the laundry basket and part of me is saying "is it really dirty". I give them a sniff, and look carefully, but can smell nothing or see any dirt but still feel, if it has been worn once or twice that it should go in the wash. Why?
This train of thought all came about when I was given a present of a Merino Wool jumper from New Zealand. The benefactor told me that the fabric self cleans if hung up in an airy place. Obvious dirt needs washing off but otherwise airing is sufficient to "freshen up". As I mostly buy natural fibres I started to consider this subject. Sad, I know, but wondered if others had ever thought the same?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

patp said:


> On a slight deviation from original subject - how often do clothes really need washing. I often find myself looking at items of clothing that part of me is trying to put in the laundry basket and part of me is saying "is it really dirty". I give them a sniff, and look carefully, but can smell nothing or see any dirt but still feel, if it has been worn once or twice that it should go in the wash. Why?
> This train of thought all came about when I was given a present of a Merino Wool jumper from New Zealand. The benefactor told me that the fabric self cleans if hung up in an airy place. Obvious dirt needs washing off but otherwise airing is sufficient to "freshen up". As I mostly buy natural fibres I started to consider this subject. Sad, I know, but wondered if others had ever thought the same?


Must be a woman thing, I can wear the same things for weeks, when they head to the washing machine on their own after taking them off, I take the hint and open the washing machine door for them > >


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

I've hung one of these in the bathroom* (retractable line from ebay) *although I think ours came from Ikea. If conditions are grim for airing we just put the heating on with all the outlets closed, except for the bathroom, open the vent a bit and away you go.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

patp said:


> On a slight deviation from original subject - how often do clothes really need washing. I often find myself looking at items of clothing that part of me is trying to put in the laundry basket and part of me is saying "is it really dirty". I give them a sniff, and look carefully, but can smell nothing or see any dirt but still feel, if it has been worn once or twice that it should go in the wash. Why?
> This train of thought all came about when I was given a present of a Merino Wool jumper from New Zealand. The benefactor told me that the fabric self cleans if hung up in an airy place. Obvious dirt needs washing off but otherwise airing is sufficient to "freshen up". As I mostly buy natural fibres I started to consider this subject. Sad, I know, but wondered if others had ever thought the same?


This is something I DO know about.
What happens is that clothing gathers oils and greases in minute amounts from your body and environment. In turn particulate soiling sticks to these oils and the garment becomes dirty.
This dirt then has the effect of sandpaper and, with body movement ,causes wear on the garment.
So, as you can imagine, dirty clothes wear faster than clean clothes. How many coats and jackets have you seen with wear lines on the sleeves!
Laundry detergent disolves the oils and greases and manual or machine agitation shakes off the particulate soiling.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Spacerunner said:


> This is something I DO know about.
> What happens is that clothing gathers oils and greases in minute amounts from your body and environment. In turn particulate soiling sticks to these oils and the garment becomes dirty.
> This dirt then has the effect of sandpaper and, with body movement ,causes wear on the garment.
> So, as you can imagine, dirty clothes wear faster than clean clothes. How many coats and jackets have you seen with wear lines on the sleeves!
> Laundry detergent disolves the oils and greases and manual or machine agitation shakes off the particulate soiling.


Ah - perhaps that is why they say no need to wash?! The garment will wear out and you will, they hope, buy another one!


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

siggie said:


> In some places you could go weeks then :grin2:


Don't go to those places?? :wink2:

Cheers

Dave


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## siggie (Oct 2, 2010)

HarleyDave said:


> > Quote:
> > Originally Posted by *siggie* View Post
> > _In some places you could go weeks then :grin2:_
> 
> ...


But we like Scotland :-D


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